Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

DNA strand breaks are not induced in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW and W-CDMA modulated radiofrequency fields allocated to mobile radio base stations. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To conduct a large-scale in vitro study focused on the effects of low level radiofrequency fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system in order to test the hypothesis that modulated radiofrequency fields may act as a DNA damaging agent.
Background/further details:
First, the responses of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 80 mW/kg, which corresponds to the limit of the average whole body SAR for general public exposure defined as a basic restriction in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines were evaluated.
Second, it was investigated whether continuous wave and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) modulated signal radiofrequency fields at 2.1425 GHz induced different levels of DNA damage.

Endpoint

• genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage

Exposure
General category: mobile communication system, UMTS

Field characteristics	Parameters
field 1: 2.1425 GHz pulsed (PW) exposure duration: continuous for 2 or 24 hours	SAR: 80 mW/kg mean value SAR: 250 mW/kg mean value SAR: 800 mW/kg mean value
field 2: 2.1425 GHz continuous wave (CW) exposure duration: continuous for 2 or 24 hours	SAR: 80 mW/kg mean value

Exposed system:
intact cell/cell culture (in vitro)
A172 (human glioblastoma cells) and IMR90 fibroblasts (from fetal lungs)

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• genotoxicity/mutation: DNA damage (strand breaks; alkaline comet assays (tail moment, tail length, tail DNA))

Main outcome of study (according to author)
Under the same radiofrequency field exposure conditions, no significant differences in the DNA strand breaks were found between the test groups exposed to W-CDMA or continuous wave irradiation and the sham exposed negative controls. The data confirm that low level exposures do not act as a genotoxicant up to a SAR of 800 mW/kg.

(Study character: medical/biological study, experimental study, full/main study, blind study)

Study funded by

• NTT DoCoMo, Japan

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