EMF Research Studies

Effects of low-level radio-frequency (3kHz to 300GHz) energy on human cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and other systems: A review of the recent literature.

Jauchem JR. · 2008

Source of funding and results of studies of health effects of mobile phone use: systematic review of experimental studies.

Huss A et al. · 2008

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 59 controlled-exposure studies of radiofrequency radiation with health-related outcomes. Industry-funded studies reported the most outcomes but had the lowest odds of a statistically significant association. The association persisted after adjusting for number of outcomes, study quality, and other factors.

Is gene activity in plant cells affected by UMTS-irradiation? A whole genome approach.

Engelmann JC et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension cultures to a radiofrequency field protocol representing typical urban microwave exposure for 24 hours. They used Affymetrix-ATH1 whole genome microarrays to measure gene expression. Differential expression analysis revealed significant changes in transcription of 10 genes, but fold changes did not exceed 2.5. Three of the affected genes are dark-inducible, and their functions do not point to known plant responses to environmental stimuli.

[Mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic effects induced by radiofrequency electromagnetic field of mobile phone.]

Chen ZJ, He JL. · 2008

The study aimed to investigate mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic effects induced by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. The authors noted that conflicting results exist in publications on these effects. They reported that overwhelming findings do not support the assumption that RF exposure may induce mutagenic, carcinogenic, or teratogenic effects. However, they stated that health effects from low-level RF exposure need further study.

Distribution of RF energy emitted by mobile phones in anatomical structures of the brain.

Cardis E et al. · 2008

Most energy (97-99%) appears to be absorbed in the brain hemisphere on the side where the phone is used, mainly (50-60%) in the temporal lobe. The average relative SAR is highest in the temporal lobe (6-15% of peak SAR) and cerebellum (2-10%), and decreases very rapidly with increasing depth, particularly at higher frequencies. The SAR distribution appears to be fairly similar across phone models, between older and newer phones, and between phones with different antenna types and positions.

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields; male infertility and sex ratio of offspring.

Baste V, Riise T, Moen BE. · 2008

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study among 10,497 military men in the Royal Norwegian Navy to assess work near radiofrequency-emitting equipment, infertility, and offspring sex ratio. Infertility increased significantly with increasing self-reported exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Adjusted odds ratios for infertility were 1.39 for low exposure, 1.52 for some exposure, 1.93 for high exposure, and 1.86 for very high exposure compared to no exposure. Higher paternal exposure was also associated with a lower ratio of boys to girls at birth. The number of children was not associated with exposure degree.

Combinative exposure effect of radio frequency signals from CDMA mobile phones and aphidicolin on DNA integrity.

Tiwari R et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed whole blood samples from six healthy men to RF signals from a CDMA mobile phone for one hour. They assessed DNA damage using the alkaline comet assay and tested combinative effects with aphidicolin at two concentrations. RF signals alone or with low-dose aphidicolin did not significantly increase DNA damage compared to sham exposure. However, univariate analysis showed significant DNA damage with combined exposure at both aphidicolin concentrations. APC alone at the higher concentration also caused significant damage, and DNA repair efficiency varied significantly in combined exposure groups.

In vitro assessment of clastogenicity of mobile-phone radiation (835 MHz) using the alkaline comet assay and chromosomal aberration test.

Kim JY et al. · 2008

The study investigated clastogenicity of 835-MHz RF-EMF using alkaline comet assay and chromosomal aberration test on mammalian cells. No direct cytogenetic effect was found in the chromosomal aberration test with RF-EMF alone. The comet assay showed nearly negative results for RF-EMF alone, with a small increase in tail moment. RF-EMF showed a potentiation effect in the comet assay when combined with model clastogens.

Evaluation of genotoxic effects in human leukocytes after in vitro exposure to 1950 MHz UMTS radiofrequency field.

Zeni O et al. · 2008

Exposure to mobile telecommunication networks assessed using personal dosimetry and well-being in children and adolescents: the German MobilEe-study.

Thomas S et al. · 2008

Researchers randomly selected a population-based sample of children and adolescents from population registries in four Bavarian cities and towns for a study with a 52% response rate. Each participant wore a dosimeter for 24 hours to measure exposure across three mobile phone frequency ranges, and waking-hour exposure was expressed as a percentage of the ICNIRP reference level. The median exposure was 0.18% of the ICNIRP reference level for children and 0.19% for adolescents, and personal dosimetry proved to be a well-accepted tool for such epidemiologic studies.

Nonthermal effects of radiofrequency-field exposure on calcium dynamics in stem cell-derived neuronal cells: elucidation of calcium pathways.

Rao VS et al. · 2008

The study used neuronal cells differentiated from a mouse embryonic stem cell line and a frequency-tunable applicator to examine calcium dynamics in real time. Control cells showed about five spontaneous calcium spikes per cell in 60 minutes, while exposure to 800 MHz RF radiation at 0.5 W/kg increased spikes to 15.7 per cell. The increase depended on frequency but not on SAR between 0.5 and 5 W/kg, and involved N-type calcium channels and phospholipase C enzymes. Microfilament disruption prevented the calcium spikes.

Impact of 864 MHz or 935 MHz radiofrequency microwave radiation on the basic growth parameters of V79 cell line

Pavicic I, Trosic I · 2008

Researchers exposed V79 cells to continuous wave frequencies of 864 MHz and 935 MHz for 1, 2, or 3 hours. Growth was significantly increased after two- and three-hour exposures to 864 MHz and after three-hour exposure to 935 MHz, measured 72 hours after irradiation. Colony-forming ability and cell viability did not significantly differ from control cells. The two fields showed similar effects on growth, colony-forming ability, and viability, with impact being time-dependent.

Exposure to 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation induces caspase 3 activation in proliferating human lymphocytes

Palumbo R et al. · 2008

The study investigated apoptosis induction after 900 MHz GSM radiation by measuring caspase 3 activation in Jurkat cells and quiescent and proliferating human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Exposure was at 1.35 W/kg for one hour in a temperature-controlled dual wire patch cell system. Caspase 3 activity increased by 32.4% in Jurkat cells and 22% in proliferating lymphocytes 6 hours after exposure, but did not change in quiescent lymphocytes. Apoptosis and viability assessed 24 hours later were unaffected in both cell types. Cell cycle analysis of proliferating T cells also showed no differences between exposed and sham-exposed cultures.

Mobile phone radiation might alter protein expression in human skin.

Karinen A, Heinavaara S, Nylund R, Leszczynski D. · 2008

Researchers exposed a small area of forearm skin in 10 female volunteers to RF-EMF at a specific absorption rate of 1.3 W/kg and collected punch biopsies from exposed and non-exposed areas. Analysis identified 8 proteins that were statistically significantly affected, and two of those proteins were present in all 10 volunteers. The researchers described this as the first study showing that molecular level changes might take place in human volunteers in response to exposure to RF-EMF.

Characterization of personal RF electromagnetic field exposure and actual absorption for the general public.

Joseph W, Vermeeren G, Verloock L, Heredia MM, Martens L · 2008

This study characterized personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure of the general public from 12 different sources. Indoor office exposure from WiFi reached 95th-percentile field values of 0.36 to 0.58 V m(-1), while DECT reached 0.33 V m(-1), and outdoor GSM and DCS downlink signals reached up to 0.52 V m(-1). The researchers proposed a method to relate measured field exposure to actual whole-body absorption and applied it to a GSM downlink signal, finding Fiftieth, 95th, and 99th percentiles of whole-body SAR of 0.58 microW kg(-1), 2.08 microW kg(-1), and 5.01 microW kg(-1) for a 95th percentile of 0.26 V m(-1).

Study on potential effects of "902-MHz GSM-type Wireless Communication Signals" on DMBA-induced mammary tumours in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Hruby R, Neubauer G, Kuster N, Frauscher M · 2008

The study aimed to detect whether long-term exposure to 902-MHz GSM-type wireless communication signals would affect DMBA-induced mammary tumours in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Five hundred female rats were each given a single oral dose of 17 mg DMBA per kg body weight at an age of 46-48 days.

Proliferation, oxidative stress and cell death in cells exposed to 872 MHz radiofrequency radiation and oxidants. Radiat.

Höytö A, Luukkonen J, Juutilainen J, Naarala J. · 2008

Researchers exposed human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma and mouse L929 fibroblast cells to 872 MHz radiofrequency radiation at a specific absorption rate of 5 W/kg, using either continuous waves or a GSM-modulated signal. Two statistically significant differences related to RF radiation were found: t-BOOH-induced lipid peroxidation was increased in SH-SY5Y cells, and menadione-induced caspase 3 activity was increased in L929 cells, but both only for the GSM-modulated signal. No other endpoints were significantly affected, and no effects were observed from RF radiation exposure alone.

Continuous wave and simulated GSM exposure at 1.8 W/kg and 1.8 GHz do not induce hsp16-1 heat-shock gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Dawe AS et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed a transgenic strain of the nematode C. elegans to radiofrequency fields at 1.8 GHz and a specific absorption rate of approximately 1.8 W/kg. For both continuous wave and Talk-pulsed exposures lasting 2.5 hours, there was no indication that RF exposure could induce reporter expression above sham control levels. When background reporter expression was moderately elevated in sham controls, the researchers found some evidence that reporter expression may be reduced by approximately 15% following exposure to either Talk-pulsed or CW RF fields.

Effects of 900-MHz Radio Frequencies on the Chemotaxis of Human Neutrophils in Vitro.

Aly AA et al. · 2008

Researchers studied how 900-MHz radio-frequency fields affect the ability of human neutrophils to follow concentration gradients of Cyclic Adenosine 3', 5'-Monophosphate (C-AMP). Blood from healthy adult donors was exposed in vitro to different temperatures and a 900-MHz RF field at approximately 0.4 V/m. When the 900-MHz RF field was applied, neutrophil speed increased above the value observed at the same temperature, and the maximum speed exceeded that measured at any temperature by approximately 50%. The direction of motion changed from along the concentration gradient and the electrical field lines to motion at right angles to the concentration gradient and the electric field.

Effect of chronic intermittent exposure to AM radiofrequency field on responses to various types of noxious stimuli in growing rats.

Mathur R. · 2008

Researchers exposed growing rats to a radiofrequency field (73.5 MHz amplitude modulated, 16 Hz, SAR = 0.4 w/kg) for 45 days at 2 hours per day and recorded their responses to several types of noxious stimuli. The tonic pain rating was also decreased (p < 0.01), which the researchers said indicates analgesia in response to tonic pain. The data suggest that amplitude modulated RF field differentially affects the mechanisms involved in the processing of various noxious stimuli.

Apoptosis is Induced by Radiofrequency Fields through the Caspase-Independent Mitochondrial Pathway in Cortical Neurons

Joubert, V., Bourthoumieu, S., Leveque, P. and Yardin, C. · 2008

Researchers exposed rat primary neuronal cultures to a continuous-wave 900 MHz radiofrequency field at a specific absorption rate of 2 W/kg for 24 hours. A statistically significant difference in the rate of apoptosis was found in the RF-field-exposed neurons compared to the sham-, 37°C- and 39°C-exposed neurons either 0 or 24 h after exposure using both methods. The percentage of AIF-positive nuclei in RF-field-exposed neurons was increased by three- to sevenfold compared to other conditions, while no increase in caspase 3 activity was found.

Effect of 1.8 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on gene expression of rat neurons

Zhang SZ, Yao GD, Lu DQ, Chiang H, Xu ZP. · 2008

Researchers exposed primary cultured rat neurons to 1.8 GHz RF EMF at a SAR of 2 W/kg and used a gene array to look for changes in gene expression. Among 1200 candidate genes screened, 24 were up-regulated and 10 were down-regulated, associated with functions including cytoskeleton, signal transduction, and metabolism. The effect of 24-hour exposure on gene expression was more obvious than that of 6-hour exposure, and intermittent exposure had a more obvious effect than continuous exposure.

Electromagnetic noise inhibits radiofrequency radiation-induced DNA damage and reactive oxygen species increase in human lens epithelial cells.

Yao K, Wu W, Wang K, Ni S, Ye P, Yu Y, Ye J, Sun L. · 2008

Researchers exposed cultured human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) to a 1.8 GHz GSM radiofrequency field for 2 hours at specific absorption rates of 1, 2, 3, and 4 W/kg, then measured intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage. After exposure to 1.8 GHz RF for 2 h, HLECs exhibited significant intracellular ROS increase in the 2, 3, and 4 W/kg groups, and RF at 3 W/kg and 4 W/kg induced significant DNA damage consisting mainly of single strand breaks. When the radiofrequency field was superposed with 2 μT electromagnetic noise, the noise blocked the RF-induced ROS increase and DNA damage.

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (UMTS, 1,950 MHz) induce genotoxic effects in vitro in human fibroblasts but not in lymphocytes.

Schwarz C et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed human cultured fibroblasts and human lymphocyte cultures to 1,950 MHz UMTS electromagnetic fields at specific absorption rates below the safety limit of 2 W/kg. UMTS exposure increased the comet tail factor and induced centromere-negative micronuclei in human cultured fibroblasts in a dose- and time-dependent way. Incubation for 24 hours at a SAR of 0.05 W/kg produced a statistically significant rise in both the comet tail factor and micronuclei (P = 0.02). No UMTS effect was found in lymphocytes, whether unstimulated or stimulated with Phytohemagglutinin. The researchers concluded that UMTS exposure may cause genetic alterations in some but not in all human cells in vitro.

Increased levels of numerical chromosome aberrations after in vitro exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields for 72 hours.

Mazor R et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed human peripheral blood lymphocytes from 10 samples to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at 800 MHz for 72 hours in a waveguide resonator at specific absorption rates of 2.9 and 4.1 W/kg. The study found increased levels of aneuploidy depending on the chromosome studied and the level of exposure, with chromosomal gains appearing to be the primary contributor. Temperature was tested over a range of 33.5–40°C for 72 hours and showed no statistically significant difference in aneuploidy levels compared to 37°C, suggesting the effect may not be due to heating.