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Effect of Low Level Subchronic Microwave Radiation on Rat Brain

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Deshmukh PS, Megha K, Nasare N, Banerjee BD, Ahmed RS, Abegaonkar MP, Tripathi AK, Mediratta PK · 2016

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Even microwave radiation 1000 times below safety limits caused memory problems and brain DNA damage in this 90-day study.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation (900-2450 MHz) for 2 hours daily over 90 days at levels 1000 times below safety limits. The low-level radiation still impaired learning and memory while damaging brain DNA, suggesting current safety standards may be inadequate.

Why This Matters

This study delivers a sobering message about microwave radiation safety. The researchers used exposure levels approximately 1000 times lower than current regulatory limits, yet still documented significant cognitive impairment and DNA damage in brain tissue. What makes this particularly relevant is that the frequencies tested - 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz - are the exact frequencies used by cell phones, WiFi, and other wireless devices we use daily. The science demonstrates that our current safety standards, which only consider thermal heating effects, may be woefully inadequate for protecting against biological harm from chronic, low-level exposure. The reality is that this study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that non-thermal effects occur at power levels we previously assumed were harmless.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.0005953 ,0.0005835 , 0.0006672 W/kg
Source/Device
900, 1800 or 2450 MHz
Exposure Duration
2 h/day, 5 days/week for 90 days

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: 0.0005953 ,0.0005835 , 0.0006672 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the No Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2,742x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of subchronic low level microwave radiation (MWR) on cognitive function, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) level and DNA damage in brain of Fischer rats

Experiments were performed on male Fischer rats exposed to microwave radiation for 90 days at three ...

Microwave exposure at 900–900–2450 MHz with SAR values as mentioned above lead to decline in cogniti...

The results of the present study suggest that low level microwave exposure at frequencies 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz may lead to hazardous effects on brain.

Cite This Study
Deshmukh PS, Megha K, Nasare N, Banerjee BD, Ahmed RS, Abegaonkar MP, Tripathi AK, Mediratta PK (2016). Effect of Low Level Subchronic Microwave Radiation on Rat Brain Biomed Environ Sci. 29(12):858-867, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{ps_2016_effect_of_low_level_94,
  author = {Deshmukh PS and Megha K and Nasare N and Banerjee BD and Ahmed RS and Abegaonkar MP and Tripathi AK and Mediratta PK},
  title = {Effect of Low Level Subchronic Microwave Radiation on Rat Brain},
  year = {2016},
  
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089539881730003X},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation (900-2450 MHz) for 2 hours daily over 90 days at levels 1000 times below safety limits. The low-level radiation still impaired learning and memory while damaging brain DNA, suggesting current safety standards may be inadequate.