Validation of Potential Effects on Human Health of in Vivo Experimental Models Studied in Rats Exposed to Sub-Thermal Radiofrequency. Possible Health Risks Due to the Interaction of Electromagnetic Pollution and Environmental Particles

2019 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 1721

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2019

Study typeanimal

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Validation of Potential Effects on Human Health of in Vivo Experimental Models Studied in Rats Exposed to Sub-Thermal Radiofrequency. Possible Health Risks Due to the Interaction of Electromagnetic Pollution and Environmental Particles Salas-Sánchez AA, López-Furelos A, Rodríguez-González JA, Ares-Pena FJ, López-Martín ME. Validation of potential effects on human health of in vivo experimental models studied in rats exposed to sub-thermal radiofrequency. Possible health risks due to the interaction of electromagnetic pollution and environmental particles. IEEE Access. 7: 79186 - 79198. 17 June 2019. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2923581 Abstract Studies are based on the exposure of Sprague-Dawley rats (250 male and 250 female rats) to electromagnetic fields (EMF) at different frequencies in standing and travelling wave chambers. Values of specific absortion rate (SAR) for all of these experiments were obtained from commercially available FDTD-based simulation software based on numerical phantom animals. An experimental radiation system was developed with a standing-wave cavity which keeps electromagnetic parameters constant while facilitating stress-free exposure of animals to non-thermal radiation. This makes it possible to directly measure the power absorbed by the animal and determine whole-body mean SAR according to weight. All studies using this setup were performed with global system for mobile communication (GSM) radiation at 900 MHz. The simple picrotoxin model made allow to identify morphological signs of neurotoxicity in rat brain tissue. Experiments involving travelling waves were done in a commercial Gigahertz Transverse ElectroMagnetic (GTEM) chamber connected to one or two vector signal generators (to carry single or multiple EMF exposure frequencies). In the diathermy model, rat thyroid and thymus exposed to 2.45 GHz radiation showed visible morphological and immune effects. Cellular stress in the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum or both seems to be more associated with the type of signal than with additive effects of combined frequencies. Finally, some hypothesis related with the future models about the ElectroMagnetic (EM) pollution are established. In an urban environmental that combines the electromagnetic and chemical pollution of environmental particles, cortical excitability, inflammatory response, and cell injury can be modified. Conclusions The experimental models of controlled exposure of animals to radiofrequency allow us to know in the short term the mechanisms and risks that can affect human health. The modulation of EEG rhythms in epileptics, the modification of the immune response and the increase in cellular stress are biological effects that could be caused in humans by radio frequency interaction. In an urban environmental that combines the electromagnetic and chemical pollution of environmental particles cortical excitability, inflammatory response and cell injury can be modified. ieeexplore.ieee.org

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Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionharm

PopulationSprague-Dawley rats (male and female)

Sample size500

ExposureRF · 900 MHz

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Rats were exposed to sub-thermal RF in controlled standing-wave and travelling-wave (GTEM) systems; studies using the standing-wave setup used GSM 900 MHz. In a diathermy model, thyroid and thymus exposed to 2.45 GHz showed visible morphological and immune effects, and cellular stress in brain regions appeared more associated with signal type than additive effects of combined frequencies. The authors conclude these animal models suggest potential short-term mechanisms/risks relevant to humans, including immune response modification and increased cellular stress, and propose that combined electromagnetic and particulate pollution could modify cortical excitability, inflammatory response, and cell injury.

Outcomes measured

Whole-body mean SAR estimation/measurement methods
Neurotoxicity/morphological signs in brain tissue (picrotoxin model)
Thyroid and thymus morphology
Immune effects/immune response modification
Cellular stress in cerebral cortex and/or cerebellum
EEG rhythm modulation (referenced in conclusions)
Cortical excitability
Inflammatory response
Cell injury

Limitations

Exposure duration not reported in abstract
Specific SAR values not reported in abstract
Multiple experimental models and frequencies described; results not fully quantified in abstract
Some statements are hypotheses about future/urban combined exposures rather than direct experimental findings

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "GSM/mobile communication; experimental chambers (standing-wave cavity, GTEM)",
    "frequency_mhz": 900,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Sprague-Dawley rats (male and female)",
  "sample_size": 500,
  "outcomes": [
    "Whole-body mean SAR estimation/measurement methods",
    "Neurotoxicity/morphological signs in brain tissue (picrotoxin model)",
    "Thyroid and thymus morphology",
    "Immune effects/immune response modification",
    "Cellular stress in cerebral cortex and/or cerebellum",
    "EEG rhythm modulation (referenced in conclusions)",
    "Cortical excitability",
    "Inflammatory response",
    "Cell injury"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Rats were exposed to sub-thermal RF in controlled standing-wave and travelling-wave (GTEM) systems; studies using the standing-wave setup used GSM 900 MHz. In a diathermy model, thyroid and thymus exposed to 2.45 GHz showed visible morphological and immune effects, and cellular stress in brain regions appeared more associated with signal type than additive effects of combined frequencies. The authors conclude these animal models suggest potential short-term mechanisms/risks relevant to humans, including immune response modification and increased cellular stress, and propose that combined electromagnetic and particulate pollution could modify cortical excitability, inflammatory response, and cell injury.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure duration not reported in abstract",
    "Specific SAR values not reported in abstract",
    "Multiple experimental models and frequencies described; results not fully quantified in abstract",
    "Some statements are hypotheses about future/urban combined exposures rather than direct experimental findings"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "radiofrequency",
    "sub-thermal",
    "GSM",
    "900 MHz",
    "2.45 GHz",
    "GTEM chamber",
    "standing-wave cavity",
    "SAR",
    "Sprague-Dawley rats",
    "neurotoxicity",
    "immune effects",
    "cellular stress",
    "environmental particles",
    "electromagnetic pollution"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Discusses potential human health relevance of RF exposure models; no direct policy content stated."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1109/access.2019.2923581
PubMed: Not supplied

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