The Hazards of Radiation of Telecommunication Mast on Male Rabbits Reproductive Parameters

Abstract

Background: There has been growing public concern on the effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) attributed to new technologies such as telecommunication which produced radiation for cellular phones on human health. Many studies have recently been published on this topic. However, possible consequences of the cellular phone usage on human reproductive parameters have not been investigated adequately.

Aim of the work: This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of telecommunication mast (TM) radiation exposure on some reproductive parameters of male rabbits.

Materials and methods: Twenty-five (25) male rabbits with an average weight of 600g-1,270g were divided into 5 groups, (n=5), with consideration towards size variation. Group E was served as the control while groups A, B, C and D were the treated groups placed at a distance measured in feet (ft) (0, 5, 10, and 15ft) around a telecommunication mast (TM). Group A (0 ft) was directly under the mast and Group D (15ft away) was the farthest from the mast while the group E (Control) was kept away from the vicinity of the mast.

 On the last day of 54th day of exposure to the mast tower, the rabbits were weighed and thereafter slaughtered by the use of chloroform as a sedative. The testes were removed for histomorphometric and histologic studies (using Hematoxylin and Eosin staining techniques) and semen was also collected from their epididymides for sperm examination.

Results: Degenerative changes were observed in testes in the form of testicular atrophy which is primarily associated with shrinkage of the seminiferous tubules and loss of sperm cells and widening of the interstitial space with a mild shrinkage of the interstitial cells. A significant decline in the number of sperm cell count of the most exposed groups and a significant increase in the number of dead cell and non-motile cell. Moreover, histomorphometric analysis of the seminiferous was investigated and a significant reduced value of the seminiferous cross sectional area (CSA) was observed. Meanwhile, the mean value for the seminiferous luminal diameter (LD) in the most exposed group was significantly increased and value of the seminiferous epithelia height (GEH) in the most exposed and the adjacent groups were significantly increased. Where as seminiferous tubule diameters (STD) of the exposed rabbits in all the groups were insignificantly decreased. Therefore, the result is distance-dependent from the most distanced group down to nearest group to the mast.

Conclusions: The results of this study showed that long-term exposure of radiation from telecommunication mast resulted in damage to male rabbit reproductive parameters, therefore establishes that there are reproductive health implications of exposure to mast radiation and minimizing this exposure will go a long way to improve healthy living.