Mutagenic or co-mutagenic effect of magnetic fields in the Ames test

Aim: To assess the potential mutagenic effect of static magnetic fields of 1.5T and 7T, gradient fields and high frequency magnetic fields. Method: We used the Salmonella mutagenicity test (Ames test), which detects mutations in a gene of a histidine-requiring (his(-)) strain to produce a histidine- independent (his') strain. Exposure to a static magnetic field of 1.5T and 7.2T, in a bipolar magnetic gradient and additionally in a high frequency f ield took place with and without known genotoxic chemicals. Results: No dif ferences in the number of revertants between the bacterial strains of expos ed and control cells could be detected and the exposure with known genotoxi c chemicals showed no significant difference in mutagenicity. Conclusion: I n conclusion our data do not provide evidence that exposure to a static mag netic field exerts effects on the mutagenicity in our standard tester strai ns and whether the exposure took place in a diagnostic 1.5T MR scanner whic h is used in the clinical routine or at 7.2T which is a much stronger field made no difference. Also an exposure in a gradient field or in a high freq uency field did not show any alteration in the number of revertants.