Effects of 700 and 3500 MHz 5G radiofrequency exposure on developing zebrafish embryos

The Science of the total environment · 2024 · Mixed · Low evidence

← Research stream

MixedLow evidencePaper 239

Study snapshot

PublicationThe Science of the total environment · 2024

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Effects of 700 and 3500 MHz 5G radiofrequency exposure on developing zebrafish embryos Torres-Ruiz M, Suárez OJ, López V, Marina P, Sanchis A, Liste I, de Alba M, Ramos V. Effects of 700 and 3500 MHz 5G radiofrequency exposure on developing zebrafish embryos. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jan 8:169475. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169475. Abstract Telecommunications industries are rapidly deploying the fifth generation (5G) spectrum and there is public concern about the safety and health impacts of this type of Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR), in part because of the lack of comparable scientific evidence. In this study we have used a validated commercially available setting producing a uniform field to expose zebrafish embryos (ZFe) to unmodulated 700 and 3500 MHz frequencies. We have combined a battery of toxicity, developmental and behavioral assays to further explore potential RFR effects. Our neurobehavioral profiles include a tail coiling assay, a light/dark activity assay, two thigmotaxis anxiety assays (auditory and visual stimuli), and a startle response - habituation assay in response to auditory stimuli. ZFe were exposed for 1 and 4 h during the blastula period of development and endpoints evaluated up to 120 h post fertilization (hpf). Our results show no effects on mortality, hatching or body length. However, we have demonstrated specific organ morphological effects, and behavioral effects in activity, anxiety-like behavior, and habituation that lasted in larvae exposed during the early embryonic period. A decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity was also observed and could explain some of the observed behavioral alterations. Interestingly, effects were more pronounced in ZFe exposed to the 700 MHz frequency, and especially for the 4 h exposure period. In addition, we have demonstrated that our exposure setup is robust, flexible with regard to frequency and power testing, and highly comparable. Future work will include exposure of ZFe to 5G modulated signals for different time periods to better understand the potential health effects of novel 5G RFR. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationDeveloping zebrafish embryos (and larvae endpoints)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · 1 and 4 h during the blastula period; endpoints evaluated up to 120 h post fertilization

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Zebrafish embryos were exposed to unmodulated 700 and 3500 MHz fields for 1 or 4 hours during the blastula period. The study reports no effects on mortality, hatching, or body length, but reports specific organ morphological effects and behavioral effects (activity, anxiety-like behavior, habituation) persisting into larvae, along with decreased acetylcholinesterase activity; effects were more pronounced at 700 MHz and with 4-hour exposure.

Outcomes measured

Mortality
Hatching
Body length
Organ morphology
Neurobehavioral outcomes (tail coiling, light/dark activity, thigmotaxis anxiety assays, startle response/habituation)
Acetylcholinesterase activity

Limitations

Exposure was unmodulated (authors note future work will include 5G modulated signals).
Sample size not reported in the provided abstract.
Exposure metrics such as SAR/power levels are not reported in the provided abstract.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "5G",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "1 and 4 h during the blastula period; endpoints evaluated up to 120 h post fertilization"
  },
  "population": "Developing zebrafish embryos (and larvae endpoints)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Mortality",
    "Hatching",
    "Body length",
    "Organ morphology",
    "Neurobehavioral outcomes (tail coiling, light/dark activity, thigmotaxis anxiety assays, startle response/habituation)",
    "Acetylcholinesterase activity"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Zebrafish embryos were exposed to unmodulated 700 and 3500 MHz fields for 1 or 4 hours during the blastula period. The study reports no effects on mortality, hatching, or body length, but reports specific organ morphological effects and behavioral effects (activity, anxiety-like behavior, habituation) persisting into larvae, along with decreased acetylcholinesterase activity; effects were more pronounced at 700 MHz and with 4-hour exposure.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure was unmodulated (authors note future work will include 5G modulated signals).",
    "Sample size not reported in the provided abstract.",
    "Exposure metrics such as SAR/power levels are not reported in the provided abstract."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "5G",
    "radiofrequency radiation",
    "700 MHz",
    "3500 MHz",
    "zebrafish embryos",
    "developmental toxicity",
    "behavior",
    "anxiety-like behavior",
    "habituation",
    "acetylcholinesterase",
    "unmodulated signal"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "5g-policy",
      "weight": 0.6,
      "reason": "Study evaluates biological effects of 5G-relevant frequencies (700 and 3500 MHz) in an animal model."
    }
  ]
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169475
PubMed: 38199355

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library