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

Bioeffects Seen

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

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Even extremely low cell phone radiation caused lasting DNA damage in earthworms, persisting 24 hours after just two hours of exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Scientists exposed earthworms to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for two hours at levels far below safety limits. The worms showed DNA damage and stress responses that lasted over 24 hours after exposure ended, suggesting even brief, low-level mobile phone frequencies cause lasting biological harm.

Why This Matters

This study delivers a sobering message about the biological impact of mobile phone radiation. The researchers found DNA modifications and stress responses in earthworms exposed to 900 MHz radiation at levels thousands of times lower than current safety standards allow. What makes this particularly concerning is that the effects persisted 24 hours after just a two-hour exposure, indicating the damage doesn't simply disappear when the radiation stops. While earthworms aren't humans, they share fundamental cellular processes with us, and their widespread use in toxicology research reflects their biological relevance. The fact that such low-level exposures - comparable to what you might experience from a cell phone several feet away - can trigger genetic stress responses challenges the industry narrative that current safety limits are protective. This adds to a growing body of evidence showing biological effects well below thermal thresholds.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.00013, 0.00933 W/kg
Electric Field
10 - 120 V/m
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
Two hours

Exposure Context

This study used 10 - 120 V/m for electric fields:

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 Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.00013, 0.00933 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 12,308x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate 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_875,
  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

Cited By (6 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, 900 MHz cell phone radiation caused lasting DNA damage in earthworms that persisted over 24 hours after just two hours of exposure. The 2017 study found a significant two-fold decrease in DNA hybridization sites, indicating permanent genetic modifications from brief low-level exposure.
Stress effects from 900 MHz cell phone radiation lasted over 24 hours in earthworms after just two hours of exposure. Key stress genes like HSP70 and LYS remained elevated a full day later, showing the biological impact persists long after exposure ends.
Yes, earthworms exposed to 900 MHz EMF showed clear oxidative stress responses. The study found increased expression of catalase (CAT) genes and elevated stress proteins, indicating cellular damage from oxidative processes triggered by cell phone frequency radiation at low power levels.
Earthworms exposed to 900 MHz radiation showed significant immune system activation. Genes encoding lysenin (LYS) and myeloid differentiation factor (MYD) were up-regulated, indicating the worms' chemical and immune defense systems responded to cell phone frequency EMF as a biological threat.
Yes, just two hours of 900 MHz EMF exposure caused lasting genetic changes in earthworms that persisted over 24 hours. The study demonstrated significant DNA modifications and ongoing stress responses, proving brief cell phone frequency exposure creates persistent biological effects in invertebrates.