An Overview of Postulated Mechanisms of Action for Biological Effects from Electromagnetic Fields

Magnetobiology—the science studying the effect of weak, below 0.1 mT, magnetic fields on biological systems—is a new synthetic discipline encompassing the principles and techniques of many sciences, from physics to medicine, and centered around biophysics. Both the theoretical foundation and general physical concepts of magnetobiology remain to be established. Suffice it to say that magnetobiology practically lacks predictive theoretical models. There are objective factors, due to theory lagging far behind experiment, that are hindering the development of this science. The problem relates to paradoxical biological effects of weak low-frequency magnetic fields of energy much smaller than the characteristic energy of biochemical processes. For many researchers, these effects, by their very nature, cast doubt on the reality of the problem despite the abundance of experimental evidence in its support. Therefore, academic interest in the subject is restrained by the fact that experimental data lack a clear physical explanation. The task of magnetobiology now is to explore the biological effects of weak magnetic fields in a way to understand mechanisms behind these effects. Years of experience have shown that some electromagnetic fields may pose a threat to human health and should be considered on an equal footing with such important climatic factors as atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity. With the growing knowledge of this fact, investigations into the mechanisms of biological action of electromagnetic fields are becoming even increasingly necessary. A powerful impetus to research in electromagnetobiology was given by rapidly developed EM generators of microwave radiation in the 1960s. From the very beginning, it became clear that microwaves had marked biological effects. Of special interest was the fact that the microwave power was frequently too low to cause an appreciable heating of tissues. At the same time, a quantum of radiation energy was two orders of magnitude smaller than the characteristic energy of chemical transformations kT. Moreover, microwave effects were observable only at selected frequencies which suggested their non-thermal nature. Also, they depended on low-frequency modulations. Reliable evidence of the biological effects of lowfrequency magnetic fields proper (in the range of 10-100 Hz) was obtained in the 1980s. These facts are worth mentioning because this range covers the frequencies of industrial and household electrical appliances. Interest in magnetobiology arises in the first place from environmental considerations. Human impact on natural processes has reached a dangerous level. The environment is heavily polluted by industrial and municipal wastes. Electromagnetic pollution is growing equally fast. The situation is aggravated by the absence of a clear understanding of the physico-chemical mechanisms that underlie the biological effects of natural and artificial hyperweak agents. Hence, it is opportune to speak about a paradox. Indeed, these phenomena are not only inexplicable but seemingly at variance with the currently adopted scientificallybased world picture. At the same time, a wealth of observations and experimental data suggest their reality. In a word, the biological action of hyperweak agents constitutes a fundamental scientific problem having important practical implications. In the past, weak low-frequency MF and non-thermal EMF were believed to pose no threat to human health because their biological effects seemed out of the question for physical considerations. Since then, however, experimental data have been obtained suggesting the potential risk of these fields and the radiation they emit even though their visible effects may