Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

No evidence for genotoxic effects from 24 h exposure of human leukocytes to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency fields med./bio.

Published in: Radiat Res 2003; 159 (5): 693-697

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the effect of 24 h continuous wave (CW) and pulsed wave (PW) 1.9 GHz radiofrequency field (RF field) exposures on genotoxicity in human blood cells (human leukocyte cultures) in vitro by examining primary DNA damage and micronucleus induction.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 1.9 GHz
Modulation type: CW
Exposure duration: continuous for 24 h
Exposure 2: 1.9 GHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 24 h

General information

A total of five separate experiments were conducted for both the CW and PW signals, each consisting of five RF-field exposed cultures and concurrent sham, negative (incubator) and positive (1.5 Gy 137Cs γ radiation; at 0.987 Gy/min) controls.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 1.9 GHz
Type
Charakteristic
  • guided field
Polarization
  • circular
Exposure duration continuous for 24 h
Modulation
Modulation type CW
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber The exposure system consisted of six cylindrical waveguide applicators operating in TE11 mode
Setup The 10-ml samples were exposed in 60-mm Petri dishes with sealed lids positioned in the open end or aperture of the applicators.
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
SAR 0.1 W/kg - - - -
SAR 0.26 W/kg - - - -
SAR 0.92 W/kg - - - -
SAR 2.4 W/kg - - - -
SAR 10 W/kg - - - -

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 1.9 GHz
Type
Charakteristic
  • guided field
Polarization
  • circular
Exposure duration continuous for 24 h
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Duty cycle 33.33 %
Repetition frequency 50 Hz
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
SAR 0.1 W/kg - - - -
SAR 0.26 W/kg - - - -
SAR 0.92 W/kg - - - -
SAR 2.4 W/kg - - - -
SAR 10 W/kg - - - -

Reference articles

  • Gajda GB et al. (2002): Cylindrical waveguide applicator for in vitro exposure of cell culture samples to 1.9-GHz radiofrequency fields
  • McNamee JP et al. (2002): DNA damage and micronucleus induction in human leukocytes after acute in vitro exposure to a 1.9 GHz continuous-wave radiofrequency field

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No evidence of increased primary DNA damage or micronucleus induction in human leukocytes was detected for any 1.9 GHz RF field (neither CW nor PW) exposed cultures compared to the sham control.

Study character:

Study funded by

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