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Cellular Effects

Evaluating the biological effects of intermittent 1.9 GHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency fields in a series of human-derived cell lines.

No Effects Found

Chauhan V, Mariampillai A, Kutzner BC, Wilkins RC, Ferrarotto C, Bellier PV, Marro L, Gajda GB, Lemay E, Thansandote A, McNamee JP. · 2007

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Human cells showed no stress responses to cell phone-level RF radiation in this 6-hour laboratory study, contradicting other research finding biological effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Canadian government researchers exposed three types of human cells to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone signals) for 6 hours at power levels up to 10 W/kg. They measured multiple indicators of cellular stress including cell death, DNA damage, immune responses, and cell cycle disruption. The study found no detectable biological effects from the RF exposure at any power level tested.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.90 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.90 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 1.9 GHz Duration: 5 min ON, 10 min OFF for 6 h

Study Details

In the present study, we have assessed the ability of non-thermal RF-field exposure to affect a variety of biological processes (including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, viability and cytokine production) in a series of human-derived cell lines (TK6, HL60 and Mono-Mac-6).

Exponentially growing cells were exposed to intermittent (5 min on, 10 min off) 1.9 GHz pulse-modula...

No detectable changes in cell viability, cell cycle kinetics, incidence of apoptosis, or cytokine ex...

Overall, we found no evidence that non-thermal RF-field exposure could elicit any detectable biological effect in three human-derived cell lines.

Cite This Study
Chauhan V, Mariampillai A, Kutzner BC, Wilkins RC, Ferrarotto C, Bellier PV, Marro L, Gajda GB, Lemay E, Thansandote A, McNamee JP. (2007). Evaluating the biological effects of intermittent 1.9 GHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency fields in a series of human-derived cell lines. Radiat Res. 167(1):87-93, 2007.
Show BibTeX
@article{v_2007_evaluating_the_biological_effects_2972,
  author = {Chauhan V and Mariampillai A and Kutzner BC and Wilkins RC and Ferrarotto C and Bellier PV and Marro L and Gajda GB and Lemay E and Thansandote A and McNamee JP.},
  title = {Evaluating the biological effects of intermittent 1.9 GHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency fields in a series of human-derived cell lines.},
  year = {2007},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17214515/},
}
PubMed: 17214515

Cited By (34 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Canadian researchers found no cell death from 1.9 GHz radiation after 6-hour exposures at power levels up to 10 W/kg. Three different human cell types showed no changes in viability, while heat-shock controls confirmed the testing methods worked properly.
A 2007 study found no DNA damage from pulse-modulated 1.9 GHz fields in human cells. Researchers tested multiple cellular stress indicators including DNA damage markers and found no detectable biological effects at any power level tested.
Research on 1.9 GHz radiation found no changes in cytokine expression or immune responses in human cells. The study exposed cells for 6 hours at various power levels but detected no alterations in immune-related cellular functions.
Scientists found no disruption of cell cycle kinetics from 1.9 GHz radiofrequency exposure. Human cells showed normal division patterns after 6-hour exposures, while positive controls demonstrated the expected cell cycle blocks, confirming test validity.
Canadian government researchers found no harmful effects from RF exposure up to 10 W/kg using 1.9 GHz signals. This power level produced no detectable biological changes in three types of human cells during controlled laboratory testing.