ID Number		822
Study Type		In Vivo
Model		900 MHz (GSM) exposure to rats and analysis of testes function.
Details		Sprague Dawley rats (n=16) were divided into a sham group and a group exposed to cell phone emissions (890-915 MHz GSM) for 20 min/d, 7 d/wk, for 1 month. The cell phone was placed 0.5 cm under the rat cage (Plexiglas). The phone was in the "speech" mode, i.e. phone was sending a tape of human speech while linked to a base station. Whole-body SAR was reported as ~0.52 W/kg and the 1 g averaged peak SAR was ~3.13 W/kg. For the control group, the cellular phones were placed beneath the cages for 20 min a day, but the phones were turned off. The RF exposure did not cause a change in rectal temperature. Endpoints included lipid composition and peroxidation (malondialdehyde level), sperm count, and morphology and histology of testes including seminiferous tubular diameter. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical comparisons of groups. No effects of RF exposure were observed on measures of testicular function and structure. These results did not confirm the finding of a decrease in seminiferous tubular diameter reported by the same laboratory in 1999. In a report from 2001, the authors report low level 9450 MHz RF exposure did result in low level damage to rat eyes, and also reported a protective effect of some vitamins on this damage. In a follow-up study on rat spermatogenesis, the authors exposed Wistar rats (n = 14) to 900 MHz (GSM) at a calculated range of 0.07 - 0.57 W/kg in the testes for 2 hrs/day, 7 d/wk, 10 months using a mobile phone handset linked to a base station simulator. Immunohistochemistry of caspase-3 cleavage (critical step in caspase-dependent apoptosis) did not show any difference between sham and exposed. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Tas et al. 2013 (IEEE #5308): The purpose of this study is to bridge this gap by investigating effects of long term 900 MHz mobile phone exposure on reproductive organs of male rats. The study was carried out on 14 adult Wistar Albino rats by dividing them randomly into two groups (n: 7) as sham group and exposure group. Rats were exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitted from a GSM signal generator. Point, 1 g and 10 g specific absorption rate (SAR) levels of testis and prostate were found as 0.0623 W/kg, 0.0445 W/kg and 0.0373 W/kg, respectively. The rats in the exposure group were subject to RF radiation 3 h per day (7 d a week) for one year. For the sham group, the same procedure was applied, except the generator was turned off. At the end of the study, epididymal sperm concentration, progressive sperm motility, abnormal sperm rate, all-genital organs weights and testis histopathology were evaluated. Any differences were not observed in sperm motility and concentration (p > 0.05). However, the morphologically normal spermatozoa rates were found higher in the exposure group (p < 0.05). Although histological examination showed similarity in the seminiferous tubules diameters in both groups, tunica albuginea thickness and the Johnsen testicular biopsy score were found lower in the exposure group (p < 0.05, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, we claim that long-term exposure of 900 MHz RF radiation alter some reproductive parameters. However, more supporting evidence and research is definitely needed on this topic. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Dasdag et al. 2014 (IEEE #5449): The aim of this study was to investigate long-term effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted from a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) system on testes. The study was carried out on 16 Wistar Albino adult male rats by dividing them into two groups such as sham (n: 8) and exposure (n: 8). Rats in the exposure group were exposed to 2.4 GHz RFR radiation for 24 h/d during 12 months (1 year). The same procedure was applied to the rats in the sham control group except the Wi-Fi system was turned off. Immediately after the last exposure, rats were sacrificed and reproductive organs were removed. Motility (%), concentration (×106/mL), tail defects (%), head defects (%) and total morphologic defects (%) of sperms and weight of testes (g), left epididymis (g), prostate (g), seminal vesicles (g) were determined. Seminiferous tubules diameter (¼m) and tunica albuginea thickness (¼m) were also measured. However, the results were evaluated by using Johnsens score. Head defects increased in the exposure group (p < 0.05) while weight of the epididymis and seminal vesicles, seminiferous tubules diameter and tunica albuginea thickness were decreased in the exposure group (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.0001). However, other alterations of other parameters were not found significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, we observed that long-term exposure of 2.4 GHz RF emitted from Wi-Fi (2420 ¼W/kg, 1 g average) affects some of the reproductive parameters of male rats. We suggest Wi-Fi users to avoid long-term exposure of RF emissions from Wi-Fi equipment.
Findings
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		Dicle University, Turkey
Funding Agency		Private/Instit.
Country		TURKEY
References		Dasdag, S et al. Arch Med Res, (2008) 39:40-44 Dasdag , S et al. Bioelectromagnetics., (2003) 24:182-188 Akdag, S et al. Biotechnol & Biotechnol. Eq., (2001) 16:131-137 Dasdag, S et al. Urol. Res., (1999) 27:219-223 Akdag, MZ et al. Electro. Magnetobiol., (1999) 18:133-145 Tas, M et al. Electromagn Biol Med., (2014) 33:216-222 Dasdag, S et al. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine., (2015) 34:37-42
Comments		SAR ??? In all studies, it seems a mobile phone handset was used. In the initial studies, the phone was apparently just hooked up to the network and under dynamic and variable power control). In subsequent studies, a base station simulator was used, but the near field pattern of would still be difficult to predict.