Clastogenic effects in human lymphocytes of power frequency electric fields: in vivo and in vitro studies.

In vivo and in vitro studies of the clastogenic effects of power frequency electric fields and transient electric currents have been performed. For the in vivo investigation peripheral lymphocytes from twenty switchyard workers were screened for chromosome anomalies. The rates of chromatid and chromosome breaks were found to be significantly increased compared to the rates in 17 controls.

Chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes exposed to trivalent and pentavalent arsenic.

Cultured human lymphocytes were exposed to trivalent (NaASO2) and pentavalent (Na2HAsO4) arsenic in concentrations comparable to the arsenic levels found in the urine of copper smelter workers. Significantly increased frequencies of chromosome aberrations (gaps, chromatid breaks, chromatid exchanges and chromosome breaks) were found after exposure to trivalent but not pentavalent arsenic. This effect was not found when nonstimulated (GO) lymphocytes were exposed to trivalent arsenic and then cultured.