Effects of Intermediate Frequency (150 kHz) Electromagnetic Radiation on the Vital Organs of Female Sprague Dawley Rats
Venkatesan Sundaram,
Stephanie Mohammed,
Brian N. Cockburn,
M. R. Srinivasan,
Chalapathi R. Adidam Venkata,
Jenelle Johnson,
Lester Gilkes,
Kegan Romelle Jones,
Nikolay Zyuzikov
Affiliations
Venkatesan Sundaram
Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Stephanie Mohammed
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Brian N. Cockburn
Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
M. R. Srinivasan
Laboratory Animal Medicine Unit, Directorate of Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai 600016, Tamil Nadu, India
Chalapathi R. Adidam Venkata
Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Jenelle Johnson
Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Lester Gilkes
Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Kegan Romelle Jones
Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Nikolay Zyuzikov
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
Exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from intermediate frequency sources has increased exponentially in recent years. The consequences of this exposure on biological systems are prompting scientists to study the effects on human health. This current study aimed to determine the effects of intermediate frequency (150 kHz) EMR exposure on the vital organs of female Sprague Dawley rats. The EMR group (n = 10 animals) was exposed to a frequency of 150 kHz with an intensity of 65 ± 15 μW/cm2 for two months. The control group (n = 10 animals) was exposed to an intensity of 35 ± 15 nW/cm2. Haematological, histochemical, gross, and histopathological profiles of all major organs of all animals were then performed using standard procedures. All major organs generally showed no significant detectable effects in either the control or EMR groups. However, gross and histopathological examinations revealed the effects of EMR on the liver and lungs, which showed inflammatory changes without significant biochemical/haematological manifestations. In addition, a significant increase in serum sodium level and a decrease in serum urea level were also observed in the EMR group. It can be concluded that the current frequency and duration of exposure trigger the changes in the liver and lungs but are not sufficient to cause clinical and functional manifestations. Therefore, a long-term exposure study might be helpful to determine the effects of 150 kHz IF EMR on these organs.
