Johansson O. · 2009
The review summarized multiple papers on the effects of man-made electromagnetic fields on the immune system. It found that electromagnetic fields disturb immune function by stimulating allergic and inflammatory responses and affecting tissue repair. The review stated that such disturbances increase the risk of diseases including cancer. The authors reported that these effects occur at exposure levels significantly below current national and international safety limits.
Joseph W, Verloock L, Tanghe E, Martens L. · 2009
Researchers categorized exposure locations by environment, population density, and mobile phone traffic, selected five sites, and collected 352,800 electric field time samples over time. They defined factor X as the ratio of actual maximal temporal measurements to estimated maximal values from short-period data, and factor R as the ratio of median to maximal momentary field measurements indicating signal variation over time. Median values of R were 0.92 for FM, 0.66 for GSM, and 0.71 for UMTS. Using an optimal method for X, median values were 1.05 for FM, 0.47 for GSM, and 0.96 for UMTS. Combining X and R allows estimation of actual maximal and median exposure during longer periods from short-period measurements.
Hu J, Lu Y, Zhang H, Xie H, Yang X. · 2009
Researchers randomly selected 18 residential districts with base stations and 10 without, using a TES-92 monitor to measure microwave radiation indoors and outdoors. Radiation levels were higher in districts with base stations than in control districts. Radiation peaked at about 10 meters from the station and decreased with distance. Aluminum alloy security nets reduced indoor radiation, while glass windows did not. All ground-level measurements around base stations were below the primary standard, but some windows facing the station had higher levels, and a few exceeded the primary safe level.
Dahmen N, Ghezel-Ahmadi D, Engel A. · 2009
Results showed laboratory signs of thyroid dysfunction, liver dysfunction, and chronic inflammatory processes in some EHS patients, with significant differences in TSH and ALT/AST between groups. The hypotheses that anemia or kidney dysfunction play a major role in EHS were refuted.
Chauvin S et al. · 2009
Researchers used exposimeters to record individual exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields for 23 technical operations personnel and 22 other workers. Exposure densities were quantified using 229 exposure indicators for each of the 45 subjects. Cluster analysis did not reliably separate the two groups, although some exposure indicators differed significantly between them. A learning group method also failed to discover a predictive law to identify technical operational personnel as a subgroup.
Budak GG, Muluk NB, Budak B, Oztürk GG, Apan A, Seyhan N. · 2009
Researchers studied thirty-six infant male New Zealand rabbits divided into four groups with different exposure regimens. Group 2 received extrauterine exposure for 15 minutes daily over 14 days, Group 3 received intrauterine exposure for 15 minutes daily over 7 days, and Group 4 received both exposures. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions were measured across frequencies from 1.0 to 8.0 kHz. Extrauterine exposure alone decreased emission amplitudes at 4.0 and 6.0 kHz compared with controls. Combined intrauterine and extrauterine exposure increased amplitudes at 1.5, 3.0, and 4.0 kHz relative to controls and the extrauterine group.
Budak GG et al. · 2009
Researchers studied 18 pregnant and 18 non-pregnant New Zealand White rabbits, randomly divided into four groups. Nine pregnant and nine non-pregnant rabbits were exposed to 1800 MHz GSM-like RFR for 15 minutes daily over 7 days, while the remaining rabbits were not exposed. Cochlear function was measured using distortion product otoacoustic emissions at frequencies from 1.0 to 8.0 kHz. In pregnant rabbits, DPOAE amplitudes did not differ between exposed and unexposed groups except at 2.0 kHz. In non-pregnant rabbits, exposed animals showed lower DPOAE amplitudes at 1.0 to 4.0 kHz compared to unexposed animals.
Blettner M et al. · 2009
The study aimed to investigate whether proximity to mobile phone base stations and risk perception are associated with health complaints. Among 30,047 participants, 18.7% were concerned about adverse health effects and 10.3% attributed personal health effects to base station exposure. Participants concerned about or attributing health effects to base stations and those living within 500 meters reported slightly more health complaints than others. The slightly higher prevalence of health complaints near base stations could not be fully explained by attributions or concerns.
Berg-Beckhoff G et al. · 2009
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study in 2006 with 3526 participants living mainly in urban regions to test whether low-level RF-EMF from mobile phone base stations was related to health disturbances. Exposure was assessed with a dosimeter measuring different RF-EMF frequencies, and health outcomes were collected via postal questionnaires on sleep disturbances, headaches, health complaints, and mental and physical health. No differences in median health scores were found between exposed and non-exposed participants, and measured RF-EMFs were not associated with adverse health effects.
Atay T et al. · 2009
Researchers investigated the effects of electromagnetic waves from cellular phones operating at 900 to 1800 MHz on bone mineral density of the human iliac bone wings in 150 male volunteers. Participants were divided into two groups based on the iliac side exposed to electromagnetic waves (group 1) and the unexposed side (group 2). The mean daily phone carriage duration was 14.7 hours and the mean duration of phone use was 6.2 years. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements showed slightly lower values on the exposed side but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), and values were not as low as in osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Adang D, Remacle C, Vorst AV. · 2009
Researchers exposed four-month-old Wistar albino rats to two different microwave frequencies and exposure modes for 2 hours a day, seven days a week, over 21 months. They measured leucocytes, erythrocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and mortality rate. After three and eight months, monocytes differed by about 20% in the 970-MHz continuous wave group; after 14 and 18 months, white blood cells increased about 15% and neutrophils about 25%; lymphocytes fell about 15% at 18 months. Mortality in exposed groups increased after 21 months at age 25 months and reached almost twice the sham-exposed value by age 28 months.
Viel JF et al. · 2009
Researchers enrolled 200 randomly selected people who were supplied with personal exposure meters for 24 h measurements and kept a time-location-activity diary. They calculated the proportion of measurements above 0.05 V/m and the maximum electric field strength for each radiofrequency. Most measurements were below the detection limit, with FM having 12.3% above threshold, and maximum field strength never exceeded 1.5 V/m. GSM and DCS exposure peaked at 280 m and 1000 m from antennas, FM showed a downward trend within 10 km, while UMTS and TV signals did not vary with distance.
Viel JF, Cardis E, Moissonnier M, de Seze R, Hours M. · 2009
Kundi M, Hutter HP. · 2009
Cross-sectional investigations of subjective health as a function of distance or measured field strength found indications for an effect of exposure that is likely independent of concerns and attributions. Experimental studies applying short-term exposure to base station signals gave various results, but there is weak evidence that UMTS and to a lesser degree GSM signals reduce wellbeing in persons that report to be sensitive to such exposures. Two ecological studies of cancer near base stations reported a strong increase in incidence within 350 and 400 meters, but limitations prevent firm conclusions.
Frei P et al. · 2009
Researchers measured RF-EMF exposure of 166 volunteers from Basel, Switzerland, using personal exposure meters carried for one week. Mean weekly exposure across all RF-EMF sources was 0.13 mW/m2, ranging across individuals from 0.014 to 0.881 mW/m2. Exposure varied considerably between persons and locations but was fairly consistent within persons.
Cao Y, Xu Q, Lu MX, Jin ZD, DU HB, Li JX, Nie JH, Tong J. · 2009
Researchers treated male Kunning mice with low-dose microwave radiation before exposing them to gamma-ray irradiation, then measured survival, blood parameters, and markers of bone marrow activity. Mice pre-exposed to 120 microW/cm² 900 MHz microwave had a higher 30-day survival rate and more white blood cells compared with gamma-ray-treated mice that did not receive microwave pre-exposure. The microwave pre-exposure group also showed increases in thymus and spleen organ indexes, bone marrow cell proliferation activity, CFU-GM hematopoietic foci numbers, and serum concentrations of GM-CSF and IL-3. The researchers suggested that low-dose microwave radiation may exert potential antagonistic effects on hematopoietic injuries induced by ionizing radiation.
Aweda MA et al. · 2009
Researchers measured radiofrequency radiation output power densities from commonly used GSM handsets and wireless phones across Lagos State, Nigeria. Over 1100 handsets of different makes and models as well as wireless phones were sampled across all local government areas of the state. GSM handset power density values ranged from a minimum of 1.294 Wm-2 with Siemens model R228 to a maximum of 16.813 Wm-2 with Samsung model C140. The study concluded that the population in Lagos State may be at risk due to significant radiofrequency radiation exposures from GSM use.
Jonathan A. Drezner et al. · 2008
Researchers identified exercise-related sudden death events in young individuals through a systematic search of public media reports from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2006. Over 7 years, 486 total cases of exercise-related SCA were identified in U.S. youth, with an average of 69 cases per year (range 48-96). Overall survival during this time period was 11% (55/486), with a range of 4% to 21% survival per year, and there was a statistically significant trend toward improved survival in recent years (P = .035). Females were more likely to survive sudden cardiac arrest than were males (21% vs 9%, P = .001).
Unknown authors · 2008
The review examines physical principles for assessing radiofrequency interactions with biological systems at exposures up to endogenous electric field levels. It finds possible demodulation at membrane barriers for frequencies up to 10 MHz but not at higher frequencies. Molecular vibrational modes are too overdamped by water for excitation below the far infrared. Two mechanisms may plausibly affect biology: radical-pair reaction shifts below approximately 150 MHz and dielectric and resistive heating at all frequencies.
Unknown authors · 2008
Researchers measured magnetic fields in 30 buildings in three Finnish cities, comparing apartments above transformer stations with first-floor and upper-floor reference apartments. Spot measurements showed mean magnetic fields of 0.62 µT above transformer stations, 0.21 µT on first floors, and 0.11 µT on upper floors. Twenty-four-hour mean fields were 0.2 µT or higher in 97% of apartments above transformer stations, 25% of first-floor apartments, and 10% of upper-floor apartments. At a 0.4 µT cut-off, 63% of apartments above transformer stations, 14% of first-floor apartments, and 3.3% of upper-floor apartments exceeded the threshold. The authors concluded that transformer station location can reliably classify apartments into high and low magnetic field categories.
Unknown authors · 2008
Recent epidemiological studies report increased leukemia risk near high voltage powerlines at distances beyond direct electric and magnetic fields. Corona ions from powerlines form plumes that generate atmospheric electric field disturbances of tens to a few hundred V/m up to several hundred meters away. The authors hypothesize that these disturbances disrupt nocturnal melatonin synthesis and circadian rhythms, leading to increased risk of adverse health effects including leukemia. A review finds that natural atmospheric electric field variation may act as a weak Zeitgeber, melatonin disruption by electric fields occurs in rats, and human circadian rhythms are disturbed by artificial fields as low as 2.5 V/m.
Unknown authors · 2008
Researchers exposed 30 adult female Sprague Dawley rats to extremely low frequency magnetic field for 4 hours per day over 7 days, with 15 rats serving as controls. The exposed rats had significantly lower goblet cell density than controls (p = 0.010). They also showed conjunctival edema and inflammation (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003), but no difference in fibroblast proliferation (p = 0.422).
Unknown authors · 2008
Researchers measured 50 Hz magnetic fields in 31 apartment buildings with built-in transformer stations. In each building they selected three apartments: one above the transformer room, one on the same floor, and one on a higher floor. The mean magnetic field was 0.98 microT above transformers, 0.13 microT on the same floor, and 0.1 microT on higher floors. At a 0.2 microT threshold, 97% of apartments above transformers exceeded it versus 14% on the same floor and 13% on higher floors. At 0.4 microT, 81% of apartments above transformers exceeded it while none on other floors did.
Unknown authors · 2008
RF-EMF discrimination was investigated in seven studies including a total of 182 self-declared electromagnetic hypersensitive (EHS) individuals and 332 non-EHS individuals. The pooled correct field detection rate was 4.2% better than expected by chance (95% CI: -2.1 to 10.5). There was no evidence that EHS individuals could detect presence or absence of RF-EMF better than other persons. There was little evidence that short-term exposure to a mobile phone or base station causes symptoms based on eight randomized trials investigating 194 EHS and 346 non-EHS individuals in a laboratory.
Unknown authors · 2008
Researchers recorded TEOAEs in 27 healthy young adults before and after 10 minutes of real or sham GSM exposure in a double-blind design. TEOAE data were analyzed both globally using broadband analysis and with wavelet transform for time-frequency fine structure. Both analyses revealed no significant effect of exposure on TEOAEs.
