Micronucleus frequency and cell proliferation in human lymphocytes exposed to 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic fields.

In the present study micronucleus induction and cell proliferation in human peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured in vitro and exposed to 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic fields for 72 h at different intensities (1.0, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25, and 0.05 mT rms) were investigated. The results obtained from 42 healthy donors aged between 26 and 54 y indicate that, for the field intensities tested, no genotoxic effects were found, as assessed by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. On the contrary, cell proliferation, evaluated by the cytokinesis-block proliferation index, was slightly affected by the field at the intensities tested.