Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Mobile phone mast effects on common frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles: the city turned into a laboratory med./bio.

Published in: Electromagn Biol Med 2010; 29 (1-2): 31-35

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the possible effects of mobile phone base station irradiation on tadpoles.

Background/further details

The experiment was performed in Valladolid (Spain). The tadpoles were placed in two tanks with oxygen and food every day, which were set out on the fifth floor terrace at a distance of 140 meters from several base stations. Two groups were used (exposure and control group, each group n= 70). The experiment lasted two months, from the egg phase until an advanced phase of tadpole prior to metamorphosis.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 648–2,155 MHz
Exposure duration: continuous for 2 months (from the egg phase until prior to metamorphosis)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 648–2,155 MHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 2 months (from the egg phase until prior to metamorphosis)
Additional info fields of several mobile phone services (GSM, DCS, UMTS)
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 140 m
Setup base stations antennas on roof of an eight story building; exposed frogs kept in tanks opposite of the base station antennas on a fifth floor terrace; sham exposure group placed inside a Faraday cage
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 1.8 V/m minimum measured - -
electric field strength 3.5 V/m maximum measured - -

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The data showed in the exposed group low coordination of movements, an asynchronous growth (resulting in both big and small tadpoles) and a high mortality (90%). In the control group under the same conditions but inside a Faraday cage, the coordination of movements was normal, the development was synchronous, and the mortality rate was 4.2%.
These findings indicate that exposure to mobile phone base stations in a real situation may affect the development and may cause an increase in mortality of exposed tadpoles.

Study character:

Study funded by

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