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

DNA & Genetic Damage

Genotoxicity evaluation of electromagnetic fields generated by 835-MHz mobile phone frequency band.

No Effects Found

Chang SK, Choi JS, Gil HW, Yang JO, Lee EY, Jeon YS, Lee ZW, Lee M, Hong MY, Ho Son T, Hong SY. · 2005

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Mobile phone radiation at 4 W/kg showed no DNA damage in bacterial cells, though human cellular responses may differ significantly.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed bacterial cells to 835-MHz mobile phone radiation at high intensity (4 W/kg SAR) for 48 hours to test whether it causes DNA damage or genetic mutations. The study found no evidence that this radiofrequency radiation caused DNA breakdown or increased mutation rates in the bacterial test systems. This suggests that mobile phone frequencies may not directly damage genetic material under these laboratory conditions.

Why This Matters

This study provides some reassurance about the direct DNA-damaging potential of mobile phone radiation, though with important caveats. The 4 W/kg SAR exposure used here is roughly double the legal limit for mobile phones in most countries (2 W/kg), yet even at this elevated level, researchers found no clear genotoxic effects. However, bacterial cells are quite different from human cells, and 48-hour exposures don't capture the reality of decades-long mobile phone use. The mixed results across different bacterial strains also highlight the complexity of studying EMF bioeffects. While this research contributes to our understanding, it represents just one piece of a much larger puzzle that includes numerous studies showing concerning cellular effects from radiofrequency radiation.

Exposure Details

SAR
4 W/kg
Source/Device
835-MHz
Exposure Duration
48 hours

Exposure Context

This study used 4 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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: 4 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 3 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 835 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 835 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

We examined the biological effects of an EMF at 835 MHz, the most widely used communication frequency band in Korean CDMA mobile phone networks, on bacterial reverse mutation (Ames assay) and DNA stability (in vitro DNA degradation).

In the Ames assay, tester strains alone or combined with positive mutagen were applied in an artific...

In the presence of the 835-MHz EMF radiation, incubation with positive mutagen 4-nitroquinoline-1-ox...

Thus, we suggest that 835-MHz EMF under the conditions of our study neither affected the reverse mutation frequency nor accelerated DNA degradation in vitro.

Cite This Study
Chang SK, Choi JS, Gil HW, Yang JO, Lee EY, Jeon YS, Lee ZW, Lee M, Hong MY, Ho Son T, Hong SY. (2005). Genotoxicity evaluation of electromagnetic fields generated by 835-MHz mobile phone frequency band. Eur J Cancer Prev. 14(2):175-179, 2005.
Show BibTeX
@article{sk_2005_genotoxicity_evaluation_of_electromagnetic_2968,
  author = {Chang SK and Choi JS and Gil HW and Yang JO and Lee EY and Jeon YS and Lee ZW and Lee M and Hong MY and Ho Son T and Hong SY.},
  title = {Genotoxicity evaluation of electromagnetic fields generated by 835-MHz mobile phone frequency band.},
  year = {2005},
  
  url = {https://journals.lww.com/eurjcancerprev/Abstract/2005/04000/Genotoxicity_evaluation_of_electromagnetic_fields.14.aspx},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Research testing 835 MHz mobile phone radiation on bacterial cells found no significant DNA mutations or genetic damage. Scientists exposed bacteria to high-intensity radiation (4 W/kg SAR) for 48 hours but detected no increased mutation rates or DNA breakdown in laboratory conditions.
Studies show mixed results when combining 835 MHz radiation with chemical mutagens. Some bacterial strains showed increased mutation rates when exposed to both radiation and chemicals, while others showed protective effects, but these results weren't consistently reproduced across different bacterial types.
Bacterial cells survived 48 hours of continuous 835 MHz mobile phone radiation exposure at 4 W/kg SAR without significant DNA damage. The study found no evidence that this radiofrequency radiation accelerated DNA degradation or increased cell death in laboratory bacterial test systems.
Researchers used 4 W/kg SAR (specific absorption rate) to test 835 MHz mobile phone radiation effects on DNA. This high-intensity exposure for 48 hours showed no significant genetic damage or increased mutation rates in multiple bacterial strains under controlled laboratory conditions.
Laboratory testing found that 835 MHz electromagnetic fields did not accelerate DNA degradation in plasmid pBluescript SK(+). The study showed no change in DNA breakdown rates when bacterial plasmids were exposed to mobile phone frequency radiation under controlled conditions.