volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Long term radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF EMF) exposures due to Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) frequencies were investigated in this study. 158 Swiss Albino mice in unrestrained conditions were used as surrogate and divided into four groups. The average peak field strength generated and measured inside the cages placed at a far field from the antennas is 0.6x10^-3 mW/cm², and the specific absorption rate at 0.9 GHz and 1.8 GHz is 2.33x10^-3 W/kg and 1.97x10^-4 W/kg, respectively. Three samples of the mice chosen at random each from sham and exposed groups in week 4 and subsequently biweekly basis were taken for haematology and histopathology tests. The complete blood count result shows that haematological parameters of both the sham exposed and exposed mice were within the normal range of mice in the control group. A statistical analysis was conducted to determine whether differences observed between the experimental groups were significant. The histopathology examination on some internal organs shows that spleen and bone marrow of the mice were normal for all the three experimental groups, while a sign of tissue degeneration and inflammations were observed after 8 weeks of exposure on the brain, liver and lungs of the mice in the exposed groups. These signs increase in severity with prolonged exposure.

1. Hamadoun, , T., , "Strong global mobile cellular growth across all regions," International Telecommunication Union Mobile World Congress, , 2010.

2., Aug. 2010.
doi:http://www.who.int/peh-emf/project/EMF Project,

3. Repacholi, , M. H., , "EMF concerns and WHO's international EMF project," International Seminar on EMF Risk Perception and Communication, 29-49, 1999..

4. Schwan, , H. P., K. R. Foster, and , "RF-field interaction with biological systems: Electrical properties and biophysical mechanisms," Proceedings of the IEEE, 104-113, 1980.
doi:10.1109/PROC.1980.11589

5. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, (ICNIRP) "Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic field (up to 300 GHz)," Health Physics, Vol. 74, 494-522, 1998.

6. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), "Standard for safety levels with respect to human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields, 3 kHz to 300 GHz," IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society, 2005.

7. Vorst, , A. V., A. Rosen, and Y. Kotsuka, RF/Microwave Interaction with Biological Tissues,, 63-95, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006.
doi:10.1002/0471752053.ch2

8. Prausnitz, S., C. Susskind, and , "Effect of microwave irradiation on mice," IRE Transaction on Bio-Medical Electronic, 104-108, 1961.

9. Eraslan, , G., M. Akdogan, E. Yarsan, D. Essiz, F. Sahindokuyucu, and L. Altintas, "Effect of short-term exposure to pulsed electromagnetic field on some biochemical parameters in mice," Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Vol. 41, 57-59, 2004.

10. Kim, , T.-H., T.-Q. Huang, J.-J. Jang, M. H. Kim, H.-J. Kim, J.-S. Lee, J. K. Pack, J.-S. Seo, and W.-Y. Park, "Local exposure of 849MHz and 1763MHz radiofrequency radiation to mouse heads does not induce cell death or cell proliferation in brain," Exp. Mol. Med., , Vol. 40, 440-447, 2008.

11. Prisco, , M. G., F. Nasta, M. M. Rosado, G. A. Lovisolo, C. Marino, and C. Pioli, "E®ect of GSM-modulated radiofrequency electro-magnetic ¯elds on mouse bone marrow cells," Radiation Research,, Vol. 170, 803-810, 2008.
doi:10.1667/RR1213.1

12. Rusnani, , A., M. N. Norhayati, S. S. Noraini, and M. Marina, "Microwave radiation e®ect-A test on white mice," International RF and Microwave Conference, 513-616, 2008.

13. Al-Glaib, , B., M. Al-Dardfi, A. Al-Tuhami, A. Elgenaidi, and M. Dkhil, "A technical report on the effect of electromagnetic radiation from a mobile phone on mice organs," Libyan J. Med.,, 8-9, 2009.

14. Forgacs, Z., Z. Somosy, G. Kubinyi, J. Bakos, A. Hudak, A. Surjan, and G. Thuroczy, "Effect of whole-body 1800MHz GSM-like microwave exposure on testicular steroidogenesis and histology in mice," Reproductive Toxicology,, Vol. 22, 111-117, 2006..
doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2005.12.003

15. Attia, , A. A., M. A. Yehia, and , "Histological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies of the low frequency electromagnetic ¯eld e®ect on thymus, spleen and liver of albino Swiss mice," Pak. J. Biol. Sci.,, Vol. 5, 931-937, 2002.
doi:10.3923/pjbs.2002.931.937

16. Repacholi, , M. H., A. Basten, V. Gebski, D. Noonan, J. Finnie, and A. W. Harris, "Lymphomas in Eu-Pim1 transgenic mice exposed to pulsed 900MHz electromagnetic fields," Radiat. Res.,, Vol. 147, 631-6, 1997.
doi:10.2307/3579630

17. Rademacher, D. J., S. E. Meier, L. Shi, W. S. Ho, A. Jarrahian, and C. J. Hillard, "Effects of acute and repeated restrain stress on endocannabinoid content in the amygdata, ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex in mice neuropharmacology," Neuropharmacology, , Vol. 54, 108-116, 2008.
doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2007.06.012

18. Liburdi, , R. P., , "RF radiation alters the immune system. II. Modulation of in vivo lymphocyte circulation," Radiat. Res.,, Vol. 83, 66-73, 1980.
doi:10.2307/3575259

19. Adang, , D., C. Remacle, and V. V. Andrew, "Results of a long-term low-level microwave exposure of rat," IEEE Trans. on Microwave and Techn., Vol. 57, 2488-2497, 2009.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.2009.2029667

20. GÄartner, , K., , "Stress response of rats to handling and experimental procedures," Lab. Animals, , Vol. 14, , 267-274, , 1980.
doi:10.1258/002367780780937454

21. WÄurbel, , H., , "Ideal homes? Housing effects on rodent brain behaviour," Trends. Neurosci., Vol. 24, 207-211, Apr. 2001.
doi:10.1016/S0166-2236(00)01718-5

22. Oberto, G., K. Rolfo, P. Yu, M. Carbonatto, S. Peano, N. Kuster, et al., "Carcinogenicity study of 217 Hz pulsed 900MHz electromagnetic fields in Pim1 transgenic mice," Radiat. Res., Vol. 168, 316-326, 2007.
doi:10.1667/rr0425.1

23. Utteridge, , T. D., V. Gebski, J. W. Finnie, V. Roberts, and T. R. Kuchel, "Long-term exposure of E¹-Pim1 transjenic mice to 898.4MHz microwaves does not increase lymphoma incidence," Radiat. Res., Vol. 158, 357-364, 2002.
doi:10.1667/0033-7587(2002)158[0357:LTEOEP]2.0.CO;2

24. Guide for the care and use of National laboratory animals "Research Council (NRC), ," Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Academy Press, , 1996..

25. European Electronic Compatibility (EEC), "Measuring nonion-izing electromagnetic radiation (9 kHz{300 GHz)," Recommended Practice (02)04, EEC, , 2003.

26. Warn, , P. A., M. W. Brampton, A. Sharp, G. Morrissey, N. Steel, D. W. Denning, and T. Priest, "Infrared body temperature measurement of mice as an early predictor of death in experimental fungal infections," Laboratory Animal,, Vol. 37, 126-131, 2003.
doi:10.1258/00236770360563769

27. Shahryar, H. A., A. Lotfi, M. B. Ghodsi, and A. R. K. Bonary, "E®ects of 900MHz electromagnetic fields emitted from cellular phone on the T3, T4, and cortisol levels in Syrian Hamsters," Bull. Vet. Inst. in Pulawy, , Vol. 53, No. 2, 233-236, 2009.

28. Weinert, D., J. Waterhouse, and , "Daily activity and body temperature rhythms do not change simultaneously with age in laboratory mice," Physiology and Behaviour, Vol. 66, 605-612, 1999.
doi:10.1016/S0031-9384(98)00342-4

29. Durney, , C. H., H. Massoudi, and M. F. Iskander, , Radiofrequency Radiation Handbook, 4th Ed., , 1986.

30. Mcree, D. I., , "Review of Soviet/Eastern European research on health aspects of microwave radiation," Acad. Med., Vol. 55, 1133-1151, 1979.

31. Robert, , Jr., N. J., S. M. Michaelson, and S. T. Lu, "The biological e®ects of radiofrequency radiation: A critical review and recommendations," Int. J. Radiat. Biol., Vol. 50, 379-420, 1986.
doi:10.1080/09553008614550841

32. Chaturvedi, , C. M., V. P. Singh, P. Singh, P. Basu, M. Singaravel, R. K. Shukla, A. Dhawan, A. K. Pati, R. K. Gangwar, and S. P. Singh, "2.45 GHz (CW) microwave irradiation alters circadian organization, spatial memory, DNA structure in the brain cells and blood cell counts of male mice, mus musculus," Progress In Electromagnetics Research B, Vol. 29, 23-42, 2011.
doi:10.2528/PIERB11011205

33. Abdel Aziz, , I., H. J. El-Khozondar, M. Shabat, K. Elwasife, and A. Mohamed-Osman, , "E®ect of electromagnetic field on body weight and blood indices in albino rats and the therapeutic action of vitamin C or E," Romanian J. Biophys., Vol. 20, 235-244, 2010.

34. Zare, S., S. Alivandi, and A. G. Ebadi, "Histological studies of the low frequency electromagnetic fields effect on liver, testes and kidney in Guinea pig ," World Applied Sciences Journal, Vol. 2, 509-511, 2007.

35. Kristic, D. D., B. J. Dindic, D. T. Sokolovic, V. V. Markovic, D. M. Petkovic, and S. B. Radic, "The result of experimental exposition of mice by mobile telephones," TELSIKS 2005 Conference, , 2005.

36. Prisco, , M. G., F. Nasta, M. M. Rosado, G. A. Lovisolo, C. Marino, and C. Pioli, "Effect of GSM modulated radiofrequency electromagnetic field on mouse bone marrow cells," Radiation Research Society,, Vol. 170, 803-810, 2008..
doi:10.1667/RR1213.1

. Kwee, , S., P. Raskmark, and , "Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and cell prolifiration," Second World Congress for Electricity and Magnetism in Biology and Medicine,, 1997.

38. Magras, , I. N., T. D. Xenos, and , "RF radiation-induced changes in the prenatal development of mice," Bioelctromagnetics,, Vol. 18, 455-461, 1997.
doi:10.1002/(SICI)1521-186X(1997)18:6<455::AID-BEM8>3.0.CO;2-1

39. Ray, , S., J. Behari, and , "Physiological changes in rats after exposure to low levels of microwaves," Radiat. Res.,, Vol. 123, 199-202, 1990.
doi:10.2307/3577545

Dr. A D Usman

Dr. Wan Fatinhamamah Wan Ahmad

Dr. Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir

Dr. Makhfudzah Mokhtar

Prof. R. Ariffin