Reduced growth of soybean seedlings after exposure to weak microwave radiation from GSM 900 mobile phone and base station.

Bioelectromagnetics · 2015 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 6582

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2015

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study possible effects of environmental radiation pollution on plants. The association between cellular telephone (short duration, higher amplitude) and base station (long duration, very low amplitude) radiation exposure and the growth rate of soybean (Glycine max) seedlings was investigated. Soybean seedlings, pre-grown for 4 days, were exposed in a gigahertz transverse electromagnetic cell for 2 h to global system for mobile communication (GSM) mobile phone pulsed radiation or continuous wave (CW) radiation at 900 MHz with amplitudes of 5.7 and 41 V m(-1) , and outgrowth was studied one week after exposure. The exposure to higher amplitude (41 V m(-1)) GSM radiation resulted in diminished outgrowth of the epicotyl. The exposure to lower amplitude (5.7 V m(-1)) GSM radiation did not influence outgrowth of epicotyl, hypocotyls, or roots. The exposure to higher amplitude CW radiation resulted in reduced outgrowth of the roots whereas lower CW exposure resulted in a reduced outgrowth of the hypocotyl. Soybean seedlings were also exposed for 5 days to an extremely low level of radiation (GSM 900 MHz, 0.56 V m(-1)) and outgrowth was studied 2 days later. Growth of epicotyl and hypocotyl was found to be reduced, whereas the outgrowth of roots was stimulated. Our findings indicate that the observed effects were significantly dependent on field strength as well as amplitude modulation of the applied field.

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

PopulationSoybean (Glycine max) seedlings (pre-grown 4 days)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · 900 MHz · 2 h (acute) and 5 days (chronic)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

After 2 h exposure at 900 MHz, higher-amplitude GSM pulsed radiation (41 V/m) diminished epicotyl outgrowth, while lower-amplitude GSM (5.7 V/m) did not affect epicotyl, hypocotyls, or roots. For 2 h continuous-wave (CW) exposure, higher amplitude reduced root outgrowth and lower amplitude reduced hypocotyl outgrowth. After 5 days very low-level GSM exposure (0.56 V/m), epicotyl and hypocotyl growth were reduced while root outgrowth was stimulated; effects depended on field strength and modulation.

Outcomes measured

Seedling growth/outgrowth (epicotyl, hypocotyl, roots)

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Exposure quantified in V/m; SAR not reported
Timing of outcome assessment varies (1 week after 2 h exposure; 2 days after 5-day exposure)
Plant model; generalizability to humans not addressed

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone, base station",
    "frequency_mhz": 900,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "2 h (acute) and 5 days (chronic)"
  },
  "population": "Soybean (Glycine max) seedlings (pre-grown 4 days)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Seedling growth/outgrowth (epicotyl, hypocotyl, roots)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "After 2 h exposure at 900 MHz, higher-amplitude GSM pulsed radiation (41 V/m) diminished epicotyl outgrowth, while lower-amplitude GSM (5.7 V/m) did not affect epicotyl, hypocotyls, or roots. For 2 h continuous-wave (CW) exposure, higher amplitude reduced root outgrowth and lower amplitude reduced hypocotyl outgrowth. After 5 days very low-level GSM exposure (0.56 V/m), epicotyl and hypocotyl growth were reduced while root outgrowth was stimulated; effects depended on field strength and modulation.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Exposure quantified in V/m; SAR not reported",
    "Timing of outcome assessment varies (1 week after 2 h exposure; 2 days after 5-day exposure)",
    "Plant model; generalizability to humans not addressed"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "GSM",
    "900 MHz",
    "microwave radiation",
    "radiofrequency",
    "mobile phone",
    "base station",
    "continuous wave",
    "pulsed radiation",
    "field strength",
    "soybean seedlings",
    "plant growth",
    "epicotyl",
    "hypocotyl",
    "roots"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "5g-policy",
      "weight": 0,
      "reason": null
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1002/bem.21890
PubMed: 25644316

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