Somatic Alterations in Chick Embryo Exposed to Low Frequency Magnetic Fields

Chick embryos were exposed throughout incubation to magnetic fields of different intensities (1 μT, 0.1 mT, 0.5 mT, and 1 mT) to study the action exerted by low-frequency fields (50 Hz) fields on their development and body weight. Development stage was quantified by measurement of the third finger, which was significantly longer in treated embryos at 15 days of incubation vs. controls. However, at 21 days of incubation, the third finger was significantly shorter in embryos exposed to 1 μT and 0.5 mT vs. controls, with no significant differences observed at the other doses. The body weight was lower in exposed embryos than in controls, both at 15 and 21 days of incubation, with different levels of significance.