The effects of exposure of mice to a 60 Hz magnetic field on reproductive performance should be investigated.
The applied frequency (about 60 Hz) matches the cyclotron frequency of Mg2+. The authors hypothesized that this frequency would be likely to have an effect on reproduction performance, as Mg2+ plays an important role in cell division.
Mice were divided into 2 groups: exposure group (divided into 4 subgroups, each consisting of 4 female and 1 male mouse) and control group (4 female and 1 male mouse).
Blood samples of adult mice were taken after 100 days of exposure. Newborn mice were killed 11 days after birth and adults were killed after exposure for histological examinations.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
60 Hz
Exposure duration:
continuous for 100 days
|
|
| Exposure source | |
|---|---|
| Chamber | cages made of polypropylene with ceilings made of a meshed stainless steel |
| Setup | 6 coils with a radius of 380 mm and which were spaced 380 mm apart in a Helmholtz configuration; the total length of the exposure space was 1.9 m; each of the coils was made of glass fiber, with copper wire windings wrapped within carbon fiber; each subgroup was housed in a single cage placed between the coils; environmental conditions were controlled, e.g., environmental temperature of 21°C ± 1°C and humidity between 40% and 70% |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 38 µT | minimum | measured | - | - |
| magnetic flux density | 47 µT | maximum | measured | - | - |
The average number of offspring per birth was significantly lower in exposed dams compared to the control group and a significantly lower average daily gain of body weight per mouse was observed in exposed pups compared to the control group 7 and 11 days after birth, resulting in a significant reduction of the average body weight per nest.
In hematological and biochemical analysis of the blood of adults, the only changes were a significantly reduced number neutrophils and lymphocytes in exposed mice compared to the control group.
Histopathological examinations revealed a significant increase in mild chronic hepatic inflammatory findings in the offspring and a significantly increased occurrence of myocardial hypertrophy in the dams of the exposure group compared to the control group. However, splenic follicular hyperplasia was significantly higher in the control group than in the exposure group.
The authors conclude that exposure of mice to a 60 Hz magnetic field might have a weak detrimental effect on reproductive performance.
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