Rs. Malyapa et al., MEASUREMENT OF DNA-DAMAGE AFTER EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC-RADIATIONIN THE CELLULAR PHONE COMMUNICATION FREQUENCY BAND (835.62 AND 847.74MHZ), Radiation research, 148(6), 1997, pp. 618-627
Mouse C3H 10T1/2 fibroblasts and human glioblastoma U87MG cells were e
xposed to cellular phone communication frequency radiations to investi
gate whether such exposure produces DNA damage in in vitro cultures. T
wo types of frequency modulations were studied: frequency-modulated co
ntinuous-wave (FMCW), with a carrier frequency of 835.62 MHz, and code
-division multiple-access (CDMA) centered on 847.74 MHz. Exponentially
growing (U87MG and C3H 10T1/2 cells) and plateau-phase (C3H 10T1/2 ce
lls) cultures were exposed to either FMCW or CDMA radiation for varyin
g periods up to 24 h in specially designed radial transmission lines (
RTLs) that provided relatively uniform exposure with a specific absorp
tion rate (SAR) of 0.6 W/kg. Temperatures in the RTLs were monitored c
ontinuously and maintained at 37 +/- 0.3 degrees C. Sham exposure of c
ultures in an RTL (negative control) and Cs-137 gamma-irradiated sampl
es (positive control) were included with every experiment. The alkalin
e comet assay as described by Olive et al. (Exp. Cell Res. 198, 259-26
9, 1992) was used to measure DNA damage. No significant differences we
re observed between the test group exposed to FMCW or CDMA radiation a
nd the sham-treated negative controls. Our results indicate that expos
ure of cultured mammalian cells to cellular phone communication freque
ncies under these conditions at an SAR of 0.6 W/kg does not cause DNA
damage as measured by the alkaline comet assay. (C) 1997 by Radiation
Research Society.