The effects of long-term air ion and D.C. electric field exposures on survival characteristics in female NAMRU mice.

Two hundred female NAMRU mice (25 per cage) underwent chronic exposures to the following conditions: positive or negative air ions (2 X 10(5)/cm3 and 2 X 10(3)/cm3), D.C. fields only (2 kV/meter), and two identical electrically grounded cages. Survival data yielded median survival times (MSTs) with similar environments usually having equivalent MSTs. Field cages had the longest (661 days) and the negative ion cages the shortest (585.9 days) MSTs. Pairwise comparisons of survival characteristics using Lee-Desu statistics revealed significant differences between environments, with combined ionized compared to nonionized conditions having the most significance (p less than .013). Mice in general showed a substantial (42%) and significant decrease in serum glucose values with age, with ionized mice having consistently lower glucose levels than nonionized (p less than 10(-6] over the entire exposure period. These results with air ions and D.C. fields argue for the involvement of bioelectrical processes in mortality and aging rate.