Extremely Low Frequency Vertical, 45-Hz Electric Field Exposure of Rats: A Search for Growth, Food, and Water Consumption, Blood Metabolite, Hematological, and Pathological Changes

Abstract : Three hundred eighty-four young male rats were exposed to 45-Hz, vertical electric fields in nonmetallic cages, in an attempt to detect alteration of growth, food and water consumption, alterations in selected hematological and serum biochemical values, and pathological changes. 7 Three experiments were performed, each using six groups of 16 animals exposed to field strengths 0f 0, 2, 10, 20, 50, and 100 V/m (RMS). All variables were statistically analyzed for differences and the possible existence of a 'dose effect relationship'. A further experiment (G) used 48 control animals and 48 animals exposed to 20 V/m (RMS) to minimize the possibility of missing a true alteration. Although some differences were found in three experiments (E, F, and H) neither a dose effect relationship nor a biological effect due to exposure was observed. It was concluded that no alterations in growth, food consumption, or water consumption resulted from exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electric fields. Neither serum or plasma concentrations of total protein, globulin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipid nor hematological values for red blood cells, white blood cells, segmented neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, hematocrit or hemoglobin appear to be influenced by ELF fields.