Effect of low-intensity microwave radiation on body weight, spontaneous activity and blood values in mice in a long-term experiment
Kössler, F.; Lange, F.; Kupfer, J.; Rothe, R.
Zeitschrift für die Gesamte Hygiene und ihre Grenzgebiete 27(1): 44-47
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0049-8610 PMID: 7269675 Document Number: 173828
Body weight, spontaneous activity, differential blood count, erythrocyte and leukocyte count, blood sugar and Hb were measured at fortnightly intervals in the course of a 12 wk period of exposure of mice to a microwave field with a mean power density of 2 mW/cm2. On conclusion of the experiments, measurements of the aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in the animals' serum were carried out. Parallel observations were conducted on a control group of the same strength (12 animals), which was given the same treatment (with the exception of microwave irradiation). Based on an error probability of 5% no statistically confirmed differences were observed in any of the parameters measured (with the exception of ASAT) between the irradiated animals and the control group. Spontaneous activity of the paternoster showed that the training effect, which was somewhat more pronounced in the irradiated group, increases with increasing duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment the irradiated animals showed a higher ASAT activity. The results show that the selected prolonged irradiation of a power density that does not bring about a detectable rise in body temperature does not affect the body weight or morphological and numerical parameters of the blood of mice and that it does not manifestly alter the animals' spontaneous activity as a measure of their overall behavior. The findings do not support a specific (arithemetical) microwave effect.