Multinucleated giant cell appearance after whole body microwave irradiation of rats.
Trosic I. · 2001
View Original AbstractMicrowave radiation at 2450 MHz triggered abnormal lung cell fusion in rats, indicating chronic inflammation at exposure levels within current safety standards.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to microwave radiation at 2450 MHz (the same frequency used in microwave ovens and some WiFi devices) and examined lung cells. They found that exposure caused immune cells in the lungs to fuse together into abnormal giant cells with multiple nuclei - a sign of chronic lung inflammation. The effect became stronger with more radiation treatments, suggesting cumulative damage to the respiratory system.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning pattern: microwave radiation at levels within current safety guidelines can trigger chronic inflammatory responses in lung tissue. The formation of multinucleated giant cells represents the immune system's attempt to respond to ongoing cellular stress - the same type of response seen in chronic lung diseases. What makes this particularly relevant is that the 2450 MHz frequency used in this study is identical to what's found in microwave ovens and many WiFi systems. While the power density of 5-15 mW/cm² is higher than typical WiFi exposure, it's well within occupational exposure limits. The dose-dependent relationship the researchers observed suggests that cumulative exposure matters, which raises questions about the long-term effects of our increasingly wireless world on respiratory health.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 5 to 15 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2450 MHz
Exposure Context
This study used 5 to 15 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 500Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 8.3Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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
This study investigated the influence of 2450 MHz microwave irradiation on alveolar macrophage kinetics and formation of multinucleated giant cells after whole body irradiation of rats.
The range of electromagnetic radiation was selected as 2450 MHz microwaves at a power density of 5-1...
Total cell number retrieved by lavage slightly decreased in treated animals showing time- and dose-d...
Show BibTeX
@article{i._2001_multinucleated_giant_cell_appearance_1377,
author = {Trosic I.},
title = {Multinucleated giant cell appearance after whole body microwave irradiation of rats.},
year = {2001},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11759156/},
}