Topic

in vivo experiments on exposure to the high frequency electromagnetic fields of mobile telecommunication.
B. carcinogenesis

Start

01.10.2003

End

30.04.2005

Project Management

International University Bremen

Objective

The objective is to investigate whether chronic exposure to fields from UMTS mobile telecommunication technology influence either the leukaemia rate or the production of solid tumours in a leukaemia animal model, the AKR/J mouse. This study was carried out in close connection to the project "Influence of low and high frequency electromagnetic fields on spontaneous leukaemia in AKR/J mice", in which the effects of low frequency fields and high frequency fields according to GSM cellular standards are studied. Therefore, for the first time a direct comparison of the chronic effects of these different fields in the same animal model will be possible.

Results

The experiment was performed with AKR mice, which is an accepted animal model for leukaemia. With high probability, these mice develop the disease within their lifespan, so that the time course of the onset of leukaemia, bodyweight, blood picture, time of survival, and pathological examinations were the endpoints of the investigation.

160 female AKR/J mice were exposed or sham-exposed for 24 hours per day (only exception: approximately 1 h weekly when animals were weighed and palpated and during which the cages were cleaned) for 250 days to EMF of the UMTS-standard (0.4 W/kg SAR). In addition, 33 animals were kept as cage-controls. For this experiment special radial waveguides were constructed and built which have a low SAR variability. All experiments were performed in a blinded fashion.

The only significant difference between the exposed and the sham-exposed mice was a higher survival rate of exposed animals. However, the number of ill animals, the mean survival time and the severity code of the disease did not differ between the experimental groups. Animals of the cage-control group had a significant lower growth rate compared to animals kept in the radial waveguides. The likely cause of the differences is the method of food supply. The results do not show any negative effects of exposure for months to EMF at levels 5-fold the allowed SAR values for the general population (0.08 W/kg).

Detailed reports of the project are available as PDF-files in German:

1^st Interim Report (Study of literature concerning the topic "influence of RF fields on leukaemia) (138 kB)

2^nd Interim Report (Technical report) (426 kB)

3^rd Interim Report (61 kB)

Final Report (452 kB)

References

Sommer A.M., Streckert, J., Bitz, A.K., Hansen, V., Lerchl, A (2007) Lymphoma Development in Mice Chronically Exposed to UMTS-Modulated Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, Radiation Research 168, 72-80

Conclusion

The results of the study provide information about possible effects of UMTS, a comparatively new signal type in mobile telecommunication. The results of the study do not support the hypothesis, that chronic exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields promote neoplastic development in the hematopoietic system in genetically predisposed mice.