Whole Home EMF Research

Does head-only exposure to GSM-900 electromagnetic fields affect the performance of rats in spatial learning tasks?

Dubreuil D, Jay T, Edeline JM. · 2002

DNA damage and micronucleus induction in human leukocytes after acute in vitro exposure to a 1.9 GHz continuous-wave radiofrequency field

McNamee JP et al. · 2002

Researchers exposed human white blood cells to cell phone radiation (1.9 GHz) for 2 hours at various power levels to see if it would damage DNA or cause genetic abnormalities. They found no evidence of DNA damage or genetic changes at any exposure level tested, including levels 5 times higher than typical cell phone use. This Canadian government study suggests that short-term radiofrequency exposure may not directly harm genetic material in immune cells.

Responses of neurons to an amplitude-modulated microwave stimulus.

Beason RC, Semm P. · 2002

Researchers investigated the effects of a pulsed 900 MHz signal modulated at 217 Hz on avian brain neurons. The stimulation changed neural activity in more than half of the brain cells. 76% of responding cells increased their firing rates by an average of 3.5-fold. The remaining responding cells decreased their spontaneous activity rates. The authors suggested these responses indicate potential effects on humans using hand-held cellular phones.

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

Unknown authors · 2002

Effect of long-term mobile communication microwave exposure on vascular permeability in mouse brain.

Finnie JW et al. · 2002

The study was designed to examine the effect of long-term exposure to global system for mobile communication (GSM) radiofrequency fields on vascular permeability in murine brains. Mice were given a 60-minute far-field, whole body exposure on each of 5 days per week for 104 weeks at specific absorption rates (SAR) of 0.25, 1.0,2.0 and 4.0 W/kg. In all exposed and control groups, albumin extravasation was minimal and was deemed insignificant.

Microwave exposure induces Hsp70 and confers protection against hypoxia in chick embryos.

Shallom JM et al. · 2002

Researchers exposed chick embryos to athermal 915 MHz microwave radiation to test for induction of the stress protein Hsp70. Hsp70 levels increased within 2 hours, reaching a maximum about 30% above controls by 3 hours. Embryos pre-exposed to microwave radiation before hypoxic stress had significantly higher survival after re-oxygenation than non-exposed controls (P < 0.05).

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.

SIMS study of the calcium-deprivation step related to epidermal meristem production induced in flax by cold shock or radiation from a GSM telephone.

Tafforeau M et al. · 2002

Researchers exposed flax seedlings to a 1-minute cold shock or a 2-hour GSM telephone radiation at 0.9 GHz and observed epidermal meristem production. They performed a SIMS analysis of inorganic cations in hypocotyl tissue from control and calcium-deprived seedlings. The analysis revealed decreases in calcium, sodium, and potassium and an increase in magnesium without substantially changing the divalent-to-monovalent cation ratio.

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.

Effect of electromagnetic field produced by mobile phones on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) and the level of malonyldialdehyde (MDA)--in vitro study

Stopczyk D et al. · 2002

Researchers assessed the effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on SOD-1 activity and MDA level in human blood platelets exposed to 900 MHz for 1, 3, 5, and 7 minutes. SOD-1 activity was significantly depleted after 1, 5, and 7 minutes of exposure and increased after 3 minutes compared with controls. MDA concentration increased significantly after 1, 5, and 7 minutes and decreased after 3 minutes compared with controls. The authors concluded that oxidative stress from microwave exposure may cause adverse cellular changes and systemic disturbances.

Lack of Mutation Induction with Exposure to 1.5 GHz Electromagnetic Near Fields Used for Cellular Phones in Brains of Big Blue Mice.

Takahashi S et al. · 2002

Researchers investigated the mutagenic potential of 1.5 GHz electromagnetic near fields using brain tissues of Big Blue mice. Male BBM were locally exposed to EMF in the head region at 2.0, 0.67, and 0 W/kg specific absorption rate for 90 min/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks. There was no significant variation in the frequency of independent mutations of the lacI transgene in the brains. Deletion mutations were slightly increased in both the high and low EMF exposure groups as compared with the sham-exposed group, but the differences were not statistically significant.

The excretion of 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate in healthy young men exposed to electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular phone -- an experimental study.

Bortkiewicz A, Pilacik B, Gadzicka E, Szymczak W. · 2002

Effects of 60 Hz electromagnetic field exposure on APP695 transcription levels in differentiating human neuroblastoma cells

Unknown authors · 2002

Researchers exposed differentiating IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells to 60 Hz magnetic fields at 50, 100, and 200 microT for 4 hours. They measured APP695 mRNA levels using northern hybridization with Digoxygenin-labeled probes. The results provided no support for any relationship between APP695 gene transcription and either differentiation age or magnetic field exposure.

Negligible electromagnetic interaction between medical electronic equipment and 2.4 GHz band wireless LAN.

Hanada E, Hoshino Y, Oyama H, Watanabe Y, Nose Y. · 2002

Researchers tested the effect of wireless LAN communication on medical electronic equipment and the effect of electronic equipment on wireless LAN communication. They observed nine pieces of electronic equipment in operating mode while transmitting radio waves from a wireless LAN. No equipment malfunction occurred even with the access point very close to the equipment surface during data transmission. Medical equipment caused little change in wireless communication effectiveness, but electric knives and a remote patient monitor reduced the reception rate to about 60%. Wireless LAN speed was temporarily reduced only when a microwave oven was close to and facing the access point.

The effects of low level microwaves on the fluidity of photoreceptor cell membrane.

Pologea-Moraru R, Kovacs E, Iliescu KR, Calota V, Sajin G · 2002

Researchers studied the effects of low-power microwaves at 2.45 GHz on the membrane fluidity of rod photoreceptor cells. The researchers expected the retina to be very sensitive to microwave irradiation due to the polar character of photoreceptor cells and high water content.

Effects of high- frequency electromagnetic fields on DNA strand breaks using comet assay method

Miyakoshi, J., Yoshida, M., Tarusawa, Y., et al. · 2002

Elliptically polarized magnetic fields do not alter immediate early response genes expression levels in human glioblastoma cells

Unknown authors · 2002

Researchers analyzed expression of immediate early response genes c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc in human glioblastoma T98G cells exposed to 1-500 μT 60 Hz elliptically polarized magnetic fields for up to 3 h. No statistically significant differences were found in gene expression ratios at both transcriptional and translational levels for c-fos and c-jun at 30 min and for c-myc at 180 min after serum stimulation. Similarly, exposure to linearly or circularly polarized 500 μTr fields produced no significant change in expression ratios at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

Some present problems and a proposed experimental phantom for SAR compliance testing of cellular telephones at 835 and 1900 MHz

Unknown authors · 2002

The paper compares maximum allowable powers for cellular telephones at 835 and 1900 MHz under ANSI/IEEE, ICNIRP, and a proposed IEEE modification. It shows the ANSI/IEEE guideline is the most conservative, ICNIRP allows 2.5-3 times higher maximum radiated power, and the proposed modification allows up to 50% higher power. Peak 1 g SAR in smaller head models is up to 56% higher at 1900 MHz and up to 20% higher at 835 MHz than in larger models. Plastic ear models yield SARs up to two or more times smaller than realistic anatomic models, and a 2 mm thin shell phantom with lossy ear is proposed to match anatomic SARs within +/- 15%.

Thermal noise limit on the sensitivity of cellular membranes to power frequency electric and magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2002

However, research reports indicate that living cells may respond to power-frequency fields well below the thermal noise limits. The study proposes that published thermal arguments may not fully account for all membrane force fields of thermal origin, and that a full accounting could show smaller net thermal noise fields in the power-frequency range.

Thermal noise limit on the sensitivity of cellular membranes to power frequency electric and magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2002

This 2002 theoretical study challenged the widely accepted belief that thermal noise in cell membranes would prevent power frequency electric and magnetic fields from affecting human cells. The researchers argued that previous thermal noise calculations were incomplete and that when all thermal forces are properly accounted for, the actual noise may be lower than thought, potentially allowing environmental EMF to influence cellular membranes.

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field and its combination with lead on the antioxidant system in mouse.

Liu Y, Weng E, Zhang Y, Hong R. · 2002

Researchers exposed mice to a 50 Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic field at 0.2 mT or 6.0 mT for 2 weeks, and measured markers of the antioxidant system and cell membrane fluidity in brain and liver tissue. Malondialdehyde content in brain and liver increased with exposure, while total antioxidant capability decreased at both field strengths. When electromagnetic field exposure was combined with lead, the researchers observed synergic effects on lipid peroxidation.