The effects of exposure of chicken eggs to a 1-50 Hz electric field on embryonal development should be investigated. This pilot study was conducted in view of identifying carcinogenic effects of electric fields.
Fertilized, un-incubated White Leghorn eggs were divided into different groups (10-12 eggs each) within two days after laying. Afterwards, eggs from all groups were first stored at 5°C for 1-36 days before being exposed to a 1-50 Hz electric field with 1-40 V/m at 38°C for 1-7 days. A total of 20 groups was tested with different combinations of storage duration at 5°C, exposure duration as well as field frequency and strength. For each of these groups, a separate control group was used, which was incubated at 38°C without exposure to electric field.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
1–50 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 1-7 days
groups 1-9
|
|
|
Exposure 2:
4 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 3 days
group 10
|
|
|
Exposure 3:
2.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 5 days
group 11
|
|
|
Exposure 4:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 4 days
group 12
|
|
|
Exposure 5:
20 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 5 days
group 13
|
|
|
Exposure 6:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 6 days
group 14
|
|
|
Exposure 7:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 2 days
group 15
|
|
|
Exposure 8:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 3 days
group 16
|
|
|
Exposure 9:
31.25 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 2 days
group 17
|
|
|
Exposure 10:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 3 days
group 18
|
|
|
Exposure 11:
12.5 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 2 days
group 19
|
|
|
Exposure 12:
7.7 Hz
Exposure duration:
for 2 days
group 20
|
|
| Frequency | 1–50 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 1-7 days |
| Additional info | groups 1-9 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 1-18 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|---|
| Chamber | styrofoam-insulated stainless steel box (60 x 45 x 25 cm3) kept at 38°C ± 0.2°C |
| Setup | box with pre-warmed eggs (n=10-12) insulated by paper trays was placed between two horizontal aluminum plates (25 cm x 30 cm x 1.5 mm) held 10 cm apart by styrofoam spacers; the lower plate was grounded and the upper plate received an oscillating positive charge |
| Additional info | eggs from control groups were incubated at 38°C in a similar box 20 cm away from the exposure system |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 1 V/cm | minimum | - | - | - |
| electric field strength | 40 V/cm | maximum | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 4 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 3 days |
| Additional info | group 10 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 15 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 2.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 5 days |
| Additional info | group 11 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 11 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 1 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 4 days |
| Additional info | group 12 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 14 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 20 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 5 days |
| Additional info | group 13 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 20 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 6 days |
| Additional info | group 14 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 18 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 2 days |
| Additional info | group 15 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 10 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 3 days |
| Additional info | group 16 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 12 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 2 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 31.25 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 2 days |
| Additional info | group 17 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 20 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 3 days |
| Additional info | group 18 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 22 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 12.5 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 2 days |
| Additional info | group 19 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 25 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
| Frequency | 7.7 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform |
|
| Exposure duration | for 2 days |
| Additional info | group 20 |
| Additional info | storage duration at 5°C prior to exposure: 36 days |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electric field strength | 4 V/cm | - | - | - | - |
Increasing storage durations at 5°C without subsequent electric field exposure (control groups) caused a steady loss of embryo viability with a half-life of about 18 days after more than 12 days of storage. Surprisingly, exposure to an electric field after storage increased the embryo viability significantly, resulting in a new half-life of about 21 days after more than 12 days of storage.
However, some of these rescued embryos showed malformations (e.g. two heads) which have not been reported in eggs from this supplier over many years.
The authors conclude that exposure of chicken eggs to a 1-50 Hz electric field might keep embryos alive which would otherwise not have survived. Carcinogenic effects of electric field exposure should be searched in these rescued embryos.
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