Cellular Effects Following Exposure to Wireless DECT Base Radiation and Presentation of a Device for Their Compensation

Background: Wireless telecommunication sources working with frequencies ranging from 0.9 to 2.5 GHz are still increasing rapidly. Among these are digitally enhanced cordless telecommunication (DECT) phones which have been considered to emit only a weak radiation when an active DECT base and handset are separated from each other.

Aim of the Study: Prompted by this background this study investigated the cellular effects of DECT base radiation and its possible compensation by a specially designed device, named memonizerCOMBI Standard A.

Materials and Methods: Connective tissue fibroblasts (L-929) were exposed to the radiation of an active commercially available DECT base with a frequency of 1.885 GHz for 24 hours ± memonizer COMBI beneath the incubator. Unexposed cells in another incubator placed with a distance of about 10 m in the same laboratory rooms served as corresponding controls. Cell vitality was checked by enzymatic measurement of the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenases by XTT.

Results: The results clearly demonstrate that exposure to DECT base radiation caused a significantly reduced cell vitality by 47.6 ± 7.4% (mean value ± standard deviation; P = .01; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Reduction in cell vitality was accompanied by marked morphological changes in the cells such as intracellular vacuolization, rounding and detachment which are similar to alterations observed during oxidative stress by the presence of reactive oxygen species. Reduction in cell vitality after DECT base radiation exposure was compensated by use of memonizerCOMBI by two-thirds yielding a reduction in cell vitality by only 17.5 ± 8.1% (mean value ± standard deviation; P = .01 vs. exposed cells without memonizer; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test).

Conclusions: The results indicate that exposure of cultured connective tissue cells to DECT base radiation at a frequency of 1.885 GHz causes a significantly reduced cell vitality which can be extensively compensated by using a memonizerCOMBI device.