A Cytologist's View of Resonance Mechanisms for Biologic Effects of ELF Magnetic Fields

Abstract

To explain observed biologic effects of alternating magnetic fields with frequency bands of < 0.01 Hz and 0.06-0.1, 0.2-1,3-12, and 35-60 Hz we assume: (1) the validity of Liboffs ionic cyclotron or Lednev's parametric resonance mechanisms; (2) that the geomagnetic field (∼50 μT) can serve as the combined magnetic field (CMF) steady component; (3) different biochemical ions (organic acids, macroergs, coenzymes, proteins, etc.) are the possible CMF targets in cells; (4) CMF can affect electrostatic processes including phosphate group transfer, ligand-receptor association/dissociation, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, etc.; (5) important effects can be due to field influence on substances abundant in the cell as well as on molecules participating in intracellular signaling and membrane transport whose perturbations can be amplified by enzyme cascades or ion fluxes; and (6) weak extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF MF) effects can be amplified by nonlinear mechanisms in nonequilibrium systems in the vicinity of bifurcation points, in chaotic systems, and in stochastic resonance systems. One can expect biologic ELF MF effects in the range of 20-70 Hz due to cationic (mainly Ca²⁺) resonances; near 20 Hz due to phosphate group resonance; 1-6 Hz caused by nonspecific influence on various metabolites; and < 1 Hz due to an effect on weakly charged proteins and their domains. Resonance mechanisms do not explain effects in the range of 50-60 and <0.2 Hz or geomagnetic field variation effects.