ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The increasing demand for using mobile phones has led to increasing mobile phone jammers as well. On the other hand, reports show that exposure to electromagnetic field causes an increase in the incidence of diseases such as leukemia, cancer, depression and failure in pregnancy outcomes; therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields of mobile phone jammers on blood factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male Wistar immature and thirty mature rats were selected randomly and each one was divided into three groups of ten. The control group did not receive any radiation; the sham group was exposed to a switched-off jammer device and the experimental group was exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) radiated by Mobile Phone Jammer daily eight hours for five days a week during forty days. Blood sample was taken from heart and blood factors including PLT, MCHC and RDWCV were measured. The data were analyzed by ANOVA which was followed by Duncan's test. RESULTS: The data from mature rats revealed that jammer usage led to a significant difference in blood factors including RBC, platelet, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV and RDWCV (P≤0.05); however, the number of lymphocytes, WBC and MCVH in the blood was the same in all groups. In immature rats, the exposure to jammer did not change RBC, lymphocyte and WBC count, hemoglobin and hematocrit; while, the platelet count along with MCHC, MVC and RDWCV changed by jammer radiation. CONCLUSION: The results exhibited that mobile phone jammer caused frequent changes in blood cell factors.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Substantial evidence indicates that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) above certain levels can affect human health through triggering some biological responses. According to WHO, short-term exposure to EMF at the levels present in the home/environment do not cause any apparent detrimental effects in healthy individuals. However, now, there is a debate on whether long-term exposure to low level EMF can evoke detrimental biological responses. Although based on the Communications Act of 1934, selling, advertising, using, or importing mobile jammers which block cell phone calls and text messages are illegal acts, in some countries these devices are being used for security purpose and for prevention of cheating during examinations. METHODS: In this study 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 10 each. The control group received no radiation. The sham exposure group was exposed to a switched-off jammer device. After fasting for 12 hours, the exposure group was exposed to EMFs at a distance of 50 cm from the jammer. Blood samples were collected from the tail vein after 24, 48 and72 hours and fasting blood sugar was measured by using a common blood glucose monitor (BIONIME GM110, Taiwan). The significance level was considered 5% and SPSS Ver. 21 was used for statistical analysis. The data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed between blood sugar level in the control and exposure groups after 24, 48 and 72 hours of continuous irradiation (p values were <0.001, <0.001 and 0.002, respectively). No significant difference was found between the level of fasting blood sugar in control and sham groups. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to electromagnetic field generated by mobile phone jammer can reduce blood sugar level in adult male rats. These findings, in contrast with our previous results, lead us to this conclusion that the use of these signal blocking devices in very specific circumstances may have some therapeutic effects. However, further studies have to be performed to find out the exact mechanism by which Jammer EMFs reduce fasting blood sugar.
