Development of preincubated chicken eggs following exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields with 1.33-7.32 mT flux densities.

The effects of applying extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) for 24 hr and different densities (1.33-7.32 mT) were examined on healthy, freshly fertilized white leghorn chicken eggs (55-65 g). Results showed no increase in the rate of abnormalities in exposed groups, but were only significant in 4.19, 5.32 and 5.86, 6.65 mT densities. Alizarin red S and alcian blue 8GX staining showed some embryos with extra ribs, defects in ribs and vertebrae, anuria and abnormal beaks. Study of egg weight, after 9 days of incubation, showed no significant differences between control, sham-exposed and experimental groups. Analysis of crown-rump, beak-occipital length and weight of embryo, showed significant decrease in weight at 4.39 and 5.52 mT intensities, comparing with control and sham-exposed groups. These results revealed that 50 Hz electromagnetic fields can even induce developmental alterations in preincubated chick embryos and confirm that its strength could be a determinant factor for the embryonic response to extremely low frequency EMFs (window effects) prior to incubation.