Effect of radio frequency electromagnetic field from mobile phones’ base station antennas on maturation of rat erythrocytes

Abstract

The biological effects of radiation emitted by mobile telephone base station antennas are still controversial. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of radio frequency electromagnetic field frequency range of 1200–1400 MHz, from a mobile phone base station on erythropoietic cells in the rat bone marrow. Out of a total of 48 rats, 24 were exposed for 2 h each day for 7, 14, 30, and 60 days to electromagnetic radiation at specific absorption rate (SAR) levels 1.165 W/kg. Electromagnetic field–exposed rats were compared with sham-exposed control rats. The animals of the sham-exposed control group and each radio frequency electromagnetic field–exposed group were killed on the final day of exposure. Bone marrow smears were examined. In comparison with the sham-exposed animals, the findings revealed significantly increased polychromatic erythrocytes (P < 0.05) on experimental days 30 and 60. The frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes was also significantly increased on experimental day 30 (P < 0.05). Pair-wise comparison of data obtained after 7 and 14 days, electromagnetic field exposure, did not reveal statistically significant differences between sham-exposed and radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure groups. The findings revealed a transient effect on the erythropoietic cells in the rat bone marrow and the sporadic appearance of micronucleated immature bone marrow red cells.