Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of 900 MHz Electromagnetic Radiation on the Induction of ROS in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells med./bio.

By: Kazemi E, Mortazavi SMJ, Ali-Ghanbari A, Sharifzadeh S, Ranjbaran R, Mostafavi-Pour Z, Zal F, Haghani M

Published in: J Biomed Phys Eng 2015; 5 (3): 105-114

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of human blood samples to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (GSM) on oxidative stress in monocytes and lymphocytes should be investigated.

Background/further details

Blood samples were obtained from 13 healthy volunteers. Each sample was divided and one half was assigned to an exposure group (group 1) and the other half to a control group (group 2). After exposure, enriched fractions of monocytes and lymphocytes were investigated, respectively.
A positive control was conducted.

Endpoint

reactive oxygen species in monocytes and lymphocytes

Exposure

- 900 MHz
- PW pulsed wave
- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 2 hours	power: 2 W

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Waveform	pulsed
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 hours
Additional info	signal bandwidth was 200 kHz

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Pulse width	463 µs
Duty cycle	12.5 %
Repetition frequency	217 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	waveguide
Chamber	6 well dishes
Setup	the signal was generated by a GSM simulator and transferred to a rectangular waveguide made of aluminum by a co-axial wire; the samples were placed at a location with maximum electric and magnetic fields in the waveguide to provide a relatively homogeneous field for exposure; the increase of temperature was not more than 0.1°C

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	2 W	-	-	-	-

Exposed system:

intact cell/cell culture
human peripheral blood

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cell viability/cell division/proliferation: cell viability (pretest, no results presented)
content of reactive oxygen species (dichlorofluorescein stain, flow cytometry)

Investigated system:

intact cell/cell culture
monocytes, lymphocytes

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Monocytes in the exposure group (group 1) showed a significantly increased content of reactive oxygen species compared to the control group (group 2). No significant differences between both groups were found in lymphocytes.
The authors conclude that exposure of human blood samples to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (GSM) might induce oxidative stress in monocytes, although the consequences for health are not clear.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Lippi G et al. (2016): Thirty-minutes' exposure to smartphone call triggers neutrophil activation in vitro
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