title: Exposure to 915 MHz radiation induces micronuclei in Vicia faba root tips.
abstract: The increasing use of mobile phones and wireless networks raised a great debate about the real carcinogenic potential of radiofrequency-electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure associated with these devices. Conflicting results are reported by the great majority of in vivo and in vitro studies on the capability of RF-EMF exposure to induce DNA damage and mutations in mammalian systems. Aimed at understanding whether less ambiguous responses to RF-EMF exposure might be evidenced in plant systems with respect to mammalian ones, in the present work the mutagenic effect of RF-EMF has been studied through the micronucleus (MN) test in secondary roots of Vicia faba seedlings exposed to mobile phone transmission in controlled conditions, inside a transverse electro magnetic (TEM) cell. Exposure of roots was carried out for 72h using a continuous wave (CW) of 915 MHz radiation at three values of equivalent plane wave power densities (23, 35 and 46W/m(2)). The specific absorption rate (SAR) was measured with a calorimetric method and the corresponding values were found to fall in the range of 0.4-1.5W/kg. Results of three independent experiments show the induction of a significant increase of MN frequency after exposure, ranging from a 2.3-fold increase above the sham value, at the lowest SAR level, up to a 7-fold increase at the highest SAR. These findings are in agreement with the limited number of data on cytogenetic effects detected in other plant systems exposed to mobile phone RF-EMF frequencies and clearly show the capability of radiofrequency exposure to induce DNA damage in this eukaryotic cell system.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gustavino
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carboni
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petrillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paoluzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santovetti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzoni
mesh_terms: D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D031307:Vicia faba / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects*