[Possible mutagenic effects of magnetic fields]

To assess the potential mutagenic effect of static magnetic fields of 1.5 T and 7 T, gradient fields and high frequency magnetic fields.

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 1.5 T and 7.2 T, in a bipolar magnetic gradient and additionally in a high frequency field took place with and without known genotoxic chemicals.

No differences in the number of revertants between the bacterial strains of exposed and control cells could be detected and the exposure with known genotoxic chemicals showed no significant difference in mutagenicity.

In conclusion our data do not provide evidence that exposure to a static magnetic field exerts effects on the mutagenicity in our standard tester strains and whether the exposure took place in a diagnostic 1.5 T MR scanner which is used in the clinical routine or at 7.2 T which is a much stronger field made no difference. Also an exposure in a gradient field or in a high frequency field did not show any alteration in the number of revertants.