ECG changes in factory workers exposed to 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation.
Chen Q, Xu G, Lang L, Yang A, Li S, Yang L, Li C, Huang H, Li T. · 2012
View Original AbstractFactory workers exposed to RF radiation above safety limits showed significantly altered heart rhythms compared to unexposed colleagues.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied 225 female factory workers exposed to radiofrequency radiation from manufacturing equipment versus 100 unexposed workers. Exposed workers showed significantly higher rates of slow heart rhythms, though other factors like age and smoking complicated determining radiation as the direct cause.
Why This Matters
This study reveals concerning heart rhythm changes in workers exposed to radiofrequency radiation at levels exceeding international safety standards. The fact that sinus bradycardia rates were significantly higher in the exposed group (P = 0.003) suggests a biological response to RF exposure, even if the researchers concluded other factors might be responsible. What's particularly noteworthy is that these effects occurred at 64 V/m, which exceeds the 61 V/m occupational limit set by international guidelines. The reality is that industrial RF exposure often involves much higher power levels than consumer devices, making this occupational health data especially valuable for understanding EMF bioeffects. While the authors downplayed the connection after statistical adjustments, the initial finding of heart rhythm changes in exposed workers adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting cardiovascular sensitivity to radiofrequency radiation.
Exposure Details
- Electric Field
- 64.0 ± 25.2 V/m
- Source/Device
- 27.2 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 6 minutes
Exposure Context
This study used 64.0 ± 25.2 V/m for electric fields:
- 84x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate ECG changes in factory workers exposed to 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation
To research the effect of 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation on electrocardiograms (ECG), 225 female ...
A statistical difference was observed between the exposed group and the control group in terms of th...
Occupational exposure to radiofrequency radiation was not found to be a cause of ECG changes after consideration of the confounding factors.
Show BibTeX
@article{q_2012_ecg_changes_in_factory_902,
author = {Chen Q and Xu G and Lang L and Yang A and Li S and Yang L and Li C and Huang H and Li T.},
title = {ECG changes in factory workers exposed to 27.2 MHz radiofrequency radiation.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23280584/},
}