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Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system

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Spichtig S, Scholkmann F, Chin L, Lehmann H, Wolf M · 2012

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Intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field exposure produced small short- and medium-term effects on cerebral blood circulation and heart rate.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers used near-infrared spectroscopy to assess potential effects of UMTS electromagnetic fields on blood circulation in the auditory region of the human head. Three different exposures (sham, 0.18 W/kg, and 1.8 W/kg) were applied in a controlled, randomized, crossover, and double-blind paradigm on 16 healthy volunteers. During exposure to 0.18 W/kg, a significant short-term increase in oxyhaemoglobin and total haemoglobin was found, described as small compared to a functional brain activation. Medium-term heart rate was significantly higher (+1.84 bpm) at 1.8 W/kg than for sham exposure, while the other parameters showed no significant effects.

Why This Matters

The study examined effects on two different timescales: short-term, meaning effects occurring within 80 s, and medium-term, meaning effects occurring within 80 s to 30 min. In addition to haemoglobin measures, the researchers recorded heart rate, subjective well-being, tiredness, and counting speed. A significant decrease in medium-term deoxyhaemoglobin response was detected at both 0.18 and 1.8 W/kg exposures, described as being in the range of physiological fluctuations. The researchers noted that they measured potential immediate effects of UMTS electromagnetic fields in real-time without any interference during exposure for the first time.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.18, 1.8 W/kg
Source/Device
UMTS-EMF

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.18, 1.8 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 9 times higher than this level

Study Details

The aim of the present study was to assess the potential effects of intermittent Universal Mobile Telecommunications System electromagnetic fields (UMTS‐EMF) on blood circulation in the human head (auditory region) using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on two different timescales: short‐term (effects occurring within 80 s) and medium‐term (effects occurring within 80 s to 30 min).

For the first time, we measured potential immediate effects of UMTS‐EMF in real‐time without any int...

During exposure to 0.18 W/kg, we found a significant short‐term increase in Δ[O2Hb] and Δ[tHb], whic...

Our results suggest that intermittent exposure to UMTS‐EMF has small short‐ and medium‐term effects on cerebral blood circulation and HR

Cite This Study
Spichtig S, Scholkmann F, Chin L, Lehmann H, Wolf M (2012). Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system Bioelectromagnetics. 33(1):40-54, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2012_assessment_of_intermittent_umts_191,
  author = {Spichtig S and Scholkmann F and Chin L and Lehmann H and Wolf M},
  title = {Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system},
  year = {2012},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20682},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20682},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20682

Cited By (18 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Three different exposures were tested: sham, 0.18 W/kg, and 1.8 W/kg, applied in a controlled, randomized, crossover, and double-blind paradigm.
Medium-term heart rate was significantly higher (+1.84 bpm) at 1.8 W/kg than for sham exposure.
The short-term increase in oxyhaemoglobin and total haemoglobin during exposure to 0.18 W/kg was small, approximately 17% compared to a functional brain activation.
The results suggest that intermittent exposure to UMTS electromagnetic fields has small short- and medium-term effects on cerebral blood circulation and heart rate.
Heart rate, subjective well-being, tiredness, and counting speed were also recorded.