Research on electromagnetic radiation from laptop computers, combining RF emissions (WiFi, Bluetooth) and ELF magnetic fields from electronics.
Your laptop sits inches from your body for hours each day, emitting radiofrequency radiation from its WiFi antenna and extremely low frequency magnetic fields from its internal components. These emissions span a remarkably wide range, from 50 Hz power frequencies up to 5.8 GHz wireless signals, creating what researchers call a "mixed exposure environment" right on your lap or desk. What makes laptops particularly concerning from an EMF perspective is their proximity to your body combined with duration of use.
Sarimov et al. · 2004
Researchers exposed human immune cells to cell phone radiation at typical frequencies for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The extremely weak signals - 200 times below safety limits - triggered DNA packaging changes resembling heat stress in most subjects, suggesting cellular effects from everyday phone use.
Ilhan A et al. · 2004
Researchers investigated the effect of Ginkgo biloba on mobile phone-induced oxidative damage in rat brain tissue. Mobile phone exposure increased malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, xanthine oxidase, and adenosine deaminase while decreasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in brain tissue. Ginkgo biloba treatment prevented these oxidative alterations and the mobile phone-induced cellular injury in brain tissue.
Demsia G, Vlastos D, Matthopoulos DP. · 2004
The study aimed to investigate whether 910-MHz electromagnetic fields could be a noxious agent capable of inducing genotoxicity, and rats were exposed daily for 2 h over 30 consecutive days. Researchers examined bone marrow smears from EMF-exposed and sham-exposed animals and observed an almost threefold increase in micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes. An induction of micronuclei was also observed in polymorphonuclear cells.
Hook et al. · 2004
Researchers exposed J774.16 mouse macrophage cells to FMCW radiation at 835.62 MHz and CDMA radiation at 847.74 MHz for 20–22 hours at a specific absorption rate of 0.8 W/kg. Cells were stimulated with γ-interferon and bacterial lipopolysaccharide before exposure. The results indicated that FMCW- and CDMA-modulated RF radiation did not alter parameters indicative of oxidative stress in J774.16 cells.
Hook GJ et al. · 2004
Researchers exposed Molt-4 T lymphoblastoid cells to CDMA, FDMA, iDEN, and TDMA modulated RF radiation for up to 24 hours. DNA damage was measured with the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay and apoptosis with the annexin V affinity assay. No statistically significant difference in DNA damage or apoptosis was observed between sham and exposed cells for any frequency, modulation, or exposure time.
Lagroye I et al. · 2004
Researchers exposed C3H 10T½ cells to 2450 MHz CW microwaves at 1.9 W/kg for 2 hours, then irradiated them with 4 Gy gamma rays, and used the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay to detect DNA damage. Ionizing radiation induced significant DNA damage, but microwave exposure alone caused no detectable DNA damage. Microwaves did not impede DNA migration induced by gamma rays, and no evidence of DNA–protein crosslinks or changes in DNA-associated protein was found after microwave exposure.
Ono T et al. · 2004
A possible mutagenic effect of 2.45 GHz radiofrequency exposure was examined using lacZ-transgenic MutaTM mice. Offspring were exposed in utero for 16 hours a day from embryonic day 0 to 15 and examined at 10 weeks of age. Mutation frequencies at the lacZ gene in spleen, liver, brain, and testis were similar to those in non-exposed mice. Sequencing of mutant DNAs showed no appreciable difference in mutation quality between exposed and non-exposed samples.
Unknown authors · 2004
Researchers exposed cerebral cortical neurons from postnatal rats to low-intensity 900MHz continuous microwave electromagnetic fields at 9mW/cm2 with a SAR of 3.22mW/g for 2 hours per day over 4 or 5 consecutive days and also for 12 hours at a time. They measured cytochrome oxidase activity as a marker of energy metabolism. Compared to sham-exposed neurons, cytochrome oxidase activity decreased significantly in neurons exposed for 2 hours per day and in those exposed for 12 hours (P < 0.001).
Unknown authors · 2004
Chinese researchers exposed developing rat brain neurons to 900 MHz microwave radiation (the frequency used by many cell phones) and found significant decreases in cellular energy production. The study showed that even low-intensity exposure damaged the neurons' ability to generate energy, with effects occurring after just 2 hours of daily exposure.
Unknown authors · 2004
Chinese researchers exposed developing rat brain neurons to 900 MHz microwave radiation (the same frequency used by many cell phones) and found significant decreases in cytochrome oxidase activity, a key enzyme for cellular energy production. The effects occurred at power levels similar to those from mobile devices and persisted even with brief daily exposures over several days.
Unknown authors · 2004
Unknown authors · 2003
Researchers exposed cultured human diploid fibroblasts to intermittent ELF electromagnetic fields. DNA damage was measured using alkaline and neutral comet assays. Exposure at 50 Hz sinusoidal, 1-24 h, 20-1,000 mu T, with a 5 min on/10 min off pattern induced dose-dependent and time-dependent DNA single-strand and double-strand breaks. Effects were observed at magnetic flux densities as low as 35 mu T, well below ICNIRP guidelines. The induced comet tail factors returned to normal within 9 h after exposure ended.
Unknown authors · 2003
Austrian researchers exposed human skin cells to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) and found it caused DNA breaks in both single and double strands. The damage occurred at magnetic field strengths as low as 35 microTesla, well below international safety guidelines, and got worse with higher exposures and longer duration.
Unknown authors · 2003
Austrian researchers exposed human skin cells to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) and found DNA damage occurred in a dose-dependent manner. The damage included both single and double-strand DNA breaks, starting at magnetic field levels as low as 35 microTesla - well below current safety guidelines. This provides laboratory evidence supporting epidemiological studies linking power line EMF exposure to increased cancer risk.
Unknown authors · 2003
This study examined cultured fibroblasts from six donors of varying ages exposed to 50 Hz ELF-EMF at 1 mT for 1-24 hours. Basal DNA strand break levels correlated with donor age, with maximum response observed at 15-19 hours of exposure, and this response was more pronounced in cells from older donors.
Mashevich M et al. · 2003
Researchers examined whether in vitro exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to continuous 830 MHz electromagnetic fields causes losses and gains of chromosomes, a condition called aneuploidy. Cells were irradiated at SAR levels ranging from 1.6 to 8.8 W/kg for 72 hours. A linear increase in chromosome 17 aneuploidy was observed as a function of the SAR value, which the researchers described as a genotoxic effect. Control experiments conducted without any RF radiation across a temperature range of 34.5 to 38.5 °C showed that elevated temperature was not associated with the increased aneuploidy or the changes in centromeric DNA replication seen after RF exposure.
Haarala C et al. · 2003
Sixty-four subjects (32 men, 32 women) in two independent laboratories performed nine cognitive tasks twice, once with the EMF on and once with it off. Reaction times and accuracy were recorded, and the order of exposure and tasks was counterbalanced across subjects and gender. There were no statistically significant differences in performance between genders or laboratories. The previous results were not replicated, and the researchers concluded that EMF had no effect on reaction times or accuracy.
Weisbrot D, Lin H, Ye L, Blank M, Goodman R. · 2003
Researchers exposed fruit flies to a discontinuous RF signal from a GSM multiband phone at 900/1,900 MHz with SAR approximately 1.4 W/kg for 10 days from egg laying through pupation. The non-thermal radiation increased offspring numbers, elevated hsp70 levels, increased SRE DNA-binding, and induced ELK-1 phosphorylation.
De Mattei M et al. · 2003
Researchers exposed bovine articular cartilage explants to a 75 Hz, 2,3 mT electromagnetic field in vitro, with and without interleukin-1. EMF exposure significantly increased proteoglycan synthesis and residual tissue proteoglycan content compared with controls, without affecting proteoglycan release or nitric oxide production. In interleukin-1-treated explants, EMF increased proteoglycan synthesis and kept tissue proteoglycan content at control levels while not changing proteoglycan release. Lactate production increased in both experimental conditions with EMF exposure.
Dubreuil D, Jay T, Edeline JM. · 2003
Researchers exposed rats head-only to 900 MHz GSM electromagnetic fields at 1 and 3.5 W/kg for 45 minutes and compared performance with sham and control rats. In the first experiment, a slightly improved performance was found at 3.5 W/kg, but this was not seen in the delay task. In the third experiment, exploratory activity showed some effects but recognition memory was unaffected. Overall, the experiments provided no evidence that spatial or non-spatial memory is affected by this exposure.
Unknown authors · 2003
The study investigated electrosensibility in 708 adults aged 17 to 60 years using perception thresholds to 50 Hz electric currents. Analysis of perception threshold distributions revealed a subgroup with significantly increased electrosensibility that could be differentiated from the general population. The variation in electrosensibility was significantly larger than estimated by nonionizing radiation protection bodies but much smaller than claimed by hypersensitivity self-aid groups. The investigation method presented is capable of exclusion diagnostics for persons suffering from the hypersensitivity syndrome.
Zeni et al. · 2003
Zeni, O., Schiavoni, A. · 2003
Researchers exposed human peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 healthy donors to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields under various conditions. Exposures included continuous-wave and GSM-modulated signals at specific absorption rates of 1.6 W/kg and 0.2 W/kg with different intermittent patterns. No statistically significant differences were found in micronucleus frequency or cell cycle kinetics across any exposure condition.
McNamee, J. · 2003
Marino AA, Nilsen E, Frilot C · 2003
Researchers exposed rabbits to cell phone radiation (800 MHz, 600 mW) simulating normal human use and measured EEG changes using a nonlinear recurrence analysis. The EEG was significantly affected in nine of ten rabbits, with increased randomness beginning about 100 ms after field onset and lasting approximately 300 ms. Control experiments showed no effect after sacrifice or when the antenna was moved to the chest, indicating the effect required brain energy absorption.