OANA MUNTEANU*, ANCA KIGYOSI*, D. STĂNESCU**, A. MUNTEANU***

*Department of Biophysics and Medical Informatics, “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmaceutics Timişoara, 2, Eftimie Murgu Square, Timişoara, Romania
**Department of Ethology, West University of Timişoara, 4, Pestalozzi Blvd, Timişoara, Romania
***Department of Economic Informatics, “Tibiscus” University, 2A, Daliei St, Timişoara, Romania

Abstract. A significant number of studies deal with the impact of low intensity microwaves on animal behavior. The present work is as a novel, complementary approach, which aims to scrutinize the behavior of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) in order to reveal eventual modifications elicited by chronic exposure to low intensity electromagnetic fields: microwaves from the frequency range of 2400 – 2484 MHz generated by a wireless Access Point appliance with an emission power lower than 100 mW. The spectrum of usual activities was compared with the well known ethograms of this species. The behavior of the hamsters was evaluated before and after exposure by means of three distinct tests: arena, labyrinth and shelter test. The statistical analysis of the data, performed on a relevant amount of data, did not reveal major changes in the behavior of the investigated animals.
Key words: microwaves, behavior effects, behavioral tests, wireless appliance, Access Point.

Corresponding author’s e-mail: oanam@yahoo.com

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