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No mutagenic or recombinogenic effects of mobile phone fields at 900 MHz detected in the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Gos P, Eicher B, Kohli J, Heyer WD · 2000

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Yeast cells showed no genetic damage from 900 MHz radiation, but yeast biology differs significantly from human cellular systems.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Scientists tested whether 900 MHz mobile phone radiation could damage DNA in yeast cells using multiple genetic tests. They found no evidence of mutations, DNA damage, or cellular dysfunction, even when combined with known toxic chemicals, suggesting these radiation levels may not directly harm genetic material.

Why This Matters

While this study found no genetic damage in yeast cells exposed to 900 MHz radiation, we need to interpret these results carefully. The exposure levels tested (0.13 and 1.3 W/kg SAR) bracket typical mobile phone exposures, which is methodologically sound. However, yeast cells are single-celled organisms that lack the complex cellular structures and DNA repair mechanisms of human cells. What doesn't affect yeast may still impact human tissue. The science demonstrates that negative results in simple organisms don't necessarily translate to safety in humans. This study represents one piece of evidence in a much larger puzzle, and the reality is that research on more complex biological systems has shown different results.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.13 and 1.3 W/kg
Source/Device
900-MHz

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.13 and 1.3 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 12x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate No mutagenic or recombinogenic effects of mobile phone fields at 900 MHz detected in the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Both actively growing and resting cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were exposed to 900-MH...

A widely used gene-specific forward mutation assay at CAN1 and a wide-range assay measuring the indu...

Cite This Study
Gos P, Eicher B, Kohli J, Heyer WD (2000). No mutagenic or recombinogenic effects of mobile phone fields at 900 MHz detected in the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bioelectromagnetics 21(7):515-523, 2000.
Show BibTeX
@article{p_2000_no_mutagenic_or_recombinogenic_1001,
  author = {Gos P and Eicher B and Kohli J and Heyer WD},
  title = {No mutagenic or recombinogenic effects of mobile phone fields at 900 MHz detected in the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae.},
  year = {2000},
  
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1521-186X(200010)21:7%3C515::AID-BEM5%3E3.0.CO;2-K},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Scientists tested whether 900 MHz mobile phone radiation could damage DNA in yeast cells using multiple genetic tests. They found no evidence of mutations, DNA damage, or cellular dysfunction, even when combined with known toxic chemicals, suggesting these radiation levels may not directly harm genetic material.