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Clastogenic effects of radiofrequency radiations on chromosomes of Tradescantia.

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Haider T, Knasmueller S, Kundi M, Haider M · 1994

Tradescantia plants placed near broadcasting antennas showed higher rates of chromosome damage, with effects attributable to short-wave radiation.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers used the Tradescantia-micronucleus bioassay to test whether short-wave electromagnetic fields used for broadcasting (10–21 MHz) may show genotoxic effects. Plant cuttings bearing young flower buds were exposed for 30 hours at various distances from broadcasting antennas, and micronucleus frequencies were compared to laboratory controls. Higher micronucleus frequencies were found at all exposure sites near the antennas where IRPA electric field strength standards were exceeded, and results at all but one site were statistically significant.

Why This Matters

The experiment placed Tradescantia plant cuttings near two types of broadcasting antennas: a slewable curtain antenna and a vertical cage antenna. To help confirm that radiation was responsible, plants were placed in both a shielding cage and a non-shielding cage, and the two showed significant differences in micronucleus frequencies. Plants in the shielding cage showed no significant difference from laboratory controls, supporting the conclusion that short-wave radiation from the antennas caused the clastogenic effects. Plants were also placed at neighbors living near the broadcasting station at about 200 m, where field strength was 1–3 V/m.

Exposure Details

Electric Field: 40–170, 90 ,70 and 1–3 V/m
Source/Device: 10–21 MHz
Exposure Duration: 30h

Exposure Context

This study used 40–170, 90 ,70 and 1–3 V/m for electric fields:

3.3x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m

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.

Study Details

To determine the clastogenic effect of radiofrequency radiation in an in situ experiment with the Tradescantia micronucleus test.

We used the Tradescantia-micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay in an in situ experiment to find out wheth...

Higher MCN frequencies than in laboratory controls were found for all exposure sites in the immediat...

Cite This Study

Haider T, Knasmueller S, Kundi M, Haider M (1994). Clastogenic effects of radiofrequency radiations on chromosomes of Tradescantia. Mutat Res 324(1-2):65-68, 1994.

Show BibTeX

@article{t_1994_clastogenic_effects_of_radiofrequency_54,
  author = {Haider T and Knasmueller S and Kundi M and Haider M},
  title = {Clastogenic effects of radiofrequency radiations on chromosomes of Tradescantia.},
  year = {1994},
  
  url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0165799294900698},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers used the Tradescantia-micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay, with plant cuttings bearing young flower buds.

The study tested short-wave electromagnetic fields used for broadcasting in the range of 10–21 MHz.

The shielding cage and non-shielding cage showed significant differences in micronucleus frequencies, with the shielding cage showing no significant differences from laboratory controls. This led researchers to conclude that the clastogenic effects are clearly attributable to the short-wave radiation from the antennas.

Results at all exposure sites except one were statistically significant.

Higher micronucleus frequencies were found at sites where electric field strength standards of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) were exceeded.