Bacterial mutation in high magnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation

Mineta M, Katada R, Yamada T, Nagasawa K, Takahashi K, Aburano T, Yoshida I,

Nippon Igaku Hoshasen Gakkai Zasshi 59(9):467-469, 1999

[Article in Japanese]

Epidemiological studies recently have indicated that magnetic fields and radiofrequency (RF) radiation have an adverse influence on the living body. The purpose of this study was to examine the safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by observing whether bacterial mutation occurs in an approximate MRI environment.

We employed a GX-270 FT-NMR unit (JEOL, Ltd.) with a magnetic field strength of 6.3 Tesla. The Salmonella typhimurium tester strains used in the AMES test were exposed, and the incidence of point and frameshift mutations was evaluated. TA98 and TA7001-7006 mixed strains were used to detect frameshift and point mutations, respectively. Tester strains were exposed to the 6.3 Tesla magnetic field with RF radiation (90 degrees and 180 degrees refocusing pulses were repeated using the hydrogen Lamor frequency at 2-second intervals) for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. After each exposure, the rate of revertant mutation was counted.

The rates of revertant mutation in mixed strains and the TA98 strain were not statistically significant. Therefore, it was concluded that bacterial mutation is not increased by RF radiation under a 6.3 Tesla magnetic field.