5G wireless networks have few health impacts, finds study using
zebrafish model

Date:
July 9, 2020
Source:
Oregon State University
Summary:
Findings from a new study into the effects of radiofrequency
radiation generated by the wireless technology that will soon be
the standard for cell phones suggest few health impacts.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Findings from an Oregon State University study into the effects of radiofrequency radiation generated by the wireless technology that will
soon be the standard for cell phones suggest few health impacts.


========================================================================== Fifth generation or 5G wireless technology, which began being deployed worldwide in 2019, provides faster connectivity and more bandwidth,
meaning higher download speeds.

But because 5G technology is so new, little is known about the potential
health effects from its radiofrequency radiation, which is higher than
the current industry standard 4G. The Oregon State study begins to
change that.

"Based on our study, we don't think 5G radiation is that harmful," said
Subham Dasgupta, a postdoctoral fellow working in the lab of Robyn Tanguay
at Oregon State. "It's predominately benign." Researchers conducted
the research using embryonic zebrafish, a model organism often used to
discover interactions between environmental stressors and biological
systems. Zebrafish and humans have similar developmental processes and
are similar on a genomic level, meaning zebrafish research can easily
be applied to humans.

In the study, published July 9 in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers
exposed embryonic zebrafish for two days to 3.5 GHz radiofrequency
radiation, the frequency typically used by 5G-enabled cell phones.

They found no significant impacts on mortality, how the embryos formed
or the embryos' behavioral response to light. They did find a modest
impact on a test that measures the embryos' response to a sudden sound
that they will investigate further.

Future research will look at the 5G radiation effects on the same
zebrafish used in the study at a gene level and as they develop from
embryos to adults, Dasgupta said. The researchers also would like to
study the impacts of higher frequencies and higher exposure levels on
zebrafish to keep pace with the changing cell phone industry.

The future research will use the same standardized experimental set
up used in this study. It involves a box made of copper. The zebrafish
embryos are placed on plates, which are put inside the box. The radiation enters the box through an antennae and the copper keeps it inside the box.

It was developed in conjunction with Huaping Liu, a professor in Oregon
State's College of Engineering, and several members of his lab.

Other authors of the study were Guangxin Wang, Michael Simonich, Tingwei
Zhang and Lisa Truong. Tanguay and Dasgupta are in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology in the College of Agricultural
Sciences at Oregon State.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Oregon_State_University. Original
written by Sean Nealon.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Subham Dasgupta, Guangxin Wang, Michael T. Simonich, Tingwei
Zhang, Lisa
Truong, Huaping Liu, Robyn L. Tanguay. Impacts of high dose 3.5 GHz
cellphone radiofrequency on zebrafish embryonic development. PLOS
ONE, 2020; 15 (7): e0235869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235869 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200709141532.htm

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