Effects of Ultrahigh-Frequency Electromagnetic Field at 28 GHz on Micronucleus Formation in Human Cell Lines

Abstract

The relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health risks is of increasing interest. Although general concern regarding the potential hazards of EMF exposure have led to many epidemiological investigations, the effects of EMF exposure on human cell lines remain controversial. In this study, we developed a new exposure system to generate an ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) EMF of 28 GHz and confirmed the device retains a normal culture environment without any artifacts by cell proliferation tests. We then investigated the effects of the UHF EMF by micronucleus (MN) formation test, which is an internationally recognized method to evaluate safety. Our results showed that exposure to UHF at 28 GHz and a power density of 0.5 mW/cm 2 to 2.5 mW/cm 2 for 24 h does not have a significant effect on MN formation in CCD32Sk, XP2SA, XP2OSSV, and AT2KY cells.