Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation from Cell Phones and Human Genetic Defects: Any link?

Cell phones are defined as devices emitting radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW). These waves transmit signals from the cell phones to the base stations and antennas. The number of cell phone users in the world has gone up to 6 billion being the most effective communication tools all over the world and this increase is expected to continue as such, the amount of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure will continue to increase steadily. The rise in cell phone usage has raised health concerns about electromagnetic field exposure, which could potentially damage genetic material of the cell. Damage to somatic DNA can lead to cancer or cell death, while germ cell damage can cause genetic damage in future generations. This review paper looks at genetic disorders, the evolution of cell phones and its related technological advancements, the roles of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones in genetic damages and the possible mechanisms. Researches has shown, both epidemiological and experimental, in non-human animals and in humans, some of which had shown causative relationship between exposure to mobile phones and harmful biological effects in humans. Deletions, inversion and dicentric chromosomes alone are reliable indicators of mobile phone RFR on fetal chromosomes. Several studies reported that RF-EMF exposure from cell phones caused DNA strand breaks, chromatin conformation and condensation, increased damage through disturbances in spindle function. The formation of micronuclei and reactive oxygen species are some of the mechanisms reported with which genetic damage is caused following exposure to RF-EMF from cell phones.

Key Words: cell phone, radiofrequency, electromagnetic radiation, genetic defects