6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.

EMF Research Studies

Browse 6,486 peer-reviewed studies on electromagnetic field health effects from 4 research libraries.

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The psychosocial work environment and skin symptoms among visual display terminal workers: a case referent study

Unknown authors · 1997

From an initial questionnaire study among 4943 office workers, 163 VDT workers were selected for a case referent study of facial skin symptoms. The data comprise a self-administered questionnaire filled out by 149 subjects and interviews with representatives of the organizations concerned. Psychosocial conditions, especially lack of social support from co-workers, were associated with an increased risk of reporting skin symptoms. Stratification by sex showed that the associations between some psychosocial factors and health differed between men and women. The results indicate that there might be an interaction between psychosocial factors and electric fields in the workplace which increases the risk of reporting skin symptoms.

Magnetic fields of transmission lines and depression

Unknown authors · 1997

Researchers used data from 12,063 Finnish twins who completed a depression inventory in 1990. Exposure was assessed using 20-year histories of distance to and calculated magnetic fields from 110- to 400-kV overhead power lines. Adjusted mean depression scores did not differ by exposure level. The risk of severe depression was 4.7 times higher for those living within 100 meters of a high-voltage line, though this was based on small numbers.

Sleep & Circadian RhythmNo Effects Found

No short-term effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields on the mammalian pineal gland.

Vollrath L, Spessert R, Kratzsch T, Keiner M, Hollmann H · 1997

Researchers exposed male and female Sprague-Dawley rats and Djungarian hamsters to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields at 0.1 to 0.6 mW/cm2, continuous or pulsed at 217 Hz, for 15 min to 6 h. At day or night had no notable short-term effect on pineal melatonin synthesis in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats and Djungarian hamsters. Pineal synaptic ribbon profile numbers (studied in rats only) were likewise not affected The 900 MHz electromagnetic fields, unpulsed or pulsed at 217 Hz, as applied in the present study, have no short-term effect on the mammalian pineal gland.

DNA & Genetic DamageNo Effects Found

Frequency of micronuclei in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of cancer-prone mice chronically exposed to 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation.

Vijayalaxmi et al. · 1997

C3H/HeJ mice prone to mammary tumors were exposed to 2450 MHz RF radiation at 1.0 W/kg for 20 hours per day, 7 days a week, over 18 months, with sham-exposed controls and positive controls treated with mitomycin C. The incidence of micronuclei in peripheral blood and bone marrow did not differ significantly between RF-exposed and sham-exposed groups. Positive controls treated with mitomycin C showed significantly elevated micronuclei frequencies. A separate analysis of mice that developed mammary tumors also found no significant differences in micronuclei frequency between exposure groups.

Sleep & Circadian RhythmNo Effects Found

Absence of chronic effect of exposure to short-wave radio broadcast signal on salivary melatonin concentrations in dairy cattle.

Stark KD, Krebs T, Altpeter E, Manz B, Griot C, Abelin T · 1997

Researchers conducted a pilot study comparing two dairy herds at 500 m and 4,000 m from a short-wave radio transmitter, monitoring five cows per farm for salivary melatonin over ten days. The average nightly field strength was 21-fold higher on the exposed farm (1.59 mA/m) than on the control farm (0.076 mA/m). No significant difference in melatonin was seen during the first two nights, but on the first night after the transmitter was turned back on following a three-day off period, melatonin concentration was significantly higher on the exposed farm (3.89 pg/ml, CI: 2.04, 7.41), indicating a two- to seven-fold increase.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

DNA synthesis and cell proliferation in C6 glioma and primary glial cells exposed to a 836.55 MHz modulated radiofrequency field.

Stagg RB, Thomas WJ, Jones RA, Adey WR · 1997

Researchers exposed transformed and normal rat glial cells to an 836.55 MHz packet-modulated RF field at power densities of 0.09, 0.9, and 9 mW/cm2, with SARs from 0.15 to 59 muW/g. Primary rat glial cells showed no significant differences in DNA synthesis between sham and RF-exposed conditions for either log-phase or serum-starved cultures. C6 glioma cells exposed at 5.9 muW/g SAR showed small but significant increases in thymidine incorporation in 38% of experiments. Growth curves showed no differences between sham and RF-exposed cultures for either cell type, and doubling times of C6 glioma cells did not differ significantly.

CardiovascularNo Effects Found

The absence of interference between GSM mobile telephones and implantable defibrillators: an in-vivo study. Groupe Systemes Mobiles

Sanmartin M et al. · 1997

Researchers tested 30 patients with eight different defibrillator models using three GSM mobile phones under continuous electrocardiographic monitoring. Phones were placed in close contact with the defibrillator can and precordium at two angles, and tested during calling, established contact for 15 seconds, and ringing, with the protocol repeated during pacing. No cases of electromagnetic interference were observed. One patient presented non-sustained ventricular tachycardia episodes during the tests that were detected by the defibrillator. These results suggest that electromagnetic interference by GSM mobile phones are not a probable cause of implantable defibrillators dysfunction.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Brain tumour development in rats exposed to electromagnetic fields used in wireless cellular communication.

Salford LG, Brun A, Persson BRR · 1997

Researchers used Fischer 344 rats of both sexes with implanted glioma cells (RG2 and N32) in a matched-pair design. Starting on day 5 after inoculation, rats were exposed for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week for 2–3 weeks to 915 MHz continuous or pulse-modulated microwaves. The study found no significant difference in tumour size between exposed and control animals. Tumour size was estimated as the volume of an ellipsoid after histopathological examination of all brains.

CardiovascularNo Effects Found

Age does not affect thermal and cardiorespiratory responses to microwave heating in calorically restricted rats.

Ryan KL, Walters TJ, Tehrany MR, Lovelace JD, Jauchem JR · 1997

Researchers exposed three age groups of calorically restricted rats to 35 GHz microwaves until death while measuring temperature, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure. Before exposure, the age groups showed no significant differences in measured parameters. Microwave heating increased temperatures at all measured sites, but temperatures at death did not differ between age groups. Heart rate increased throughout exposure in a statistically identical manner across all age groups, and mean arterial pressure was initially well maintained before precipitously declining until death with no age-related difference. Respiration rate was not altered by microwave exposure in any group, and the exposure time required to induce death did not differ among age groups.

Reproductive HealthNo Effects Found

The lack of effects of nonthermal RF electromagnetic fields on the development of rat embryos grown in culture.

Klug S, Hetscher M, Giles S, Kohlsmann S, Kramer K, · 1997

Researchers exposed 9.5-day-old rat embryos for up to 36 hours to radiofrequency electric and magnetic fields with modulation frequencies of 16, 60, and 120 Hz. The exposure included electric field strengths of 60 and 600 V/m, magnetic inductions of 0.2 and 2.0 microtesla, and specific absorption rates of 0.2, 1.0, and 5.0 W/kg. Neither the electric nor the magnetic fields interfered significantly with normal embryo growth and differentiation when assessed on day 11.5 using a scoring system, photographs, histology, and protein content.

CardiovascularNo Effects Found

Exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation: cardiovascular effects in humans.

Jauchem, JR, · 1997

The review examined cardiovascular changes in humans exposed to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation. Most studies showed no acute effect of ELF EMFs on blood pressure, heart rate, or electrocardiogram waveform, though some reported subtle heart rate effects. Soviet reports from the 1960s linked long-term ELF EMF exposure to arrhythmias and tachycardia in switchyard workers, but Western studies did not confirm this. MRI-related RFR exposures were concluded not likely to cause adverse cardiovascular effects. Overall, no obvious cardiovascular hazards were found for exposures below current standards.

Brain & Nervous SystemNo Effects Found

Exposure of nerve growth factor-treated PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells to a modulated radiofrequency field at 836.55 MHz: effects on c-jun and c-fos expression.

Ivaschuk OI et al. · 1997

Researchers exposed nerve growth factor-treated PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells to a packet-modulated 836.55 MHz radiofrequency field at power densities of 0.09, 0.9, and 9 mW/cm2 for 20, 40, or 60 minutes, with an intermittent 20-minute on/off regimen. Sham-exposed cells served as controls, and c-fos and c-jun expression was measured by Northern blot analysis of total RNA. C-fos transcript levels did not change after 20 minutes at any intensity, while c-jun transcripts decreased by 38% only after 20 minutes at 9 mW/cm2.

Reproductive HealthNo Effects Found0

[Electromagnetic poles and reproduction].

Indulski JA, Makowiec-Dabrowska T, Zmyslony M, Siedlecka J · 1997

The authors reviewed epidemiological data on the relationship between reproductive disorders and electromagnetic field exposure from power lines, industrial devices, medical appliances, video display terminals, and household devices. The analyzed studies examined effects on female and male reproduction, including spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, congenital malformations, and progeny gender proportion among occupationally exposed persons.

Cellular EffectsNo Effects Found

Extremely high frequency electromagnetic fields at low power density do not affect the division of exponential phase Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.

Gos, P, Eicher, B, Kohli, J, Heyer, WD · 1997

Researchers exposed exponentially growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to electromagnetic fields from 41.682 GHz to 41.710 GHz in 2 MHz increments at power densities of 0.5 and 50 microW/cm2. Cell division was assessed by time-lapse photography using two identical chambers that allowed concurrent control and exposure experiments. Control experiments showed the cells were dividing at submaximal rates, ensuring that any increase or decrease in division rate could be observed. No consistently significant differences were found between exposed and unexposed cells across multiple independent experiment series.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Focus formation of C3H/10T1/2 cells and exposure to a 836.55 MHz modulated radiofrequency field.

Cain CD, Thomas DL, Adey WR · 1997

The study tested whether a TDMA-modulated RF field and the tumor promoter TPA together increase focus formation of transformed cells cocultured with parental C3H/10T1/2 murine fibroblasts. Cell cultures were exposed to an 836.55 MHz TDMA-modulated field at specific absorption rates of 0.15, 1.5, and 15 μW/g in a repeating cycle of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off continuously for 28 days. RF exposure did not significantly alter TPA-induced focus formation at any of the tested exposure levels across multiple independent experiments.

DNA & Genetic DamageNo Effects Found

Measurement of DNA damage after exposure to electromagnetic radiation in the cellular phone communication frequency band (835.62 and 847.74 MHz).

Malyapa RS et al. · 1997

Researchers exposed mouse C3H 10T1/2 fibroblasts and human glioblastoma U87MG cells to FMCW (835.62 MHz) and CDMA (847.74 MHz) radiation at 0.6 W/kg SAR for up to 24 hours. They used the alkaline comet assay to measure DNA damage. No significant differences were found between exposed cells and sham controls.

DNA & Genetic DamageNo Effects Found115 citations

Measurement of DNA damage after exposure to 2450 MHz electromagnetic radiation.

Malyapa RS et al. · 1997

Researchers used the alkaline comet assay to test whether 2450 MHz radiation causes DNA damage in cultured mammalian cells. Exponentially growing U87MG and C3H 10T1/2 cells were exposed to 2450 MHz CW radiation at SARs of 0.7 and 1.9 W/kg for durations of 2 h, 2 h followed by 4-h incubation, 4 h, and 24 h. No significant differences were observed between the test group and the controls after exposure.

Cellular phones and traffic accidents.

Violanti JM · 1997

The study examined statistical rate-ratios of accident characteristics between drivers with and without cellular phones. Results showed a significant increased rate among drivers with phones for inattention, unsafe speed, driving on the wrong side of the road, striking a fixed object, overturning, swerving, and running off the roadway. People with phones had an increased risk of being killed in an accident compared to those without phones. Male drivers with phones had significantly higher rates than females for many of these accident characteristics. Rate-ratios for some accident characteristics and fatalities increased with age, except drivers under 20 years who had the highest fatality rate.

A thermal model for human thresholds of microwave-evoked warmth sensations.

Riu PJ, Foster KR, Blick DW, Adair ER, · 1997

Researchers measured human thresholds for skin warmth sensations at frequencies from 2.45 to 94 GHz. The thermal analysis suggests these thresholds correspond to a localized temperature increase of about 0.07°C at and near the skin surface. The thermal model results were insensitive to blood flow but sensitive to thermal conduction, with sensitivity increasing strongly with frequency. Thermal conduction becomes a dominant factor for surface temperature rise at microwave frequencies over 10 GHz.

Brain & Nervous System1,257 citations

Association between cellular-telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions.

Redelmeier DA, Tibshirani RJ · 1997

Researchers used a case-crossover design to study 699 drivers who had cellular telephones and were involved in motor vehicle collisions with substantial property damage but no personal injury. The risk of a collision during a call was four times higher than when not using a telephone, with a relative risk of 4.3. Calls placed within five minutes of the collision had a relative risk of 4.8, while hands-free units offered no safety advantage over hand-held units.

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