Changes in the Parameters of Iron Metabolism in Rats’ Blood Under Decimetric Electromagnetic Radiation

Abstract

Introduction. The intensive development of radio and electrical communications, as well as various electronic devices, leads to the electromagnetic pollution of the environment.Aim. In this work, the authors set out to study the serum iron parameters of rats exposed to chronic electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of the decimeter range.Materials and methods. The research was carried out on rats that were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was further divided into 4 subgroups of 10 animals each, which were subsequently exposed to electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of 460 MHz (Volna-2 apparatus) for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. The control group (10 rats) was exposed to pretend irradiation, with the device being turned off. The following parameters were estimated: serum iron (SI), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC) of serum, transferrin saturation (TS), as well as serum concentrations of transferrin, haptoglobin, malondialdehyde and lipid hydroperoxides.Results. Differences in the SI concentration were found in the subgroups of animals exposed to radiation for 3 and 4 weeks (44.1 ± 3.1 μmol/l and 56.8 ± 4.4 μmol/l, respectively), as compared to the control group (30.5 ± 3.3 μmol/l). In experimental animals, TIBC increased by 41 % (p <0.05) — relative to the control group (110.8 ± 10.1 μmol/l) — only following 3 weeks of irradiation (156.2 ± 18.2 μmol/l), with a decrease in TIBC to 123.6 ± 16.4 μmol/l being noted during the 4th week. The concentration of transferrin increased from 45.6 ± 8.0 μmol/l (control) to 81.0 ± 11.5 μmol/l during the 3rd week of radiation exposure, with a decrease to 55.9 ± 6.7 μmol/l being observed during the 4th week. TS increased from 27.5 % (control) to 45.9 % only following 4 weeks of irradiation. The content of lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde in the blood of irradiated rats was higher, as compared to the control animals. The serum concentration of haptoglobin amounted to 26.7 % in the control group, reaching 53.8 mg % and 47.8 mg % following 3 and 4 weeks of exposure, respectively.Conclusion. The total chronic exposure to decimetric EMR produces an oxidising effect on organisms.