Nursery EMF Research

Influence of radiofrequency radiation on chromosome aberrations in CHO cells and its interaction with DNA-damaging agents.

Kerbacher JJ, Meltz ML, Erwin DN, · 1990

In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions.

Cleary SF, Liu LM, Merchant RE · 1990

Researchers exposed whole human blood in vitro for 2 hours to 27 or 2,450 MHz radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions at 37 degrees C. At SARs below 50 W/kg, exposure produced a dose-dependent, statistically significant increase in lymphocyte proliferation, while exposure at 50 W/kg or higher suppressed proliferation relative to sham-exposed cells. The researchers concluded that these biphasic, dose-dependent effects on lymphocyte proliferation were not dependent on heating. There were no detectable effects of RF radiation on lymphocyte morphology or viability.

Proflavin and microwave radiation: absence of a mutagenic interaction.

Meltz ML, Eagan P, Erwin DN · 1990

Researchers studied forward mutation at the thymidine kinase locus in L5178Y mouse leukemic cells exposed to 2.45-GHz pulsed-wave RFR and proflavin. Exposures used 500 or 600 W net forward power, giving a SAR of approximately 40 W/kg, for 4 hours with temperature controls. No statistically significant increase in mutant frequency was found with combined RFR and proflavin versus proflavin alone, no change in colony-size distribution occurred, and RFR alone showed no mutagenic action.

DRAFT - DOCUMENTATION ON STATIC MAGNETIC FIELDS

T.T. · 1990

Researchers reviewed biological effects of static magnetic fields and found no specific target organ for deleterious effects at present. A documented effect is the induction of electrical potentials in major arteries during exposure, with 60 mT producing a 1 mV potential in the human aorta. Pacemaker reed switches can close at 1.7 mT, so wearers should be excluded from fields exceeding 1.0 mT.

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study

Unknown authors · 1989

Researchers conducted a population-based case-control study of leukemia and residential proximity to electricity supply equipment in south-east England. The study included 771 leukemia cases matched to 1,432 cancer controls and 231 general population controls. Exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields was assessed indirectly from the distance, type, and loading of nearby power lines and transformer substations. Only 0.6% of subjects lived within 100 m of an overhead power line, where the relative risk of leukemia was 1.45 (95% CI 0.54-3.88), rising to 2.0 within 50 m (95% CI 0.4-9.0). Over 40% of subjects lived within 100 m of a substation, with a relative risk of 0.99, and residence within 25 m carried a risk of 1.3 (95% CI 0.8-2.0).

Low-level microwave irradiation and central cholinergic systems

Unknown authors · 1989

Low-level microwave irradiation and central cholinergic systems

Unknown authors · 1989

Researchers exposed rats to low-level pulsed microwave radiation at 2.45 GHz (the same frequency as microwave ovens) and found significant changes in brain chemistry, including alterations to the cholinergic system that controls memory and learning. The study revealed that even brief 20-minute exposures affected brain receptor concentrations in key regions like the hippocampus and frontal cortex.

Low-level microwave irradiation and central cholinergic systems

Unknown authors · 1989

University of Washington researchers exposed rats to pulsed 2.45 GHz microwaves (the same frequency as microwave ovens) and found significant changes to brain chemistry systems involved in memory and learning. The study showed that even low-level microwave exposure altered choline uptake and muscarinic receptors in brain regions critical for cognitive function. These neurochemical changes occurred at power levels well below current safety standards.

Power frequency magnetic field; depressive illness and myocardial infarction

Unknown authors · 1989

Biological Effects of Power Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields

Indira Nair, M. Granger Morgan, H. Keith Florig · 1989

Case-control study of childhood cancer and exposure to 60-Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1988

Researchers studied 356 children diagnosed with cancer between 1976 and 1983 in the Denver area and compared them with controls selected by random digit dialing. Measured magnetic fields under low power use at a 2.0 milligauss cutoff showed an odds ratio of 1.4 for total cancers, with higher odds ratios for leukemias, lymphomas, and soft tissue sarcomas. Wire configuration codes contrasting very high and high versus very low, low, and buried codes yielded an odds ratio of 1.5 for total cancers. Adjusted estimates for measured fields and wire codes did not differ from crude results, indicating an absence of confounding.

Effect of radiofrequency radiation on mRNA expression in cultured rodent cells.

Parker JE, Kiel JL, Winters WD · 1988

Researchers exposed four rodent cell lines to 2450 MHz microwave radiation at a Specific Absorption Rate of 103.5 +/- 4.2 W/kg at temperatures of 37, 40, 42, and 45 degrees C. The researchers extracted mRNA from exposed and sham-exposed cells and used DNA probes of oncogenes, heat shock protein, or long terminal repeat sequences to look for differences in mRNA expression. With the cell lines and probes used, no significant differences in mRNA expression were observed after microwave exposure.

Reduced exposure to microwave radiation by rats: frequency specific effects.

D'Andrea JA, DeWitt JR, Portuguez LM, Gandhi OP. · 1988

Two experiments tested whether frequency-specific hotspot formation in the body and tail of rats would have behavioral consequences. Rats were placed in a cage where occupying one side triggered microwave exposure and occupying the other side ended it. Reduced exposure to 360-MHz and 2450-MHz microwaves at 1, 2, 6 and 10 W/kg were significantly different from 700-MHz microwaves. A second experiment found the threshold for reduced exposure to 2450-MHz microwaves fell between whole-body SARs of 2.1 and 2.8 W/kg.

Health aspects of radio-frequency radiation accidents. Part I: Assessment of health after a radio-frequency radiation accident

Unknown authors · 1988

Nine men were exposed to 4.1 GHz radio-frequency radiation in an accident. Two men were exposed to 4.6 mW/cm2 for up to 90 minutes, exceeding the Australian standard of 1 mW/cm2, while seven others received lower exposures. Comprehensive medical examinations, including follow-up ophthalmological exams over nine months, were performed on all staff. Various abnormalities were found in all staff, but there was no consistent gradient of effect between exposure groups except possibly for hair loss. The investigators concluded that the exposure had not resulted in harmful effects.

Relationship between field strength and abnormal development in chick embryos exposed to 50 Hz magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 1987

Researchers exposed chick embryos to sinusoidally oscillating 50 Hz magnetic fields during their first two days of development. In the first series, abnormal embryo percentages were 16% in controls, 16% at 0.1 A/m, 14% at 0.3 A/m, 29% at 1 A/m, and 32% at 10 A/m. In the second series, abnormal embryo percentages were 17% in controls, 10% at 0.4 A/m, 19% at 0.6 A/m, 17% at 0.9 A/m, and 36% at 1.35 A/m. Only the 1.35 A/m group was significantly different from controls in the second series. The results suggest that exposure causes abnormal development and that no abnormalities are induced below a threshold between 0.9 and 1 A/m.

Microwave effects on plasmid DNA

Unknown authors · 1987

Purified plasmid DNA was exposed to microwave radiation at nonthermal levels in the frequency range from 2.00 to 8.75 GHz. The exposure produced single- and double-strand breaks detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. Microwave-induced DNA damage depended on the presence of small amounts of copper. The effect was dependent on both microwave power and exposure duration. Cuprous ions, but not cupric ions, mimicked the microwave effects on DNA.

50-Hz electromagnetic environment and the incidence of childhood tumors in Stockholm County

Unknown authors · 1986

Radiation protection, in small to extra-large

Michael Kachmar · 1986

Risk Research: When Should We Say "Enough"?

M. Granger Morgan · 1986

Government agencies invested heavily in research examining whether 60-hertz electromagnetic fields from power lines pose health risks. The research demonstrated that low-frequency fields can produce changes in living systems under specific circumstances but has not demonstrated that a hazard exists. Laboratory animal screening studies largely failed to find adverse health impacts, and epidemiological studies linking long-term exposure to cancers were inconclusive. The scientific evidence neither clearly indicates a significant risk nor clearly indicates little or no risk from 60-hertz field exposures.

Federal Radiation Protection Guidance; Proposed Alternatives for Controlling Public Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation; Notice of Proposed Recommendations

Unknown authors · 1986

The EPA proposed four alternative approaches to limit public exposure to radiofrequency radiation. Three options are regulatory and would set whole-body average SAR limits of 0.04, 0.08, and 0.4 W/kg for frequencies above 3 MHz. For frequencies below 3 MHz, the regulatory options would limit electric field intensity to 87, 275, and 614 V/m and magnetic field intensity to 0.23, 0.73, and -1.63 A/m respectively. The fourth option is nonregulatory and would use information and technical assistance programs instead of adopting Federal Guidance.

Safe Distances from Radiofrequency Transmitters for Electric Blasting Operations

Unknown authors · 1985

WEST GERMANY PUBLISHES EMF EXPOSURE STANDARD

Thomas C. Rozzell · 1984

The article reports that West Germany published its first official human-exposure guidelines for electromagnetic fields, applicable to both workers and the general public. The German standard covers frequencies from 0.01 MHz to 3900 GHz, which is wider than the ANSI standard’s 0.1 MHz to 100 GHz range.

DOE/EPRI/NY State Review of 60 Hz and HV d.c. Bioeffects Research

Unknown authors · 1984

DOSIMETRIC CONCEPTS AND HEALTH RISK EVALUATION IN NONIONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION PROTECTION

Przemyslaw Czerski, Mays L. Swicord · 1984

The drive to regulate electromagnetic fields

Eric J. Lerner · 1984