Exposure of Mice to a Strong AC Electric Field—An Experimental Study
G. G. Knickerbocker, W. B. Kouwenhoven, H. C. Barnes · 1967
Male mice exposed to extreme 60 Hz electric fields showed no direct health effects, but their offspring had altered growth patterns.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 22 male mice to intense 60 Hz electric fields (4 kV/inch) for nearly 1,500 hours over 10.5 months to test for health effects. The exposed mice showed no changes in health or reproduction, but their male offspring showed altered growth patterns. This early study examined power frequency fields at levels far exceeding typical household exposure.
Why This Matters
This 1967 study represents one of the earliest systematic investigations into power frequency EMF effects, using field strengths thousands of times higher than what you encounter from household wiring or appliances. The finding of altered growth in offspring, despite no apparent effects on the exposed parents, suggests potential transgenerational impacts that warrant attention. What makes this particularly relevant today is that power line EMF exposure remains ubiquitous - every home, school, and workplace contains 60 Hz fields from electrical wiring and devices. While the study used extreme exposure levels, the biological endpoint of altered offspring development raises questions about subtler effects from chronic, lower-level exposure that characterizes modern life.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Show BibTeX
@article{exposure_of_mice_to_a_strong_ac_electric_field_an_experimental_study_g6044,
author = {G. G. Knickerbocker and W. B. Kouwenhoven and H. C. Barnes},
title = {Exposure of Mice to a Strong AC Electric Field—An Experimental Study},
year = {1967},
}