Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of chronic low-intensity microwave radiation on sperm count, sperm morphology, and testicular and epididymal tissues of rats med./bio.

By: Akdag MZ, Celik MS, Ketani A, Nergiz Y, Deniz M, Dasdag S

Published in: Electro Magnetobiol 1999; 18 (2): 133-145

To investigate the effect of chronic microwave exposure on sperm count, sperm morphology, and the morphology of rat testis and epididymes.

effects on the reproductive system: epididymal sperm count; weight and morphology of testis and epididymes

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 9.45 GHz Modulation type: CW Exposure duration: repeated daily exposure, 1 h/day for 13, 26, 39 or 52 days	electric field strength: 100 V/m SAR: 1.8 W/kg mean (whole body) power density: 2.65 mW/cm²

Frequency	9.45 GHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Charakteristic	far field
Exposure duration	repeated daily exposure, 1 h/day for 13, 26, 39 or 52 days

Modulation type	CW

Exposure source	horn antenna anechoic chamber
Setup	Perspex cages (20 cm x 10.5 cm x 10 cm) placed in far field region from the horn inside the 70 cm x 47 cm x 47 cm anechoic chamber; long axis of animals parallel to the electric vector
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	100 V/m	-	measured	-	-
SAR	1.8 W/kg	mean	calculated	whole body	-
power density	2.65 mW/cm²	-	-	-	-

Exposed system:

effects on the reproductive system: epididymal sperm count; weight and morphology of testis and epididymes
morphol./histopathol. changes: weight and morphology of testis and epididymes (see "effects on reproductive ability")

Investigated system:

Investigated organ system:

Time of investigation:

Epididymal sperm count and morphology and weight and morphology of testis and epididymes were affected by chronic prolonged microwave exposure. The incidence of symptoms depended on exposure duration.

Study character:

Chauhan P et al. (2017): Microwave radiation (2.45 GHz)-induced oxidative stress: Whole-body exposure effect on histopathology of Wistar rats
Tas M et al. (2014): Long-term effects of 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phone on testicular tissue and epididymal semen quality
Meena R et al. (2014): Therapeutic approaches of melatonin in microwave radiations-induced oxidative stress-mediated toxicity on male fertility pattern of Wistar rats
Karaman MI et al. (2014): The effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by the cell phones on the testicular tissue
Kumar S et al. (2012): Impact of microwave at X-band in the aetiology of male infertility
Kesari KK et al. (2011): Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic wave exposure from cellular phones on the reproductive pattern in male wistar rats
Kumar S et al. (2011): Influence of microwave exposure on fertility of male rats
Kesari KK et al. (2010): Microwave exposure affecting reproductive system in male rats
Kesari KK et al. (2010): Mobile phone usage and male infertility in Wistar rats
Agarwal A et al. (2008): Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic: an observational study
Dasdag S et al. (2008): Mobile phone exposure does not induce apoptosis on spermatogenesis in rats
Fejes I et al. (2007): Hypothesis: safety of using mobile phones on male fertility
Dasdag S et al. (2003): Whole body exposure of rats to microwaves emitted from a cell phone does not affect the testes