Does Continuous Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Exposure Harms Liver Tissue? A Microscopic Assay

 Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) are commonly present in daily life all over the world. This study was designed to investigate the effects of the different exposure intensity of the low frequency electromagnetic fields on the liver tissue.

 Adult male Wistar rats (n = 30) were randomly allocated in one of the experimental groups including; group A, exposure to 0.5 millitesla (mT) for 2-week (n = 5); group B, exposure to 0.5 mT for 4-week (n = 5); group C, control without radiation (n = 5); group D, exposure to 1 mT for 2-week (n = 5); group E, exposure to 1 mT for 4-week (n = 5); and group F, sham group (n = 5). At the end of the experiment, their liver tissue was dissected and clinically assessed by a pathologist.

 Our results show that for 1 month of exposure at 1 mT, focal hepatocitolysis and mild to moderate portal inflammation is visible and for 2 weeks exposure at this flux density, apoptosis and hepatocyte inflammation has occurred. However, for the groups exposed to 0.5 mT, 1 month exposure has caused hepatocyte focal inflammation, parenchymal hepatocitolysis, and focal apoptosis while, the exposure for 2 weeks did not affect the liver tissue.

 Exposure to ELF-EMF at the occupational limit cannot lead to irreversible changes and its effects on cells are enough below moderate changes. At the flux density of 1 mT, effects are moderate and irreversible and they are spread in larger areas than the lower flux density of 0.5 mT. Exposure time correlates with the level of stress on the cells; therefore, for a halftime exposure at occupational level, there exist no changes relative to the control group while for the fulltime exposure, some adverse effects were visible.