Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms

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Bourdineaud JP, Šrut M, Štambuk A, Tkalec M, Brèthes D, Malarić K, Klobučar GIV · 2017

Exposing Eisenia fetida earthworms to 900 MHz EMF induced significant DNA modifications that persisted even after a 24-hour recovery period.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed Eisenia fetida earthworms to electromagnetic fields at 900 MHz and field levels ranging from 10 to 120 V m-1 for a period of two hours. All exposure treatments induced significant DNA modifications, and the number of probe hybridisation sites showed a significant two-fold decrease even after 24 hours of recovery. Genes involved in general stress, oxidative stress, and immune defence were up-regulated after exposure, and Western blots confirmed an increased quantity of HSP70 and MTCO1 proteins.

Why This Matters

The study tested multiple exposure conditions, including a two-hour exposure, a four-hour exposure, field modulation, and a 24-hour recovery period, all addressed at a field level of 23 V m-1. The specific absorption rates corresponding to the tested field levels ranged from 0.13 to 9.33 mW kg-1. DNA changes were measured using a quantitative random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR method, which detected a loss of hybridisation sites that the researchers described as a persistent genotoxic effect. HSP70 and LYS genes were up-regulated after 24 hours of recovery following a two-hour exposure, with the researchers noting that the effect of EMF exposure lasted for hours.

Exposure Details

SAR: 0.00013 - 0.00933 W/kg
Source/Device: 900 MHz
Exposure Duration: 2 Hours

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Details

The purpose of this study is to observe the Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms

Eisenia fetida earthworms were exposed to electromagnetic field (EMF) at a mobile phone frequency (9...

All exposure treatments induced significant DNA modifications as assessed by a quantitative random a...

Cite This Study

Bourdineaud JP, Šrut M, Štambuk A, Tkalec M, Brèthes D, Malarić K, Klobučar GIV (2017). Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 68(2):142-152, 2017.

Show BibTeX

@article{jp_2017_electromagnetic_fields_at_a_514,
  author = {Bourdineaud JP and Šrut M and Štambuk A and Tkalec M and Brèthes D and Malarić K and Klobučar GIV},
  title = {Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28665795/},
}

PubMed: 28665795

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Quick Questions About This Study

The study used Eisenia fetida earthworms as the test organism.

Earthworms were exposed to EMF at 900 MHz and field levels ranging from 10 to 120 V m-1.

Even after 24 hours of recovery following a two-hour exposure, probe hybridisation sites showed a significant two-fold decrease compared to untreated control earthworms, implying a persistent genotoxic effect.

Genes involved in general stress (HSP70 and MEKK1), oxidative stress (CAT), and chemical and immune defence (LYS and MYD) were up-regulated after exposure to 10 and modulated 23 V m-1 field levels.

Western blots showing an increased quantity of HSP70 and MTCO1 proteins confirmed this stress response.