Effect of short-term 50 Hz electromagnetic field exposure on the behavior of rats.
Balassa T, Szemerszky R, Bárdos G. · 2009
View Original AbstractTwenty minutes of magnetic field exposure at workplace safety limits increased anxiety and passivity in rats, questioning current safety standards.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 500 microtesla (the workplace safety limit) for 20 minutes and found the animals became more passive and anxious in behavioral tests. The magnetic field exposure increased situational anxiety and reduced activity levels, though it didn't affect social behaviors. This suggests that even brief exposure to magnetic fields at legally permitted levels can alter brain function and behavior.
Why This Matters
This study matters because it demonstrates measurable behavioral changes from extremely low frequency magnetic fields at exposure levels that regulatory agencies consider 'safe.' The 500 microtesla exposure used here equals the occupational reference limit for workers, yet produced clear neurological effects in just 20 minutes. Put simply, if rats show increased anxiety and passivity at these levels, we should question whether these same exposures are truly harmless to humans who live and work near transformers, electrical panels, and other ELF sources. The reality is that behavioral changes often precede more serious health effects, making this type of research an important early warning system. What this means for you is that proximity to strong magnetic field sources may be affecting your mental state in ways you haven't considered.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.5 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 20 min
Exposure Context
This study used 0.5 mG for magnetic fields:
- 25Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 5Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field generated by transformer stations located within buildings has been suspected to initiate non-specific health problems. This possibility was examined in model experiments in rats.
Following short-term exposure (50 Hz, 500 μT, 20 min), situational and social anxiety as well as loc...
Based on our results having obtained so far, it seems that these field parameters (that equals the o...
Show BibTeX
@article{t_2009_effect_of_shortterm_50_221,
author = {Balassa T and Szemerszky R and Bárdos G.},
title = {Effect of short-term 50 Hz electromagnetic field exposure on the behavior of rats.},
year = {2009},
url = {https://akjournals.com/view/journals/036/96/4/article-p437.xml},
}