Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Measurement of DNA damage after exposure to electromagnetic radiation in the cellular phone communication frequency band (835.62 and 847.74 MHz) med./bio.

By: Malyapa RS, Ahern EW, Straube WL, Moros EG, Pickard WF, Roti Roti JL
Published in: Radiat Res 1997; 148 (6): 618-627
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

Mouse fibroblast cells and human glioblastoma cells were exposed to cellular phone communication frequency radiations to investigate whether such exposure produces DNA damage in in vitro cultures.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 835.62 MHz
Modulation type: FM, CW
Exposure duration: continuous for 2, 4 or 24 h
Exposure 2: 847.74 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 2, 4 or 24 h

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 835.62 MHz
Type
Charakteristic
  • guided field
Exposure duration continuous for 2, 4 or 24 h
Modulation
Modulation type FM, CW
Additional info

FMCW
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber The radial transmission line (RTL) facility has been described in the reference article. In addition, the RTLs and the housings were shielded to avoid interference with mobile communication services.
Setup One T-75 culture flask was used for each of the times in each experiment. All experiments were carried out with matched sham-treated controls, except for U87MG cells where only one group was sham-exposed for 4 hours.
Additional info Sham-exposure (negative control) and 137Cs γ-irradiated samples (positive control, see reference article) were included with every experiment. A separate series of experiments was carried out with additional BrdU labelling of cells. One of these cultures (positive control) was not irradiated but only placed 50 cm under a 30-W fluorescent light source for 1 hour.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 60 W - - - 50 to 60 W net forward power
SAR 0.6 W/kg mean measured and calculated - ± 0.3 W/kg
Measurement and calculation details

An extensive analytical, numerical and experimental dosimetric evaluation was performed using a two-dimensional frequency domain seven-layer model and a fast temperature differential measurement technique. The experimental result was in reasonable agreement with the calculation. A fully loaded RTL with 16 T-75 flasks, each containing 40 ml of culture medium with their long axis parallel to and equidistant from the antenna produced an average SAR over the bottom of the flask of 11.2 ± 5.6 mW/kg per 1 W of net forward power or 7.5 ± 3.8 mW/kg per 1 mW/cm² power incident at the proximal end of the flask. The values obtained were scaled to the net forward power applied to each radiating RTL.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 847.74 MHz
Type
Charakteristic
  • guided field
Exposure duration continuous for 2, 4 or 24 h
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Duty cycle 40 %
Additional info

CDMA
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 60 W - - - 50 to 60 W net forward power
SAR 0.6 W/kg mean measured and calculated - ± 0.3 W/kg

Reference articles

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences were observed between the test group exposed to FMCW or CDMA radiation and the sham-exposed negative controls. The results indicate that exposure of cultured mammalian cells to cellular phone communication frequencies does not cause DNA damage.

Study character:

Study funded by

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