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Radiofrequency radiations induced genotoxic and carcinogenic effects on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) root tip cells.

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Qureshi ST, Memon SA, Abassi AR, Sial MA, Bughio FA. · 2017

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Exposure to GSM cell phone (900 MHz) and laptop (3.31 GHz) radiofrequency radiation for 48 hours inhibited chickpea seed germination and caused cell and nuclear membrane damage.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed dry chickpea seeds to GSM cell phone radiation at 900 MHz and laptop radiation at 3.31 GHz for 24 and 48 hours. Untreated seeds served as a negative control and gamma rays at 250 Gray served as a positive control. All radiofrequency treatments inhibited seed germination, with the 48-hour laptop exposure showing the strongest negative effect. Mitotic index decreased and abnormality index increased as exposure duration and frequency increased. Cell membrane damage, nuclear membrane damage, and ghost cells were observed only after 48 hours of exposure.

Why This Matters

The study aimed to predict DNA damage and carcinogenicity from radiofrequency radiation in living tissue. The authors reported that the radiation is genotoxic, inducing micronuclei, bi-nuclei, multi-nuclei, and scattered nuclei, and could be carcinogenic because 48-hour exposure caused fragmentation and ghost cells. They advised against unnecessary use of cell phones and laptops to avoid possible genotoxic and carcinogenic effects.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz - 3.31 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHz - 3.31 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: GSM cell phone (900 MHz) and laptop (3.31 GHz) Duration: 24 and 48 h

Study Details

Present study was under taken to predict the possible DNA damages (genotoxicity) and carcinogenicity caused by radiofrequency radiations (RF) to living tissue.

Dry seeds of chickpea were treated with GSM cell phone (900 MHz) and laptop (3.31 GHz) as RF source ...

A decrease was observed in mitotic index (M.I) and increase in abnormality index (A.I) with the incr...

Therefore cell phones and laptop should not be used unnecessarily to avoid possible genotoxic and carcinogenic effects.

Cite This Study
Qureshi ST, Memon SA, Abassi AR, Sial MA, Bughio FA. (2017). Radiofrequency radiations induced genotoxic and carcinogenic effects on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) root tip cells. Saudi J Biol Sci. 24(4):883-891, 2017.
Show BibTeX
@article{st_2017_radiofrequency_radiations_induced_genotoxic_2531,
  author = {Qureshi ST and Memon SA and Abassi AR and Sial MA and Bughio FA.},
  title = {Radiofrequency radiations induced genotoxic and carcinogenic effects on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) root tip cells.},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28490961/},
}
PubMed: 28490961

Cited By (13 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Dry chickpea seeds were exposed to a GSM cell phone at 900 MHz and a laptop at 3.31 GHz for 24 and 48 hours.
All radiofrequency treatments reduced seed germination, and the 48-hour laptop exposure had the greatest negative effect compared with untreated controls.
Mitotic index decreased and abnormality index increased with longer exposure duration and higher frequency.
Cell membrane damage, nuclear membrane damage, and ghost cells were observed only after 48 hours of exposure to the cell phone and laptop radiation.
The authors stated that the radiofrequency radiations are genotoxic, inducing micronuclei, bi-nuclei, multi-nuclei, and scattered nuclei, and could be carcinogenic because 48-hour exposure caused fragmentation and ghost cells.