Abstract
Extremely Low Frequency -Magnetic Fields (ELF-MF) are considered possible carcinogens
to humans (Group 2B IARC) based on rather consistent epidemiological findings, but the
underlying biophysical and biological mechanisms are still unknown. As the causal
relationship between carcinogenicity and genotoxic damage is well established, possible
genotoxicity from ELF-MF has been widely investigated. Results are contradictory: even
though most studies have shown no effect, others have reported genotoxicity. Accordingly,
we decided to study the genotoxicity of ELF-MF. Within a large study on ELF-MF exposure
performed on more than 500 workers, we selected 81 workers exposed to different levels of
MF in various activities, but not to known genotoxic factors. Individual exposure was
monitored both at work and during non-working hours for 2 days using personal dosimeters;
ELF-MF levels in the workers were expressed as Time Weighted Average (TWA) values.
Chromosomal aberration (CA) frequency, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), and
micronucleus (MN) were applied to evaluate potential genotoxic effects. In the entire group,
the occupational exposure estimated as the mean of individual TW As during working hours
was 0.58 μT (SD 0.80). The mean TWA environmental exposure was 0.04 μT (SD 0.02), i.e.,
less than I /I 0 of the occupational value. Accordingly, in the examined group, the relative
contribution of the environmental component to the overall exposure was considered as
scarcely significant and thus given no further consideration. Regarding the occupational TWA
levels, workers were classified as low exposed (20 subjects, TWA :S 0.2 μT) and higher
exposed (36 subjects; TWA > 0.2 μT) and highest exposed workers (19 subjects; TWA >
1 μT). No significant differences among the 3 groups were observed in the main personal
variables. When we compared the examined genotoxicity indices among the groups, no
significant difference was observed in CA, SCE, and MN in low exposed compared to higher
exposed workers and to the workers exposed to ELF-MF levels exceeding 1 μT (highest
exposed). The results of this study do not support the hypothesis of any direct genotoxic effect
of ELF-MF, at least at the environmental levels currently found in occupational settings.
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