Outdoor EMF Infrastructure Research

Assessment of radiofrequency power density distribution around GSM and broadcast antenna masts in Lagos City

Ibitoye ZA, Aweda AM. · 2011

Volume-averaged SAR in adult and child head models when using mobile phones: a computational study with detailed CAD-based models of commercial mobile phones.

Keshvari J, Heikkilä T. · 2011

Researchers investigated SAR differences in child and adult head models using CAD models of commercial mobile phones as exposure sources. The main finding was that SAR distribution depends highly on antenna structure and phone model, making the exposure source type the key parameter. No systematic differences between child and adult heads were found from a volume-averaged SAR perspective. SAR values from generic source models could not be extrapolated to real device exposures.

Acute Effect of Exposure of Mollusk Single Neuron to 900-MHz Mobile Phone Radiation

Partsvania B, Sulaberidze T, Shoshiashvili L, Modebadze Z · 2011

Researchers exposed single neurons of a mollusk to electromagnetic fields using a Transverse Electromagnetic Cell to study effects on neuron excitability and memory processes. The specific absorption rate deposited into the single neuron was calculated to be 0.63 W/kg with a temperature increment of 0.1°C. After acute exposure, the average firing threshold of action potentials was not changed, but the average latent period was significantly decreased. The researchers noted that the observed alterations were transient and that only the latent period remained at the changed level.

Acute effect of exposure of mollusk single neuron to 900-MHz mobile phone radiation.

Partsvania B, Sulaberidze T, Shoshiashvili L, Modebadze Z · 2011

Scientists exposed mollusk neurons to 900-MHz cell phone radiation at low levels. While the neurons' basic function remained normal, they responded to signals significantly faster during exposure. This suggests cell phone radiation can alter how quickly nerve cells process information, even temporarily.

Cytostatic response of NB69 cells to weak pulse-modulated 2.2 GHz radar-like signals

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers exposed two human cancer cell lines to a 2.2 GHz pulse-modulated radar-like signal for 24 hours at an average SAR of 0.023 W/kg. The exposure was subthermal with a temperature rise below 0.1 °C. NB69 neuroblastoma cells showed a 13.5% reduction in cell number and increases in G0/G1 and G2/M phase proportions, while HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells did not respond.

Cytostatic response of NB69 cells to weak pulse-modulated 2.2 GHz radar-like signals

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers exposed human cancer cells to weak radar-like signals at 2.2 GHz for 24 hours and found that neuroblastoma cells showed a 13.5% reduction in cell growth, while liver cancer cells were unaffected. The radiation levels were extremely low (similar to ambient environmental exposure) yet still caused measurable biological changes in sensitive cell types.

Cytostatic response of NB69 cells to weak pulse-modulated 2.2 GHz radar-like signals

Unknown authors · 2011

Spanish researchers exposed human neuroblastoma cancer cells to weak 2.2 GHz radar-like signals for 24 hours and found a 13.5% reduction in cell numbers compared to unexposed controls. The radiation also disrupted cell division cycles, causing more cells to remain stuck in growth phases. Importantly, liver cancer cells showed no response to the same treatment, suggesting some cell types are more vulnerable than others.

Experimental Study of Relationship between Biological Hazards of Low-Dose Radiofrequency Exposure and Energy Flow Density in Spirostomum Ambiguum Infusoria Exposed at a Mobile Connection Frequency (1 GHz)

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers exposed Spirostomum ambiguum infusoria to 1 GHz radiofrequency at energy flow densities of 5 μW/cm(2) and 50 μW/cm(2). Both exposure levels caused a reduction in motor activity that appeared in a jump-wise manner after a certain exposure duration and did not increase with longer exposure. The safe exposure duration was 8-9 h and 10 min at 5 and 50 μW, respectively.

Experimental Study of Relationship between Biological Hazards of Low-Dose Radiofrequency Exposure and Energy Flow Density in Spirostomum Ambiguum Infusoria Exposed at a Mobile Connection Frequency (1 GHz)

Unknown authors · 2011

Russian researchers exposed single-celled organisms called Spirostomum ambiguum to 1 GHz radiofrequency radiation at two power levels - one below safety limits and one above. Both exposure levels reduced the organisms' movement ability, but the timing differed dramatically: safe periods lasted 8-9 hours at low power versus just 10 minutes at high power. This suggests even very low RF exposure can cause biological effects, but with threshold patterns rather than gradual damage.

Intracellular Ca Mobilization and Beta-hexosaminidase Release Are Not Influenced by 60 Hz-electromagnetic Fields (EMF) in RBL 2H3 Cells

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers investigated the effects of extremely low frequency EMF on intracellular calcium mobilization and cellular function in RBL 2H3 cells. Exposure to EMF at 0.1 or 1 mT for 4 or 16 hours did not produce cytotoxic effects in RBL 2H3 cells. Melittin, ionomycin, and thapsigargin each dose-dependently increased intracellular calcium concentration. The calcium increases induced by these agents were not affected by EMF exposure. EMF exposure also did not affect basal or melittin-induced beta-hexosaminidase release.

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields affect lipid-linked Carbonic anhydrase

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers studied the effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on bovine lung membrane carbonic anhydrase. A 75 Hz field decreased enzyme activity by 17% with a threshold of about 0.74 mT. The effect was independent of exposure duration and completely reversible. Solubilizing the enzyme with Triton eliminated the field effect, indicating the membrane linkage is essential.

Effects of RF fields emitted from smart phones on cardio-respiratory parameters: a preliminary provocation study.

Kwon MK, Nam KC, Lee da S, Jang KH, Kim DW. · 2011

Researchers conducted a double-blind provocation study with 10 self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity and 10 non-hypersensitivity volunteers. Participants were exposed to WCDMA RF fields at 1950 MHz with 24 dBm output and a specific absorption rate of 1.57 W/kg for 30 minutes. The 30-minute exposure did not produce any physiological changes in either group.

Toxicity and SOS response to ELF magnetic field and nalidixic acid in E. coli cells

Unknown authors · 2011

Researchers exposed E. coli GE499 cells to a combination of static and extremely low frequency magnetic fields and measured chromatin conformation using the anomalous viscosity time dependence technique, as well as cell growth, cloning efficiency, and SOS response. Nalidixic acid at 3-30 μg/ml decreased AVTD peaks, caused cytotoxic effects, and induced SOS response. ELF exposure increased AVTD, stimulated cell growth, and increased cloning efficiency, with these effects depending on frequency within the 7-11 Hz range. ELF exposure did not induce the recA-lacZ fusion and did not modify the genotoxic effects of nalidixic acid. The article was retracted in 2014, with a retraction notice in Mutat Res Genet Toxicol Environ Mutagen on January 15, 2014.

Electromagnetic energy absorption patterns in subjects with common visual disorders.

Gasmelseed A. · 2011

They used a plane multilayered method at wireless frequencies of 900, 1800, and 2450 MHz. The study calculated specific absorption rate in three different eye models. Results confirmed a complex relationship between absorption and structural variations of the eye at these frequencies.

Effect of electromagnetic radiofrequency radiation on the rats' brain, liver and kidney cells measured by comet assay.

Trosić I et al. · 2011

Researchers exposed male Wistar rats to 915 MHz radiofrequency radiation with GSM modulation at a whole-body average SAR of 0.6 W/kg for one hour per day, seven days per week over two weeks. A comet assay was used to assess DNA damage, measuring tail length and tail intensity. Tail length notably differed in liver and kidney homogenates of exposed animals compared to sham controls, and the tail was slightly elongated in irradiated animals' brain cells. The results suggest that repeated 915 MHz irradiation could be a cause of DNA breaks in renal and liver cells, but did not affect the cell genome at a higher extent compared to basal damage.

A study of neurotoxic biomarkers, c-fos and GFAP after acute exposure to GSM radiation at 900 MHz in the picrotoxin model of rat brains

Carballo-Quintás M et al. · 2011

Researchers studied the effects of acute 900 MHz GSM radiation exposure on neurotoxic biomarkers c-fos and GFAP in rats also treated with picrotoxin, a seizure-promoting agent. Seventy-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent immunochemical testing to measure c-fos induction after 90 minutes and 24 hours, and GFAP 72 hours after acute exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field. The results indicated that c-fos and glial markers were triggered by the combined stress of non-thermal irradiation and the toxic effect of picrotoxin on brain tissue.

Long-term electromagnetic field treatment enhances brain mitochondrial function of both Alzheimer's transgenic mice and normal mice: a mechanism for electromagnetic field-induced cognitive benefit?

Dragicevic N et al. · 2011

Researchers evaluated brain mitochondrial function in aged Alzheimer's transgenic mice and normal littermates following one month of daily EMF exposure. In the transgenic mice, EMF treatment enhanced brain mitochondrial function by 50-150% across six established measures, with the greatest effects in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. EMF treatment also increased brain mitochondrial function in normal aged mice, though the enhancement was not as robust or widespread as in the transgenic mice. The researchers suggested that brain mitochondrial enhancement may be a primary mechanism through which EMF treatment provides cognitive benefit to both transgenic and normal mice.

Mobile phone-induced honeybee worker piping

Favre D · 2011

Researchers placed mobile phone handsets in the close vicinity of honeybees and recorded and analyzed the sounds the bees made. The audiograms and spectrograms revealed that active mobile phone handsets have a dramatic impact on the behavior of the bees, namely by inducing the worker piping signal. In natural conditions, worker piping either announces the swarming process of the bee colony or is a signal of a disturbed bee colony.

Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on performance and electrophysiology in adolescents, young adults and older adults

Leung S et al. · 2011

This study examined sensory and cognitive processing in adolescents, young adults and older adults when exposed to 2G and 3G mobile phone signals. Forty-one 13–15 year olds, forty-two 19–40 year olds and twenty 55–70 year olds were tested using a double-blind cross-over design, where each participant received Sham, 2G and 3G exposures, separated by at least 4 days. On a memory task, adolescents performed less accurately during 3G exposure compared to Sham, and delayed brainwave responses were found in both 2G and 3G conditions across all age groups.

Variations in amino acid neurotransmitters in some brain areas of adult and young male albino rats due to exposure to mobile phone radiation.

Noor NA, Mohammed HS, Ahmed NA, Radwan NM · 2011

Short-term memory in mice is affected by mobile phone radiation

Ntzouni MP, Stamatakis A, Stylianopoulou F, Margaritis LH. · 2011

Researchers studied the effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on a non-spatial memory task called the Object Recognition Task in mice. Three groups of mice were tested under three different radiation exposure protocols, with a SAR value of 0.22 W/kg. Results revealed a major effect on the "chronic exposure-I" protocol, suggesting a possible severe interaction of EMF with the consolidation phase of recognition memory processes.

Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism

Volkow ND et al. · 2011

Researchers used positron emission tomography to measure brain glucose metabolism in 47 healthy participants, once with the right cell phone activated for 50 minutes and once with both cell phones deactivated. Whole-brain metabolism did not differ between the on and off conditions, but metabolism in the region closest to the antenna was significantly higher in the on condition than the off condition. The researchers noted that this finding is of unknown clinical significance.

Static and 50 Hz electromagnetic fields effects on human neuronal-like cells vibration bands in the mid-infrared region.

Calabrò E, Condello S, Magazù S, Ientile, R. · 2011

Effects of extremely low frequency magnetic field on oxidative balance in brain of rats.

Ciejka E, Kleniewska P, Skibska B, Goraca A. · 2011

The study aimed to assess the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field parameters on reactive oxygen species generation in brain tissue of experimental animals depending on the time of exposure. Exposure at 30 min/day for 10 days caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and an insignificant increase in hydrogen peroxide and free sulphydryl groups. Exposure at 60 min/day caused a significant increase in free sulphydryl groups and protein concentration, which the researchers described as indicating an adaptive mechanism.

Effects of extremely low frequency magnetic field on anxiety level and spatial memory of adult rats.

He LH, Shi HM, Liu TT, Xu YC, Ye KP, Wang S. · 2011

Researchers exposed adult rats daily to a 50-Hz extremely low frequency magnetic field set to 2 mT, dividing them into a control group, a 1-hour exposure group, and a 4-hour exposure group. After 4 weeks of daily exposure, anxiety-related behaviors were assessed in the open field test and the elevated plus maze, and spatial learning and memory were assessed in the Morris water maze. Rats in the 4-hour group showed increased anxiety-like behaviors, reduced latency to find a hidden platform, and improved long-term memory of the platform's former location, without changes in short-term memory or locomotor activity.