Effect of mobile phone station on micronucleus frequency and chromosomal aberrations in human blood cells

Genet Couns. 2010;21(2):243-51.

Abstract

The use of mobile telephones has rapidly increased worldwide as well as the number of mobile phone base stations that lead to rise low level radiofrequency emissions which may in turn have possible harm for human health. The national radiation protection board has published the known effects of radio waves exposure on humans living close to mobile phone base stations. However, several studies have claimed that the base station has detrimental effects on different tissues. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of mobile phone base stations on the micronucleus (MN) frequency and chromosomal aberrations on blood in people who were living around mobile phone base stations and healthy controls. Frequency of MN and chromosomal aberrations in study and control groups was 8.96 +/- 3.51 and 6.97 +/- 1.52 (p: 0.16); 0.36 +/- 0.31 and 0.75 +/- 0.61 (p: 0.07), respectively. Our results show that there was not a significant difference of MN frequency and chromosomal aberrations between the two study groups. The results claim that cellular phones and their base stations do not produce important carcinogenic changes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Cells / radiation effects*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Phone*
  • Chromosome Aberrations*
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective*
  • Microwaves / adverse effects*
  • Turkey

Substances

  • Biomarkers