Kitchen EMF Research

The effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on the frequency of micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange in human lymphocytes induced by benzo(a)pyrene

Unknown authors · 2003

The effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on the frequency of micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange in human lymphocytes induced by benzo(a)pyrene

Unknown authors · 2003

Researchers exposed human immune cells to 60 Hz electromagnetic fields (like power lines) along with a known cancer-causing chemical called benzo(a)pyrene. They found that EMF exposure significantly increased genetic damage when combined with the chemical, compared to the chemical alone. The study suggests EMF may act as an amplifier of cancer-causing processes rather than directly causing cancer itself.

Magnetic fields and the melatonin hypothesis: a study of workers chronically exposed to 50-Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2003

Researchers studied 15 men chronically exposed to 50-Hz magnetic fields for 1–20 years and 15 unexposed controls. Exposure levels for the exposed group ranged from 0.1 to 2.6 μT weekly geometric mean. Blood samples were taken hourly from 2000 to 0800 and nighttime urine was also collected and analyzed. The study found no changes in plasma melatonin, urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, or circadian rhythm in the exposed group.

Magnetic fields and the melatonin hypothesis: a study of workers chronically exposed to 50-Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2003

Researchers studied 15 men exposed to 50-Hz magnetic fields at work and home for 1-20 years, measuring their melatonin levels around the clock. Despite chronic exposure to fields up to 2.6 microTesla, the workers showed no changes in melatonin production or sleep hormone rhythms compared to unexposed controls. The findings challenge the theory that magnetic fields disrupt melatonin and cause health problems.

Residential and occupational exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields and malignant melanoma: a population based study

Unknown authors · 2003

Residential magnetic field exposure was calculated as a time-weighted average from 1967 until diagnosis using distance, line configuration, and current load, while occupational exposure was classified by an expert panel into three levels based on hours per week above background. The two highest residential exposure categories showed increased odds ratios for women (2.01 and 2.68) but not for men (1.70 and 1.37), and occupational exposure showed no significant association.

Residential and occupational exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields and hematological cancers in Norway

Unknown authors · 2003

This nested case-control study tested whether exposure to electromagnetic fields from high-voltage power lines increases hematological cancer incidence in adults. Residential time-weighted average magnetic fields were calculated from 1967 until diagnosis using cut-off points at 0.05 and 0.20 microT. The two highest residential exposure categories showed non-significant elevated odds ratios for all leukemia combined (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.5 and OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.8-3.0). The increased risk was confined to chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphocytic and acute myeloid leukemia. Occupational exposure showed no significant association for any cancer site.

Non-ionizing electromagnetic radiations, emitted by a cellular phone, modify cutaneous blood flow.

Monfrecola G, Moffa G, Procaccini EM. · 2003

The study assessed the effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation emitted by CFs on cutaneous blood flow in 30 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 53 years. Cutaneous blood flow was measured on the ear skin with a laser Doppler He-Ne flowmeter under controlled temperature and humidity. Microflow was recorded across phases T0 through T6, including no CF contact, CF off touching the ear, CF on, CF on and receiving, then back through CF on, CF off, and no contact. During phases T1 to T5 microflow increased by 61.38% to 157.67% relative to baseline, and all these phases showed statistically significant elevations compared with baseline.

Effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposures on the peroxidation status in Wistar rats

Aweda MA, Gbenebitse S, Meidinyo RO · 2003

Researchers studied the effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposure on the lipid peroxidation status of 120 Wistar rats at a power density of 6 mWcm(-2). Lipid peroxidation status in the rats was monitored for 8 weeks after irradiation using the thiobarbituric acid method. Microwave exposure raised the lipid peroxidation status from a mean control value of 4.18 x 10(-6)g 1(-1) to a maximum of 6.50 x 10(-6) g 1(-1) within the first 24 hours, after which it gradually returned toward the control value. The results demonstrated that microwave exposures cause a significant increase in lipid peroxidation status and that ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol had protective effects.

Effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposures on the peroxidation status in Wistar rats.

Aweda MA, Gbenebitse S, Meidinyo RO. · 2003

Researchers exposed rats to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (WiFi frequency) and found it increased cellular damage by 56% within 24 hours. Vitamins C and E provided significant protection when given beforehand, suggesting antioxidants may help reduce microwave-induced oxidative stress in living tissue.

Effects of 2.45 GHz microwave exposures on the peroxidation status in Wistar rats

Aweda MA, Gbenebitse S, Meidinyo RO · 2003

Researchers exposed 120 rats to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (the same frequency as microwave ovens) and found it significantly increased harmful oxidative stress in their bodies. However, giving the rats antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E before exposure provided substantial protection against this cellular damage.

Magnetic field (50 Hz) increases N-acetyltransferase, hydroxy-indole-O-methyltransferase activity and melatonin release through an indirect pathway

Unknown authors · 2003

Researchers isolated pineal glands from Wistar rats at 10:00 h and exposed them to a 50 Hz, 1 mT magnetic field for 4 hours in vitro. Basal melatonin release and enzyme activities were unchanged by magnetic field exposure alone. When magnetic field exposure preceded norepinephrine addition by 30 minutes, NAT activity, HIOMT activity, and melatonin release increased significantly. This effect did not occur when magnetic field and norepinephrine were applied together or in sonicated glands.

Magnetic field (50 Hz) increases N-acetyltransferase, hydroxy-indole-O-methyltransferase activity and melatonin release through an indirect pathway

Unknown authors · 2003

Researchers exposed rat pineal glands to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) and found the fields enhanced melatonin production when combined with norepinephrine stimulation. The magnetic fields didn't directly affect the melatonin-producing enzymes but instead altered the cellular signaling pathway that controls melatonin release.

[Effects of 2,450 MHz microwave on DNA damage induced by three chemical mutagens in vitro]

Zhang MB, Jin LF, He JL, Hu J, Zheng W. · 2003

The study aimed to investigate the combined DNA-damaging effects of low-intensity 2,450 MHz microwave radiation with three chemical mutagens on human lymphocyte DNA. Microwave exposure alone did not significantly increase comet tail length compared with controls at 0 h or 21 h incubation. When lymphocytes were incubated with 30.00 micro mol/L or 3.00 micro mol/L MMC, microwave exposure significantly increased comet tail lengths compared with MMC alone. Combinations of microwave with BLM or MMS did not produce significantly greater DNA damage than BLM or MMS alone.

Remote effects of occupational and non-occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields of power-line frequency. Epidemiological studies

Unknown authors · 2003

Exposure of the dorsal root ganglion in rats to pulsed radiofrequency currents activates dorsal horn lamina I and II neurons.

Higuchi Y et al. · 2002

Researchers performed a left-sided hemilaminectomy in adult Sprague-Dawley rats to expose the C6 dorsal root ganglion. Rats received pulsed radiofrequency, continuous radiofrequency, or sham treatment with the electrode on the ganglion for 120 seconds. Pulsed radiofrequency significantly increased cFOS-immunoreactive neurons in the superficial dorsal horn laminae three hours after treatment, while continuous radiofrequency did not. The authors concluded that pulsed radiofrequency activates pain-processing neurons in the dorsal horn without tissue heating.

Induction of DNA strand breaks by intermittent exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields in human diploid fibroblasts

Unknown authors · 2002

Human diploid fibroblasts were exposed to continuous or intermittent ELF-EMF at 50 Hz, sinusoidal, for 24 hours at 1000 microT. The alkaline and neutral comet assays were used to evaluate DNA single-strand and double-strand breaks. Intermittent fields reproducibly resulted in a significant increase of DNA strand break levels, mainly DSBs, compared to non-exposed controls. The highest DNA strand break levels occurred with 5 minutes field-on and 10 minutes field-off intermittence.

Induction of DNA strand breaks by intermittent exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields in human diploid fibroblasts

Unknown authors · 2002

Austrian researchers exposed human skin cells to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (like power lines) for 24 hours and found that intermittent exposure caused significant DNA strand breaks, while continuous exposure did not. The study revealed that pulsed EMF exposure was more damaging than steady exposure, with the worst damage occurring during 5-minute on/10-minute off cycles.

Melatonin metabolite excretion among cellular telephone users.

Burch JB et al. · 2002

Researchers evaluated cellular telephone use and melatonin metabolite excretion in two groups of male electric utility workers. Participants collected urine samples and recorded telephone use over three workdays while personal magnetic field and light exposures were measured. In Study 1, no change in 6-OHMS excretion was observed with daily cellular telephone use over 25 minutes.

Decreased DNA repair rates and protection from heat induced apoptosis mediated by electromagnetic field exposure

Unknown authors · 2002

Study of low-intensity 2450-MHz microwave exposure enhancing the genotoxic effects of mitomycin C using micronucleus test and comet assay in vitro.

Zhang MB, He JL, Jin LF, Lu DQ. · 2002

Researchers studied whether 2450-MHz microwave radiation interacts with the chemical mitomycin C (MMC) to produce genotoxic effects in human lymphocytes in vitro. Blood cells from a male donor and a female donor were exposed to 2450-MHz microwaves at 5.0 mW/cm2 for 2 h, to MMC alone for 24 h, or to MMC for 24 h following microwave exposure. Microwave exposure alone did not significantly increase comet lengths compared with controls, but combined microwave plus MMC exposure produced significantly longer comet lengths than MMC alone at doses of 0.025 microgram/mL or higher.

Exposure to power frequency magnetic fields suppresses X-ray-induced apoptosis transiently in Ku80- deficient xrs5 cells

Unknown authors · 2002

Researchers exposed Ku80-deficient xrs5 cells and Ku80-proficient CHO-K1 cells to ELF electromagnetic fields. ELF field exposure alone did not affect cell survival, cell cycle distribution, or protein expression in either cell line. In xrs5 cells, ELF exposure after irradiation inhibited G1 cell cycle arrest, increased bcl-2 expression, and decreased p53, phospho-p53, caspase-3, and p21 protein levels. ELF exposure for 10 hours after irradiation reduced X-ray-induced apoptosis in xrs5 cells from about 1.7% to 0.7%, but this effect was not observed in CHO-K1 cells.

The effect of low level continuous 2.45 GHz waves on enzymes of developing rat brain.

Paulraj R, Behari J · 2002

Researchers exposed 35-day-old Wistar rats to low-level continuous 2.45 GHz microwaves for 2 hr/day over 35 days at a power density of 0.34 mW/cm2 with a specific absorption rate of 0.1 W/kg. Exposed rats showed a significant increase in calcium ion efflux and ornithine decarboxylase activity and a significant decrease in calcium-dependent protein kinase activity in brain tissue. The authors suggested that the radiation affects membrane-bound enzymes linked to cell proliferation and differentiation, indicating a possible tumor-promoting role.

Effects of exposure to low level radiofrequency fields on acetylcholine release in hippocampus of freely moving rats.

Testylier G, Tonduli L, Malabiau R, Debouzy JC · 2002

Rats were exposed to 2.45 GHz continuous wave at 2 or 4 mW/cm(2) for 1 h during the day, or to 800 MHz modulated at 32 Hz at 200 mW/cm(2) for 1 or 14 h during the night. Exposure at 4 mW/cm(2) caused a significant 40% decrease in mean acetylcholine release from hippocampus, maximal at 5 h post exposure. Fourteen-hour nighttime exposure at 800 MHz induced a significant 43% decrease in acetylcholine release during 11 p.m.-4 a.m. compared to control rats.

DNA damage and apoptosis in the immature mouse cerebellum after acute exposure to a 1 mT, 60 Hz magnetic field

Unknown authors · 2002

Researchers exposed 10-day-old mice to a 1 mT, 60 Hz magnetic field for 2 hours and measured DNA damage at multiple time points using the alkaline comet assay. They also measured apoptosis in the external granule cell layer of the cerebellum at 0 and 24 hours using the TUNEL assay. Increased DNA damage was detected by tail ratio at 2 hours but not by the other comet assay parameters, and no increase in apoptosis was observed compared to sham-exposed mice.

Project NEMESIS: perception of a 50 Hz electric and magnetic field at low intensities (laboratory experiment)

Mueller CH, Krueger H, Schierz C · 2002

This double-blind laboratory experiment tested whether people can perceive a 50 Hz electric and magnetic field at 100 V/m and 6 μT, and whether self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is related to that ability. A total of 63 volunteers, 49 with self-reported EHS and 14 controls, each judged 10 sham and 10 exposed two-minute blocks in randomized order. Seven of the 63 subjects reached a statistically significant result, but there was no relevant difference between self-reported EHS subjects and controls in perception success rate or in the number and types of symptoms reported.