Effects of Radiofrequency fields on the Young Animal
Abstract
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The aim of the present project is to give information on whether young subjects could be more sensible to radiofrequency fields exposure as used in mobile communications. For that purpose, animals will be exposed in utero and post-natal to a WiFi-like signal. The effects of exposure to microwaves will be evaluated in mice on autoimmunity (blood) and immunological parameters (spleen cells) and in rat on stress markers (brain).
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Partners
Physique des interactions ondes-matière PIOM
Groupe bioélectromagnétisme http://www.enscpb.fr/piom/
Contact
Isabelle Lagroye
PIOM
Duration
36 months
Summary
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1) Introduction
In the last few years, the potential higher sensitivity of children to environmental electromagnetic fields has been on debate. Indeed, both the nervous and immune systems continue developing after birth and exposure to environmental toxicants during childhood may possibly alter their development or future defence reaction to external agents.
The present project aims at investigating the effects of RF exposure on the central nervous and immune systems of animals exposed in utero and during the first month of their life. The RF signal will be WiFi used in mobile communication systems at home, school, and workplace. The results of this study will provide useful indications on whether low-level RF fields can alter the immune functions, induce autoimmunity or induce stress in the nervous system of young rodents. It will contribute to the WHO database on bioeffects of electromagnetic fields.
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- Radiofrequency fields, dosimetry, toxicology, immunology
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- WiFi, In utero exposure, post-natal exposure, rodents, brain, immune system
2) State of the art
The question of whether children may be more sensitive to electromagnetic fields resulted from a lack of information about the dielectric properties of tissues as a function of the age of the animal. The available literature reveals that the few experimental protocols that have been designed to specifically investigate the effects of RF fields on newborn and young animals dealt with induction or promotion cancer and alteration of the blood-brain barrier. A few more studies have been published dealing with development and teratogenicity.
This study will be the first of its kind to report on the toxicological potential of microwaves related to wireless communication on the immature immune system, and brain of animals. It will give information on the sensibility of young subjects to RF fields as those used for mobile communication.
3) Scientific methodology
The exposure set-up is a double reverberation chamber, which will be characterised using experimental measurements and FDTD simulations. Three exposure levels will be tested 0.08, 0.4, and 4 W/kg. Young animals (mice or rats) will be exposed will be exposed 2 hours per day for 2 weeks in utero plus 5 weeks post-natal to a WiFi signal (2450 MHz). In mice, the functionality of the immune system will be assessed by leucocyte phenotyping, responses to T- and B-cell mitogens of the proliferative splenic lymphocytes (non-antigen-specific measure) and natural killer cell activity (non-specific immunity). The presence of autoimmune markers will also be searched in the sera of mice. In rats, potential toxic effect of RF exposure will be assessed as in terms of apoptosis, Hsp stress proteins expression, astrogliosis and radical stress in the brain.