1. Definition, Description and Applications
Static (SMF) and oscillating (OMF) magnetic fields have been explored for their potential as microbial inactivation methods. For SMF, the magnetic field intensity is constant with time, while an OMF is applied in the form of constant amplitude or decaying amplitude sinusoidal waves. The magnetic field may be homogeneous or heterogeneous. In a homogeneous magnetic field, the field intensity B is uniform in the area enclosed by the magnetic field coil, while in a heterogeneous field, B is nonuniform, with the intensities decreasing as distances from the center of the coil increases. OMF applied in the form of pulses reverses the charge for each pulse, and the intensity of each pulse decreases with time to about 10% of the initial intensity (Pothakamury and others 1993).