Power Line EMF Research

Combined exposure of peripubertal male rats to the endocrine-disrupting compound atrazine and power- frequency electromagnetic fields causes degranulation of cutaneous mast cells: a new toxic environmental hazard?

Unknown authors · 2010

Effect of long-term exposure to a randomly varied 50 Hz power frequency magnetic field on the fertility of the mouse

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed mice to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as household power lines) for two generations, from conception through adulthood. While most fertility measures remained normal, sperm quality significantly declined - fewer sperm survived and their movement was impaired. This suggests power line frequency EMF may affect male reproductive health even when other fertility markers appear unaffected.

Effect of 60 Hz magnetic fields on the activation of hsp70 promoter in cultured INER-37 and RMA E7 cells

Unknown authors · 2010

The construct was transfected into INER-37 and RMA E7 cell lines, which were then exposed to magnetic fields or thermal shock. In INER-37 cells, both magnetic field and thermal shock exposure increased luciferase activity compared to controls, while magnetic fields had no effect on RMA E7 cells.

Metamorphosis delay in Xenopus laevis (Daudin) tadpoles exposed to a 50 Hz weak magnetic field

Unknown authors · 2010

Effects of prenatal exposure to a 50-Hz magnetic field on one-trial passive avoidance learning in 1-day-old chicks.

Sun H, Che Y, Liu X, Zhou D, Miao Y, Ma Y. · 2010

Researchers investigated memory impairment in newly hatched chicks following in ovo exposure to a 50-Hz magnetic field of 2 mT for 60 minutes per day on embryonic days 12 through 18. Memory retention was tested at 10, 30, and 120 minutes after exposure to a bitter-tasting bead.

Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats.

Kumar S, Jain S, Behari J, Avelev VD, Mathur R. · 2010

Researchers exposed rats with spinal cord injuries to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (50 Hz, 17.9 microT) for 2 hours daily over 8 weeks. The magnetic field exposure restored normal food intake, water consumption, and body weight in the paralyzed rats, all of which had decreased after their spinal cord injuries. This suggests that specific magnetic field frequencies might help support basic physiological functions in spinal cord injury patients.

Effect of 60 Hz electromagnetic fields on the activity of hsp70 promoter: an in vivo study

Unknown authors · 2010

The pEMF plasmid was electrotransferred into the quadriceps muscles of BALB/c mice. Mice exposed to the EMFs for 2 hours daily over 7 days showed increased luciferase expression compared with controls (P<0.05).

Studies on the synergistic effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and the endocrine-disrupting compound atrazine on the thyroid gland

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed male Wistar rats from postnatal day 23 to 53 to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 100-300 μT for 4 hours daily, atrazine at 20 or 200 mg/kg body weight, or both combined. Light and electron microscopy showed no significant alterations in thyroid structure in any treated group compared to controls. The magnetic field group showed significant differences in thyroid follicle volume density and connective tissue compared to atrazine and combined groups. High-dose atrazine significantly affected mast cell numbers compared to controls.

Electric and magnetic fields at power frequencies

Unknown authors · 2010

Early studies tended toward a consistent association between risks for leukemia and brain cancer and residential proximity to power lines having high wire configuration. More recent studies using improved exposure measurement methods have produced inconsistent results, with some suggesting increased risk and others not. Occupational exposures suggested increased risk for leukemia and to a lesser extent brain cancer and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Studies of residential exposures and cancer in adults generally suggested no effect. Laboratory work has been unable to demonstrate a biological mechanism that might explain the epidemiological findings.

Studies on the synergistic effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and the endocrine-disrupting compound atrazine on the thyroid gland

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed young male rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) and the pesticide atrazine, both separately and together, for 30 days to see if they would damage thyroid function. They found no synergistic effects between the two exposures, though magnetic fields alone caused some structural changes in thyroid tissue that warrant further study.

Effects of long-term 50 Hz magnetic field exposure on the micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocyte and blood lymphocyte frequency and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in lymphocytes of mice

Unknown authors · 2010

One hundred and twenty Swiss albino mice were equally divided into 6 groups. The study groups were exposed to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 microT 50 Hz-EMFs for 40 days. ELF-EMF exposure caused a nonlinear decline of nucleus area, a sharp drop in AgNOR area at 1 microT that then rose to an insignificantly higher level than controls, and no change in mean AgNOR numbers per nucleus. Relative AgNOR area was highest in the 1 microT group and similar in the 5 microT group, while the remaining groups had significantly lower values similar to controls. The field exposure at any intensity did not significantly affect the frequency of either MPBLs or MPCEs, but the number of MN per PBL in the 4 and 5 microT-exposure groups were significantly higher than those of the lower intensity exposure groups.

Effect of ELF electric field on some on biochemistry characters in the rat serum

Unknown authors · 2010

The present study investigated the potential effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) electric field exposure on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels of adult male rats. Sixty rats were randomly divided into three groups: controls without exposure, a group exposed to 50 Hz for 10 days, and a group exposed to 50 Hz for 30 days. Total cholesterol concentration in the short-term exposure group was 65.33 ± 15.31 mg/dL and in the long-term exposure group was 59.55 ± 15.01 mg/dL, both significantly lower than the control value of 70.44 ± 19.60 mg/dL. Plasma triglyceride levels were 67.33 ± 15.63 mg/dL in one exposed group and 51.53 ± 14.17 mg/dL in the other, compared with 84.44 ± 16.79 mg/dL in controls.

Effect of ELF electric field on some on biochemistry characters in the rat serum

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed rats to 50 Hz electric fields (the same frequency as power lines) for either 10 or 30 days and measured cholesterol and triglyceride levels in their blood. Both exposure groups showed significantly lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to unexposed controls, with longer exposure producing greater decreases. This suggests that power line frequency electric fields can alter fat metabolism in mammals.

Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Decreased Calcium, Zinc and Magnesium Levels in Costa of Rat

Unknown authors · 2010

Rats were exposed to 100 and 500 μT ELF-MF for 2 h/day during 10 months. Calcium levels decreased in the ELF-500 exposure group compared to the sham group. Magnesium levels decreased in the ELF-500 exposure group compared to both the sham and ELF-100 exposure groups. Zinc levels were lower in the ELF-500 exposure group than in the sham and ELF-100 exposure groups. No significant differences were found in phosphorus, copper, or iron levels between groups.

Extremely low frequency magnetic field and the hatching rate of Fasciola hepatica eggs, the fecundity and survival of liver fluke-infected snail, Lymnaea truncatula

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed Fasciola hepatica eggs to a 50 Hz, 2 mT extremely low frequency magnetic field for 10 days. The exposed eggs hatched faster than non-exposed control eggs. Snails infected with miracidia from exposed eggs laid significantly fewer cocoons by day 14 and showed significantly higher mortality by day 42 compared to control snails.

Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Phospholipase Activity in the Cultured Cells

Unknown authors · 2010

The study used RAW 264.7 cells and RBL 2H3 cells. The cells were exposed to 60 Hz EMF at 0.1 or 1 mT for 4 or 16 hours. Basal and melittin-induced arachidonic acid release, cPLA2, sPLA2, PLC, and PLD activities were unchanged by EMF exposure. The authors concluded that the exposure conditions, which were 2.4 fold higher than the occupational limit, did not induce phospholipase-associated signaling pathways.

Influence of low frequency magnetic field on chosen parameters of oxidative stress in rat's muscles.

Ciejka E, Skibska B, Kleniewska P, Goraca A. · 2010

Researchers studied the influence of a low-frequency magnetic field on oxidative stress markers in rat muscles. Thirty male rats weighing 280 to 300 grams were randomly divided into three experimental groups, each containing seven animals. One treatment group was exposed to 40 Hz and 7 mT for 0.5 hours per day for 14 days, and the other was exposed at the same settings for 1 hour per day for 14 days. Exposure caused a significant increase in sulfhydryl group concentration and a decrease in protein concentration in the muscle homogenates.

Mobile-phone pulse triggers evoked potentials

Carrubba S, Frilot C 2nd, Chesson AL Jr, Marino AA · 2010

Researchers recorded EEGs from six standard locations in 20 volunteers to detect brain potentials triggered by a pulse of the type produced by mobile phones. Evoked potentials having the expected latency were found in 90% of the volunteers, as assessed using a nonlinear method of EEG analysis. Evoked potentials were not detected when the EEG was analyzed using time averaging. The possibility of systematic error was excluded by sham-exposure analyses.

Exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in C57BL/6 mice

Cuccurazzu B et al. · 2010

The exposure significantly enhanced neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, with increased numbers of cells labeled for markers of new and developing neurons. Roughly half of the newly generated neurons survived 30 days after stimulation and became mature neurons integrated into the granule cell layer. The new mature neurons were associated with increased long-term potentiation, indicating an influence on hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Effect of magnetic field on food and water intake and body weight of spinal cord injured rats

Kumar S, Jain S, Behari J, Avelev VD, Mathur R. · 2010

Researchers studied the effect of magnetic field exposure on food intake, water intake, and body weight in rats with complete spinal cord injury. Exposure ran at 50 Hz and 17.9 T for 2 hours per day over 8 weeks in rats with complete spinal cord transection at the T13 level. The results suggest a significant beneficial effect of chronic exposure to magnetic field of paraplegic rats.

Stress-related endocrinological and psychopathological effects of short- and long-term 50 Hz electromagnetic field exposure in rats

Szemerszky R, Zelena D, Barna I, Bárdos G. · 2010

Researchers exposed adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields at 0.5 mT, either for 5 days at 8 hours daily or for 4 to 6 weeks at 24 hours daily. Neither exposure duration produced the body changes associated with chronic stress, such as body weight reduction, thymus involution, or adrenal gland hypertrophy. After long-term exposure, rats showed elevated proopiomelanocortin and depressive-like behavior, and blood glucose was also higher. The researchers noted that the exposure intensity used was much higher than typical human exposure.

Exposure to ELF magnetic fields modulate redox related protein expression in mouse macrophages.

Frahm J, Mattsson MO, Simkó M. · 2010

Researchers exposed mouse macrophages to a 50 Hz, 1.0 mT magnetic field and measured changes in reactive oxygen species production and protein expression. Short-term exposures of two hours or less caused slight and transient decreases in several proteins, including clathrin, adaptin, PI3-kinase, protein kinase B, and PP2A, while longer exposures had no effect on these proteins. The stress proteins Hsp70 and Hsp110 showed increased levels at certain time points but not generally.

Effect of ELF-EMF on number of apoptotic cells; correlation with reactive oxygen species and HSP.

Garip AI, Akan Z. · 2010

Researchers investigated the effect of ELF-EMF on apoptosis in K562 human leukemia cells, with and without oxidative stress, and examined links to heat-shock protein 70 levels. ELF-EMF at 1 mT and 50 Hz was applied for 3 hours, with one group of cells treated with H2O2 to induce oxidative stress and another left untreated. In cells not exposed to oxidative stress, ELF-EMF caused a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells and a slight increase in viability. In cells treated with H2O2, ELF-EMF increased the number of apoptotic cells, and hsp70 and reactive oxygen species levels were also increased.

Pulsed electromagnetic field stimulates cellular proliferation in human intervertebral disc cells.

Lee HM et al. · 2010

Researchers cultured human intervertebral disc (IVD) cells in alginate beads and exposed them to an electromagnetic field at 1.8 millitesla magnetic flux density and 60 Hz. Cellular proliferation was observed in the EMF group (p < 0.05), and no cytotoxicity was found. There was no significant change in the expression of aggrecan, type I, and type II collagen mRNA in the EMF group compared to the control group. DNA synthesis was partially mediated by nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2.

Effects of 50-Hz magnetic field exposure on superoxide radical anion formation and HSP70 induction in human K562 cells.

Mannerling AC, Simkó M, Mild KH, Mattsson MO · 2010

Researchers exposed human K562 leukemia cells to a 50-Hz sine-wave magnetic field for 1 hour at flux densities ranging from 0.025 to 0.10 mT, measuring proliferation, cell cycle distribution, superoxide radical anion levels, and HSP70 protein levels. Both vertical and horizontal exposures caused significantly and transiently increased HSP70 levels of more than twofold at several flux densities, compared to sham controls and also compared to a heat-treatment positive control. Superoxide radical anion levels increased by 30–40%, and adding free radical scavengers melatonin or 1,10-phenantroline inhibited the magnetic-field-induced increase in HSP70. Cell cycle kinetics and proliferation were not affected by exposure at 0.10 mT for 1 hour.