Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Early life exposure to 2.45GHz WiFi-like signals: Effects on development and maturation of the immune system med./bio.

By: Sambucci M, Laudisi F, Nasta F, Pinto R, Lodato R, Lopresto V, Altavista P, Marino C, Pioli C
Published in: Prog Biophys Mol Biol 2011; 107 (3): 393-398
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of young mice to a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field (WLAN) on the immune system should be investigated.

Background/further details

Mice were divided into 3 groups (n=16 each): exposure to an electromagnetic field with a SAR of 1) 0.08 W/kg, 2) 4 W/kg and 3) sham exposure.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 2.451–2.473 GHz
Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/week for 5 weeks, starting with the day after birth
  • SAR: 0.08 W/kg
Exposure 2: 2.451–2.473 GHz
Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/week for 5 weeks, starting with the day after birth

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 2.451–2.473 GHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/week for 5 weeks, starting with the day after birth
Additional info WiFi signal; central frequency of 2.462 GHz
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber restrainers: polystyrene jigs were used for newborns, poly(methylmethacrylate) cylindrical jigs for larger mice
Setup 8 restrained mice were exposed simultaneously in one of two TEM cells, placed with the caudal axis parallel to the direction of the field propagation; animals' position was rotated daily; temperature was kept constant; the WiFi signal was picked up directly by a commercial Access Point set to allow the continuous communication between a laptop and a PC; a single-channel transmission was used (channel 11); a feedback control was used to keep the signal power constant by adjusting the input power
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info in preliminary tests, no effects of restraint were found, so no cage control was used
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
SAR 0.08 W/kg - calculated whole body -
Additional parameter details

a resonance phenomenon occurred with mice weighting about 5 g, resulting a SAR efficiency maximum of 6.7 W/kg/W; a maximum difference of 1.08 dB was found in terms of whole-body averaged SAR referred to a single exposed newborn with respect to the SAR value averaged over all the eight animals in the cell

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 2.451–2.473 GHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/week for 5 weeks, starting with the day after birth
Additional info WiFi signal; central frequency of 2.462 GHz
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
SAR 4 W/kg - calculated whole body -

Reference articles

  • Pinto R et al. (2010): Dosimetry of a set-up for the exposure of newborn mice to 2.45-GHZ WiFi frequencies
  • Ardoino L et al. (2005): A radio-frequency system for in vivo pilot experiments aimed at the studies on biological effects of electromagnetic fields

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences were found between the groups with one exception: the concentration of IFN-gamma was significantly reduced in male mice exposed to 4 W/kg (but not in female mice) compared to sham-exposed mice.
The authors conclude that there is no consistent evidence for an effect of exposure of young mice to a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field (WLAN) on the immune system.

Study character:

Study funded by

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