Biological studies of swine exposed to 60-Hz electric fields. Volume 1. Overview and summary. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6424558

Over a three-year period, three generations of female miniature swine and their offspring were exposed to a 30-kV/m, 60-Hz electric field. Such a field approximates the 12-kV/m field that a human would experience under a 765-kV line. After swine exposures varying from 6 to 36 months, project personnel analyzed a wide range of biological parameters including growth, blood cell and serum biochemistry, blood immunoglobulin levels, behavior, peripheral nerve function, cell-mediated immunity, cytogenetics, and reproduction and development. There were no significant differences in health effects between the exposed and sham-exposed swine, except in the area of fetal development. The first breeding produced no significant difference between exposed and control offspring. When those offspring were bred after 18 months of exposure, the fetuses of exposed sows had an increased incidence of morphological malformations and lower body weight than fetuses from control sows. The live-born had lower body weights and increased birth defects. Several factors suggest that electric fields per se may not have caused these reproductive changes. For example, similar types of malformations occurred in control pigs. Also, in second-generation sows, the incidence of fetal malformations was similar for both exposed and control groups. It is possible that other factors such as housing, inbreeding, disease, or treatment of disease may have produced the observed effects. 64 refs., 13 figs., 25 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6424558
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EA-4318-Vol.1; ON: DE86005358
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ELECTRIC FIELDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
GENETIC EFFECTS
ANIMAL GROWTH
BEHAVIOR
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FETUSES
MUTAGENESIS
NERVES
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
PROGENY
REPRODUCTION
REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS
SWINE
ANIMALS
DATA
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
GROWTH
INFORMATION
MALFORMATIONS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUMERICAL DATA
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
VERTEBRATES
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects