NTL Record

Title Safety of High Speed Guided Ground Transportation Systems - The Biological Effects of Maglev Magnetic Field Exposures
Record ID 33540
Personal Name
Creator
Groh, K.
Source 60p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Corporate
Contributor
Argonne National Laboratory
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration
Publication Date 19930800
Language English
Abstract This report describes selected biological effects on transformed human cell lines and on rats from exposure to simulated maglev magnetic fields (MFs). Rats (n = 6 per group) were exposed at various times throughout the 24-h day to MFs simulating the de and complex ac components of the German TransRapid TR-07 maglev prototype vehicle. Expected ride times as long as 4 h and MF intensities from 50*1500 mG measured for the TR-07 were tested, up to MF levels predicted for superconducting magnet-powered maglev vehicle compartments (1 mG-1.75 G). Maglev-1 ike HF exposures up to 7 times the intensity produced by the TR-07 had no effect on cultured growth of four human cell lines or on chemically Induced differentiation compared to control, unexposed cultures. Changes in the amount of rat pineal melatonin and serotonin-NacetyI transferase (NAT), which have been shown by others to be decreased under a range of eletromagnetfc field (EMF) exposure frequencies and intensities, were not observed for TR-07-1 ike MFs. Intermittent exposure to de-component maglev MFs (1-2 C) significantly depressed nighttime (control) levels of NAT, with weak effects on melatonin and NAT seen with 1- to 2-G-intensity intermittent (ac component alone) and continuous maglev (ac ♦ dc) MF exposures. These results should be further examined, since they suggest that ac component TR-07-like MFs and time-varying EMFs at superconducting maglev intensities produce biological effects.
Rosap ID dot:8677
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/8677
TRT Terms Electromagnetic fields; Environmental impacts; Living things; Railroad electrification; Magnetic levitation vehicles; High speed ground transportation; Neurology; Epidemiology; Safety
General Subjects Maglev; Magnetic fields; Biological effects; ELF; AC and DC; Neurotransmitter effects; Pineal effects; Melatonin
Classification NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Contract Number RR393/R4021
Report Number D0T-VNTSC-FRA-93-20; DOT-FRA/ORD-93/30
Availability Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/33000/33500/33540/33540.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository