Whole-body microwave exposure emitted by cellular phones and testicular function of rats.

Dasdag S, Ketani MA, Akdag Z, Ersay AR, Sari I, Demirtas OC, Celik MS

Urol Res 27(3):219-223, 1999

This study investigated whether there are adverse effects due to microwave exposure emitted by cellular phones in male rats.

Eighteen Wistar Albino rats were separated into three groups, a sham group and two experimental groups. The rats were confined in Plexiglas cages and cellular phones were placed 0.5 cm under the cages.

In the first experimental group, cellular phones were in standby position for 2 h. In the second experimental group, phones were turned to the speech position three times each for 1 min duration over 2 h. Rats in the first and second experimental groups were exposed to microwaves emitted by phones for 2 h/day for a duration of 1 month.

After the last exposure the rats were killed. Brain, eyes, ears, liver, heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, testes, small and large intestines and skin of the rats were observed histologically.

The decrease of epididymal sperm counts in the speech groups were not found to be significant (P > 0.05). Differences in terms of normal and abnormal sperm forms were not observed (P > 0.05). Histological changes were especially observed in the testes of rats of the speech groups. Seminiferous tubular diameter of rat testes in the standby and speech groups was found to be lower than the sham group (P < 0.05).

Rectal temperatures of rats in the speech group were found to be higher than the sham and standby groups (P < 0.05). The rectal temperatures of rats before and after exposure were also found to be significantly higher in the speech group (P < 0.05). Specific absorption rate (SAR) was determined as 0.141 W/kg.