The study examined the potential genotoxic activity and the impact of artificial air ionization on lifespan. Experiments on Drosophila melanogaster demonstrated that exposure of the lung to negative (5 x 10(4), 5 x 10(5), and 10(6) ion/cm3) and slight positive (5 x 10(4), 5 x 10(5), and 10(6) ion/cm3) airoions generated on the electrodes at direct-current voltage failed to increase the frequency of dominant lethal mutations in the gametes and to affect the life-span of male flies. Exposure of the flies to deionized air increased the rate of early embryonic lethal mutations.