6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
All Exposure Types

Electric Fields

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Electric fields are produced by voltage (electrical pressure) and exist whenever a device is plugged in, even if turned off. They are measured in volts per meter (V/m). Electric fields can be blocked by walls and most materials, but often concentrate near ungrounded wiring and electronics.

Concern Level Thresholds

Based on Building Biology Institute guidelines (V/m (volts per meter)):

No Concern
< 0.3 V/m
Slight Concern
0.3 – 1.5 V/m
Severe Concern
1.5 – 10 V/m
Extreme Concern
> 10 V/m

Showing 294 studies with measured electric fields exposure

Reactive oxygen species elevation and recovery in Drosophila bodies and ovaries following short-term and long-term exposure to DECT base EMF

Manta AK, Stravopodis DJ, Papassideri IS, Margaritis LH. · 2014

Researchers measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the bodies and ovaries of 4-day-old Drosophila melanogaster flies after exposing them to DECT base radiation at 1.88–1.90 GHz. Male and female bodies showed a twofold increase in ROS levels after 6 hours of exposure, with ROS levels returning to normal 24 hours after that exposure ended. Ovaries responded more quickly, reaching a 2.5-fold ROS increase after 1 hour of exposure, with levels returning to normal 4 hours after that exposure ended.

Reactive oxygen species elevation and recovery in Drosophila bodies and ovaries following short-term and long-term exposure to DECT base EMF.

Manta AK, Stravopodis DJ, Papassideri IS, Margaritis LH · 2013

Researchers exposed fruit flies to radiation from cordless phone base stations. The flies showed doubled levels of cell-damaging molecules within hours, even at very low radiation levels. This suggests common household wireless devices may cause cellular stress below current safety standards.

Radio-frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure levels in different European outdoor urban environments in comparison with regulatory limits.

Urbinello D et al. · 2014

Researchers performed measurements in Amsterdam, Basel, Ghent, and Brussels using a portable measurement device. Arithmetic mean values for mobile phone base station exposure ranged from 0.22 V/m in Basel to 0.41 V/m in Amsterdam across all outdoor areas. The 95th percentile for total RF-EMF exposure varied between 0.46 V/m in Basel and 0.82 V/m in Amsterdam, and the 99th percentile between 0.81 V/m in Basel and 1.20 V/m in Brussels. All measured exposure levels were far below the international reference levels proposed by ICNIRP. The study did not find indications that lowering the regulatory limit results in higher mobile phone base station exposure levels.

PROBLEM OF EVALUATION OF EEG FINDING IN RELATION TO THE GRADE OF EXPOSURE TO USW RADIOWAVES

Styblova V., Holovska V., Spondova V., Zubrik L. · 1973

The mean daily irradiation value was 30.7 with a range of 6.5 to 97.1, and the measurement error was stated as + 30%. No significant differences in EEG findings were found between the exposed group and the control group. A significant coincidence was found between headache incidence and EEG abnormality percentage, particularly for migraine. The authors concluded that electromagnetic energy at the exposure dose did not damage the central nervous system and that EEG abnormalities should be assessed in relation to migraine incidence.

Immune responses of a wall lizard to whole-body exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation.

Mina D et al. · 2016

The study investigated the effects of radiofrequency EMR from a DECT base on the immune responses of the Aegean wall lizard. Adult male lizards were exposed 24 h/day for 8 weeks to 1880-1900 MHz DECT base radiation at an average electric field intensity of 3.2 V/m. Inflammatory responses were suppressed by approximately 45% in exposed lizards compared to sham-exposed animals. T cell-mediated responses were marginally affected. Immune reactivity was assessed using the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin swelling and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) tests.

Evaluation of the cytogenotoxic damage in immature and mature rats exposed to 900 MHz radio frequency electromagnetic fields.

Atlı Şekeroğlu Z, Akar A, Sekeroğlu V. · 2013

Researchers investigated the cytogenotoxic effects of 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on bone marrow cells of immature and mature rats. Rats in the treatment groups were exposed to RF-EMF for 2 hours per day for 45 days. Significant differences were observed in chromosome aberrations, micronucleus frequency, mitotic index, and ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes in all treatment and recovery groups. A 15-day recovery period after exposure did not reduce the damage to the same extent as the corresponding control groups.

Brain & Nervous SystemNo Effects Found

Effects of universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) electromagnetic fields on the blood-brain barrier In Vitro.

Franke H et al. · 2005

Researchers investigated the influence of a generic UMTS signal on barrier tightness, transport processes, and morphology of porcine brain microvascular endothelial cell cultures serving as an in vitro blood-brain barrier model. The cells were exposed continuously for up to 84 hours at an average electric-field strength of 3.4-34 V/m with a maximum of 1.8 W/kg under athermal conditions. Barrier tightness measured by 14C-sucrose and serum albumin permeation and by transendothelial electrical resistance remained unchanged compared to sham-exposed cultures. Permeation of transporter substrates and the localization and integrity of the tight-junction proteins occludin and ZO1 were also unaffected.

Invitro effects of low intensity 1.8 GHz radiofrequency radiation on human peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy donors: A morphometric and morphological study.

Jirillo E et al. · 2014

Researchers exposed 108 samples of human leukocytes from healthy donors to electromagnetic radiation at different intensities using a reverberation chamber. Exposure times ranged from 5 minutes to 24 hours, and sham-exposed blood samples from the same donors served as controls. In 68% of the 108 cases, an increase in leukocyte cell area was found along with morphological changes, while in 14% a decrease in cell area was observed. In 18% of cases, no effects dependent on the radiation were detected.

Effects of GSM modulated radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation on permeability of blood–brain barrier in male & female rats

Sırav B, Seyhan N · 2016

Researchers used young adult male and female Wistar albino rats to investigate whether pulse modulated 900 MHz and 1800 MHz radio-frequency radiation affects the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Permeability was measured by quantifying Evans blue dye that passed into the brain after intravenous injection. In both male radio-frequency radiation exposed groups, blood-brain barrier permeability was found to be increased compared with controls, with 1800 MHz found more effective in males. For female rats, 900 MHz exposure was associated with increased permeability, but no statistical difference was found between the 1800 MHz exposed and control groups.

Effects of radiofrequency radiation exposure on blood-brain barrier permeability in male and female rats

Sirav B, Seyhan N · 2011

Researchers exposed male and female Wistar albino rats to 0.9 and 1.8 GHz continuous-wave radiofrequency radiation for 20 minutes to investigate effects on blood-brain barrier permeability. A significant increase in albumin was found in the brains of the RF-exposed male rats when compared to sham-exposed male brains. In female rats, no albumin extravasation was found in the brain after RFR exposure. The researchers noted that these results suggest that exposure at levels below the international limits can affect vascular permeability in the brain of male rats.

Low-amplitude, high-frequency electromagnetic field exposure causes delayed and reduced growth in Rosa hybrida.

Grémiaux A et al. · 2015

Researchers exposed small rose bush plants to high-frequency electromagnetic fields and followed shoot growth for over a one-month period after exposure. Shoots that arose from post-formed secondary buds showed delayed and significantly reduced growth of 45%, while shoots from pre-formed buds and plants exposed at the 5-leaf stage showed no growth modification. The measured plant energy uptake suggested this biological response was likely not due to a thermal effect.

High frequency (900 MHz) low amplitude (5 V m-1) electromagnetic field: a genuine environmental stimulus that affects transcription, translation, calcium and energy charge in tomato.

Roux D et al. · 2008

Researchers exposed tomato plants to 900 MHz, 5 V m(-1) electromagnetic fields for 10 minutes using a Mode Stirred Reverberation Chamber. Within minutes, stress-related mRNAs for calmodulin, calcium-dependent protein kinase, and proteinase inhibitor accumulated in a rapid, large, three-phase pattern typical of an environmental stress response. Transcript accumulation was maximal at normal calcium levels, depressed at higher calcium, and completely suppressed when calcium was removed with chelators or channel blockers. Thirty minutes after exposure, ATP concentration and adenylate energy charge transiently decreased, and the uncoupler CCCP prevented transcript accumulation entirely.

Effects of long-term exposure to 900 megahertz electromagnetic field on heart morphology and biochemistry of male adolescent rats.

Kerimoğlu G et al. · 2016

Male rats were divided into control, sham, and EMF-exposed groups, with the EMF group exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 1 hour per day between postnatal days 21 and 59. Biochemical analysis showed increased malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase levels, and reduced glutathione and catalase levels in the EMF-exposed group compared to controls. The percentage of apoptotic myocardial cells in the EMF-exposed group was higher than in either the sham or control groups, and electron microscopy revealed altered Z band structure, decreased myofilaments, and pronounced vacuolization.

Reduced growth of soybean seedlings after exposure to weak microwave radiation from GSM 900 mobile phone and base station.

Malka N. Halgamuge, See Kye Yak and Jacob L. Eberhardt · 2015

Soybean seedlings pre-grown for 4 days were exposed for 2 h to GSM 900 MHz pulsed radiation or continuous wave radiation at amplitudes of 5.7 and 41 V m(-1) in a gigahertz transverse electromagnetic cell. Exposure to higher amplitude (41 V m(-1)) GSM radiation resulted in diminished outgrowth of the epicotyl. Exposure to lower amplitude (5.7 V m(-1)) GSM radiation did not influence outgrowth of epicotyl, hypocotyls, or roots. Higher amplitude CW radiation reduced root outgrowth while lower CW exposure reduced hypocotyl outgrowth. A separate 5-day exposure to 0.56 V m(-1) GSM radiation reduced epicotyl and hypocotyl growth but stimulated root outgrowth.

Biological action of ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic waves of low intensity

Serdiuk AM · 1969

This 1969 Soviet research examined how low-intensity ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic waves affect biological systems. The study represents early scientific investigation into microwave radiation's biological effects, decades before widespread consumer electronics. This foundational research helped establish that even low-power electromagnetic fields can produce measurable biological responses.

The effect of melatonin on body mass and behaviour of rats during an exposure to microwave radiation from mobile phone.

Sokolovic D et al. · 2012

Researchers exposed Wistar rats to microwave radiation for 4 hours per day and tested whether melatonin could counter any resulting changes in body mass or behaviour. A significant body mass reduction was noted in animals exposed to MW radiation when compared to controls after 20, 40 and 60 days (p<0.001). Exposed animals showed anxiety-related behaviour described as agitation and irritability after 10 days of exposure, and these changes became less noticeable after the radiation source was removed. Melatonin pretreatment significantly increased body weight in irradiated rats compared to irradiated rats without melatonin after 20 days (p<0.05), and melatonin administration caused a decrease in stress-induced behaviour.

Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms.

Bourdineaud JP et al. · 2017

Scientists exposed earthworms to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for two hours at levels far below safety limits. The worms showed DNA damage and stress responses that lasted over 24 hours after exposure ended, suggesting even brief, low-level mobile phone frequencies cause lasting biological harm.

Liver antioxidant stores protect the brain from electromagnetic radiation (900 and 1800 MHz)-induced oxidative stress in rats during pregnancy and the development of offspring.

Cetin H et al. · 2014

Researchers divided thirty-two rats and their offspring into three groups: a control group, a 900 MHz group, and an 1800 MHz group, with the two exposed groups receiving electromagnetic radiation for 60 minutes per day during pregnancy and neonatal development. Brain and liver glutathione peroxidase activities, as well as liver vitamin A and beta-carotene concentrations, decreased in the exposed groups. Brain iron, vitamin A, and beta-carotene concentrations increased in the exposed groups, and by the sixth week, selenium concentrations in the brain decreased in the exposed groups. There were no statistically significant differences in glutathione, vitamin E, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc concentrations between the three groups.

Oxidative and genotoxic effects of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields in the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

Tkalec M, Stambuk A, Srut M, Malarić K, Klobučar GI. · 2013

Researchers exposed earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in vivo to 900 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at field levels of 10, 23, 41 and 120 V m(-1) for 2 hours using a Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic (GTEM) cell. All exposure treatments induced significant genotoxic effects in earthworm coelomocytes, as detected by the Comet assay. The results also indicated enhanced catalase and glutathione reductase activity, as well as lipid and protein oxidative damage. Antioxidant responses and the potential for damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA differed depending on field level, field modulation, and duration of exposure.

The Effects of 900 Megahertz Electromagnetic Field Applied in the Prenatal Period on Spinal Cord Morphology and Motor Behavior in Female Rat Pups

Odacı E et al. · 2013

Researchers exposed pregnant rats to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields for one hour daily between days 13 and 21 of pregnancy, then assessed the female pups' spinal cord tissue and motor behavior. The rotarod test showed a significant increase in motor functions in the EMF group pups (p=0.037), while the open field test found no difference between groups. Pathological changes were observed in the spinal cords of the EMF group pups, and the researchers suggested these changes may have led to the increase in motor activity.