EFFECTS OF 2.45 GHZ ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SARS ON MICRONUCLEUS FORMATION IN CHO-K1 CELL

In the modern era, people are exposed to many kinds of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and exposure occurs almost all day long. The use of domestic electrical appliances has increased and mobile telephones are used extensively all over the world. Several epidemiological studies have indicated that exposure to EMFs may be associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia and other cancers, and this has caused great interest in the field. Some positive data have indicated a correlation between exposure to environmental low frequency EMFs and DNA damage or chromosomal aberrations, which may induce certain kinds of disease. However, it has also been strongly suggested that no such relationship exists between EMF exposure and carcinogenesis, or that, if there is a relationship, it is only a weak one. In addition to the conflicting and contradictory views on extremely low frequency EMFs, there is also controversy surrounding the effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields (HFEMFs). HFEMFs are particularly used in mobile communication, and hence there is considerable interest in the possible effects of HFEMFs on human health. In order to investigate the properties of HFEMFs, we have examined the effects of 2.45 GHz electromagnetic fields on micronucleus (MN) formation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells. MN formation is induced by chromosomal breakage or inhibition of spindles during cell division and leads to cell damage. We also examined the influence of heat on MN formation, since HFEMF exposure causes a rise in temperature