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Genotoxic effects of exposure to radiofrequencyelectromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in cultured mammalian cells are not independently reproducible.

No Effects Found

Speit G, Schütz P, Hoffmann H. · 2007

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Independent researchers failed to reproduce DNA damage claims from cell phone radiation, highlighting reproducibility problems in EMF research.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers attempted to replicate the controversial REFLEX study findings that showed cell phone radiation (1800 MHz) could damage DNA in human cells. Using identical equipment, cells, and exposure conditions, they found no DNA damage whatsoever. This directly contradicted the original REFLEX results that had suggested radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to cell phones could be genotoxic (DNA-damaging).

Study Details

Conflicting results have been published regarding the induction of genotoxic effects by exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Using the comet assay, the micronucleus test and the chromosome aberration test with human fibroblasts (ES1 cells), the EU-funded "REFLEX" project (Risk Evaluation of Potential Environmental Hazards From Low Energy Electromagnetic Field Exposure Using Sensitive in vitro Methods) reported clearly positive effects for various exposure conditions. Because of the ongoing discussion on the biological significance of the effects observed, it was the aim of the present study to independently repeat the results using the same cells, the same equipment and the same exposure conditions.

We therefore exposed ES1 cells to RF-EMF (1800 MHz; SAR 2 W/kg, continuous wave with intermittent e...

For both tests, clearly negative results were obtained in independently repeated experiments. We als...

Cite This Study
Speit G, Schütz P, Hoffmann H. (2007). Genotoxic effects of exposure to radiofrequencyelectromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in cultured mammalian cells are not independently reproducible. Mutat Res. 626(1-2):42-47, 2007.
Show BibTeX
@article{g_2007_genotoxic_effects_of_exposure_3416,
  author = {Speit G and Schütz P and Hoffmann H. },
  title = {Genotoxic effects of exposure to radiofrequencyelectromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in cultured mammalian cells are not independently reproducible.},
  year = {2007},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16997616/},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

German researchers attempted to replicate the controversial REFLEX study findings that showed cell phone radiation (1800 MHz) could damage DNA in human cells. Using identical equipment, cells, and exposure conditions, they found no DNA damage whatsoever. This directly contradicted the original REFLEX results that had suggested radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to cell phones could be genotoxic (DNA-damaging).