8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body

Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

DNA & Genetic Damage

DNA strand breaks are not induced in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW and W-CDMA modulated radiofrequency fields allocated to mobile radio base stations.

No Effects Found

Sakuma N, Komatsubara Y, Takeda H, Hirose H, Sekijima M, Nojima T, Miyakoshi J. · 2006

View Original Abstract
Share:

Cell tower radiation at 2.1425 GHz caused no DNA damage at levels up to 10 times higher than public exposure limits.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed human brain and lung cells to 2.1425 GHz radiofrequency radiation at levels up to 10 times higher than public safety limits for up to 24 hours. They found no DNA damage in either cell type, even at the highest exposure levels tested. This suggests that cell phone tower radiation at these frequencies doesn't break DNA strands under laboratory conditions.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 2.14 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 2.14 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 2.1425 GHz Duration: 2 or 24 hours

Study Details

We conducted a large-scale in vitro study focused on the effects of low level radiofrequency (RF) fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system in order to test the hypothesis that modulated RF fields may act as a DNA damaging agent

First, we evaluated the responses of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate...

Under the same RF field exposure conditions, no significant differences in the DNA strand breaks wer...

Our results confirm that low level exposures do not act as a genotoxicant up to a SAR of 800 mW/kg.

Cite This Study
Sakuma N, Komatsubara Y, Takeda H, Hirose H, Sekijima M, Nojima T, Miyakoshi J. (2006). DNA strand breaks are not induced in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW and W-CDMA modulated radiofrequency fields allocated to mobile radio base stations. Bioelectromagnetics 27:51-57, 2006.
Show BibTeX
@article{n_2006_dna_strand_breaks_are_2927,
  author = {Sakuma N and Komatsubara Y and Takeda H and Hirose H and Sekijima M and Nojima T and Miyakoshi J.},
  title = {DNA strand breaks are not induced in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW and W-CDMA modulated radiofrequency fields allocated to mobile radio base stations.},
  year = {2006},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20179},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20179},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20179

Cited By (67 papers)

View all 67 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

No, a 2006 study found that 2.1425 GHz radiation from cell towers does not break DNA strands in human brain and lung cells. Researchers exposed cells to radiation levels up to 10 times higher than public safety limits for 24 hours without detecting DNA damage.
No, the 2006 Sakuma study found no difference in DNA damage between W-CDMA modulated signals and continuous wave radiation at 2.1425 GHz. Both exposure types showed no significant DNA strand breaks compared to unexposed control cells in laboratory tests.
Research suggests SAR levels up to 800 mW/kg do not cause DNA strand breaks in human cells. A 2006 study exposed brain and lung cells to 2.1425 GHz radiation at this level for 24 hours without detecting genetic damage.
No, human lung cells showed no DNA strand breaks when exposed to 2.1425 GHz cell tower radiation for up to 24 hours. The 2006 study tested exposure levels 10 times higher than public safety limits without finding genetic damage.
Human brain and lung cells showed no DNA strand breaks after 24 hours of continuous exposure to 2.1425 GHz radiation. The 2006 research tested various exposure durations at levels up to 800 mW/kg without detecting genetic damage.