Effects of Long‐Term Exposure of Intermediate Frequency Magnetic Fields (20 kHz, 360 µT) on the Development, Pathological Findings, and Behavior of Female Mice

Abstract

The use of magnetic fields in the intermediate-frequency (IF) range to wirelessly charge electric cars with power transfer in the kilowatt range has become increasingly widespread, leading to unavoidable stray fields in the microtesla range. Only a handful of studies have assessed the potential biological risks associated with exposure to such fields. We exposed female mice (n = 80 per group) to either 20 kHz, 360 μT (rms), or sham in Helmholtz coils to conduct a blind design study. Exposure started at 3 months of age (24 h/day). Body mass was recorded every 1-2 weeks. At 10 months of age, three behavioral tests were performed on 24 animals per group. Three months later, the mice were sacrificed and organs (brain, liver, kidney, spleen, and lung) were removed and prepared for microscopic analysis. Our findings demonstrate no differences in the development of body mass and survival rates (96% and 89%, respectively). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in tumor incidence rates. When it comes to behavioral tests, the 8-arm maze results revealed no significant differences. In contrast, the Rotarod data were significantly (P < 0.001) different with longer retention times seen in the exposed mice. In the open field, the number of supported rears was significantly lower (P < 0.01), whereas the other endpoints did not show any differences. Overall, our data reveal no adverse effects of exposure to 20 kHz, 360 μT on the development and tumor incidences, while the significant differences in the behavioral tests may indicate higher levels of alertness in mice.

Identification of biological indicators for human exposure toxicology in smart cities based on public health data and deep learning

“…The results indicated that exposure at 20 kHz, 360 μT did not have adverse effects on tumor development and incidence. However, significant differences in behavioral tests suggested a potentially higher level of alertness in mice ( 14 ).…”

Measurement of Intermediate Frequency Magnetic Fields Generated by Household Induction Cookers for Epidemiological Studies and Development of an Exposure Estimation Model

“…This RF belongs to Group 2B on the carcinogenic hazard identification of IARC [14]. Many in vivo and in vitro studies have also been conducted on exposure to magnetic fields in the intermediate frequency (IF; 300 Hz to 10 MHz) range [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. Most reports showed no effect after exposure to IF magnetic fields, although some studies have shown an increase in oxidative stress markers [20].…”