The repair of γ-ray-induced chromosomal damage in human lymphocytes after exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields

G₀ human blood lymphocytes were irradiated with 2.0 Gy γ-rays and cultured to metaphase whilst held in a 50-Hz power frequency magnetic field of 0.23, 0.47 or 0.7 mT. No differences were found in the frequencies of γ-induced chromosome aberrations observed in cells held in the EM fields compared with replicates held in a sham coil. Similar field conditions have been reported to increase the frequency of γ-induced HPRT mutations, leading to a suggestion that the EM fields alter the fidelity of repair of genomic lesions. This was not confirmed by the chromosome aberration assay described here.