• experimental
  
• epidemiological
  

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Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

Bioeffects of mobile telephony radiation in relation to its intensity or distance from the antenna. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To study the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic irradiation at 900 MHz (emitted by GSM mobile phones) and at 1800 MHz (emitted by DCS mobile phones) on reproductive capacity of the insect Drosophila melanogaster and the dependency of the effect of electromagnetic field intensity (distance from antenna). If a decrease in the reproductive capacity would be found (at smaller intensities than in previous studies: Panagopoulos 2004, Panagopoulos 2007a, Panagopoulos 2007b), the further aim of this study should be to confirm whether again the decrease is caused by cell death during the early and mid stages of oogenesis.
Background/further details:
There were 13 exposure groups: group 1 was exposed to 900 MHz or 1800 MHz with the antenna in contact with the glass vial containing flies; group 2 was exposed to 900 MHz or 1800 MHz with the antenna of the mobile phone at 1 cm distance from the vial; group 3 was exposed to 900 MHz or 1800 MHz with the antenna of the mobile phone at 10 cm distance from the vial. The fourth group was exposed to 900 MHz or 1800 MHz with the antenna of the mobile phone at 20 cm distance from the vial, ect. (group 12 had a distance of 100 cm). Group 13 was sham exposed.
Each group consisted of ten female and ten male newly emerged flies kept in separate vials for the first 48 h. After the 48 h, when both males and females of each group were sexually mature, they were put together (10 pairs) in another glass vial and they were allowed to mate and lay eggs for the next 72 h.
For cell death investigation ovarioles were investigated (background information about ovarioles, see Panagopoulos 2007b).

Endpoints

• cell viability/cell division/proliferation: ovarian cell death/DNA fragmentation
• effects on reproductive ability: reproductive capacity of Drosophila melanogaster

Exposure
General category: mobile phone, digital mobile phone, cell phone base station, GSM

Field characteristics	Parameters
field 1: 900 MHz exposure duration: continuous for 6 min/day on 6 days	SAR: 0.89 W/kg max value (manufacturer's information for the human head) power flux density: 0.378 mW/cm² max value (+/ 0.059 mW/cm² at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) power flux density: 0.0004 mW/cm² min value (+/ 0.0001 mW/cm² at a distance of 100 cm from the phone's antenna) electric field strength: 19 V/m max value (+/ 2.5 V/m at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) electric field strength: 0.1 V/m min value (+/ 0.02 V/m at a distance of 50 cm from the phone's antenna) magnetic flux density: 0.09 µT max value (+/ 0.015 µT at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) magnetic flux density: 0.005 µT min value (+/ 0.001 µT at a distance of 40 cm from the phone's antenna)
field 2: 1800 MHz exposure duration: continuous for 6 min/day on 6 days	SAR: 0.89 W/kg max value (manufacturer's information for the human head) power flux density: 0.252 mW/cm² max value (+/ 0.05 mW/cm² at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) power flux density: 0.0002 mW/cm² min value (+/ 0.0001 mW/cm² at a distance of 100 cm from the phone's antenna) electric field strength: 13 V/m max value (+/ 2.1 V/m at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) electric field strength: 0.1 V/m min value (+/ 0.04 V/m at a distance of 40 cm from the phone's antenna) magnetic flux density: 0.06 µT max value (+/ 0.008 µT at a distance of 0 cm from the phone's antenna) magnetic flux density: 0.006 µT min value (+/ 0.001 µT at a distance of 30 cm from the phone's antenna)

Exposed system:
invertebrate (species/strain): Drosophila melanogaster/Oregon-R

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell death, number of TUNEL-positive cells (TUNEL assay); fluorescence microscopy)
• effects on reproductive ability: reproductive capacity (number of F1 pupae (corresponding to the number of laid eggs))

Main outcome of study (according to author)
The electromagnetic field exposures decreased the reproductive capacity by cell death induction at all the different distances tested. The effect diminished with the distance from the antenna (decreasing intensities). An increased bioactivity "window" (window effect) was revealed at distances of 20-30 cm from the mobile phone antenna, (intensity around 10 µW/cm²) where the effect became highest, in relation to smaller or longer distances. The effect diminished considerably for distances longer than 40-50 cm and became not evident for distances longer than 1 m or intensities smaller than 1 µW/cm².

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

Study funded by

• not stated

• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2010): The identification of an intensity 'window' on the bioeffects of mobile...
• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2010): The effect of exposure duration on the biological activity of mobile telephony...
• Chavdoula ED et al. (2010): Comparison of biological effects between continuous and intermittent exposure...
• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2007): Cell death induced by GSM 900-MHz and DCS 1800-MHz mobile telephony radiation.
• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2007): Comparison of bioactivity between GSM 900 MHz and DCS 1800 MHz mobile telephony...
• Atli E et al. (2006): The effects of microwave frequency electromagnetic fields on the development of...
• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2004): Effect of GSM 900 MHz mobile phone radiation on the reproductive capacity of...
• Weisbrot D et al. (2003): Effects of mobile phone radiation on reproduction and development in Drosophila...
• Panagopoulos DJ et al. (2003): Effects of electromagnetic fields on the reproductive capacity of Drosophila...