Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Absence of genotoxic potential of 902 MHz (GSM) and 1747 MHz (DCS) wireless communication signals: In vivo two-year bioassay in B6C3F1 mice med./bio.

By: Ziemann C, Brockmeyer H, Reddy SB, Vijayalaxmi, Prihoda TJ, Kuster N, Tillmann T, Dasenbrock C

Published in: Int J Radiat Biol 2009; 85 (5): 454-464

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the frequency of micronuclei (as marker for genetic damage) in peripheral blood erythrocytes of mice that had been chronically exposed to radiofrequencies used for mobile communication.

Background/further details

1170 mice (585 males) were randomized into exposure groups, sham exposure groups and a cage control. Two frequencies (GSM/ 902 MHz and DCS/1747 MHz) were investigated and exposure level varied from low, medium to high. In all experimental conditions 50 animals of each sex were investigated for a two-year period and evaluation of micronuclei was performed after on survivors only. After the two years 6 sentinel mice (3 males) were used as positive control: they were injected with mitomycin C.

Endpoint

genotoxicity/mutation: formation of micronuclei

Exposure

- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 902 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/weeks for 2 years (see also add. information for exp. setup)	SAR: 0.4 W/kg maximum (whole body) (low exposure group) SAR: 1.3 W/kg maximum (whole body) (medium exposure group) SAR: 4 W/kg maximum (whole body) (high exposure group) SAR: 0.18 W/kg peak value (partial body) (low exposure group) SAR: 1.9 W/kg peak value (partial body) (high exposure group)
Exposure 2: 1,747 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/weeks for 2 years (see also add. information for exp. setup)	SAR: 0.4 W/kg maximum (whole body) (low exposure group) SAR: 1.3 W/kg maximum (whole body) (medium exposure group) SAR: 4 W/kg maximum (whole body) (high exposure group) SAR: 0.14 W/kg peak value (partial body) (low exposure group) SAR: 3.3 W/kg peak value (partial body) (high exposure group)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	902 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/weeks for 2 years (see also add. information for exp. setup)

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone
Setup	two parallel circular stainless steel plates placed 117 mm apart with a conical antenna in their center and stainless steel posts forming a cylindrical cavity of 755 mm radius, whre mice were placed in plastic tubes
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	2 h daily exposure devided into three phases: phase 1: DTX mode simulating continuous talking phase 2: GSM talk simulating a conversation, i.e. temporal switching between DTX and non-DTX mode phase 3: GSM environment = non-DTX, DTX, power control, handovers according to their statistical occurrence during a conversation

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	0.4 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	low exposure group
SAR	1.3 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	medium exposure group
SAR	4 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	high exposure group
SAR	0.18 W/kg	peak value	-	partial body	low exposure group
SAR	1.9 W/kg	peak value	-	partial body	high exposure group

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	1,747 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/weeks for 2 years (see also add. information for exp. setup)

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone
Setup	two parallel circular stainless steel plates placed 117 mm apart with a bi-conical antenna in their center and stainless steel posts forming a cylindrical cavity of 755 mm radius, whre mice were placed in plastic tubes
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	2 h daily exposure devided into three phases: phase 1: DTX mode simulating continuous talking phase 2: GSM talk simulating a conversation, i.e. temporal switching between DTX and non-DTX mode phase 3: GSM environment = non-DTX, DTX, power control, handovers according to their statistical occurrence during a conversation

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	0.4 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	low exposure group
SAR	1.3 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	medium exposure group
SAR	4 W/kg	maximum	-	whole body	high exposure group
SAR	0.14 W/kg	peak value	-	partial body	low exposure group
SAR	3.3 W/kg	peak value	-	partial body	high exposure group

Reference articles

Tillmann T et al. (2007): Carcinogenicity study of GSM and DCS wireless communication signals in B6C3F1 mice

Exposed system:

animal
mouse/B6C3F1/CrlBR
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

genotoxicity/mutation: formation of micronuclei: incidence of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes (acridine orange staining: fluorescence microscopy) and normochromatic erythrocytes (May-Grünwald-Giemsa-staining: light microscopy)
survival rate

Investigated system:

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The average number of survivors analyzed per treatment group was 39. There were no significant differences in the frequency of micronuclei between radiofrequency-exposed, sham-exposed, and cage control mice, irrespective of the staining/counting method used. Micronuclei were significantly increased in polychromatic and normochromatic erythrocytes of the positive control mice.
The data did not indicate radiofrequency-induced genotoxicity in mice after two years of exposure.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
blind study

Study funded by

Austrian Government
European Project PERFORM-A
European Union (EU)/European Commission
GSM Association, UK/Ireland
Mobile Manufacturers Forum (MMF), Belgium
Swiss Government

Gurbuz N et al. (2014): No genotoxic effect in exfoliated bladder cells of rat under the exposure of 1800 and 2100 MHz radio frequency radiation
Atli Sekeroglu Z et al. (2013): Evaluation of the cytogenotoxic damage in immature and mature rats exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
Sekeroglu V et al. (2012): Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields (GSM 1800MHz) on immature and mature rats
Trosic I et al. (2011): Effect of electromagnetic radiofrequency radiation on the rats' brain, liver and kidney cells measured by comet assay
Jin YB et al. (2011): One-year, simultaneous combined exposure of CDMA and WCDMA radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to rats
Bartsch H et al. (2010): Effect of chronic exposure to a GSM-like signal (mobile phone) on survival of female Sprague-Dawley rats: Modulatory effects by month of birth and possibly stage of the solar cycle
Kumar S et al. (2010): Evaluation of genotoxic effects in male Wistar rats following microwave exposure
Gurbuz N et al. (2010): Is There Any Possible Genotoxic Effect in Exfoliated Bladder Cells of Rat Under the Exposure of 1800 MHz GSM-Like Modulated Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR)?
Hintzsche H et al. (2010): Micronucleus frequency in buccal mucosa cells of mobile phone users
Gajski G et al. (2009): Radioprotective effects of honeybee venom (Apis mellifera) against 915-MHz microwave radiation-induced DNA damage in wistar rat lymphocytes: in vitro study
Yadav AS et al. (2008): Increased frequency of micronucleated exfoliated cells among humans exposed in vivo to mobile telephone radiations
Juutilainen J et al. (2007): Micronucleus frequency in erythrocytes of mice after long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation
Speit G et al. (2007): Genotoxic effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in cultured mammalian cells are not independently reproducible
Ferreira AR et al. (2006): Ultra high frequency-electromagnetic field irradiation during pregnancy leads to an increase in erythrocytes micronuclei incidence in rat offspring
Scarfi MR et al. (2006): Exposure to radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz, GSM signal) does not affect micronucleus frequency and cell proliferation in human peripheral blood lymphocytes: an interlaboratory study
Verschaeve L et al. (2006): Investigation of co-genotoxic effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in vivo
Gorlitz BD et al. (2005): Effects of 1-week and 6-week exposure to GSM/DCS radiofrequency radiation on micronucleus formation in B6C3F1 mice
Vijayalaxmi et al. (2003): Genotoxic potential of 1.6 GHz wireless communication signal: in vivo two-year bioassay
Trosic I et al. (2002): Micronucleus induction after whole-body microwave irradiation of rats
Vijayalaxmi et al. (1998): Correction of an error in calculation in the article "Frequency of micronuclei in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of cancer-prone mice chronically exposed to 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation" (Radiat. Res. 147, 495-500, 1997)
Vijayalaxmi et al. (1997): Frequency of micronuclei in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of cancer-prone mice chronically exposed to 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation

Absence of genotoxic potential of 902 MHz (GSM) and 1747 MHz (DCS) wireless communication signals: In vivo two-year bioassay in B6C3F1 mice med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Background/further details

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Reference articles

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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