Effect of electromagnetic radiofrequency radiation on the rats' brain, liver and kidney cells measured by comet assay.
Trosić I, Pavicić I, Milković-Kraus S, Mladinić M, Zeljezić D. · 2011
View Original AbstractCell phone-level radiation caused DNA breaks in rat organs at exposure levels below current safety limits.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation at 915 MHz for one hour daily over two weeks and examined DNA damage in brain, liver, and kidney cells using a comet assay test. They found measurable DNA breaks in liver and kidney cells, with less pronounced effects in brain cells. This suggests that radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to cell phone emissions can cause genetic damage in multiple organs.
Why This Matters
This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that radiofrequency radiation can cause DNA damage at exposure levels within current safety guidelines. The SAR level of 0.6 W/kg used here is below the FCC limit of 1.6 W/kg for cell phones, yet still produced measurable genetic damage in multiple organs after just two weeks of exposure. What makes this research particularly significant is that it examined systemic effects beyond just the brain, revealing that RF radiation impacts DNA integrity throughout the body. The comet assay is a well-established method for detecting DNA strand breaks, lending credibility to these findings. While the researchers noted the damage wasn't extensive compared to baseline levels, any increase in DNA breaks raises concerns about cumulative effects from long-term exposure. This study reinforces why many scientists are calling for more protective exposure standards, especially given that most people now carry these devices for years or decades.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.6 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.24 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 915 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- One hour/day, seven days/week during two weeks period
Exposure Context
This study used 0.24 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 24Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 400Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 0.6 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 1.5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
The goal of study was to evaluate DNA damage in rat's renal, liver and brain cells after in vivo exposure to radiofrequency/microwave (Rf/Mw) radiation of cellular phone frequencies range.
To determine DNA damage, a single cell gel electrophoresis/comet assay was used. Wistar rats (male, ...
In comparison with tail length in controls (13.5 +/- 0.7 microm), the tail was slightly elongated in...
The results of this study suggest that, under the experimental conditions applied, repeated 915 MHz irradiation could be a cause of DNA breaks in renal and liver cells, but not affect the cell genome at the higher extent compared to the basal damage.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2011_effect_of_electromagnetic_radiofrequency_776,
author = {Trosić I and Pavicić I and Milković-Kraus S and Mladinić M and Zeljezić D.},
title = {Effect of electromagnetic radiofrequency radiation on the rats' brain, liver and kidney cells measured by comet assay.},
year = {2011},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22397269/},
}