Although 4G has been in use for over a decade and far more people in the world are currently exposed to 4G mobile phone radiation than 5G, little attention has been paid to the potential harmful health effects of this environmental pollutant.
4G, also known as Long Term Evolution or LTE, is the fourth generation of cellular technology. It employs new digital signal processing and modulation to increase the capacity and speed of wireless telecommunications networks. The standard for LTE was finalized in December, 2008, and the first mobile phone to employ this technology was released in September 2010. By the end of 2017, 41 countries supported LTE coverage over at least 75% of their land area. In North America, the number of LTE mobile devices in use, 365 million, exceeded the size of the population. By 2021, 70 countries had LTE coverage available to at least 75% of the population.
Like 5G, LTE was launched without any pre-market safety testing. Research has found that exposure to LTE radiation leads to a change in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) that may result in "genotoxic stress, decreased proliferation and cell senescence, or no physiological effects depending on ROS concentration and the differential sensitivity of various cells to ROS." Several studies on human subjects have found that short-term exposure to LTE radiation affects brain functioning. No research has examined the health effects of long-term exposure to LTE. Although 4G technology has been in use for more than a decade, few studies have been conducted on the effects of exposure. The abstracts for these studies appear below. --
4G mobile phone radiation alters
some immunogenic and vascular gene expressions, and gross and
microscopic and biochemical parameters in the chick embryo model
Islam MS, Islam MM, Rahman MM, Islam K. 4G mobile phone radiation alters
some immunogenic and vascular gene expressions, and gross and
microscopic and biochemical parameters in the chick embryo model. Vet
Med Sci. 2023 Sep 19. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1273.
Abstract Background: The risks to human health have grown over the past 10 years due to the excessive use of mobile phones.
Objectives:
The study was designed to determine the harmful effects of 4G mobile
phone radiation on the expression of immunogenic and vascular genes and
gross, microscopic and biochemical alterations in the development of
chicken embryos.
Methods: Sixty individuals in the exposure group
were subjected to mobile phones with a specific absorption rate of 1.4
W/kg and a frequency of 2100 MHz positioned at a distance of 12 cm in
the incubator for 60 min/night for 14 days. The histopathological
examination involved hematoxylin and eosin staining, whereas cresyl
violet staining was used to evaluate the condition and number of neurons
in the brain. The biochemical parameters of amniotic fluid were
analysed using the photometry method, and the expression of VEGF-A and
immunity genes (AvBD9, IL6) was measured using the real-time PCR (qPCR)
technique.
Results: Compared to the control, the exposure group's
body weight and length significantly decreased (p < 0.05).
Subcutaneous bleeding was seen in the exposure group. Urea, creatinine,
alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine
aminotransferase levels were all significantly higher than in the
control group (p < 0.05). The exposed group showed pathological
lesions in the liver and degenerated neurons with lightly stained nuclei
in the cerebral cortex. Hyperchromatic neurons were significantly
higher in the exposure group (58.8 ± 2.28) compared to the control (6.6 ±
0.44) (p < 0.05). 4G exposure reduced lymphocyte count in the caecal
tonsil (86.8 ± 5.38) compared to the control (147.2 ± 9.06) (p <
0.05). Vascular gene mRNA expression was higher, but immune gene
expression was lower in the exposed group.
Conclusion: Exposure
to mobile phone radiation may result in gross, microscopic and
biochemical changes, as well as alterations in gene expression that
could hinder embryonic development. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37725264/ -- Exposure to 1800 MHz LTE electromagnetic fields under proinflammatory conditions decreases the response strength and increases the acoustic threshold of auditory cortical neurons Samira Souffi, Julie Lameth, Quentin Gaucher, Délia Arnaud-Cormos, Philippe Lévêque, Jean-Marc Edeline, Michel Mallat.
Exposure to 1800 MHz LTE electromagnetic fields under
proinflammatory conditions decreases the response strength and increases
the acoustic threshold of auditory cortical neurons. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 8;12(1):4063. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07923-9.
Abstract
Increased needs for mobile phone communications have raised successive generations (G) of wireless technologies, which could differentially affect biological systems. To test this, we exposed rats to single head-only exposure of a 4G long-term evolution (LTE)-1800 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) for 2 h. We then assessed the impact on microglial space coverage and electrophysiological neuronal activity in the primary auditory cortex (ACx), under acute neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide. The mean specific absorption rate in the ACx was 0.5 W/kg. Multiunit recording revealed that LTE-EMF triggered reduction in the response strength to pure tones and to natural vocalizations, together with an increase in acoustic threshold in the low and medium frequencies. Iba1 immunohistochemistry showed no change in the area covered by microglia cell bodies and processes. In healthy rats, the same LTE-exposure induced no change in response strength and acoustic threshold. Our data indicate that acute neuroinflammation sensitizes neuronal responses to LTE-EMF, which leads to an altered processing of acoustic stimuli in the ACx. Excerpt
In conclusion, our study reveals that a single head-only exposure to
LTE-1800 MHz can interfere with the neuronal responses of cortical
neurons to sensory stimuli. In line with previous characterizations of
the effect of GSM-signal, our results show that the impact of LTE signal
on neuronal activity varies according to the health state. Acute
neuroinflammation sensitize neuronal responses to LTE-1800 MHz,
resulting in altered cortical processing of auditory stimuli.
Open access paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07923-9 -- The effect of 4.5 G (LTE Advanced-Pro network) mobile phone radiation on the optic nerve Erkin Özdemir, Ülkü Çömelekoglu, Evren Degirmenci, Gülsen Bayrak, Metin Yildirim, Tolgay Ergenoglu, Banu Coşkun Yılmaz, Begüm Korunur Engiz, Serap Yalin, Dilan Deniz Koyuncu, Erkan Ozbay.
The effect of 4.5 G (LTE Advanced-Pro network) mobile phone radiation on the optic nerve.
Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2021 Mar 3;1-27. doi: 10.1080/15569527.2021.1895825.
Abstract
Purpose: Rapid development in mobile phone technologies increase the average mobile phone usage duration. This increase also triggers exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF), which is a risk factor for the health. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of mobile phone working with LTE-Advanced Pro (4.5G) mobile network on the optic nerve, which is responsible for the transmission of visual information.
Material and methods: Thirty-two rats divided into two groups as control (no RF, sham exposure) and experimental (RF exposure using a mobile phone with LTE-Advanced Pro network; 2 hours/day, 6 weeks). The visual evoked potential (VEP) was recorded and determined amplitudes and latencies of VEP waves. Optic nerve malondialdehyde level, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were determined. Furthermore, ultrastructural and morphometric changes of optic nerve were evaluated.
Results: In VEP recordings, the mean VEP amplitudes of experimental group were significantly lower than control group. In ultrastructural evaluation, myelinated nerve fibers and glial cells were observed in normal histologic appearance both in sham and experimental group. However, by performing morphometric analysis, in the experimental group, axonal diameter and myelin thickness were shown to be lower and the G-ratio was higher than in the sham group. In the experimental group, malondialdehyde level was significantly higher and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly lower than sham group. There was a high correlation between VEP wave amplitudes and oxidative stress markers.
Conclusion: Findings obtained in this study support optic nerve damage. These results point out an important risk that may decrease the quality of life. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33653184/ Excerpts
In recent years, everyone, from child to old, has a smartphone, and
everyday a long time is passed looking at the screen of this phone.
Comfort and efficiency achieved thanks to the high data transfer rate
provided by LTE-Advanced Pro technology increase this time day by day.
Eyes are the most affected body parts from this condition. In addition
to the effects such as strabismus and eye impairment arising from
looking at a small screen, it is also important to examine the hidden
risks that the RF magnetic field created by the phone will cause on the
eye. In this study, the effects of RF emission created by a LTE-Advanced
Pro technology phone on the optic nerve were examined in all aspects
and the findings were given in the previous section. Briefly it can be
said that, for the first time in scientific literature, the findings of
the present study indicate that the LTE-Advanced Pro mobile phone
radiation causes significant damage by triggering oxidative stress in
the optic nerve. LTE-Advanced Pro technology uses a wider RF band
between 800 MHz and 2600 MHz and the network system selects the most
appropriate band itself according to the user's requirements. It is
known that penetration depth of RF increases with decreasing frequency
[39]. Since effects of RF radiation were observed on the optic nerve
which is behind the eye, it can be said that low frequency bands such as
800 MHz were mostly active during the experiments. Maybe this inference
cannot be generalized for all communication purposes, but usage
probability of low frequency bands during LTE-Advanced Pro smart phone
usage will always keep the damage risk on optic nerve alive.
Fig. 3A and 3B show the distribution of electric field and SAR,
respectively. As seen, maximum E field was 5.0 V/m (Fig. 3A) and maximum
SAR (10 g) was 0.01 W/kg (Fig. 3B). The SAR value in the area of eyes
was about 0.0035 W/kg (Fig. 3B).
Before and after exposure, body surface temperatures were 28.08 ± 0.19
and 28.07 ± 0.26 °C, respectively in the sham group. These values were
28.37 ± 0.29 and 28.39 ± 0.22 °C, respectively for the RF groups. There
was no significant difference within sham (p = 0.275) and RF (p = 0.120)
groups before and after exposure. Also, there was no significant
differences in surface body temperature between sham and RF exposed
groups before (p = 0.142) and after (p = 0.321) exposure.
In the present study, for the first time, it was shown that exposition
to 4.5 G mobile phone radiation for 2 hours/day for 6 weeks causes optic
nerve damage. The optic nerve transmits all visual information to the
visual cortex, and any damage in this nerve can cause permanent and
serious vision loss. This study demonstrated that RF exposure may be an
environmental risk factor for eye toxicity and potential eye disorders.
Further studies are needed to reveal the potentiality of the risk in
this area. -- Hematobiochemical and histopathological alterations of kidney and testis due to exposure of 4G cell phone radiation in mice Imam Hasan, Tanjina Amin, Md. Rafiqul Alam, Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.
Hematobiochemical and histopathological alterations of kidney and testis due to exposure of 4G cell phone radiation in mice.
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. Available online 17 February 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.028.
Abstract
The radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation emitted by smart phones on biological systems has wide media coverage and public concern in recent years. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of fourth-generation cell phone radiation exposure on hematological (Total leukocyte count, Total erythrocyte count, and hemoglobin %), biochemical (Serum creatinine) parameters, and histopathological changes in the kidney and testis of Swiss albino mice. A total of 30 male Swiss albino mice weighing 45–65 g was randomly divided into three groups (n = 10). The first group A was the control group, the second group B, was exposed to 40 minutes of mobile phone radiation daily, the third group C was exposed to 60 minutes of radiation daily from two 2400 Megahertz fourth-generation connected mobile phones for 60 days, respectively. The electromagnetic radiation frequency radiometer measured the frequency of electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones. The specific absorption rate was calculated as 0.087 W/kg. The control group was kept under similar conditions, but the electromagnetic field was not given for the same period. All the mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. The blood samples were collected for hematobiochemical study, and then kidney and testis tissues were collected for histopathological study. Results of the study showed that the body weight and total erythrocyte count values were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased while total leukocyte count, hemoglobin %, and serum creatinine values were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in both the radiation exposure groups relative to the control group. Histopathological observation showed the kidney of 60 minutes exposed mice interstitial inflammation that causes marked mononuclear cellular infiltration compared to the 40 minutes and control mice. Compared to control mice, histopathological examinations of testicular tissue from the exposed mice, showed irregular in shapes and non-uniform sizes and fewer spermatogenic cells layer that leads to the larger lumen in the seminiferous tubules. It is concluded that fourth-generation cell phone radiation exposure may affect blood hemostasis and inflammation of mice's kidney and testis tissue. Based on these studies, it is important to increase public consciousness of potential adverse effects of mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation exposure. Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X21001017 -- Empirical study on specific absorption rate of head tissues due to induced heating of 4G cell phone radiation
Christopher B, Mary S, Khandaker MU, Jojo PJ.
Empirical study on specific absorption rate of head tissues due to induced heating of 4G cell phone radiation. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 178(Special Issue): 108910. Jan 2021. DOI:10.1016/j.radphyschem.2020.108910.
Abstract
Exposures to electromagnetic radiation mainly from the extended use of mobile phones may initiate biological damages in the human body at the macromolecular level. Several studies on human and animal models have shown significant changes in the functions of neural cells. Present empirical study analyses the thermal changes and the specific absorption rates (SAR) of brain, eye and skin tissues due to prolonged exposure to mobile phone radiation. A phantom, simulating human head with skin, skull and brain was used for the study. The Phantom was exposed to radiation for longer durations (600 s and more) and the temperature variations at different specific points were studied with sensitive thermocouple probes. SAR (1 g of contiguous tissue) values were determined using the variations of temperature and other parameters. The average rise in brain temperature was found to be 0.10 +/- 0.05 degrees C at 30 mm deep in the brain and the estimated SAR was 0.66 +/- 0.35 Wkg(-1). The increase in temperature for the eye socket was 0.03 +/- 0.02 degrees C with SAR 0.15 +/- 0.08 Wkg(-1). The average rise in temperature for skin was 0.14 +/- 0.05 degrees C and the SAR was 0.66 +/- 0.42 Wkg(-1). Although the measured SAR lie within the safe limit of 2 Wkg(-1) recommended by the international regulatory body, considering the tremendous growth in the number of mobile phone users and prolonged use of mobile phone in communication purposes, the cumulative effects could be a real concern for human health. https://www.x-mol.com/paper/1247285584252047360 -- Functional and network analyses of human exposure to long-term evolution signal
Lei Yang, Chen Zhang, Zhiye Chen, Congsheng Li, Tongning Wu.
Functional and network analyses of human exposure to long-term evolution signal. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Sep 25. doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-10728-w.
Abstract
Human exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by wireless communication systems has raised public concerns. There were claims of the potential association of some neurophysiological disorders with the exposure, but the mechanism is yet to be established. The wireless networks, recently, experience a transition from the 4th generation (4G) to 5th generation (5G), while 4G long-term evolution (LTE) is still the frequently used signal in wireless communication. In the study, exposure experiments were conducted using the LTE signal. The subjects were divided into sham and real exposure groups. Before and after the exposure experiments, they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Within-session and between-session comparisons have been executed for functional connectivity and network properties. Individual specific absorption rate (SAR) was also calculated. The results indicated that acute LTE exposure beneath the safety limits modulated both the functional connection and graph-based properties. To characterize the effect of functional activity, SAR averaged over a certain tissue mass was not an appropriate metric. The potential neurophysiological effect of 5G exposure has also been discussed in the study.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32974829/ Excerpts
Since 2019, the fifth-generation (5G) wireless network has been
implemented. Two different frequency ranges available for 5G wireless
technology include- frequency range 1 (FR1) and frequency range 2 (FR2).
At present, the popular commercial frequency at FR1 was around 2.4 and
3.5 GHz, close to the current 3G and 4G frequencies. The emission power
of 5G mobile phones is comparable to that of 3G and 4G terminals. Most
of the existed literature, as well as our studies, narrated similar
activated sites (frontal and temporal lobules) for different
frequencies/modulations. It is, therefore, reasonable to expect that the
exposure to new generation wireless signals would result in a similar
effect.
Conclusion
Human
brain modulation following LTE exposure was first evaluated by
functional and network metrics. The topological changes have been
reported, and their consistency with the previous analysis was
highlighted. Integrating the results from the regional BOLD variation,
intraregional similarity, and hypothesis-driven FC analysis, a
comprehensive view for the brain activity by the exposure of LTE signal
and the signal of next-generation can be obtained. Another novelty was
that no correlation was found between the peak SAR values and the
altered topological parameters. It demonstrated peak SAR averaged over a
certain mass, which was used for assessing the thermal effect of human
exposure, was incongruous to quantify the neurophysiological effect of
EMF exposure. It may clarify the inconsistency in current human exposure
studies.
-- Continuous Exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE (4G) Electromagnetic Fields Increases Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species to Decrease Human Cell Proliferation and Induce Senescence
Jisu Choi, Kyeongrae Min, Sangbong Jeon, Nam Kim, Jeong-Ki Pack, Kiwon Song.
Continuous Exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE Electromagnetic Fields Increases Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species to Decrease Human Cell Proliferation and Induce Senescence.
Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 8;10(1):9238. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65732-4.
Abstract
Due to the rapid development of mobile phone technology, we are continuously exposed to 1.7 GHz LTE radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs), but their biological effects have not been clarified. Here, we investigated the non-thermal cellular effects of these RF-EMFs on human cells, including human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), Huh7 and Hep3B liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), HeLa and SH-SY5Y cancer cells, and normal fibroblast IMR-90 cells. When continuously exposed to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR, cell proliferation was consistently decreased in all the human cells. The anti-proliferative effect was higher at 2 SAR than 1 SAR and was less severe in ASCs. The exposure to RF-EMF for 72 h at 1 and 2 SAR did not induce DNA double strand breaks or apoptotic cell death, but did trigger a slight delay in the G1 to S cell cycle transition. Cell senescence was also clearly observed in ASC and Huh7 cells exposed to RF-EMF at 2 SAR for 72 h. Intracellular ROS increased in these cells and the treatment with an ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenger recapitulated the anti-proliferative effect of RF-EMF. These observations strongly suggest that 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF decrease proliferation and increase senescence by increasing intracellular ROS in human cells. Conclusion Altogether, this study as well as other studies strongly suggest that
RF-EMF exposure leads to a change in intracellular ROS levels that may
result in genotoxic stress, decreased proliferation and cell senescence,
or no physiological effects depending on ROS concentration and the
differential sensitivity of various cells to ROS. Thus, the mechanism
behind RF-EMF exposure altering intracellular ROS levels should be
further studied to elucidate the biological effects of RF-EMFs. It
is not plausible to directly predict the physiological effects of
1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF from our cell-based study. However, the
anti-proliferative effect of 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF on various human cells
in this study suggests that the exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF would be
more harmful to children, whose adult stem cells should be very active
for growth and may accelerate the aging of body cells. We also carefully
suggest that the anti-proliferative effect of various cancer cells by
1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF would be interpreted with care, considering that both
positive and negative effects of RF-EMF have been reported on cancer
development. Open access paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-65732-4
--
Empirical study on specific absorption rate of head tissues due to induced heating of 4G cell phone radiation Christopher B, Mary YS, Khandaker MU, Jojo PJ.
Empirical study on specific absorption rate of head tissues due to induced heating of 4G cell phone radiation. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. Published online Apr 4, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2020.108910 Highlights
• Induced heating of 4G cell phone radiation affects the functions of neural cells. • Temperature and SAR of brain, eye and skin tissues are measured in laboratory condition. • Rise in temperature and SAR values are found in the studied tissues for confrontation of 600 s. • Long time and over exposure to mobile phone radiation may affect the individual health.
Abstract
Exposures to electromagnetic radiation mainly from the extended use of mobile phones may initiate biological damages in the human body at the macromolecular level. Several studies on human and animal models have shown significant changes in the functions of neural cells. Present empirical study analyses the thermal changes and the specific absorption rates (SAR) of brain, eye and skin tissues due to prolonged exposure to mobile phone radiation. A phantom, simulating human head with skin, skull and brain was used for the study. The Phantom was exposed to radiation for longer durations (600 s and more) and the temperature variations at different specific points were studied with sensitive thermocouple probes. SAR (1 g of contiguous tissue) values were determined using the variations of temperature and other parameters. The average rise in brain temperature was found to be 0.10
±
0.05 °C at 30 mm deep in the brain and the estimated SAR was 0.66 ± 0.35 Wkg-1. The increase in temperature for the eye socket was 0.03 ± 0.02 °C with SAR 0.15 ± 0.08 Wkg-1. The average rise in temperature for skin was 0.14 ± 0.05 °C and the SAR was 0.66 ± 0.42 Wkg-1. Although the measured SAR lie within the safe limit of 2 Wkg-1 recommended by the international regulatory body, considering the tremendous growth in the number of mobile phone users and prolonged use of mobile phone in communication purposes, the cumulative effects could be a real concern for human health. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969806X20302085 -- Effects of mobile phone radiation on certain hematological parameters Christopher
B, Sheena MY, Uddin Khandaker M, Bradley DA, Chew MT, Jojo PJ. Effects
of mobile phone radiation on certain hematological parameters.
Radiation Physics and Chemistry. Published online September 14, 2019.
108443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.108443. Highlights •
Mobile phone radiation affects blood hemoglobin level, white blood cell
and platelets count and erythrocytes sedimentation rate. • Effects of mobile phone radiation on hematological factors studied in a controlled condition in the laboratory. • A matched case control approach was adopted for the investigation. • Long time and over exposure to mobile phone radiation may affect the individual health. Abstract Exorbitant
chronic exposure to any sort of radiation is hazardous to human health.
Besides ionizing radiation, exposures to electromagnetic radiation
mainly from the use of mobile phones have become a matter of great
health concern, especially its extortionate use even by children. At the
same time there are several myths related to the ill effects including
carcinogenicity of the prolonged exposure continuously. The objective of
this investigation was to find the effect on certain vital
hematological parameters namely hemoglobin level, white blood cell (WBC)
count, platelet count and erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR) level
due to the prolonged exposure to mobile radiations through in vitro
examination of human blood samples. Matched case control methodology was
adopted for the study. Blood samples were collected by clinicians from
27 voluntary subjects for investigation. From each, one sample was kept
un-exposed while the other three samples were exposed to mobile
microwave radiations for 60 min continuously in identical and controlled
conditions. A 4G hand phone of a very popular brand having transmission
frequency range from 2.3 to 2.4 GHz including uplink and downlink was
used. Hematological analyses were carried out on fresh samples
immediately after collection. For comparison of the levels of
hematological parameters, blood exposed to 1 h of phone radiation and
control were analysed. Experimental results show that there is a
significant change on the hematological components. The exposed blood
samples were found to have decrease in platelet count only. Hemoglobin
level, ESR rate and the WBC counts were found to be increased. While
these observations are performed in a controlled laboratory conditions,
the tremendous growth in number of mobile phone users, the effects could
be many more folds especially in work places and cities even through
passive exposure. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969806X19305481 -- Early-life exposure to pulsed LTE radiofrequency fields causes persistent changes in activity and behavior in mice Broom
KA, Findlay R, Addison DS, Goiceanu C, Sienkiewicz Z.
Early-life exposure to pulsed LTE radiofrequency fields causes persistent changes in activity and behavior in C57BL/6 J mice.
Bioelectromagnetics. 2019 Sep 15. doi: 10.1002/bem.22217. Abstract Despite
much research, gaps remain in knowledge about the potential health
effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields. This study
investigated the effects of early-life exposure to pulsed long term
evolution (LTE) 1,846 MHz downlink signals on innate mouse behavior.
Animals were exposed for 30 min/day, 5 days/week at a whole-body average
specific energy absorption rate (SAR) of 0.5 or 1 W/kg from late
pregnancy (gestation day 13.5) to weaning (postnatal day 21). A
behavioral tracking system measured locomotor, drinking, and feeding
behavior in the home cage from 12 to 28 weeks of age. The exposure
caused significant effects on both appetitive behaviors and activity of
offspring that depended on the SAR. Compared with sham-exposed controls,
exposure at 0.5 W/kg significantly decreased drinking frequency
(P ≤ 0.000) and significantly decreased distance moved (P ≤ 0.001). In
contrast, exposure at 1 W/kg significantly increased drinking frequency
(P ≤ 0.001) and significantly increased moving duration (P ≤ 0.005). In
the absence of other plausible explanations, it is concluded that
repeated exposure to low-level RF fields in early life may have a
persistent and long-term effect on adult behavior. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31522469 -- Long-term exposure to 4G smartphone radiation diminished male reproductive
potential in testes of
adult rats Yu G, Tang Z, Chen H, Chen Z, Wang L, et al.
Long-term exposure to 4G smartphone radiofrequency electromagnetic
radiation diminished male reproductive potential by directly disrupting
Spock3-MMP2-BTB axis in the testes of adult rats.
Sci Total Environ. 2019 Aug 31;698:133860. doi:
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133860. Abstract The correlation between long-term exposure to
SRF-EMR and the decline in male fertility is gradually receiving
increasing attention from the medical society. While male reproductive
organs are often exposed to SRF-EMR, little is currently known about the
direct effects of long-term SRF-EMR exposure on the testes and its
involvement in the suppression of male reproductive potential. The
present study was designed to investigate this issue by using 4G SRF-EMR
in rats. A unique exposure model using a 4G smartphone achieved
localized exposure to the scrotum of the rats for 6 h each day (the
smartphone was kept on active talk mode and received an external call
for 1 min over 10 min intervals). Results showed that SRF-EMR exposure
for 150 days decreased sperm quality and pup weight, accompanied by
testicular injury. However, these adverse effects were not evident in
rats exposed to SRF-EMR for 50 days or 100 days. Sequencing analysis and
western blotting suggested Spock3 overexpression in the testes of rats
exposed to SRF-EMR for 150 days. Inhibition of Spock3 overexpression
improved sperm quality decline and alleviated testicular injury and BTB
disorder in the exposed rats. Additionally, SRF-EMR exposure suppressed
MMP2 activity, while increasing the activity of the MMP14-Spock3
complexes and decreasing MMP14-MMP2 complexes; these results were
reversed by Spock3 inhibition. Thus, long-term exposure to 4G SRF-EMR
diminished male fertility by directly disrupting the Spock3-MMP2-BTB
axis in the testes of adult rats. To our knowledge, this is the first
study to show direct toxicity of SRF-EMR on the testes emerging after
long-term exposure. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31514029 -- Short-term
radiofrequency exposure from new generation mobile phones reduces EEG
alpha power with no effects on cognitive performance. Vecsei Z, Knakker B, Juhász P, Thuróczy G, Trunk A, Hernádi I. Short-term radiofrequency exposure from new generation mobile phones reduces EEG alpha power with no effects on cognitive performance. Sci Rep. 2018 Dec 20;8(1):18010. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-36353-9. Abstract Although
mobile phone (MP) use has been steadily increasing in the last decades
and similar positive trends are expected for the near future, systematic
investigations on neurophysiological and cognitive effects caused by
recently developed technological standards for MPs are scarcely
available. Here, we investigated the effects of radiofrequency (RF)
fields emitted by new-generation mobile technologies, specifically,
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long-Term
Evolution (LTE), on intrinsic scalp EEG activity in the alpha band
(8-12 Hz) and cognitive performance in the Stroop test. The study
involved 60 healthy, young-adult university students (34 for UMTS and 26
for LTE) with double-blind administration of Real and Sham exposure in
separate sessions. EEG was recorded before, during and after RF
exposure, and Stroop performance was assessed before and after EEG
recording. Both RF exposure types caused a notable decrease in the alpha
power over the whole scalp that persisted even after the cessation of
the exposure, whereas no effects were found on any aspects of
performance in the Stroop test. The results imply that the brain
networks underlying global alpha oscillations might require minor
reconfiguration to adapt to the local biophysical changes caused by
focal RF exposure mimicking MP use. Open access paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301959/ -- The Effect of a Single
30-Min Long Term Evolution Mobile Phone-Like Exposure on Thermal Pain
Threshold of Young Healthy Volunteers Vecsei Z, Thuróczy G, Hernádi I.
The Effect of a Single 30-Min Long Term Evolution Mobile Phone-Like
Exposure on Thermal Pain Threshold of Young Healthy Volunteers.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Aug 27;15(9). pii: E1849. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15091849.
Abstract Although the majority of mobile phone (MP) users
do not attribute adverse effects on health or well-being to MP-emitted
radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs), the exponential
increase in the number of RF devices necessitates continuing research
aimed at the objective investigation of such concerns. Here we
investigated the effects of acute exposure from Long Term Evolution
(LTE) MP EMFs on thermal pain threshold in healthy young adults. We use a
protocol that was validated in a previous study in a capsaicin-induced
hyperalgesia model and was also successfully used to show that exposure
from an RF source mimicking a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
(UMTS) MP led to mildly stronger desensitization to repeated noxious
thermal stimulation relative to the sham condition. Using the same
experimental design, we did not find any effects of LTE exposure on
thermal pain threshold. The present results, contrary to previous
evidence obtained with the UMTS modulation, are likely to originate from
placebo/nocebo effects and are unrelated to the brief acute LTE EMF
exposure itself. The fact that this is dissimilar to our previous
results on UMTS exposure implies that RF modulations might
differentially affect pain perception and points to the necessity of
further research on the topic. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/9/1849 --
Modulation of brain functional connectivity by exposure to LTE (4G) cell phone radiation Wei Y, Yang J, Chen Z, Wu T, Lv B. Modulation of resting‐state brain
functional connectivity by exposure to acute fourth‐generation long‐term
evolution electromagnetic field: An fMRI study. Bioelectromagnetics.
Published online 18 December 2018. Abstract By now, the neurophysiological effect of electromagnetic field (EMF)
exposure and its underlying regulating mechanisms are not well
manifested. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether acute
long‐term evolution (LTE) EMF exposure could modulate brain functional
connectivity using regional homogeneity (ReHo) method and seed‐based
analysis on resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
We performed the LTE‐EMF exposure experiment and acquired the
resting‐state brain activities before and after EMF exposure. Then we
applied ReHo index to characterize the localized functional connectivity
and seed‐based method to evaluate the inter‐regional functional
connectivity. Statistical comparisons were conducted to identify the
possible evidence of brain functional connectivity modulation induced by
the acute LTE‐EMF exposure. We found that the acute LTE‐EMF exposure
modulated localized intra‐regional connectivity (p < 0.05, AlphaSim
corrected, voxel size ≥ 18) and inter‐regional connectivity in some
brain regions (p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected, voxel size ≥ 18). Our
results may indicate that the approaches relying on network‐level
inferences could provide deeper insight into the acute effect on human
functional activity induced by LTE‐EMF exposure. Excerpts "Currently, multiple standards exist for wireless communication, which ranges from second‐generation (2G, GSM) to third‐generation (3G, UMTS) and fourth‐generation (4G, LTE) networks in daily life. Fifth‐generation (5G) networks will start to appear as a commercial infrastructure in the near future. Although we enjoy the convenience of mobile phones, the widespread use of them has raised attention about the possible health effects of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure [ICNIRP, 1998]. With neuroimaging and neuropsychology tools, the effect of EMF on the human brain can be reflected as signals of electrical activity [Hamblin et al., 2006; Croft et al., 2010; Lustenberger et al., 2013; Roggeveen et al., 2015a, b], cortical excitability [Tombini et al., 2013], cerebral blood flow [Aalto et al., 2006], brain glucose metabolism [Volkow et al., 2011], and hemodynamic responses [Volkow et al., 2011; Curcio et al., 2012]. Previous studies reported that GSM signals modulated alpha band power in resting‐state electroencephalogram (EEG) [Croft et al., 2010] or some event‐related potential (ERP) components during cognitive tasks [Hamblin et al., 2006], whereas other studies did not detect any GSM exposure‐induced changes in brain activity [Curcio et al., 2012]. Although some studies showed no significant effects of 3G signals on any neurophysiological measurements [Zhang et al., 2017], recent EEG studies reported significant EEG alterations associated with 3G mobile phone radiation [Roggeveen et al., 2015a, b]. The inconsistency could partly be attributed to different exposure frequencies, modulation modes, and exposure durations [Zhang et al., 2017]. For 4G‐related signals, only our two previous studies have investigated the acute effect of long‐term evolution (LTE) EMF exposure on human brain function [Lv et al., 2014; Yang et al., 2016] using EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that 30 min of LTE‐EMF exposure modulated the alpha/beta EEG bands [Yang et al., 2016] and spontaneous low‐frequency fluctuations [Lv et al., 2014] in some brain regions. Since LTE networks have been widely deployed, we should make more effort to evaluate the possible effects of LTE‐EMF exposure from different perspectives." "In this study, we aimed to investigate whether acute LTE‐EMF exposure could modulate brain functional connectivity using resting‐state fMRI. We performed LTE‐EMF exposure experiments lasting for 30 min under a controllable environment and recorded the resting‐state brain activities before and after EMF exposure. Then, we applied the regional homogeneity (ReHo) index [Zang et al., 2004] to characterize localized intraregional connectivity and the seed‐based functional connectivity method [Margulies et al., 2010] to evaluate interregional brain connectivity. Statistical comparisons were conducted to identify possible evidence of brain functional connectivity modulation induced by acute LTE‐EMF exposure."
"To eliminate study biases, we employed a double‐blind, crossover,
randomized, and counterbalanced design. Each participant underwent two
experimental sessions including real exposure and sham exposure, which
were separated by 1 day….The time‐division LTE signal (2.573 GHz) was
produced by a signal generator a
standard formulation for LTE signals….The power delivered to the
standard dipole of 2.6 GHz was 24
dBm (mean value), which was equivalent to a theoretical maximal emission
by an LTE terminal. The experiments were conducted in a shielding room
to avoid the influence of environmental EMF. Each exposure session
lasted for 30 min."
"Numerical simulations that yielded spatial peak SAR averaging over 10 g
tissues for the subjects was 0.98 ± 0.27 W/kg, with a maximal value of
1.52 W/kg, which was below the safety limits [ICNIRP, 1998]."
"In our previous studies, we found that LTE‐EMF exposure depressed the
amplitude of spontaneous low frequency fluctuations (ALFFs) in some
brain regions [Lv et al., 2014], such as those surrounding the left
superior temporal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus (STG_L and MTG_L),
right superior temporal gyrus (STG_R), right medial frontal gyrus, and
right paracentral lobule (MFG_R and PCL_R). In the present study, we
found new evidence that acute LTE‐EMF exposures lasting for 30 min
modulated brain functional connectivity including not only localized
intraregional connectivity, but also interregional connectivity." "Although the SAR values by LTE‐EMF exposure indicated no obvious temperature increase during the exposure experiments and the brain was excellent in terms of thermal regulation, we could not preclude that thermal changes, even minute changes, could be responsible for the instantaneous changes in neural firing. SAR is a metric averaging over 6 min, and its applicability for neurological studies should be discussed." Conclusion "Our results may indicate that approaches relying on network‐level inferences can provide deeper insights into the acute effects of LTE‐EMF exposure with intensities below the current safety limits on human functional connectivity. In the future, we need to investigate the evolution of the effect over time." https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bem.22165 -- Effect of Electromagnetic Waves from Mobile Phones on Spermatogenesis in the Era of 4G-LTE Oh JJ, Byun SS, Lee SE, Choe G, Hong SK. Effect of Electromagnetic Waves from Mobile Phones on Spermatogenesis in the Era of 4G-LTE. Biomed Res Int. 2018 Jan 29;2018:1801798. Abstract Objective To investigate the effect of long duration exposure to electromagnetic field from mobile phones on spermatogenesis in rats using 4G-LTE. Methods Twenty Sprague-Dawley male rats were placed into 4 groups according to the intensity and exposure duration: Group 1 (sham procedure), Group 2 (3 cm distance + 6 h exposure daily), Group 3 (10 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily), and Group 4 (3 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily). After 1 month, we compared sperm parameters and histopathological findings of the testis.
Results The mean spermatid count (×106/ml) was 398.6 in Group 1, 365.40 in Group 2, 354.60 in Group 3, and 298.60 in Group 4 (p = 0.041). In the second review, the mean count of spermatogonia in Group 4 (43.00) was significantly lower than in Group 1 (57.00) and Group 2 (53.40) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.010, resp.). The sum of the germ cell counts was decreased in Group 4 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p = 0.032). The mean Leydig cell count was significantly decreased in Group 4 (p < 0.001).
Conclusions The longer exposure duration of electromagnetic field decreased the spermatogenesis. Our findings warrant further investigations on the potential effects of EMF from mobile phones on male fertility.
May 2, 2016 By the end of 2013, 100 million cell phones in the U.S. operated on LTE. This number worldwide is expected to exceed 1 billion by the end of this year.
Following is a summary of the second study published on the effects of 4th generation LTE cell phone radiation on the brain activity of cell phone users by the China Academy of Telecommunication Research of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The original study showed that 30 minutes of exposure to LTE phone radiation affected brain activity in the
left superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right
superior temporal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus and right
paracentral lobule. The current study found that a 30-minute exposure to
LTE radiation modulated
the EEG in the alpha and beta bands at the frontal region
of the near and remote sides, and at the temporal region on the
near side.
--
Long-Term Evolution EMF Exposure Modulates Resting State EEG on Alpha and Beta Bands Yang
L, Chen Q, Lv B, Wu T. Long-Term Evolution Electromagnetic Fields
Exposure Modulates the Resting State EEG on Alpha and Beta Bands. Clin
EEG Neurosci. 2017 May;48(3):168-175. doi: 10.1177/1550059416644887. Abstract
Long-term
evolution (LTE) wireless telecommunication systems are widely used
globally, which has raised a concern that exposure to electromagnetic
fields (EMF) emitted from LTE devices can change human neural function.
To date, few studies have been conducted on the effect of exposure to
LTE EMF. Here, we evaluated the changes in electroencephalogram (EEG)
due to LTE EMF exposure. An LTE EMF exposure system with a stable power
emission, which was equivalent to the maximum emission from an LTE
mobile phone, was used to radiate the subjects. Numerical simulations
were conducted to ensure that the specific absorption rate in the
subject's head was below the safety limits. Exposure to LTE EMF reduced
the spectral power and the interhemispheric coherence in the alpha and
beta bands of the frontal and temporal brain regions. No significant
change was observed in the spectral power and the inter-hemispheric
coherence in different timeslots during and after the exposure. These
findings also corroborated those of our previous study using functional
magnetic resonant imaging.
".. the results of resting state EEG
experiments have been contradictory. For example, some studies
have reported enhancement of the alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta
(13-30 Hz) band power values after exposure to pulse-modulated
450- and 900-MHz signals, pulse-modulated magnetic
fields, and active mobile phone signals. In contrast, some
studies have shown decreased alpha band activity after 20 minutes
of extremely low-frequency EMF exposure, or 5 minutes
of magnetic field exposure, or global system for mobile
communications (GSM) EMF exposure. Many studies also
found no changes in the EEG after either modulated or unmodulated
EMF exposure. These inconsistencies could be
attributed not only to the differences in the signal type, the
modulation, the exposure frequency, the exposure intensity individual
anatomy, the ages of the subjects, and the exposure
duration but also to the lack of rigorous experimental
designs.
Most of the previously published studies have focused on
GSM, WiFi, and Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System (UMTS), signals. An emerging technology, "long term
evolution" (LTE) wireless service, has been deployed
since 2009 and the number of global LTE subscribers is
expected to reach 1.37 billion by the end of 2015. Other than
our previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
study, there are very few reports on the effect of exposure to
LTE EMF on brain function.
We previously found that 30 minutes of exposure to LTE EMF
modulated the spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations. We
were interested in confirming our previous results using another
neurophysiological method and also sought to assess the evolution
of the effect over time during such exposure. In this article, we
have investigated for the first time the changes in the resting state
EEG caused by exposure to LTE signals. The exposure dose was
below the current safety limit. In order to assess brain activities on
different levels, we evaluated spectral power and interhemispheric
coherence, which allowed investigation of EEG changes in specific
brain regions, as well as their correlations, at different time
points. We show that exposure to LTE EMF decreased the alpha
and beta band power spectrum and interhemisphere coherence."
"The age of the subjects was 30.2 ± 2.7 years."
"A plastic
spacer of 1 cm was used to maintain the distance between the
right ear and a standard dipole. We applied 2 power meters to ensure a constant
incident power to the emission dipole. The power delivered
to the dipole was 24 dBm (peak value), equivalent to a
theoretical maximum emission by an LTE terminal."
"All 25 subjects participated in the double-blind and counterbalanced
experiment."
"The experiment included 2 sessions, which were
separated by 1 week. Each session lasted 50 minutes and
comprised 5 time slots. We indicated each time slot (10 minutes)
in a session as sub1 to sub5. The radiation dipole was
power off for the first (preexposure, sub1) and the last 10
minutes (postexposure, sub5) timeslots. Subjects were
exposed to real EMF exposure in the 3 time slots (sub2 to
sub4) between the first and the last 10 minutes in only 1 of
the 2 sessions. The order of the 2 sessions was randomly
selected per subject. The subjects were not informed of the
sequence of each session; however, they were aware of the
possibility of being exposed. On the other hand, the staff
who analyzed the data did not know the sources of the EEG
traces."
"The simulations yielded 1.34 W/kg (pSAR10g) and 1.96 W/kg
(pSAR1g), with the electrodes, and 1.27 W/kg (pSAR10g) and
1.78 W/kg (pSAR1g), without the electrodes (Figure 2) when
the dipole emitted radiation. Therefore, the presence of the
EEG electrodes increased pSAR10g and pSAR1g by about
5.5% and 10.1%, respectively. Accordingly, the maximum
resultant temperature increase was no more than 0.1°C ...."
"Previous studies on GSM and UMTS signal exposure
frequently reported changes in interhemispheric coherence and the spectral power in the alpha band in the
frontal and temporal regions, which were also confirmed by
our results on LTE EMF exposure. Moreover, modulation of
the power spectrum in the beta band, including both an increase
and a decrease, was reported. Several reasons may account
for the inconsistency. First, the signal frequency and its modulation
influenced the affected EEG band: for example, exposure
to 2G signals affect the alpha rhythms, whilst exposure to
3G signals do not. In contrast, the modulated 450-MHz signals of various intensities can change beta activity much
more markedly than alpha band power. Second, gender and
the individual sensitivity 38,40 may influence the effect on different
bands. Hence, we attempted to reduce the variability by
enrolling the subjects with the same gender and age."
"In particular, power spectral analysis has shown significant
differences in the left frontal brain regions, that is, the remote
side, on exposure. This may be associated with modulation of
neural activity in the remote/contralateral brain regions. The
remote effects of EMF have been observed in many previous
studies. Our results reconfirmed that the effects were also
seen with LTE EMF exposure."
"The power spectrum and the interhemispheric coherence did
not differ significantly over sub2 to sub5. Thus, the observed
effect did not change with the exposure time and the effect was
therefore not developing.
The reduction in alpha band activity has been associated
with a decrease in individual information-processing ability,
alertness, and cognitive performance. The decrease in
beta band activity could be interpreted as decreased alertness,
arousal, and excitement or a low level of fatigue. Notably,
EEG power fluctuation was not in one-one correspondence
with the change in behavioral/cognitive performance which
should be evaluated by specifically designed experiments as
the report by Haarala et al. No conclusion could be obtained
by our study that the present EMF exposure affected the subjects'
cognitive abilities."
"This work studied EEG changes caused by LTE EMF exposure.
An exposure system with a fixed power incident to a radiation
dipole was used; this simulation demonstrated that the
SAR was within the safety limits. LTE EMF exposure modulated
the EEG in the alpha and beta bands at the frontal region
of the near and remote sides, and at the temporal region on the
near side. No developing effect was found in the periods during
and after the exposure. Our results agreed to some extent with
those of our previous fMRI study on LTE exposure. Our finding
indicated that the LTE EMF exposure with the intensity
beneath the safety limits could modulate the brain activities."
"Future studies should focus on the correlation of EEG changes
with spatial SAR distribution. By taking individual anatomical
structure into consideration, a precise dose-effect relationship
can be established. EEG changes with a finer temporal resolution
during the exposure session should also be evaluated." -- The alteration of spontaneous low frequency oscillations caused by acute electromagnetic fields exposure Lv B, Chen Z, Wu T, et al. The alteration of spontaneous low frequency oscillations caused by acute electromagnetic fields exposure. Clin Neurophysiol. 2014;125:277-286.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The motivation of this study is to evaluate the possible alteration of regional resting state brain activity induced by the acute radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure (30 minutes) of Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal. METHODS: We designed a controllable near-field LTE RF-EMF exposure environment. Eighteen subjects participated in a double-blind, crossover, randomized and counterbalanced experiment including two sessions (real and sham exposure). The radiation source was close to the right ear. Then the resting state fMRI signals of human brain were collected before and after the exposure in both sessions. We measured the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) to characterize the spontaneous brain activity. RESULTS: We found the decreased ALFF value around in left superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus and right paracentral lobule after the real exposure. And the decreased fALFF value was also detected in right medial frontal gyrus and right paracentral lobule. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided the evidences that 30 minute LTE RF-EMF exposure modulated the spontaneous low frequency fluctuations in some brain regions. SIGNIFICANCE: With resting state fMRI, we found the alteration of spontaneous low frequency fluctuations induced by the acute LTE RF-EMF exposure. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24012322
I have been circulating abstracts of newly-published scientific papers on radio frequency and other non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) monthly since 2016. The complete collection contains more than 1,900 abstracts and links to more than 2,000 papers. Several hundred EMF scientists around the world receive these updates. To download Volume 2 which contains abstracts of papers published since 2021(including the new papers listed below) click on the following link (792 page pdf):https://bit.ly/3PtmdFE To download Volume 1 which contains abstracts of papers published from 2016 through 2020click on the following link (875 page pdf):https://bit.ly/EMF2016-2020. The abstracts for recently published papers appear below. The European Union assessments of radiofrequency radiation health risks – another hard nut to crack (Review) Nyberg
R, McCredden J, Hardell L. The European Union assessments of
radiofrequency radiation health risks – another hard nut to crack
(Review). Reviews on Environmental Health. 2023. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2023-0046.
Abstract
In 2017 an article was published on the unwillingness of the WHO to
acknowledge the health effects associated with the use of wireless
phones. It was thus stated that the WHO is 'A Hard Nut to Crack'. Since
then, there has been no progress, and history seems to be repeating in
that the European Union (EU) is following in the blind man's footsteps
created by the WHO. Despite increasing evidence of serious negative
effects from radiofrequency radiation on human health and the
environment, the EU has not acknowledged that there are any risks. Since
September 2017, seven appeals by scientists and medical doctors have
been sent to the EU requesting a halt to the roll-out of the fifth
generation of wireless communication (5G). The millimeter waves (MMW)
and complex waveforms of 5G contribute massively harmful additions to
existing planetary electromagnetic pollution. Fundamental rights and EU
primary law make it mandatory for the EU to protect the population,
especially children, from all kinds of harmful health effects of
wireless technology. However, several experts associated with the WHO
and the EU have conflicts of interest due to their ties to industry. The
subsequent prioritizing of economic interests is resulting in human and
planetary health being compromised. Experts must make an unbiased
evaluation with no conflicts of interest. The seven appeals to the EU
have included requests for immediate protective action, which have been
ignored. On the issue of wireless radiation and the health of citizens,
the EU seems to be another hard nut to crack.
Section headings
Introduction
ICNIRP guidelines are an inadequate basis for EU policy
Evidence of harm from wireless EMF provided to EU
Complex real-world exposures not addressed by ICNIRP
5G science consistent with previous wireless EMF science, warning the EU of harm
Conflicts of interests in ICNIRP and SCENIHR
SCHEER is misleading EU
EU is condoning an unethical mass experiment
Safe, energy efficient alternatives exist
Smart utility meters need to be wired
EU Green Deal compromised by wireless deployment
Fundamental rights, new policy needed
Towards a health protective and energy saving EU policy
Concluding remarks
"In 2017 an
article was published on the lack of WHO willingness to acknowledge
health effects from use of wireless phones. It was stated that WHO is a
hard nut to crack [69]. This statement now seems to be true of the EU.
In spite of being provided with increasing evidence of the negative
effects on human health, no measures have been taken to reduce exposure
or to educate people on the risks. On the contrary, ambient exposure has
increased [103]. Protests and comments by scientific experts and
several organisations including non-governmental organization (NGOs)
have been ignored. Instead, the EU has heeded only the opinions of a
handful of experts, associated with WHO, ICNIRP, and SCHEER, with
conflicts of interest due to ties with industry. Therefore, any opinion
these "experts" may give on wireless EMF and human health is
compromised. It is urgent that unbiased evaluations of risks be made by
experts with no conflicts of interest. In spite of thousands of
scientific reports proving harmful effects of wireless EMF, all seven
appeals sent to the EU since 2017 have been neglected. These reviews
have requested immediate action from the EU on its mandated
responsibilities; i.e., to protect humans and the environment instead of
promoting industry interests." Open access paper: https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2023-0046 -- Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposure on pregnancy and birth outcomes: A systematic review of experimental studies on non-human mammals My note: This paper (SR4: Adverse reproductive outcomes (animal and in vitro
studies)),
the first of tensystematic reviewscommissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) was
published online in a forthcoming special issue, "WHO assessment of health effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: systematic reviews," of the journal
Environment International. These reviews will form the basis of a forthcoming WHO publication: Environmental Health Criteria (EHC)
Monograph on Radio Frequency (RF) Fields and Health Risks. For more information about the monograph see https://bit.ly/WHOicnirp. Cordelli E, Ardoino L, Benassi B, Consales C, Eleuteri P, Marino C, Sciortino M, Villani P, Brinkworth MH, Chen G, McNamee JP, Wood AW, Belackova L, Verbeek J, Pacchierotti F. Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposure on pregnancy and birth outcomes: A systematic review of experimental studies on non-human mammals, Environment International, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108178.
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization is coordinating an international project aimed at systematically reviewing the evidence regarding the association between radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure and adverse health effects. Within the project, 6 topics have been prioritized by an expert group, which include reproductive health outcomes.
Objectives According to the protocol published in 2021, a systematic review and meta-analyses on the adverse effects of RF-EMF exposure during pregnancy in offspring of experimental animals were conducted.
Methods Three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and EMF Portal) were last searched on September 8 or 17, 2022. Based on predefined selection criteria, the obtained references were screened by two independent reviewers. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: 1) original, sham controlled experimental study on non-human mammals exposed in utero, published in peer-reviewed journals, 2) the experimental RF-EMF exposure was within the frequency range 100 kHz-300 GHz, 3)
the effects of RF-EMF exposure on fecundity (litter size,
embryonic/fetal losses), on the offspring health at birth (decrease of
weight or length, congenital malformations, changes of sex ratio) or on
delayed effects (neurocognitive alterations, female infertility or
early-onset cancer) were studied. Study
characteristics and outcome data were extracted by two reviewers. Risk
of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and
Translation (OHAT) guidelines. Study results were pooled in a random
effects meta-analysis comparing average exposure to no-exposure and in a
dose-response meta-analysis using all exposure doses, after exclusion
of studies that were rated at "high concern" for RoB. Subgroup analyses
were conducted for species, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and
temperature increase. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using
the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations
(GRADE) approach. Results Eighty-eight papers could be included in this review. Effects
on fecundity. The meta-analysis of studies on litter size, conducted at
a whole-body average SAR of 4.92 W/kg, did not show an effect of RF-EMF
exposure (MD 0.05; 95% CI -0.21 to 0.30). The meta-analysis of studies
on resorbed and dead fetuses, conducted at a whole-body average SAR of
20.26 W/kg, showed a significant increase of the incidence in RF-EMF
exposed animals (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.27 to 2.66). The results were similar
in the dose-response analysis. Effects
on the offspring health at birth. The meta-analysis of studies on fetal
weight, conducted at a whole-body average SAR of 9.83 W/kg, showed a
small decrease in RF-EMF exposed animals (SMD 0.31; 95% CI 0.15 to
0.48). The meta-analysis of studies on fetal length, conducted at a
whole-body average SAR of 4.55 W/kg, showed a moderate decrease in
length at birth (SMD 0.45; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.83). The meta-analysis of
studies on the percentage of fetuses with malformations, conducted at a
whole-body average SAR of 6.75 W/kg, showed a moderate increase in
RF-EMF exposed animals (SMD -0.45; 95% CI -0.68 to -0.23). The
meta-analysis of studies on the incidence of litters with malformed
fetuses, conducted at a whole-body average SAR of 16.63 W/kg, showed a
statistically significant detrimental RF-EMF effect (OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.9
to 5.46). The results were similar in the dose-response analyses. Delayed
effects on the offspring health. RF-EMF exposure was not associated
with detrimental effects on brain weight (SMD 0.10, 95% CI -0.09 to
0.29) and on learning and memory functions (SMD -0.54, 95% CI -1.24 to
0.17). RF-EMF exposure was associated with a large detrimental effect on
motor activity functions (SMD 0.79, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.38) and a moderate
detrimental effect on motor and sensory functions (SMD -0.66, 95% CI
-1.18 to -0.14). RF-EMF exposure was not associated with a decrease of
the size of litters conceived by F2 female offspring (SMD 0.08, 95% CI
-0.39 to 0.55). Notably, meta-analyses of neurobehavioural effects were
based on few studies, which suffered of lack of independent replication
deriving from only few laboratories. Discussion There
was high certainty in the evidence for a lack of association of RF-EMF
exposure with litter size. We attributed a moderate certainty to the
evidence of a small detrimental effect on fetal weight. We also
attributed a moderate certainty to the evidence of a lack of delayed
effects on the offspring brain weight. For most of the other endpoints
assessed by the meta-analyses detrimental RF-EMF effects were shown,
however the evidence was attributed a low or very low certainty. The
body of evidence had limitations that did not allow an assessment of
whether RF-EMF may affect pregnancy outcomes at exposure levels below
those eliciting a well-known adverse heating impact. In conclusion, in
utero RF-EMF exposure does not have a detrimental effect on fecundity
and likely affects offspring health at birth, based on the meta-analysis
of studies in experimental mammals on litter size and fetal weight,
respectively. Regarding possible delayed effects of in utero exposure,
RF-EMF probably does not affect offspring brain weight and may not
decrease female offspring fertility; on the other hand, RF-EMF may have a
detrimental impact on neurobehavioural functions, varying in magnitude
for different endpoints, but these last findings are very uncertain.
Further research is needed on the effects at birth and delayed effects
with sample sizes adequate for detecting a small effect. Future studies
should use standardized endpoints for testing prenatal developmental
toxicity and developmental neurotoxicity (OECD TG 414 and 426), improve
the description of the exposure system design and exposure conditions,
conduct appropriate dosimetry characterization, blind endpoint analysis
and include several exposure levels to better enable the assessment of a
dose response relationship. Study selection
Figure 2
shows the flow diagram from the initially retrieved references to the
finally included papers, as per the PRISMA 2020 template (Page et al.,
2021). After exclusion of duplicate records and of papers deemed not
eligible based on title/abstract, a total of 236 papers remained for
full-text assessment; we could not retrieve 11 papers and were unable to
translate 10 papers. Of the remaining 215 papers, we excluded 127 after
reading the full text. Therefore, the systematic review is based on a
total of 88 papers.
Implications for policy and researchThis
systematic review of animal studies shows that RF-EMF exposure does not
affect fecundity and likely has only a small effect on fetal weight
decrease. However, some studies retrieved by the literature search that
showed a detrimental effect on the incidence of dead/resorbed fetuses or
the increase of malformations at high exposure levels, largely
exceeding the current human exposure limits, cannot be discounted. These
studies confirm what is known about the harmful effect of heating on
fetuses, but they leave largely uncertain the possibility of RF-EMF
effects at lower exposure levels, closer to relevant human exposure
levels. Currently, it remains difficult to determine the exposure levels
at which RF-EMF can start to affect fecundity or offspring health at
birth. The whole body average SAR values in the included experiments are
well above the recommended human exposure limit values for the general
public set by international bodies (ICNIRP 2020). Actual SAR values
experienced by the public in the general environment are below, and in
most cases, well below, the recommended human exposure limit values. The
dose effect meta-analyses contributed to support the results of the
meta-analysis but were not supposed to define the shape of the
dose-effect relationship or find a minimum exposure level at which a
clear effect could be discerned.
For two endpoints planned in the
protocol, namely ano-genital distance at birth and early-onset cancer
no studies were retrieved. Ano-genital distance is a well-known
developmental biomarker associated with impairment of the reproductive
system and exposure to environmental carcinogens during pregnancy have
been linked with development of childhood cancer (Botsivali and
Kyrtopoulos, 2019). Hopefully, future research will shed light on the
impact of RF-EMF exposure on these outcomes.
As a whole, the
possible impact of in utero RF-EMF exposure remains uncertain due to the
severe limitations of some of the studies. In particular, during the
systematic review, we identified several methodological limitations in
the studies that should be overcome in future studies to improve the
quality of the research. Blinding during experiment performance and
outcome assessment should always be applied to minimize bias. More
adherence to OECD Test Guideline 414 "Prenatal Developmental Toxicity
study" and 426 "Developmental Neurotoxicity Study" is recommended
together with a more standardized approach for reporting results. A
large proportion of included studies was rated at either "some" or "high
concern" for RoB for exposure characterisation or temperature rise
assessment and some others had to be excluded from the systematic review
because they did not reach a minimum quality standard for these
aspects. We would recommend that future studies bear the reasons for
exclusion or RoB concerns in mind in study design and implementation.
There are several papers in the research literature with recommendations
on how exposure characterisation concerns can be mitigated, for example
Kuster and Schönborn (2000). Finally, studies investigating not just a
single level but several exposure levels, spanning from low levels
comparable to human exposure to higher levels where mild hyperthermic
effects could be expected, should be conducted under the same
experimental conditions.
In spite of the large number of studies
collected, our systematic review could only partly answer the PECO
question and did not provide conclusions certain enough to inform
decisions at a regulatory level, but it can be considered a solid
starting point to direct future research on this topic. Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023004518 -- Interaction
of Millimetre Waves Used in 5G Network with Cells and Tissues of
Head-and-Neck Region: A Literature Review
Dagli N, DagliR, Thangavelu L. Interaction
of Millimetre Waves Used in 5G Network with Cells and Tissues of
Head-and-Neck Region: A Literature Review. Advances in Human Biology
13(2):p 168-176, Apr–Jun 2023. | DOI: 10.4103/aihb.aihb_133_22 .
Abstract
Fifth-generation mobile technology is supposed to revolutionise the
world. It has many features which can benefit humankind, but at the same
time, it will expose us to much radiation. Therefore, we need to
understand the importance and ill effects of 5 G technology. An online
literature search was conducted through PubMed and Scopus databases from
April 2021 to May 2021, using the Boolean operators OR, AND and NOT and
the keywords '5G Network',
'Human tissues', and 'Animal tissues'. The literature is very scarce in
studies on the effects of millimetre waves on various tissues. A total
of 1269 studies were identified, and 24 were selected for qualitative
evidence synthesis. Randomised control trials, laboratory studies,
in-vitro studies, in-vivo studies and ex-vivo studies were included.
Data from the studies were collected using the data extraction form, and
all the relevant information was summarized. Five of 24 studies were
done on animals, four on humans, five on models, and ten on various
cells. Ten of 24 studies demonstrated the harmful effects of millimetre
waves. Results are ambivalent, and no association is found between
particular frequency and impact on tissue, animals or humans.
Pathophysiological effects observed in most studies were mild,
reversible, and limited to the cellular level. Available evidence
reported temperature rise after millimetre wave exposure, which was
within safety limits. Any biological impact on a cellular level noticed
due to radiation's thermal effects were insignificant and did not affect
the organ level. However, only a few studies have mentioned non-thermal
impact, but those effects should not be overlooked. Clinical trials on a
large population and for a longer duration are required to establish
the safety of millimetre waves before deploying a 5G network worldwide. Conclusion
Very few studies published related to the effects of
millimetre waves on various tissues. Therefore, it is very difficult to
reach a clear conclusion. Available evidence suggests that heating
effects in tissues due to MMW exposure cause temperature rise. However,
the temperature rise was found to be within safety limits for the short
duration of exposure, but biological effects on the cellular level were
observed in a few studies. It is unclear how these changes will affect
organs or individuals when the population is exposed to radiation
continuously for a lifetime. Very few studies have shown harmful
non-thermal effects too. These effects should not be overlooked. Special
attention should be paid to the tissues of the head and neck region as
they are in close proximity to electromagnetic devices. More research is
required to confirm those findings and the chronic thermal and
non-thermal effects of MMW and to establish safety before the deployment
of 5G networks all over the world. Technological advancement is
necessary for human race development but not at the cost of our health.
We need to limit the use of certain frequencies at workplaces where a
high amount of data is required to be transferred at high speed and find
the safest frequency for widespread use so that our environment and the
next generations can be protected from hazardous effects.
Future study recommendation
Very few studies have been done on the effects of
millimetre waves on humans. Clinical trials on a large population and
for longer duration are required to establish the safety of millimetre
waves before the 5G network
roll out all over the world. The effect of other environmental toxic
stimuli should be considered while studying the effect of MMW. Other
factors that affect the absorption of MMW, such as the shadowing effect,
reflection from surrounding tissues, angle of a screen of a device,
thickness of skin and the water content of the skin should be
considered.
Introduction of the fifth-generation wireless networks (5G) will
increase the number of 5G base stations and 5G-enabled devices. This
review sought to find the answer to the key question: can such devices
be harmful? The review covers scientific data published from 2009 to
2022 and available at eLibrary, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cyberleninka. We
investigated the problems of definition, regulation, accumulation of
data on 5G networks, and summarized the papers reporting how
electromagnetic fields in 5G frequency bands affect adults and children.
Despite the large amount of contradictory data, the available studies
do not provide adequate information that could enable a meaningful
assessment of the safety of 5G networks.
--
Where is your smartphone? An unusual mass within the tensor fasciae latae muscle Minoretti P, Lahmar A, Emanuele E. Where is your smartphone? An unusual mass within the tensor fasciae latae muscle. Radiol Case Rep. 2023;18(11):3984-3987. Published 2023 Aug 31. doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2023.08.079 Abstract We report a case of a 40-year-old Italian man presenting with an intramuscular schwannoma in his left thigh, which coincided with the area where he habitually stored his smartphone (front left trouser pocket). An ultrasound examination revealed a well-defined, encapsulated, hypoechoic lesion (41 × 15 × 28 mm) within the muscle, showing multiple small foci of vascularity on color Doppler. Elastographic analysis indicated a deformability score of 2, with some areas of stiffness. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of a spindle-shaped mass in the tensor fasciae latae muscle, with varying enhancement after contrast administration. Notably, the location of the intramuscular mass closely corresponded to the placement of the phone's SIM card. While we cannot establish a definitive causal relationship between the patient's smartphone storage habit and the development of the intramuscular schwannoma, we speculate that the habitual storage location may have potentially acted as a risk or predisposing factor. This case underscores the need for further research on the potential health risks associated with smartphone storage habits, considering their widespread prevalence in today's society.
Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043323005927?via%3Dihub -- In vitro exposure of neuronal networks to the 5G-3.5 GHz signal Canovi A, Orlacchio R, Poulletier de Gannes F, et al. In vitro exposure of neuronal networks to the 5G-3.5 GHz signal. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1231360. Published 2023 Aug 7. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1231360 Abstract
Introduction: The current deployment of the fifth generation (5G) of wireless communications raises new questions about the potential health effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields. So far, most of the established biological effects of RF have been known to be caused by heating. We previously reported inhibition of the spontaneous electrical activity of neuronal networks in vitro when exposed to 1.8 GHz signals at specific absorption rates (SAR) well above the guidelines. The present study aimed to assess the effects of RF fields at 3.5 GHz, one of the frequencies related to 5G, on neuronal activity in-vitro. Potential differences in the effects elicited by continuous-wave (CW) and 5G-modulated signals were also investigated.
Methods: Spontaneous activity of neuronal cultures from embryonic cortices was recorded using 60-electrode multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) between 17 and 27 days in vitro. The neuronal cultures were subjected to 15 min RF exposures at SAR of 1, 3, and 28 W/kg.
Results: At SAR close to the guidelines (1 and 3 W/kg), we found no conclusive evidence that 3.5 GHz RF exposure impacts the activity of neurons in vitro. On the contrary, CW and 5G-modulated signals elicited a clear decrease in bursting and total firing rates during RF exposure at high SAR levels (28 W/kg). Our experimental findings extend our previous results, showing that RF, at 1.8 to 3.5 GHz, inhibits the electrical activity of neurons in vitro at levels above environmental standards. Excerpts Dissociated primary cortical neurons were isolated from the cortex of embryonic (E18–E19) Sprague–Dawley rats (Janvier-Labs, Saint-Berthevin, France) as described in Moretti et al. (7) .... The RF generation unit was located outside the incubator (Figure 1A) and consisted of (i) an RF signal generator (SMBV100A, Rohde & Schwarz) used to generate either CW or 5G-modulated signal at 3.5 GHz, ... The 3.5 GHz 5G signal used corresponds to 5G NR (release 15, Digital Standards SMBVB-K444, Rohde & Schwarz) with FDD duplexing, QPSK modulation and 100 MHz channel bandwidth. The signal was led to the TEM cell through a 1.5 m coaxial precision test cable (CBL-1.5 m-SMNM+, Mini-circuits, United States; 1.2 dB insertion loss at 3.5 GHz) and SMA connectors.... In conclusion, we have given here experimental evidence that RF exposure of cultured cortical neurons at 3.5 GHz CW or 5G-modulated signals at 28 W/kg induces a decrease in total firing and bursting activities. The threshold for such inhibitory effect exceeds the maximal SAR recommended by ICNIRP for human exposure (1). Considering the studies mentioned above, we may hypothesize that the rate of the temperature rise plays an important role in eliciting specific cellular responses. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of temperature rate and thus investigate the mechanism underlying these observations. Open access paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1231360/full --
Misinterpretations in inferences on the causal contribution
of cell phones to brain tumour incidence in South Korea: Response to
Moon (2023)
de Vocht F. Misinterpretations in inferences on the causal contribution
of cell phones to brain tumour incidence in South Korea: Response to
Moon (2023). Environ Res. 2023 Aug 3;236(Pt 2):116813. doi:
10.1016/j.envres.2023.116813.
No abstract https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37543132/ --
Safety Assessment and Uncertainty Quantification of Electromagnetic Radiation from Mobile Phones to the Human Head
Yi M, Wu B, Zhao Y, Su T, Chi Y.
Safety Assessment and Uncertainty Quantification of Electromagnetic Radiation from Mobile Phones to the Human Head. Applied Sciences. 2023; 13(14):8107.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148107. Abstract
With the rapid development of the mobile communication technology, the
design of mobile phones has become more complex, and research on the
electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones that reaches the human head
has become important. Therefore, first of all, a model of mobile phone
daily use was established. Then, based on the established simulation
model, the safety of human head exposure to mobile phones was evaluated.
The generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) method was used to establish a
proxy model of the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the human head at
different frequencies to perform a parameter uncertainty quantification
(UQ). Finally, the Sobol method was used to quantify the influence of
relevant variables on the SAR. The simulation results showed that the
gPC method can save time and cost while ensuring accuracy, and the SAR
value is greatly influenced by the electromagnetic materials of the
mobile phone shell. Combined with the above analysis, this paper can
provide reasonable suggestions for the design of mobile phone
electromagnetic materials. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8107 -- An Exposimetric Electromagnetic Comparison of Mobile Phone Emissions: 5G
versus 4G Signals Analyses by Means of Statistics and Convolutional
Neural Networks Classification
Miclaus S, Deaconescu DB, Vatamanu D, Buda AM.
An Exposimetric Electromagnetic Comparison of Mobile Phone Emissions: 5G
versus 4G Signals Analyses by Means of Statistics and Convolutional
Neural Networks Classification. Technologies. 2023; 11(5):113.
doi:10.3390/technologies11050113.
Abstract
To gain a deeper understanding of the hotly
contested topic of the non-thermal biological effects of microwaves, new
metrics and methodologies need to be adopted. The direction proposed in
the current work, which includes peak exposure analysis and not just
time-averaged analysis, aligns well with this objective. The proposed
methodology is not intended to facilitate a comparison of the general
characteristics between 4G and 5G mobile communication signals. Instead,
its purpose is to provide a means for analyzing specific real-life
exposure conditions that may vary based on multiple parameters. A
differentiation based on amplitude-time features of the 4G versus 5G
signals is followed, with the aim of describing the peculiarities of a
user's exposure when he runs four types of mobile applications on his
mobile phone on either of the two mobile networks. To achieve the goals,
we used signal and spectrum analyzers with adequate real-time analysis
bandwidths and statistical descriptions provided by the amplitude
probability density (APD) function, the complementary cumulative
distribution function (CCDF), channel power measurements, and recorded
spectrogram databases. We compared the exposimetric descriptors of
emissions specific to file download, file upload, Internet video
streaming, and video call usage in both 4G and 5G networks based on the
specific modulation and coding schemes. The highest and lowest electric
field strengths measured in the air at a 10 cm distance from the phone
during emissions are indicated. The power distribution functions with
the highest prevalence are highlighted and commented on. Afterwards, the
capability of a convolutional neural network that belongs to the family
of single-shot detectors is proven to recognize and classify the
emissions with a very high degree of accuracy, enabling traceability of
the dynamics of human exposure. Excerpts Signals with high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPRs) can produce stronger electric (E)-fields in certain tissues, potentially leading to higher levels of energy absorption and increased biological effects [35]. PAPR is a measure of the amplitude variations in a signal, and it describes how much higher the peak power of a signal is compared to its average power. Signals with high PAPRs can have sharp peaks and rapid changes in amplitude, which can lead to the creation of stronger electric fields in certain tissues, such as those with high conductivity. There, the E-field generated by the signal can be much stronger than the average power would suggest. This increased E-field strength can potentially lead to increased energy absorption in these tissues, which can have biological effects [36]. It is important to note, however, that the potential biological effects of 4G and 5G signals are still the subject of ongoing research [10,37,38,39,40], and the current scientific consensus is that the levels of exposure from 5G signals are well below the safety limits set by international organizations. The
emitting phones used in the work were: (a) the iphone 14pro (model A
2890, Apple, Zhengzhou, China)—for 4G emissions; (b) the iphone 13
(model A2633, Apple, Zhengzhou, China)—for 5G-FR1 emissions....
The central frequency of the 4G uplink signal was f1 = 1.75 GHz with a
bandwidth of 20 MHz, while in 5G it was f2 = 3.58 GHz with a bandwidth
of 100 MHz.
Conclusions In
this present work, we aim to quantify the time variability of emissions
in the proximity of a mobile phone connected to either a 4G or a 5G-FR1
network when using four different mobile applications. The central
objective was to provide knowledge on human exposure dynamics that
completes the dosimetric studies necessary to describe the potential
biological effects. The main contribution of
this study to current knowledge belongs to the topics of the effects of
EMF exposure on humans that are not limited to induced heating, while
non-thermal effects remain subjects of debate and investigation. To gain
a deeper understanding of this aspect, new metrics and methodologies
need to be adopted. The direction proposed in this work, which includes
peak exposure analysis and not just time-averaged analysis, aligns well
with this goal. A supplementary benefit is the
possibility to discern between exposure dynamics corresponding to one
specific mobile application based on the capability of a real-time
detection algorithm to successfully classify the emission type. The
proposed methodology is not intended to facilitate a comparison of the
general characteristics between 4G and 5G signals. Instead, its purpose
is to provide a means for analyzing specific real-life exposure
conditions that may vary based on multiple parameters. Synthetically, our results showed that:
Electric
field strengths in the air at 10 cm from the phone were higher for
5G-FR1 emissions than for 4G, on average by 60%. None of the values
exceeded human health and safety levels. The highest difference between
technologies corresponded to Internet video streaming emissions, where
5G field strength was three times higher than 4G.
4G
and 5G-FR1 amplitude probability density distributions differ; 4G
traces depend much more on the type of mobile application used, while 5G
traces are more similar one to another and more independent of the
mobile application. The same probability range of power level
distribution was covered by a larger window of power values in 5G than
in 4G.
Crest factors were higher for
5G-FR1 emissions than for 4G emissions; the highest difference (almost
double) evolved during file download applications, while the lowest
difference was observed during Internet video streaming.
The
prevalence of the highest power levels (superior tail emissions)
appeared much more frequent for 5G-FR1 emissions than for 4G, and a
difference of as much as 9.5 dB over mean power was encountered in 5G
versus 4G emissions.
The recorded
spectrograms emphasized peculiarities that have been excellently
captured and valorized by the YOLO v7 deep learning algorithm.
Practically, excellent recognition and classification rates were
obtained for each technology and each category of mobile application
with a minimum of training.
Overall,
the contribution of the present approach consists in the provision of
an exposimetric tool that underlines the differences in amplitude-time
profiling of a user's exposure when running various applications on the
mobile phone in two different mobile communication technologies. Due to
the limitations of the methodology employed, the data presented cannot
be considered to be of total generality. However, realistic exposure and
time-variability analysis need further investigation in varied
situations. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7080/11/5/113 --
Comparison of ambient radiofrequency
electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) levels in outdoor areas and public
transport in Switzerland in 2014 and 2021
Loizeau N, Zahner M, Schindler J, Stephan C, Fröhlich J, Gugler M,
Ziegler T, Röösli M. Comparison of ambient radiofrequency
electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) levels in outdoor areas and public
transport in Switzerland in 2014 and 2021. Environ Res. 2023 Aug
19;237(Pt 1):116921. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116921. Abstract
Mobile communication technology has evolved rapidly over the last ten
years with a drastic increase in wireless data traffic and the
deployment of new telecommunication technologies. The aim of this study
was to evaluate the ambient radiofrequency electromagnetic field
(RF-EMF) levels and temporal changes in various microenvironments in
Switzerland in 2014 and 2021. We measured the ambient RF-EMF levels in
V/m in the same 49 outdoor areas and in public transport in 2014 and
2021 using portable RF-EMF exposure meters carried in a backpack. The
areas were selected to represent some typical types of microenvironments
(e.g. urban city centres, suburban and rural areas). We calculated the
summary statistics (mean, percentiles) in mW/m2 and converted
back to V/m for each microenvironment. We evaluated the distribution
and the variability of the ambient RF-EMF levels per microenvironment
types in 2021. Finally, we compared the ambient RF-EMF mean levels in
2014 and 2021 using multilevel regression modelling. In outdoor areas,
the average ambient RF-EMF mean levels per microenvironment in 2021
ranged from 0.19 V/m in rural areas to 0.43 V/m in industrial areas
(overall mean: 0.27 V/m). In public transports, the mean levels were
0.27 V/m in buses, 0.33 V/m in trains and 0.36 V/m in trams. In 2021,
mean levels across all outdoor areas were -0.022 V/m lower (95%
confidence interval: -0.072, 0.030) than in 2014. Results from our
comprehensive measurement study across Switzerland suggest that RF-EMF
levels in public places have not significantly changed between 2014 and
2021 despite an 18-fold increase in mobile data transmission during that
period. The absence of temporal changes may be owed to the shift to
newer mobile communication technologies, which are more efficient.
Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123017255?via%3Dihub --
Occupational Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields-Different from
General Public Exposure and Laboratory Studies
Hansson Mild K, Mattsson MO, Jeschke P, Israel M, Ivanova M, Shalamanova
T. Occupational Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields-Different from
General Public Exposure and Laboratory Studies. Int J Environ Res Public
Health. 2023 Aug 9;20(16):6552. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20166552. Abstract
The designs of in vivo, in vitro and in silico studies do not
adequately reflect the characteristics of long-term occupational EMF
exposure; the higher exposure levels permitted for employees are
nevertheless extrapolated on this basis. Epidemiological studies
consider occupational exposure only in a very general way, if at all.
There is a lack of detailed descriptive data on long-term occupational
exposure over the duration of the working life. Most studies reflect
exposure characteristics of the general population, exposures which are
long-term, but at a comparably low level. Occupational exposure is often
intermittent with high peak power followed by periods with no exposure.
Furthermore, the EU EMF-Directive 2013/35/EU states a demand for
occupational health surveillance, the outcome of which would be of great
help to epidemiologists studying the health effects of EMF exposure.
This paper thus aims to outline and specify differences between public
and occupational exposure and to increase the understanding of specific
aspects of occupational exposure which are important for long-term
health considerations. This could lead to a future protection concept
against possible hazards based on adequate descriptions of long-term
exposures and also include supplementary descriptive features such as a
"reset time" of biological systems and accurate dose quantities.
Conclusions Knowledge about the possible effects of EMF on occupational safety and health is primarily obtained from research on general public exposure conditions. Thus, experts on occupational safety and health in competent authorities may from time to time face relevant questions where answers are not based on a satisfactory knowledge fundament.
The purpose of writing this article has been to provide arguments why science needs study designs which differentiate clearly between both the general public and the workers' domain. To facilitate such a process, exposure patterns of both domains were introduced and evaluated, followed by physical and biological explanations referring to time-related exposure quantities for non-ionizing radiation protection. There are many observed, and potentially relevant, biological effects noted after exposures to both electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields, where findings related to oxidative stress mechanisms have received particular attention [57,58]. Such findings have raised the awareness for time-related constants on the molecular and cellular levels of biological systems. However, it remains to be seen if biological effects on such a "micro" level will result in manifested health effects on a "macro" level organism. To monitor those health effects, workers need to be subjected to continuous health surveillance. And another question must be considered: which adequate genetic, blood, or, e.g., MRI or other diagnostic markers are most appropriate to be included in such a surveillance?
To tackle the above research aspects and questions as well as to promote further research into EMF at the workplace, researchers need sufficient funding and international collaboration. What is required is a new research framework with an emphasis on occupational EMF exposure at the scale of the Horizon Europe projects to spark basic and applied research with a broad focus on frequency ranges and EMF sources, exposure characteristics, as well as interaction and repair mechanisms on micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Let us get started. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/16/6552 --
A Survey on EMF-Aware Mobile Network Planning
Faye S, et al. A Survey on EMF-Aware Mobile Network Planning. IEEE Access, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3297098. Abstract Considering electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from the radio
frequency (RF) domain has always been critical in deploying new cellular
network technologies. European countries implement strict limits to
ensure that a radiating element such as a cellular antenna cannot exceed
a certain threshold in the vicinity of urban or densely populated
areas. Before 5G, these limits could easily be managed with calculation
methods during the network planning phase, i.e., before the physical
installation of antennas. These previous-generation transmitters act
statically, and it is usually simple to respect EMF limit values while
ensuring adequate quality performance for end-users. Current active
antenna systems benefit from Massive MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple
Output) technologies with precise beamforming and Time Division Duplex
(TDD). These technologies employed by 5G enable antennas to behave
dynamically in time and space, depending on the distribution of users
and the applications targeted. This new dynamic behaviour, together with
larger antenna arrays, makes the estimation of RF-EMFs more complex,
leading to overestimations. The only solution to lower RF-EMFs and make
an installation compliant is to lower the output power, which
potentially limits the performance of current 5G networks. In the
future, as new frequencies and multiple deployment points emerge, this
exposure overestimation, associated to strict regulations, could
drastically restrict or even prevent the deployment of new communication
technologies. This survey provides an overview of this broad area,
looking at the global and European regulatory frameworks and then taking
the case of Luxembourg, which has lower limits than most EU countries.
It then references the main EMF exposure estimation methods available in
the literature applied for 4G and prior generations before focusing on
potential and not yet standardised approaches for 5G. The perspective is
then changed to discuss the issues related to network planning and the
interest in using optimisation approaches. Finally, the survey concludes
by summarising the gaps and opportunities related to EMF-aware network
planning solutions.
Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10215090 --
Measurement and risk perception of
non-ionizing radiation from base transceiver stations in Dhaka City of
Bangladesh
Islam MS, Pal A, Noor MS, Sazzad IU. Measurement and risk perception of
non-ionizing radiation from base transceiver stations in Dhaka City of
Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess. 2023 Sep 12;195(10):1190. doi:
10.1007/s10661-023-11812-7. Abstract
Multiple harmful health effects can have on the population from
non-ionizing radiation (NIR) sources. To date, there has been no
extensive data collection about NIR emitted from base transceiver
stations in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. This study aims to remedy that by
collecting data and comparing the processed data to the international
standards, International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
(ICNIRP) guidelines, and standards of other countries. For this,
measurement data were collected from 361 different publicly accessible
locations in Dhaka City applying a convenience sampling approach. The
measured average electric field exceeded the 1800 MHz threshold values
of 36.84, 33.5, and 7.5% of the time compared with the thresholds of
China, India, and Japan, respectively, followed by the measured average
electromagnetic field values, which were 57, 52, and 29%, respectively.
No exceedance was seen for radiofrequency power flux for the
investigated countries. Approximately 35% of the calculated average
specific energy absorption rate values exceeded the ICNIRP recommended
public exposure limit of 0.08 W/kg. Based on this data, it is suggested
that detailed NIR exposure regulations need to be created and proper
oversight and enforcement over operators are required to avoid potential
health effects.
Open access paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10661-023-11812-7 --
Community engagement programs on radiation and
health: addressing public concerns
Brzozek C, Karipidis K. Community engagement programs on radiation and
health: addressing public concerns. Public Health Res Pract. 2023 Sep
13;33(3):3332325. doi: 10.17061/phrpp3332325. Abstract
Objective: Due to the negative connotations around radiation, there is a great deal of angst in the community regarding radiation exposure and health; especially electromagnetic radiation (EMR) sources such as powerlines, mobile phone towers and the rollout of the 5G network. As such, it is important for health authorities to provide the public with information and assurances regarding radiation safety. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) set up community engagement programs to address community concerns. Type of program or service: From 2003 until April 2022, ARPANSA operated a Health Complaints Register, which collected reports of health complaints from members of the public related to possible EMR exposures.
Methods: Collected data was used to produce annual statistical summaries on the nature and level of complaints received. Since 2016, ARPANSA has also run the Talk to a Scientist program, which allows the public to communicate directly with scientists on issues about radiation exposure, health and protection in Australia. Data is collected on the type of radiation and radiation source.
Results: There was a low level of interest in the Register, with only 180 reports received over the duration of its operation. Smart meters were the most common source of EMR exposure reported to be responsible for adverse health effects. The most common adverse health effect reported was headaches. The Register was closed in April 2022 due to a lack of interest. In contrast, the Talk to a Scientist program has responded to 6546 enquiries since 2016, most of which have been on EMR sources and the success of the Talk to a Scientist program, which rendered the Register obsolete.
Lessons learnt: The EMR Health Complaints Register never received much interest from the public, potentially due to a perceived lack of engagement with authorities. The Talk to a Scientist program, which facilitated direct interaction with subject matter experts, has been much more successful in engaging with the public and addressing community concerns on radiation safety.
Conflict of interest statement
As part of their employment at ARPANSA, KK and CB are involved in providing advice to the Australian Government, Australian states and territories and the general public on the effects and risks of exposure to ionising and non-ionising radiation. KK is a member of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, an independent body that sets guidelines for non-ionising radition protection and contributes to developing and disseminating science-based advice on limiting exposure to non-ionising radiation. Open access paper: https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/september-2023-volume-33-issue-3/community-engagement-programs-on-radiation-and-health-addressing-public-concerns/ --
Computational
modeling of the variation of the transmembrane potential of the
endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier subject to an external
electric field Sehati M, Rafii-Tabar H, Sasanpour P. Computational modeling of the variation of the transmembrane potential of the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier subject to an external electric field. 2023. Biomed Phys Eng Express. 2023;10.1088/2057-1976/acf937. doi:10.1088/2057-1976/acf937. Abstract
The electromechanical properties of the membrane of endothelial cells forming the blood-brain barrier play a vital role in the function of this barrier. The mechanical effect exerted by external electric fields on the membrane could change its electrical properties. In this study the effect of extremely low frequency (ELF) external electric fields on the electrical activity of these cells has been studied by considering the mechanical effect of these fields on the capacitance of the membrane. The effect of time-dependent capacitance of the membrane is incorporated in the current components of the parallel conductance model for the electrical activity of the cells. The results show that the application of ELF electric fields induces hyperpolarization, having an indirect effect on the release of nitric oxide from the endothelial cell and the polymerization of actin filaments. Accordingly, this could play an important role in the permeability of the barrier. Our finding can have possible consequences in the field of drug delivery into the central nervous system. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37703844/ -- Quantitative proteomics reveals effects of environmental
radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on embryonic neural stem cells An G, Jing Y, Zhao T, Zhang W, Guo L, Guo J, Miao X, Xing J, Li J, Liu
J, Ding G. Quantitative proteomics reveals effects of environmental
radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on embryonic neural stem cells.
Electromagn Biol Med. 2023 Aug 7:1-10. doi:
10.1080/15368378.2023.2243980. Abstract
The effects of environmental radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
(RF-EMF) on embryonic neural stem cells have not been determined,
particularly at the proteomic level. This study aims to elucidate the
effects of environmental levels of RF-EMF radiation on embryonic neural
stem cells. Neuroectodermal stem cells (NE-4C cells) were randomly
divided into a sham group and an RF group, which were sham-exposed and
continuously exposed to a 1950 MHz RF-EMF at 2 W/kg for 48 h. After
exposure, cell proliferation was determined by a Cell Counting Kit-8
(CCK8) assay, the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were measured by
flow cytometry, protein abundance was detected by liquid
chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and mRNA expression
was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain
reaction (qRT-PCR). We did not detect differences in cell proliferation,
cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis between the two groups. However,
we detected differences in the abundance of 23 proteins between the two
groups, and some of these differences were consistent with alterations
in transcript levels determined by qRT-PCR (P < 0.05). A
bioinformatics analysis indicated that the differentially regulated
proteins were mainly enriched in 'localization' in the cellular process
category; however, no significant pathway alterations in NE-4C cells
were detected. We conclude that under the experimental conditions,
low-level RF-EMF exposure was not neurotoxic but could induce minor
changes in the abundance of some proteins involved in neurodevelopment
or brain function.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37549098/ -- Impact of weak radiofrequency and static magnetic fields on key signaling molecules, intracellular pH, membrane potential, and cell growth in HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells
Gurhan H, Barnes F. Impact of weak radiofrequency and static magnetic fields on key signaling molecules, intracellular pH, membrane potential, and cell growth in HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):14223. Published 2023 Aug 30. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-41167-5
Abstract
There are substantial concerns that extended exposures to weak radiofrequency (RF) fields can lead to adverse health effects. In this study, HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells were simultaneously exposed to a static magnetic flux density between 10 μT and 300 μT and RF magnetic fields with amplitudes ranging from 1 nT to 1.5 μT in the frequency range from 1.8 to 7.2 MHz for four days. Cell growth rates, intracellular pH, hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, membrane potential and mitochondrial calcium were measured. Results were dependent on carrier frequency and the magnitude of the RF magnetic field, modulation frequencies and the background static magnetic field (SMF). Iron sulphur (Fe-S) clusters are essential for the generation of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). We believe the observed changes are associated with hyperfine couplings between the chemically active electrons and nuclear spins. Controlling external magnetic fields may have important clinical implications on aging, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.
Open access paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-41167-5 -- Metformin Ameliorates 2.856 GHz
Microwave-Radiation-Induced Reproductive Impairments in Male Rats via
Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis
Men J, Zhang L, Peng R, Li Y, Li M, Wang H, Zhao L, Zhang J, Wang H, Xu
X, Dong J, Wang J, Yao B, Guo J. Metformin Ameliorates 2.856 GHz
Microwave- Radiation-Induced Reproductive Impairments in Male Rats via
Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul
31;24(15):12250. doi: 10.3390/ijms241512250.
Abstract
The reproductive system has been increasingly implicated as a sensitive
target of microwave radiation. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in
microwave radiation -induced reproductive damage, though precise
mechanisms are obscure. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic drug, has
emerged as an efficient antioxidant against a variety of oxidative
injuries. In the present study, we hypothesized that metformin can
function as an antioxidant and protect the reproductive system from
microwave radiation. To test this hypothesis, rats were exposed to 2.856
GHz microwave radiation for 6 weeks to simulate real-life exposure to
high-frequency microwave radiation. Our results showed that exposure to
2.856 GHz microwave radiation elicited serum hormone disorder, decreased
sperm motility, and depleted sperm energy, and it induced abnormalities
of testicular structure as well as mitochondrial impairment. Metformin
was found to effectively protect the reproductive system against
structural and functional impairments caused by microwave radiation. In
particular, metformin can ameliorate microwave-radiation-induced
oxidative injury and mitigate apoptosis in the testis, as determined by
glutathione/-oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), lipid peroxidation, and
protein expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). These findings
demonstrated that exposure to 2.856 GHz microwave radiation induces
obvious structural and functional impairments of the male reproductive
system, and suggested that metformin can function as a promising
antioxidant to inhibit microwave-radiation-induced harmful effects by
inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Excerpts ... the SAR value of 30 mW/cm2 microwave radiation to testicular tissue in this experiment was 34.2 W/kg, and the whole-body average SAR value for rats was 10.17 W/kg.... Metformin not only acts as a free radical scavenger to reduce free radical production, but also reduces radiation-induced apoptosis [65]. In the reproductive system, metformin has been shown to reduce germ-cell-specific oxidative-stress-induced apoptosis that improves sperm quality after testicular damage [31]. Moreover, many studies have shown that microwave radiation induces free radical formation and excessive ROS accumulation in testicular tissue, causing activation of apoptosis [24,66,67]. In the present study, we used Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 to detect apoptosis in testicular tissues. The results revealed that the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the expression of the cleaved caspase-3 were increased by 2.856 GHz microwave radiation exposure, and the increases were inhibited by metformin, indicating an important role for metformin against microwave-radiation-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that exposure to 2.856 GHz microwave radiation for 6 weeks caused obvious structural and functional impairments in the reproductive system and that rats still had not fully recovered from reproductive damage 28 days after radiation exposure, but that metformin protected against reproductive impairments, at least in part by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. The mechanisms and sensitive targets need to be further elucidated by sequencing, knockdown, or overexpression experiments. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12250 --
Effect of WiFi signal exposure in utero and early life on
neurodevelopment and behaviors of rats
Wu H, Min D, Sun B, Ma Y, Chen H, Wu J, Ren P, Wu J, Cao Y, Zhao B, Wang
P. Effect of WiFi signal exposure in utero and early life on
neurodevelopment and behaviors of rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023
Aug 10. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-29159-4. Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the long-term effects of
prenatal and early-life WIFI signal exposure on neurodevelopment and
behaviors as well as biochemical alterations of Wistar rats. On the
first day of pregnancy (E0), expectant rats were allocated into two
groups: the control group (n = 12) and the WiFi-exposed group (WiFi
group, n = 12). WiFi group was exposed to turn on WiFi for 24 h/day from
E0 to postnatal day (PND) 42. The control group was exposed to turn-off
WiFi at the same time. On PND7-42, we evaluated the development and
behavior of the offspring, including body weight, pain threshold, and
swimming ability, spatial learning, and memory among others. Also,
levels of proteins involved in apoptosis were analyzed histologically in
the hippocampus in response to oxidative stress. The results showed
that WiFi signal exposure in utero and early life (1) increased the body
weight of WiFi + M (WiFi + male) group; (2) no change in
neuro-behavioral development was observed in WiFi group; (3) increased
learning and memory function in WiFi + M group; (4) enhanced comparative
levels of BDNF and p-CREB proteins in the hippocampus of WiFi + M
group; (5) no neuronal loss or degeneration was detected, and neuronal
numbers in hippocampal CA1 were no evidently differences in each group;
(6) no change in the apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-3 and Bax)
levels; and (7) no difference in GSH-PX and SOD activities in the
hippocampus. Prenatal WiFi exposure has no effects on hippocampal CA1
neurons, oxidative equilibrium in brain, and neurodevelopment of rats.
Some effects of prenatal WiFi exposure are sex dependent. Prenatal WiFi
exposure increased the body weight, improved the spatial memory and
learning function, and induced behavioral hyperactivity of male rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37561300/ Excerpt
On E0, the gravid rats were separated into 2 groups: the control group (n = 12) and the WiFi-exposed group (WiFi group, n = 12).
Separate housing was provided for every pregnant rat. WiFi group was
exposed to turn on WiFi for 24 h/day for 9 weeks. The control group was
exposed to turn-off WiFi for the same time. WiFi device was (802-16e
2005 WiMAX Indoor CPE antennae, model number: WIXFMM-130, China) with a
frequency of 2450 MHz (2.45 GHz). The duration of radiation was 24 h/day
in a 30-cm distance from the antenna to the cages. We test the average
electric field intensity is 2.1 V/m, the average power density is
82.32 mV/m2, average magnetic field intensity is 14.31 mA/m,
and there are no differences between the inside and outside of the
plastic cage.
--
A primary study on rat fetal
development and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels under the
control of electromagnetic fields
DastAmooz S, Broujeni ST, Sarahian N. A primary study on rat fetal
development and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels under the
control of electromagnetic fields. J Public Health Afr. 2023 Apr
19;14(6):2347. doi: 10.4081/jphia.2023.2347.
Abstract
BackgroundIn previous researches, electromagnetic fields have been shown to adversely affect the behavior and biology of humans and animals; however, body growth and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were not evaluated.
ObjectiveThe original investigation aimed to examine whether Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) exposure had adverse effects on spatial learning and motor function in rats and if physical activity could diminish the damaging effects of EMF exposure. In this study, we measured anthropometric measurements and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in pregnant rats' offspring to determine if Wi-Fi EMF also affected their growth. These data we report for the first time in this publication.
MethodsTwenty Albino-Wistar pregnant rats were divided randomly into EMF and control (CON) groups, and after delivery, 12 male fetuses were randomly selected. For assessing the body growth change of offspring beginning at delivery, then at 21 postnatal days, and finally at 56 post-natal days, the crown-rump length of the body was assessed using a digital caliper. Examining BDNF factor levels, an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA kit was taken. Bodyweight was recorded by digital scale.
ResultsOutcomes of the anthropometric measurements demonstrated that EMF blocked body growth in rats exposed to EMF. The results of the BDNF test illustrated that the BDNF in the EMF liter group was remarkably decreased compared to the CON group. The results indicate that EMF exposure could affect BDNF levels and harm body growth in pregnant rats' offspring.
ConclusionsThe results suggest that EMF exposure could affect BDNF levels and impair body growth in pregnant rats' offspring. Open access paper:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10395370/ --
In-vivo measurement of radio frequency electric
fields in mice brain
Yaghmazadeh O, Schoenhardt S, Sarabandi A, Sabet A, Sabet K, Safari F,
Alon L, Buzsáki G. In-vivo measurement of radio frequency electric
fields in mice brain. Biosens Bioelectron X. 2023 Sep;14:100328. doi:
10.1016/j.biosx.2023.100328. Abstract
With the development of novel technologies, radio frequency (RF)
energy exposure is expanding at various wavelengths and power levels.
These developments necessitate updated approaches of RF measurements in
complex environments, particularly in live biological tissue. Accurate
dosimetry of the absorbed RF electric fields (E-Fields) by the live
tissue is the keystone of environmental health considerations for this
type of ever-growing non-ionizing radiation energy. In this study, we
introduce a technique for direct in-vivo measurement of electric fields
in living tissue. Proof of principle in-vivo electric field measurements
were conducted in rodent brains using Bismuth Silicon Oxide (BSO)
crystals exposed to varying levels of RF energy. Electric field
measurements were calibrated and verified using in-vivo temperature
measurements using optical temperature fibers alongside electromagnetic
field simulations of a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37649960/ -- Do electromagnetic fields used in telecommunications affect wild plant species? A control impact study conducted in the field Czerwiński M, Vian A, Woodcock BA, Goliński P, Recuero Virto L, Januszkiewicz T. Do electromagnetic fields used in telecommunications affect wild plant species? A control impact study conducted in the field. Ecological Indicators. Volume 150, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110267. Highlights
Existing studies on RF-EMF effects focus on laboratory short-time exposed crop plants.
We study 10 wild taxa under field conditions from seed germination to plant maturity.
Inter-specific variation in RF-EMF effects on plant morphology was observed.
The strongest RF-EMF effects occurred for Trifolium arvense. [Hare's foot clover]
Future studies should focus on keystone Trifolium species in grassland ecosystems.Abstract
Over the last three decades there has been an unprecedented increase in both the coverage of wireless communication networks and the resultant radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure level. There is growing concern that this rapid environmental change may have unexpected consequences for living organisms. Existing research on plants has shown that RF-EMF radiation can affect their growth and development, gene expression and various metabolic activities. However, these findings are largely derived from short-time exposure of crop plants under laboratory conditions. It remains unclear to what extent plants are affected by artificial RF-EMFs in real ecosystems and what potential consequences this could have for ecosystems. This study attempts to assess these long-term effects of RF-EMF exposure on wild plants under controlled experimental field conditions. We investigated the impacts of RF-EMF exposure (866–868 MHz frequency band) from seed germination to maturation for ten common herbaceous plant species over a four-month period. The selected plant species belong to various families and have different functional and morphological traits that might affect a response to the applied RF-EMF. For most of the considered species responses to RF-EMF were undetectable or weak, and where present restricted to a single trait. Only for one species, Trifolium arvense, were effects observed at different plant development stages and for different plant characteristics. In this species RF-EMF stimulated growth and probably influenced leaf heliotropic movements, as indicated by a larger height, larger leaf area and altered leaf orientation one month after germination. However, over the growing season Trifolium arvense plants exposed to RF-EMF entered the phase of senescence earlier, which was manifested through a reduction of green leaf area and an increase in the area of discolored leaf. We conclude that the effects of RF-EMF exposure at environmentally relevant levels can be permanent and irreversible in plants growing in the open natural environment, however, these effects are restricted to specific species. This in turn suggests that future studies should examine whether the effects observed here occur also in more common Trifolium species or other legumes that are a keystone component within European grasslands. Our findings also show that Trifolium arvense could be a candidate indicator of man-made RF-EMFs in the environment.
Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23004090 -- Effect of extremely low-frequency
electromagnetic radiation on pregnancy outcome: A meta-analysis Zhou F, Ma C, Li Y, Zhang M, Liu W. The Effect of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Pregnancy Outcome: A Meta-Analysis. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2022; 7: 2326. Abstract
Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic radiation (ELF-EMF) are
generated by electrical devices and power systems (1 to 300 Hz).
Although several studies have demonstrated that ELF-EMF may be associated
with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, other studies
have shown no evidence of associations. This meta-analysis was conducted
to assess the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic
radiation on pregnancy outcomes. The following electronic bibliographic
databases were searched to identify relevant studies: PubMed, Web Of
Science, Cochrane library, Embase, EBSCO. In addition, the manual
retrieval of relevant references was conducted as a supplement. Select
all eligible studies published from Database construction library to
March 10, 2021. Search type for queue research on influence of
electromagnetic field radiation on pregnancy results. Data were screened
and extracted independently by two researchers. Review Manager 5.3
software was used for the meta-analysis. There was no significant
increase in the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects and
preterm delivery in the pregnant women who lived near the
electromagnetic fields compared with the control group. Conclusions: No
correlation has been found between maternal ELF-EMF exposure and
miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal birth defects and preterm delivery,
while the effects on small gestational age and low birth weight are
still uncertain. Related research with high-quality large samples and
different regions are still needed for further verification.
Open access paper: https://www.anncaserep.com/abstract.php?aid=9338 --
Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure and
Childhood Leukemia: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Guo H, Kang L, Qin W, Li Y. Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure and
Childhood Leukemia: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Altern Ther
Health Med. 2023 Sep 8:AT9251. Abstract Objective: Leukemia is the most prevalent cancer among children and adolescents. This study investigated the potential association between exposure to magnetic fields and the risk of pediatric leukemia.
Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases, including Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Medline, up to December 15, 2022, to identify relevant studies examining the link between childhood leukemia and magnetic field exposure.
Results: The first meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant inverse association between pediatric leukemia and magnetic field strengths ranging from 0.4 μT to 0.2 μT, suggesting a reduced risk associated with this range. The second meta-analysis focused on wiring configuration codes and observed a potential link between residential magnetic field exposure and childhood leukemia. Pooled relative risk estimates were 1.52 (95% CI = 1.05-2.04, P = .021) and 1.58 (95% CI = 1.15-2.23, P = .006) for exposure to 24-hour magnetic field measurements, suggesting a possible causal relationship. In the third meta-analysis, the odds ratios for the exposure groups of 0.1 to 0.2 μT, 0.2 to 0.3 μT, 0.3 to 0.4 μT, and 0.4 μT above 0.2 μT were 1.09 (95% confidence interval = 0.82 to 1.43 μT), 1.14 (95% confidence interval = 0.68 to 1.92 μT), and 1.45 (95% confidence interval = 0.87 to 2.37 μT), respectively. In contrast to the findings of the three meta-analyses, there was no evidence of a statistically significant connection between exposure to 0.2 μT and the risk of juvenile leukemia. A further result showed no discernible difference between the two groups of children who lived less than 100 meters from the source of magnetic fields and those who lived closer (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 0.98-1.73 μT).
Conclusions: The collective results of three meta-analyses, encompassing magnetic field strengths ranging from 0.1 μT to 2.38 μT, underscore a statistically significant association between the intensity of magnetic fields and the occurrence of childhood leukemia. However, one specific analysis concluded that no apparent relationship exists between exposure to 0.1 μT and an elevated risk of leukemia development in children. Open access paper: https://alternative-therapies.com/oa/index.html?fid=9251
--
Correlations between geomagnetic
field and global occurrence of cardiovascular diseases: evidence from
204 territories in different latitude
Chai Z, Wang Y, Li YM, Zhao ZG, Chen M. Correlations between geomagnetic
field and global occurrence of cardiovascular diseases: evidence from
204 territories in different latitude. BMC Public Health. 2023 Sep
11;23(1):1771. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16698-1. Abstract Background: The correlation between stable geomagnetic fields and unstable geomagnetic activities with mortality, incidence, and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains ambiguous.
Method: To investigate the correlations between geomagnetic field (GMF) intensity and geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) and CVDs events in global, long-period scale, global and 204 countries and territories were included on the base of 2019 Global Burden of Disease study (GBD 2019). Data of GMF intensity, GMD frequency, CVDs events, weather and health economic indicators from 1996 to 2019 of included locations were collected. Linear regression and panel data modelling were conducted to identify the correlations between GMF intensity and CVDs events, multi-factor panel data analysis was also generated to adjust the effect of confounding factors.
Results: For the average data during 1996-2019, linear regression model revealed consistent positive correlations between total GMF (tGMF) intensity and mortality of total CVDs [coef = 0.009, (0.006,0.011 95%CI)], whereas negative correlations were found between horizonal GMF (hGMF) intensity and total CVD mortality [coef = -0.010 (-0.013, -0.007 95%CI)]. When considering the time trend, panel data analysis still demonstrated positive correlation between tGMF and total CVDs mortality [coef = 0.009, (0.008,0.009 95%CI)]. Concurrently, the hGMF negatively correlated with total CVDs mortality [coef = -0.008, (-0.009, -0.007 95%CI)]. When the panel models were adjusted for confounding factors, no reverse of correlation tendency was found between tGMF, hGMF and CVDs events. In high-income territories, positive correlation was found between geomagnetic storm (GMS) frequency and mortality of total CVDs [coef = 14.007,(2.785, 25.229 95%CI)], however, this positive trend faded away gradually with the latitude decreasing from polar to equator.
Conclusions: Stable and long-term horizontal component of GMF may be beneficial to cardiac health. Unstable and short-term GMF called GMD could be a hazard to cardiac health. Our results suggest the importance of regular GMF in maintaining cardio-health state and the adverse impacts of GMD on cardiac health. Open access paper: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-16698-1 --
Influence of Electromagnetic Field with Frequency of 50 Hz in form of Doses on Selected Biochemical Markers of Honey Bee Plotnik M, Bieńkowski P, Berbeć E, Murawska A, Latarowski K, Migdał P. Influence of Electromagnetic Field with Frequency of 50 Hz in form of Doses on Selected Biochemical Markers of Honey Bee. Journal of Apicultural Science. 3923;67(1): 27-36. https://doi.org/10.2478/jas-2023-0003. Abstract The honey bee has a significant environmental and economic impact. While collectingfood or water, bees are exposed to negative physical and chemical factors that lead tophysiological and behavioral changes and, consequently, even death. Along with the development of technology and communication, electromagnetic fields produced by artificial emitters have begun to have an impact on the environment. The aim of the study was to check whether the electromagnetic field also impacts antioxidant enzymes functioning in the honey bee's organism. The study was conducted under laboratory conditions, and one-day and seven-day-old honey bee workers were used in the experiment. Honey bee workers were exposed to an electromagnetic field with a frequency of 50Hz and variable intensity in the range of 1-10 kV/m. Immediately after the end of the exposure, hemolymph was collected from the bees for biochemical analysis. The results of the research did not show clearly whether changes in the activity of biochemical markers were affected by the time spent in the electromagnetic field orits intensity but did show that there was a difference in physiology between one-day-old and seven-day-old bees.
Open access paper: https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/jas-2023-0003 -- No evidence for magnetic field effects on the behaviour of
Drosophila
Bassetto M, Reichl T, Kobylkov D, Kattnig DR, Winklhofer M, Hore PJ,
Mouritsen H. No evidence for magnetic field effects on the behaviour of
Drosophila. Nature. 2023 Aug 9. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06397-7.
Abstract
Migratory songbirds have the remarkable ability to extract directional information from the Earth's magnetic field1,2.
The exact mechanism of this light-dependent magnetic compass sense,
however, is not fully understood. The most promising hypothesis focuses
on the quantum spin dynamics of transient radical pairs formed in
cryptochrome proteins in the retina3-5. Frustratingly, much
of the supporting evidence for this theory is circumstantial, largely
because of the extreme challenges posed by genetic modification of wild
birds. Drosophila has therefore been recruited as a model organism, and
several influential reports of cryptochrome-mediated magnetic field
effects on fly behaviour have been widely interpreted as support for a
radical pair-based mechanism in birds6-23. Here we report the
results of an extensive study testing magnetic field effects on 97,658
flies moving in a two-arm maze and on 10,960 flies performing the
spontaneous escape behaviour known as negative geotaxis. Under
meticulously controlled conditions and with vast sample sizes, we have
been unable to find evidence for magnetically sensitive behaviour in
Drosophila. Moreover, after reassessment of the statistical approaches
and sample sizes used in the studies that we tried to replicate, we
suggest that many-if not all-of the original results were false
positives. Our findings therefore cast considerable doubt on the
existence of magnetic sensing in Drosophila and thus strongly suggest
that night-migratory songbirds remain the organism of choice for
elucidating the mechanism of light-dependent magnetoreception.
Because it can take a decade or more for a solid tumor to be diagnosed,
it is important to model the latency when examining tumor incidence
data. Nonetheless, it's tricky trying to interpret ecological studies. Moreover, trends over
time in tumor incidence can be difficult to interpret due to changes
in screening, diagnostic and reporting procedures. (Many smartphones have transmission antennas in the bottom of the phones so the neck may now receive the greatest exposure during phone calls putting the thyroid gland at risk.) -- Incidence and Mortality of Malignant Brain Tumors after 20 Years of Mobile Use Uddin M, Dhanta R, Pitti T, Barsasella D, Scholl J, Jian WS, Li YJ, Hsu MH, Syed-Abdul S. Incidence and Mortality of Malignant Brain Tumors after 20 Years of Mobile Use. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jul 4;15(13):3492. doi: 10.3390/cancers15133492. Simple Summary This population-based study, spanning 20 years, revealed trends regarding the incidence and mortality due to malignant neoplasm of the brain (MNB) in association with mobile phone usage in Taiwan. The findings indicate a trend of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. While this study suggests a weak association between mobile phone users and MNB incidence and mortality, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage. Further investigation is required to obtain more definitive findings. Continued research in this area will contribute to better understanding of the potential risks and aid in the development of safer mobile phone usage practices in the future. Abstract (1) Objective: This population-based study was performed to examine the trends of incidence and deaths due to malignant neoplasm of the brain (MNB) in association with mobile phone usage for a period of 20 years (January 2000–December 2019) in Taiwan. (2) Methods: Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and joinpoint regression analysis were used to examine the trends of incidence of MNB and deaths due to MNB in association with mobile phone usage. (3) Results: The findings indicate a trend of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest a weaker association between the growing number of mobile phone users and the rising rates of MNB, and no significant correlation was observed between MNB incidences and deaths and mobile phone usage. Ultimately, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage and further investigation is required by considering various other confounding factors and potential risks to obtain more definitive findings and a clearer picture. Conclusions This population-based study, spanning 20 years, revealed trends regarding the incidence of MNB and mortality due to MNB in association with mobile phone usage in Taiwan. The findings indicate trends of increase in the number of mobile phone users over the study period, accompanied by a slight rise in the incidence and death rates of MNB. The compound annual growth rates further support these observations, highlighting the consistent growth in mobile phone users and a corresponding increase in MNB incidences and deaths. These results suggest a weaker association between the growing number of mobile phone users and the rising rates of MNB, and no significant correlation was observed between MNB incidences and deaths and mobile phone usage. In general, the literature in this context is very wide and has mixed reviews, but overall, the literature provides only a little evidence or does not show evidence of the association between mobile phone users and the development of brain tumors and death. Ultimately, it is important to acknowledge that conclusive results cannot be drawn at this stage; therefore, further investigation is required to obtain findings that are more definitive. Considering the potential risks associated with emerging technologies such as 5G, which has higher data transmission rates and frequencies, it is crucial to examine radiation exposure levels and durations when assessing the association between mobile phone usage and cancer. Future research should explore different age groups of mobile phone users and investigate the duration of radiation exposure to gain a better understanding of their potential associations with MNB, as the latency period for brain cancer can range from 10 to 50 years. It is reassuring to know that engineers are actively working on reducing harmful radiation with the advancements of communication technologies. Continued research in this area will contribute to the better understanding of the potential risks and aids in the development of safer mobile phone usage practices in the future. Finally, further in-depth investigations for the other related confounding variables and risk factors that could be involved in the development of MNB are sine qua non for understanding the bigger picture. Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/13/3492 -- A new study in South Korea found that ten years after mobile phone subscriptions increased, the incidence of brain tumors increased in several anatomic locations (notably malignant tumors in the frontal and temporal lobes and nonmalignant tumors in the meninges) but decreased in other locations. This could be related to the adoption ten years earlier of cell phones in which transmission antennas were situated at the top of the phones. The relationship between radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and brain tumor: The brain tumor incidence trends in South Korea
Jinyoung Moon, Physician's Weekly, Mar 13, 2023
The
aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the
nationwide cell phone subscription rate and the nationwide incidence of
brain tumors in South Korea. The nationwide cell phone subscription rate
was used as a proxy for the RF-EMR [radio frequency electromagnetic radiation] exposure assessment.
The
data for cell phone subscriptions per 100 persons from 1985 to 2019
were found in the Statistics, International Telecom Union (ITU). The
brain tumor incidence data from 1999 to 2018 provided by the South Korea
Central Cancer Registry operated by the National Cancer Center were
used.
In South Korea, the
subscription rate increased from 0 per 100 persons in 1991 to 57 per 100
persons in 2000. The subscription rate became 97 per 100 persons in
2009 and 135 per 100 persons in 2019. For the correlation coefficient
between cell phone subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per
100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a statistical
significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors (International
Classification of Diseases, ICD-10 code, D32, D33, and D32.0) and in 3
malignant brain tumors (ICD-10 code, C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2). Positive
correlation coefficients with a statistical significance in malignant
brain tumors ranged from 0.75 (95% CI 0.46-0.90) for C71.0 to 0.85 (95%
CI 0.63-0.93) for C71.1.
In
consideration of the fact that the main route for RF-EMR exposure has
been through the frontotemporal side of the brain (the location of both
ears), the positive correlation coefficient with a statistical
significance in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and temporal lobe (C71.2) can
be understood. Statistically insignificant results from recent cohort
and large population international studies and contrasting results from
many previous case-control studies could indicate a difficulty in
identifying a factor as a determinant of a disease in ecological study
design.
https://www.physiciansweekly.com/the-relationship-between-radiofrequency-electromagnetic-radiation-from-cell-phones-and-brain-tumor-the-brain-tumor-incidence-trends-in-south-korea/ Moon
J. The relationship between radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation
from cell phones and brain tumor: The brain tumor incidence trends in
South Korea.Environmental Research (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115657. Highlights • Positive correlation for malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles/the frontal lobe/the temporal lobe.• Positive correlation for benign neoplasm of meninges/brain & other parts of the central nervous system/supratentorial brain.• The highest correlation coefficient: malignant neoplasm of the frontal lobe/the temporal lobe.• Cell phones: RF-EMR exposure through the frontotemporal side of the brain.• Four reasons for statistically insignificant results of recent studies. Abstract Introduction
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the
nationwide cell phone subscription rate and the nationwide incidence of
brain tumors in South Korea. The nationwide cell phone subscription rate
was used as a proxy for the RF-EMR exposure assessment.
Methods
The data for cell phone subscriptions per 100 persons from 1985 to 2019
were found in the Statistics, International Telecom Union (ITU). The
brain tumor incidence data from 1999 to 2018 provided by the South Korea
Central Cancer Registry operated by the National Cancer Center were
used.
Results
In South Korea, the subscription rate increased from 0 per 100 persons
in 1991 to 57 per 100 persons in 2000. The subscription rate became 97
per 100 persons in 2009 and 135 per 100 persons in 2019. For the
correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate before 10
years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient with a
statistical significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors
(International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10 code, D32, D33, and
D32.0) and in 3 malignant brain tumors (ICD-10 code, C71.0, C71.1, and
C71.2). Positive correlation coefficients with a statistical
significance in malignant brain tumors ranged from 0.75 (95% CI
0.46–0.90) for C71.0 to 0.85 (95% CI 0.63–0.93) for C71.1.
Discussion
In consideration of the fact that the main route for RF-EMR exposure
has been through the frontotemporal side of the brain (the location of
both ears), the positive correlation coefficient with a statistical
significance in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and temporal lobe (C71.2) can
be understood. Statistically insignificant results from recent cohort
and large population international studies and contrasting results from
many previous case-control studies could indicate a difficulty in
identifying a factor as a determinant of a disease in ecological study
design. Excerpts Numerous
systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the association between
Radiofrequency-Electromagnetic Radiation (RF-EMR) exposure from cell
phones and the incidence of brain tumors have been published until the
present time (Belpomme et al., 2018; Elwood, 2003; Morgan et al., 2015;
Myung et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2018). The conclusion of each study
varied depending on the magnitude of exposure, the location of brain
tumors, the histologic type of brain tumors, and a number of confounding
factors such as research team and funding source (Belpomme et al.,
2018; Hardell et al., 2008a; Morgan et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2018).... ... in consideration of limited data for accurate RF-EMR
exposure assessment, the best strategy to approach this topic is the
triangulation of the pieces of information from the different types of
epidemiologic studies (de Vocht and Röösli, 2021). As one piece of
information from this perspective, we looked over the incidence trend of
brain tumors classified by the histological types and the location of
brain tumors in South Korea.... C70 Malignant neoplasm of meninges C71 Malignant neoplasm of brain C72 Malignant neoplasm of the spinal cord, cranial nerves, and other parts of the central nervous system C70.0 Malignant neoplasm of cerebral meninges C70.9 Malignant neoplasm of meninges, unspecified C71.0 Malignant neoplasm of cerebrum, except lobes and ventricles C71.1 Malignant neoplasm of the frontal lobe C71.2 Malignant neoplasm of the temporal lobe C71.9 Malignant neoplasm of brain, unspecified C72.0 Malignant neoplasm of spinal cord D32 Benign neoplasm of meninges D33 Benign neoplasm of brain and other parts of the central nervous system D32.0 Benign neoplasm of brain
The AAPC [average annual percent change] for C72, C71.0, C71.1, C71.2, C72.0, D32, D33, and D32.0 was positive with statistical significance....
The AAPC for C70, C70.0, and C71.9 was negative with statistical significance. For
the correlation coefficient between cell phone subscription rate
before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive correlation coefficient
with a statistical significance was reported in 3 benign brain tumors
(D32, D33, and D32.0) and in 3 malignant brain tumors (C71.0, C71.1 and
C71.2).
A negative correlation coefficient with statistical significance was
reported in 3 malignant brain tumors: C70, C70.0, and C71.9 [i.e.,
malignant meninges, cerebral meninges, and brain, unspecified].
Conclusion
In
South Korea, for the correlation coefficient between cell phone
subscription rate before 10 years and ASIR per 100,000, a positive
correlation coefficient with a statistical significance was reported in 3
malignant brain tumors (C71.0, C71.1, and C71.2)
[i.e., cerebrum except lobes and ventricles, frontal lobe and temporal lobe]
and 3 benign brain
tumors (D32, D33, and D32.0)
[i.e. nonmalignant meninges, brain and other CNS, and brain, supratentorial]. Among these results, that for malignant
brain tumors in the frontal lobe (C71.1) and in the temporal lobe
(C71.2) is suspicious of the association with RF-EMR emitted from
cellular phones. The other 4 possible hypotheses do not fit well with
the observed phenomena.
Statistically insignificant
results from recent cohort or large population international studies and
contrasting results from many previous case-control studies might come
from several issues. A statistically significant increased risk can be
found if (ⅰ) a more accurate exposure assessment such as site-specific,
time-integral of SAR for each individual is applied or (ⅱ) massive
populations over 100,000 are studied.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123004498 -- Use of mobile phones and progression of glioma incidence in four Nordic countries since 1979 My notes: Although the title of the following report from the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer is in German, the report is available in English. The report's summary, "no indications of a detectable effect of mobile phones have been found," seems misleading because it is inconsistent with the report's final conclusion, namely, "An increased risk in the 10% heaviest mobile phone users was an exception to this general situation, as it remained plausible." [The 10% "heaviest mobile users" in the Interphone study had 1,640 or more hours of lifetime call time. That would amount to approximately 30 minutes per day over a 10-year period.] The report's bottom line:
"This ecological data is not sufficient to dismiss every potential
mobile phone related risk scenario, but suggests that the risk – if it
exists - would be very small, only occur after very long latency periods
of several decades, or only affect small subgroups within glioma patients."
If only a portion of the population has a genetic susceptibility to brain cancer in the presence of microwave radiation as appears to be the case with thyroid cancer (Luo et al., 2020), that could explain why the odds ratios obtained for brain cancer risk from case-control studies of heavy, long-term mobile phone users over-predict glioma incidence in the overall population based upon tumor registry data.
*
Luo
J, Li H, Deziel NC, Huang H, Zhao N, Ma S, Nie X, Udelsman R, Zhang Y.
Genetic susceptibility may modify the association between cell phone use
and thyroid cancer: A population-based case-control study in
Connecticut. Environmental Research. 2020 Mar;182:109013. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109013. (see also Thyroid Cancer and Mobile Phone Use)
Summary 1.1 Introduction In the Nordic countries, the sharp increase in the use of mobile phone occurred in the mid-1990s among adults; thus, time trends in glioma incidence rates (IR) may provide information about possible risks associated with mobile phone use. We investigated time trends in IR of glioma, and compared IR and observed number of cases to those that would be expected under a range of hypothetical mobile phone risk scenarios, encompassing risk levels reported in published case-control studies. 1.2 Methods We analyzed age standardised IR of glioma in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden among adults 20-84 years old, using data from national cancer registries and population data covering the period 1979-2016, using a log linear joinpoint analysis. Exposure distribution of use and of high level of use were obtained from self-reported information in the Nordic Interphone, the Cosmos-Denmark and the Cosmos-France datasets. Based on analytical epidemiological studies, we considered various scenarios according to which mobile phone use would hypothetically increase the glioma risk. We quantified compatibility, or absence of compatibility between the observed data and the risk scenarios by projecting incidence rates of glioma of men aged 40-69 years old under these scenarios and comparing them with the observed incidence rates in the Nordic countries. 1.3 Results Glioma IR increased regularly with annual percent change (APC) of 0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.7) in men and 0.3 (95%CI 0.2-0.5) in women in the period 1979-2016. There were hardly any changes in IR among men and women below age 59. In men and women in their sixties, IR increased by 0.6 (95%CI 0.4-0.9) in men and 0.4 (95%CI 0.2-0.7) in women, regularly for the whole period of observation, while IR among 70-84 years old increased very markedly, with APC of 3.1 (95%CI 2.6-3.5) among men and 2.8 (95%CI 2.3-3.3) among women over at least the last 2 decades of observation. Very few risk scenarios appeared compatible with the observed data using standardised incidence ratios analyses. The risk scenarios that appeared compatible involved either long latencies (20 years), or very low risks (RR = 1.08); in these projections, risks that would be limited to mobile phone heavy users were not compatible with the observed number of cases. 1.4 Discussion IR time trends did not demonstrate breakpoints in their secular evolution in the last 20 years. Virtually all the reported results from the case-control studies with a positive association between mobile phone use and glioma risk were shown to be implausible in our simulations comparing them with the observed incidence rates, implying that biases and errors have likely distorted their findings; very low risks at the population level, and risks after very long latencies remained plausible. Simulations were based on high quality case registration, which is a strength, while the uncertainties in the exposure information and the limited information about some of the model's assumptions were limitations. Altogether, this study confirms and reinforces conclusions made previously, that no indications of a detectable effect of mobile phones have been found. Excerpts ... We analyzed the time trends in the incidence rates of glioma among adults aged 20 to 84 years of the Nordic countries from 1979 to 2016 (step 1 of the work description). Then, we addressed the question whether the observed time trends and observed number of cases were statistically different from the one we would observe if we assumed that the use of mobile phones caused glioma, so if we assumed that there was a true causal association (step 2 and step 3 of the work description). Within this, we delineated the levels of risks and the duration of induction periods that would not be compatible with the observed time trends and numbers of cases in this population (step 3 of the work description). We also discussed these findings in light of some of the elevated OR found in the literature. The study tested the consistency between risks that have been reported and the effect they would have had at the level of the population, had they been true. Noteworthy, the study was not meant to dismiss every single hypothetical association, as it would most likely always be possible to devise a pattern of risk that would fit the data.... This study was based on 28,015 male and 20,630 female glioma cases diagnosed from 1979 to 2016 in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (called "the Nordic countries" in the following). In 2016, the number of glioma cases was 1,724 in a population of 19.7 million adults aged 20–84 years. Over the last 10 years of data, Sweden accounted for 38% of the population and of the cases; of the remainder, Denmark, Finland, and Norway had populations of similar size. The age-standardized incidence rates were higher in men (9.1 per 100000 person years) than in women (6.1 per 100 000 person years), and higher with increasing age. All countries had comparable rates; Norway had slightly higher rates, while Finland had slightly lower rates in both sexes (Table 2 and Table 3). Joinpoint analyses described in paragraph 6.1 showed that overall, the trends were smooth: glioma rates increased by 0.6% (95% CI 0.4%-0.7%) per year in men and 0.3% (95% CI 0.2%-0.5%) per year in women over the period 1979-2016 in the Nordic countries combined (Table 4 and Table 5), and in each country separately except for a marked increase in 1979-1984 in Swedish men (APC about 6%). For the younger age groups (20-39 and 40-59 years old), the time trends were smooth and did not demonstrate strong increases at any point in time during the period 1979 to 2016 in any country among men (Table 6), and women (Table 7). Below the age of 60, incidence rates were generally stable over the whole period (Figure 1, Table 6 and Table 7). Among people aged 60-69 years old, incidence rates increased gradually by 0.6% in men and 0.4% in women per year, and these regular increases with no joinpoint were observed in every country and at a very similar rate in both sexes, except among Swedish women, whose rates showed a slight decrease. Irregular patterns were observed among the persons aged 70-84 years old at the beginning of the observation period, while for at least the last 12 years of observation, all countries showed highly increasing rates. Exceptions to this general pattern were noted among the Finnish males and the Norwegian females, in which an increase was seen at the beginning of the observation period that lasted at least 21 years. The analysis by subgroups of tumour types could be performed only for the period 1990-2016 for reasons of data availability: in Sweden, a separate code for glioblastoma did not exist prior to 1993, and very few of the tumours which had been diagnosed during the period 1990-1992 were retrospectively coded into this code. Indeed, cancer registries are continuously updated when additional information becomes available on an earlier diagnosis, for example. Among men and women, the rates of glioblastomas increased in the last years of observations, while the rate of other high-grade gliomas decreased (Table 8 and Table 9). Rates of low grade gliomas were relatively stable in all countries since the mid 1990's except in Denmark, where substantial increases were noted towards the end of the period of observation, albeit non-significant.... When examining the trends by subtypes, glioblastoma generally increased while other high grade gliomas decreased, and low grade glioma were stable in the most recent period, except in Denmark where low grade glioma rates increased among men and women in the last 3 years of observation. In Sweden, the rates of glioblastoma underwent most changes, namely the increase in glioblastoma rates in Sweden in the years after the introduction of that code by the cancer registry, since a new code is not mandatorily fully used immediately after it is introduced.... To sum up, our simplified and more sophisticated analyses appeared to indicate that the small increase in IR of men age 40-59 and the marked increase in RR of men aged 60-69 were generally not compatible with the same mobile phone related risks increases. When models in which the totality of the IR increases were assumed to be associated with mobile phone effects, a RR of 1.31 that would start 20 years after first using a mobile phone was borderline compatible between these 2 age groups, while all other induction periods (0, 5, 10, 15 years) or heavy users risk scenarios produced RR estimates and CI which did not overlap between the 2 age groups when the same exposure distribution was considered. When half of the IR increases were attributed to other factors, none of the mobile phone related risks scenarios were compatible with the data, in the SIR analyses (assuming the same risk in both age groups). When most (75%) of the IR increases were attributed to other factors, then small excess risks (RR= 1.08 applying to all users after 10 years) or risks after long latencies (RR = 1.3 applying to all users after 20 years) were compatible with the observed incidence rates and exposure distributions that we assumed. Further work on these scenarios could shed more light on the remaining uncertainties. Of note, scenarios of risks limited to heavy users groups did not appear compatible with the observed number of cases in these analyses.... Our simulation study is not free of assumptions. The induction period relating mobile phone use and glioma risk, if such an association exists, is unknown, so is the magnitude of the risk, and the real patterns may be more complex than the scenarios that we simulated. In addition, there are several factors that we did not account for. The coverage of the Nordic cancer registries was not complete, but some 1.5% to 10% of the malignant tumours were missed in this age group. In Sweden, it has been estimated that completeness would not have changed over the period 1998-2014, while completeness might have improved in other countries. We modelled that other, yet to be discovered, risk factors of the disease as well as improvement in its detection and reporting had a smooth, gradual impact, over the period 1979-2016, which is consistent with the gradually increasing IR. We used 3 sources of information on the use of mobile phones, all self-reported, to evaluate the prevalence of use and heavy use up to 2002, 2008 or 2016 and extrapolated the prevalences for the periods and age groups for which no data was available, based on the trends observed in the other age groups. The use of hands-free devices was not accounted for, although this was not frequent in these populations (data not shown). In conclusion, it is difficult to demonstrate the absence of risk, in real life condition, and assumptions about the impact of the improvement of diagnosis tools, treatment and registration changes over time were used in our simulations. However, based both on the observed IR and the simulations, we reiterate and strengthen our previous conclusion that, the risk, should one exist, ought to be lower or occur after a longer induction period or act on a smaller population, or a combination of these, than most of the level of risk that have been reported in previously published case-control studies. Conclusions In this project we projected incidence rates of glioma under various scenarios of mobile phone-associated increased glioma risks, and compared them with the observed incidence rates in the Nordic countries. The comparison was carried out on the data of men aged 40 to 69 years. The modelled scenarios included risk increases reported from analytical epidemiological studies, which were all of case-control design. Most of those results were shown to be implausible in our simulations, implying that biases and errors in the self-reported use of mobile phones have likely distorted their findings. An increased risk in the 10% heaviest mobile phone users was an exception to this general situation, as it remained plausible. Results of cohort studies showing no association were compatible with observed incidence rates. We also studied what hypothetical mobile phone-related risks were conceivable if the changes in incidence rates in 40-59 year old and 60-69 year old men were fully attributable to mobile phone use. The fact that we observed different hypothetical risks in these two age groups while research at present has not suggested that older men should have higher risk related to mobile phone use than younger men, does not align with the assumption that mobile phone exposures caused the incidence rate trends. This ecological data is not sufficient to dismiss every potential mobile phone related risk scenario, but suggests that the risk – if it exists - would be very small, only occur after very long latency periods of several decades, or only affect small subgroups within glioma patients. Open access report: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/bitstream/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022063033222/4/BfS_2022_3618S00000.pdf -- Incidence trends of adult malignant brain tumors in Finland, 1990-2016 Natukka T, Raitanen J, Haapasalo H, Auvinen A. Incidence trends of adult malignant brain tumors in Finland, 1990-2016. Acta Oncol. 2019 Apr 15:1-7. doi: 10.1080/0284186X.2019.1603396. Abstract BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported increased incidence trends of malignant gliomas in the late 1900s with a plateau in the 2000s, but also some recent increases have been reported. The purpose of our study was to analyze incidence trends of malignant gliomas in Finland by morphology and tumor location. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data on 4730 malignant glioma patients were obtained from case notifications to the nationwide, population-based Finnish Cancer Registry (FCR), and less detailed data on 3590 patients up to 2016. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) and average annual percent changes (APCs) in the incidence rates were calculated by histological subtype and tumor location. RESULTS: The incidence rate of gliomas was 7.7/100,000 in 1990-2006 and 7.3 in 2007-2016. The incidence of all gliomas combined was stable during both study periods, with no departure from linearity. In an analysis by age group, increasing incidence was found only for ages 80 years and older (1990-2006). During both study periods, incidence rates were increasing in glioblastoma and decreasing in unspecified brain tumors. In 1990-2006, rates were also increasing for anaplastic oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma and unspecified malignant glioma, while decreasing for astrocytoma. As for tumor location, incidence in 1990-2006 was increasing for frontal lobe and brainstem tumors, as well as those with an unspecified location, but decreasing for the parietal lobes, cerebrum and ventricles. CONCLUSIONS: No increasing incidence trend was observed for malignant gliomas overall. An increasing incidence trend of malignant gliomas was found in the oldest age group during 1990-2006. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30985227 Excerpts The incidence trend of glioblastoma was slightly increasing (APC: +0.8%; 95% CI: 0.0, +1.7 for 1990–2006 and +1.9%; 95% CI: +0.2, +3.5 for 2007–2016; Tables 2 and 3). Incidence of glioblastoma increased slightly throughout the study period, while unspecified tumors of the brain showed a decreasing incidence trend. We also found a slightly increasing incidence trend for the most common histological subtype, glioblastoma, which is consistent with several other studies [1,5,7–9,11,17,18]. A study from United States showed an increasing incidence trend for gliomas in the frontal lobe and decreasing trends for the cerebrum, ventricles and overlapping subtypes [17]. References [1] Ostrom QT, Gittleman H, Liao P, et al. CBTRUS statistical report: primary brain and other central nervous system tumors diagnosed in the United States in 2010–2014. Neuro Oncol. 2017;19: v1–v88.[5] Ho VKY, Reijneveld JC, Enting RH, et al. Changing incidence and improved survival of gliomas. Eur J Cancer. 2014;50:2309–2318.[7] Arora RS, Alston RD, Eden TOB, et al. Are reported increases in incidence of primary CNS tumours real? An analysis of longitudinal trends in England, 1979–2003. Eur J Cancer. 2010;46: 1607–1616.[8] Deorah S, Lynch CF, Sibenaller ZA, et al. Trends in brain cancer incidence and survival in the United States: surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program, 1973 to 2001. Neurosurg Focus. 2006;20:E1.[9] Hess KR, Broglio KR, Bondy ML. Adult glioma incidence trends in the United States, 1977–2000. Cancer. 2004;101:2293–2299.[11] Lonn S, Klaeboe L, Hall P, et al. Incidence trends of adult primary intracerebral tumors in four Nordic countries. Int J Cancer. 2004; 108:450–455.[17] Zada G, Bond AE, Wang YP, et al. Incidence trends in the anatomic location of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States: 1992–2006. World Neurosurg. 2012;77:518–524.[18] Dubrow R, Darefsky AS. Demographic variation in incidence of adult glioma by subtype, United States, 1992–2007. BMC Cancer. 2011;11:325.-- Trends in the incidence of primary brain, central nervous system and intracranial tumors in Israel, 1990-2015 Keinan-Boker
L, Friedman E, Silverman BG. Trends in the incidence of primary brain,
central nervous system and intracranial tumors in Israel, 1990-2015.
Cancer Epidemiol. 2018 Oct;56:6-13. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2018.07.003. Highlights • Exponential growth in cellphone use fueled concerns regarding brain and CNS tumors.• Results so far are inconsistent. Studying cancer incidence trends may thus be informative.• We studied brain tumor trends from 1990 to 2015 in Israel, when cellphone use dramatically increased.• Results do not support a substantial role for cellphone use; smaller risks in special subgroups may exist.• Future research is needed; implementation of the precautionary principle is prudent. Abstract BACKGROUND:
The association between cellphone technology and brain, central nervous
system (CNS) and intracranial tumors is unclear. Analysis of trends in
incidence of such tumors for periods during which cellphone use
increased dramatically may add relevant information. Herein we describe
secular trends in the incidence of primary tumors of the brain and CNS
from 1990 to 2015 in Israel, a period during which cellphone technology
became extremely prevalent in Israel. METHODS:
All cases of primary brain, CNS and intracranial tumors (excluding
lymphomas) diagnosed in Israel from 1990 to 2015 were identified in the
Israel National Cancer Registry database and categorized by behavior
(malignant; benign/uncertain behavior) and histologic type. Annual
age-standardized incidence rates by sex and population group (Jews;
Arabs) were computed, and the annual percent changes and 95% confidence
intervals per category were calculated using Joinpoint software. RESULTS:
Over 26 years (1990-2015) no significant changes in the incidence of
malignant brain, CNS and intracranial tumors were observed, except for
an increase in malignant glioma incidence in Jewish women up to 2008 and
Arab men up to 2001, which levelled off in both subgroups thereafter.
The incidence of benign/uncertain behavior brain, CNS and intracranial
tumors increased in most population groups up to the mid-2000s, a trend
mostly driven by changes in the incidence of meningioma, but either
significantly decreased (Jews) or stabilized (Arabs) thereafter. CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings are not consistent with a discernable effect of cellphone
use patterns in Israel on incidence trends of brain, CNS and
intracranial tumors. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30015055 Excerpts "When
cancer occurrence rates referred to glioblastomas only, Joinpoint
analysis of incidence trends was restricted to the period from 1995 to
2015 due to small numbers of cases in the Arab population prior to 1995.
Stable incidence trends were noted, with non-significant APCs, in all
population subgroups: APC1995–2015 for Jewish men was +0.6% (95%CI
-0.4%,+1.6%); APC1995–2015 for Jewish women was +0.6% (95%CI
-0.1%,+1.6%); APC1995–2015 for Arab men was -1.6% (95%CI -3.9%,+0.8%);
APC1995–2015 for Arab women was +0.4% (95%CI -2.9%,+3.8%). Analysis
of time trends by age groups disclosed stable trends in most
population- age- and sex groups, except for a mild increase in Jewish
males aged 65 and over (APC1990–2015 +1.2%, p < 0.05) and in Arab
males aged 20–64 (APC1990–2015 +1.5%, p < 0.05). In the population of
Arab females, lack of cases in the age groups of 20–64 and 65+ in
certain years prevented an analysis of trends." "However,
ecologic studies, of which ours is an example, may be insensitive to
excess in risk which is restricted to certain groups (for example, heavy
users or subjects exposed from very young ages) or to certain tumor
types (e.g., tumors that are very rare, that involve specific anatomical
sites, or that have unusually long latency periods) [34]. Little et al.
[35] also commented that the predicted rates of glioma based on data
derived from the small proportion of highly exposed people in the
Interphone study, could be consistent with the observed rates in their
study [35]. Therefore, although a substantial risk is not very
plausible, smaller risks cannot be ruled out and future research should
address specific exposure groups, and tumor types and sites, and should
allow for longer follow up periods."-- England: Brain Cancer Incidence Increased in Temporal and Frontal Lobes of Brain since 1995 A new study of cancer data in England essentially replicated the results of the Philips et al study (see below). The study found that the two age groups most vulnerable to carcinogenic effects from cell phone use -- young and elderly adults -- showed increased incidence over time in brain cancer in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain -- the two lobes that receive the greatest dose of microwave radiation when cell phones are used near the head during phone calls. However, Frank de Vocht, the author of this paper, rejected the explanation that cell phone use caused the increased cancer risk. He attributed the increased incidence to better diagnosis of brain tumors, especially in the elderly. Of course, this does not explain why the increase was only observed in the frontal and temporal lobes. He did not rule out the possibility that cell phone radiation may be a contributing factor to the observed increase. Microwave News reported on this study and published the following graph obtained from Alasdair Philips (Microwave News, "Location, Location, Location: Aggressive Brain Tumors Tell a Story; GBM Rise Only in Frontal and Temporal Lobes, Oct 26, 2018.)
de Vocht F.
Analyses of temporal and spatial patterns of Glioblastoma Multiforme
and other brain cancers subtypes in relation to mobile phones using
synthetic counterfactuals.
Environmental Research.
Available online 17 October 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.011. Highlights
• English 1985–2005 brain cancer subtype rates were compared to counterfactual trends • Excess GBM increases were found in the frontal and temporal lobes, and cerebellum • Mobile phone use was unlikely to have been an important putative factor • No evidence of an effect of mobile phone use on acoustic neuroma and meningioma
Abstract
This
study assesses whether temporal trends in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
in different brain regions, and of different malignant and benign
(including acoustic neuroma and meningioma) subtypes in the temporal
lobe, could be associated with mobile phone use. Annual
1985–2005 incidence of brain cancer subtypes for England were linked to
population-level covariates. Bayesian structural timeseries were used
to create 2006–2014 counterfactual trends, and differences with measured
newly diagnosed cases were interpreted as causal effects.
Increases
in excess of the counterfactuals for GBM were found in the temporal
(+38% [95% Credible Interval -7%,78%]) and frontal (+36% [-8%,77%])
lobes, which were in agreement with hypothesised temporal and spatial
mechanisms of mobile phone usage, and cerebellum (+59% [-0%,120%]).
However, effects were primarily present in older age groups, with
largest effects in 75+ and 85+ groups, indicating mobile phone use is
unlikely to have been an important putative factor. There was no
evidence of an effect of mobile phone use on incidence of acoustic
neuroma and meningioma.
Although 1985–2014 trends in GBM in the
temporal and frontal lobes, and probably cerebellum, seem consistent
with mobile phone use as an important putative factor, age-group
specific analyses indicate that it is unlikely that this correlation is
causal.
Excerpts
Assessment of specific cancer subtypes in
the temporal lobe indicated that the excess incidence was mainly found
for GBM, with similar trends observed in the frontal lobe and
cerebellum.... The increased rates of specific brain cancer subtypes in
excess of the counterfactuals correspond to the spatial and temporal
patterns that would be expected if exposure to RF from mobile phones
were an important putative factor (Cardis et al., 2008, Morgan et al.,
2016) ... However, age group-specific analyses indicate that the excess
relative impacts increased with age over 65 years and were primarily
found in the very old (75/85+ years of age) for whom it is unlikely that
mobile phone use had been an important causal factor. In addition,
excess numbers of newly diagnosed cases were also observed in the young
(<24 years of age) for whom mobile phone use is also an unlikely
causal factor....
The assumption that a 10-year lag was the most
plausible period between first exposure and when increased risk could be
observed in registry data was based on the previous analyses (De Vocht
(2016)). Although sensitivity analysis using a 15-year lag showed no
evidence of excesses relative to counterfactuals, this may still have
been too short....This study, in agreement
with other data from the UK and elsewhere, shows that the incidence of
glioblastoma multiforme (astrocytoma grade IV) has increased
significantly since the 1980s, especially in the frontal and temporal
lobes and cerebellum. However, it further provides evidence that the
trend of increasing numbers of newly diagnosed cases of glioblastoma
multiforme in the temporal lobe (but likely in the frontal lobe and
cerebellum as well) since the mid-1980s, although seemingly consistent
with the hypothesis of exposure to radiofrequency radiation from mobile
phones being an important putative factor, should to a large extent (if
not exclusively) be attributed to another factor or factors; of which
improvements in diagnostic techniques, especially in the elderly, seems
the most plausible. Although these analyses indicate that it is unlikely
that exposure to RF from mobile phones is an important putative factor,
they also cannot exclude it as a contributing factor completely. It is
therefore important to keep monitoring incidence trend data. Competing financial interests
declaration: The author has previously done consulting for EPRI
[Electric Power Research Institute], not related to this work. Financial
support: No external funding was obtained for this study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118305462?via%3Dihub Mar 25, 2018
England: Rates of Aggressive
Brain Cancer Increased from 1995 to 2014 A newly-published study of brain tumor incidence trends in England
from 1995 to 2014 found that the trends over time varied by type of cancer,
especially in the frontal and temporal lobes. The study found "a sustained and
highly statistically significant" increase in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the
most common brain cancer, across all ages. The rate of GBM more than doubled
from 2.4 to 5.0 per 100,000 people. However, this increase was mostly hidden
because the overall malignant brain tumor trend was relatively flat due to a
reduced incidence of lower grade brain tumors. In England in 1995, when the tumor site was specified at the time of diagnosis, the frontal or temporal lobes of the
brain accounted for 41% of malignant brain tumors. By 2015, these two sites accounted for 60% of the tumors. One cannot know from tumor registry data alone what
caused these differential trends in brain cancer. Based upon epidemiologic
research, the most compelling explanation for the increased incidence in these
deadly brain tumors, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes, may be
exposure to microwave radiation due to widespread adoption of cell phones. However,
the increased use of CT imaging scans is an alternative, but less compelling,
explanation because far fewer people would have been exposed to this form of
ionizing radiation. In the U.S., Zada and his colleagues (2012) obtained similar results in an
analysis of national tumor registry data from 1992 to 2006. Those who cite statistics which appear to show a
flat-line trend in overall brain
tumor incidence and argue that cell phone use doesn't cause brain cancer need
to examine data on the location and type of brain tumors over time. Also see: Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: Role of Cellphone & Cordless Phone Use The Incidence of Meningioma, a Non-Malignant Brain Tumor, is Increasing in the U.S. Microwave News. "Aggressive Brain Tumors on the Rise in
England." March 25, 2018. https://microwavenews.com/news-center/gbms-rising-uk
Source: Alasdair Philips via Microwave News.
-- Brain tumours: rise in Glioblastoma
Multiforme incidence in England 1995–2015 suggests an adverse environmental or
lifestyle factor Alasdair
Philips, Denis L. Henshaw, Graham Lamburn, and Michael O'Carroll. Brain
tumours: rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme incidence in England 1995–2015
suggests an adverse environmental or lifestyle factor. Journal of Environmental
and Public Health. Article ID 7910754, https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7910754. 2018. Highlights • A clear description of the changing pattern in
incidence of brain tumour types• The study used extensive data from an official and
recognised quality source• The study included histological and morphological
information• The study identified a significant and concerning
incidence time trend• Some evidence is provided to help guide future research
into causal mechanisms Abstract Objective To investigate detailed trends in
malignant brain tumour incidence over a recent time period. Methods UK Office of National Statistics (ONS)
data covering 81,135 ICD10 C71 brain tumours diagnosed in England (1995–2015)
were used to calculate incidence rates (ASR) per 100k person–years,
age–standardised to the European Standard Population (ESP–2013). Results We report a sustained and highly
statistically significant ASR rise in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) across all
ages. The ASR for GBM more than doubled from 2.4 to 5.0, with annual case
numbers rising from 983 to 2531. Overall, this rise is mostly hidden in the
overall data by a reduced incidence of lower grade tumours. Conclusions The rise is of importance for clinical
resources and brain tumour aetiology. The rise cannot be fully accounted for by
promotion of lower–grade tumours, random chance or improvement in diagnostic
techniques as it affects specific areas of the brain and only one type of brain
tumour. Despite the large variation in case numbers by age, the percentage rise
is similar across the age groups which suggests widespread environmental or
lifestyle factors may be responsible. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2018/7910754/abs/ Conclusions 1/. We show a linear, large and highly statistically
significant increase in primary GBM tumours over 21 years from 1995–2015, especially in frontal and temporal
lobes of the brain. This has aetiological and resource implications.2/. Although most of the cases are in the group over 54
years of age, the age–standardised AAPC rise is strongly statistically significant in all our
three main analysis age groups. 3/. The rise in age–standardised incidence cannot be
fully accounted for by improved diagnosis as it affects specific areas of the
brain and just one type of brain tumour which is generally fatal. We suggest
that widespread environmental or lifestyle factors may be responsible. 4/. Our results highlight an urgent need for funding more
research into the initiation and promotion of GBM tumours. This should include
the use of CT imaging for diagnosis and also modern lifestyle factors that may
affect tumour metabolism.
https://icbe-emf.org/ "Radiofrequency Radiation from Wireless Communications Sources: Are Safety Limits Safe? The recordings and slides from the following webinar are now available.
David Gee: "Wireless Radiation; An Emerging Hazard 1972-2003"
Dr. Erica Mallery-Blythe: "Non-Ionizing Radiation Health Effects; Vulnerable Populations; Critical Role of Medical Doctor"
Dr. Kent Chamberlin: "Towards the Better Protection of People and Planet from Wireless Radiation; Work of the New Hampshire Commission and the ICBE-EMF" Dr. James C. Lin: "A Critique of RF Exposure Limits and Recommendations for the Better Protection of Workers and the Public" Dr. John Frank: "Reflections and Key Questions" To view the videos and download the slides from this webinar: https://icbe-emf.org/activities/webinar-june-14-2023/ --April 4, 2023 NEWS RELEASE Simple engineering fixes could dramatically reduce cellphone radiation, scientists say Industry will now have to start competing on safety ICBE-EMF, Tucson, AZ, April 4, 2023 -- Six simple engineering fixes could dramatically reduce radiation emitted by cellphones according to a group of scientists. The fixes are easy to implement, and in one case the fix relies on technology already patented by the industry. The International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) reported its findings today in an open access, peer-reviewed article, "Cell Phone Radiation Exposure Limits and Engineering Solutions," published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
"Given the growing evidence of the health effects of radiation from cellphones and cell towers, I believe the wireless industry is going to have to start competing on safety," said Joel Moskowitz, one of the authors who is also director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California, Berkeley.
"With the proliferation of online advice and consultants helping people reduce their exposures, the concern about the safety of cellphones and other wireless devices has moved into the mainstream," Moskowitz added.
"We will undoubtedly hear from many in the industry that a move toward safer cellphones and other wireless devices will be too costly and unnecessary," Moskowitz said. "But carmakers said the same thing when the public demanded safer cars and the government required them. Today, those same carmakers compete on safety."
"This competition for safety can move forward without a change in the current government standards," Moskowitz explained. "Ultimately, I believe governments around the world will be playing catch-up with industry and consumers."
"The six engineering solutions outlined in this paper provide a significant move forward in cellphone safety," said Elizabeth Kelley, one of the authors of the paper and managing director of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields. "The scientists and engineers proposing them stand ready to assist the cellphone industry with implementing them as soon as is practical."
Kelley added, "Some of the proposed solutions are just common sense. Using Wi-Fi to make cellphone calls whenever feasible dramatically reduces radiation emissions from the phone." And, when a cellphone is sitting on the nightstand while the user is sleeping, it doesn't need to communicate constantly with a cell tower to relay its location. "Why not shut down these transmissions—which cause frequent radiation emissions—when our phones are stationary such as when they sitting on a bedside table as we sleep or on our desk next to us as we work?"
Kelley said, "These common-sense changes can quickly and dramatically reduce radiation exposure from cellphones. Implementing them will create a healthier environment for all of us while still allowing us to stay connected to others and to the information we need daily."
The paper also examines the history behind the current cellphone emissions standards and finds a trail of dated assumptions and poorly designed experiments and tests that don't reflect how people use cellphones today.
Paul Héroux, the first author of this paper and a professor in the School of Population and Global Health at McGill University in Montreal, said the team of scientists and engineers who worked on the paper "identified seven blind spots in the methods and experiments upon which our current cellphone radiation emission standards and guidelines are based. These blind spots call into serious question the validity of those standards." For example, tests to gauge the hazards of wireless radiation upon which our current standards rest only used exposures lasting between 40 and 60 minutes. Such exposures "can hardly be said to be representative of the 24/7 chronic exposures which all of us are and will be subject to for the rest of our lives." Héroux added, "Combined, these seven blind spots tell us that our current cellphone emissions standards cannot be trusted. We cannot and should not tell the public that we know cellphones are safe." In his written statement Héroux recommends that two things be done right away:
Test cellphones "using test designs that represent actual use and that rely on the growing body of research demonstrating biological effects from radiation emitted by cellphones."
"Demand a quantitative health risk assessment of cellphone use and wireless infrastructure. This type of scientific assessment is routinely used by government agencies worldwide. In the United States the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration all use quantitative health risk assessments to determine potential human health risks associated with exposure to hazardous agents or activities."
-- Oct 18, 2022 (Updated Nov 2, 2022) Wireless Technology Not Adequately Assessed for Hazards to Human Health and EnvironmentNew peer-reviewed paper presents scientific case for revision of limits TUCSON, AZ – October 18, 2022 – The International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) is challenging the safety of current wireless exposure limits to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and is calling for an independent evaluation.
Published today in the journal Environmental Health, "Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G," demonstrates how the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have ignored or inappropriately dismissed hundreds of scientific studies documenting adverse health effects at exposures below the threshold dose claimed by these agencies, which was used to establish human exposure limits. The authors argue that the threshold, based on science from the 1980s – before cell phones were ubiquitous -- is wrong, and these exposure limits based on this threshold do not adequately protect workers, children, people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and the public from exposure to the nonionizing radiation from wireless data transmission. "Many studies have demonstrated oxidative effects associated with exposure to low-intensity RFR, and significant adverse effects including cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, DNA damage, neurological disorders, increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier, and sperm damage," explainsDr. Ronald Melnick, Commission chair and a former senior toxicologist with the U.S. National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. "These effects need to be addressed in revised and health-protective exposure guidelines. Furthermore, the assumption that 5G millimeter waves are safe because of limited penetration into the body does not dismiss the need for health effects studies." Dr. Lennart Hardell, former professor at Örebro University Hospital in Sweden and author of more than 100 papers on non-ionizing radiation, added, "Multiple robust human studies of cell phone radiation have found increased risks for brain tumors, and these are supported by clear evidence of carcinogenicity of the same cell types found in animal studies." The Commission believes that an independent evaluation based on the scientific evidence with attention to the knowledge gained over the past 25 years is needed to establish lower exposure limits. The Commission is also calling for health studies to be completed prior to any future deployment of 5G networks.
Elizabeth Kelley, the Commission's managing director, noted that "ICBE-EMF was commissioned by the advisors to the International EMF Scientist Appeal, a petition signed by more than 240 scientists who have published over 2,000 papers on EMF, biology, and health, and that "The commissioners have endorsed the Appeal's recommendations to protect public and environmental health." For background on the paper and its co-authors see:https://www.icbe-emf.org/activities/. Media contact: Joel M. Moskowitz, PhDemail to: media.inquiries@icbe-emf.org https://www.yahoo.com/now/icbe-emf-submits-wireless-technology-000000634.html Key points
ICBE-EMF scientists report that
exposure limits
for
radiofrequency (or wireless) radiation set by
ICNIRP and the FCC are based on invalid assumptions and outdated
science, and are not protective of human health and wildlife.
ICBE-EMF calls for an independent assessment
of the effects and risks of radiofrequency radiation based on
scientific evidence from peer-reviewed studies conducted over the past
25 years. The aim of such assessment would be to establish health
protective exposure standards for workers and the
public.
The public should be informed of the health risks of
wireless radiation and encouraged to take precautions to minimize exposures,
especially for children, pregnant women and people who are
electromagnetically hypersensitive.
ICBE-EMF calls for an immediate moratorium on further
rollout of 5G wireless technologies until safety is demonstrated and not simply assumed.
-- International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields. Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G.Environmental Health. (2022) 21:92. doi.org:10.1186/s12940-022-00900-9. Abstract In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40–60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC's and ICNIRP's exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies. Open access paper: https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-022-00900-9 Co-authors: Ronald L. Melnick: National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (retired), Ron Melnick Consulting LLC, Logan, Utah, USA (corresponding author)Igor Belyaev: Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, SlovakiaCarl Blackman: US Environmental Protection Agency (retired), North Carolina, USAKent Chamberlin: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Hampshire, USASuleyman Dasdag: Biophysics Department, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical School, TurkeyAlvaro DeSalles: Graduate Program on Electrical Engineering (PPGEE), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Claudio Fernandez: Division of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), Canoas, BrazilLennart Hardell: Department of Oncology, Orebro University Hospital (retired), The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, Orebro, SwedenPaul Héroux: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, CanadaElizabeth Kelley: ICBE-EMF and International EMF Scientist Appeal, and Electromagnetic Safety Alliance, Arizona, USAKavindra Kesari: Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto, University, Espoo, FinlandDon Maisch: EMFacts Consultancy; The Oceanic Radiofrequency, Scientific Advisory Association, Tasmania, AustraliaErica Mallery-Blythe: Physicians' Health Initiative for Radiation and Environment; British Society of Ecological Medicine; Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Advisory Association, UKAnthony Miller: Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Professor Emeritus), University of Toronto, Ontario, CanadaJoel M. Moskowitz: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USAWenjun Sun: School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, ChinaIgor Yakymenko: National University of Food Technology, Kyiv Medical University, Ukraine
About the International Commission
on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields
Founded in 2021, ICBE-EMFwas commissioned by the advisors to the International EMF Scientist Appeal.
The Commission is dedicated to ensuring the protection of humans and
other species from the harmful effects of non-ionizing radiation. Our
primary purpose is to make recommendations, based on peer-reviewed
scientific research, that includes and goes beyond establishing
numerical exposure guidelines to ensure safety. ICBE-EMF is made up of a
multidisciplinary consortium of scientists, doctors, and related
professionals who are or have been, involved with research related to
the biological and health effects of electromagnetic frequencies up to
and including 300 GHz.
The emergence of 5G, fifth-generation telecommunications technology, has been in the news lately because the wireless industry has been pushing controversial
legislation at the state and federal level to expedite the deployment of this technology.
The legislation would block the rights of local governments and their citizens
to control the installation of cellular antennas in the public "right-of-way." Cell antennas may be installed on public utility poles every 10-20 houses in urban areas. According to the industry, as many as 50,000 new cell sites will be required in California and 800,000 or more new cell sites nationwide. Although
many major cities and newspapers have
opposed this legislation,
the potential health risks from the proliferation of new cellular antenna sites
have been ignored. These cell antennas will expose the population to new sources
of radio frequency radiation including millimeter waves in addition to microwaves. 5G
will employ low- (0.6 GHz - 3.7 GHz), mid- (3.7 – 24 GHz), and high-band
frequencies (24 GHz and higher).In
the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated "low-band"
spectrum at 0.6 GHz (e.g., 600 MHz), "mid-band" spectrum in the 3.5 GHz range, and11 GHz
of "high-band" frequencies including licensed spectrum from 27.5-28.35 GHz and
37-40 GHz, as well as unlicensed spectrum from 64-71 GHz which is open to all
wireless equipment manufacturers. Prior
to widespread deployment, major cell phone carriers are experimenting with new
technologies that employ "high-band" frequencies in communities across the
country. The "high-band" frequencies largely consist of millimeter waves (MMWs),
a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths of one to ten millimeters
and frequencies ranging from 30 to 300 GHz (or billions of cycles per
second). The
characteristics of MMWs are different than the "low-band" (i.e., microwave) frequencies
which are currently in use by the cellular and wireless industries. MMWs can
transmit large amounts of data over short distances. The transmissions can be
directed into narrow beams that travel by line-of-sight and can move data at
high rates (e.g., up to 10 billion bits per second) with short lags (or
latencies) between transmissions. The signals are blocked by buildings, and
foliage can absorb much of their energy. Also, the waves can be reflected by
metallic surfaces. Although antennas can be as small as a few millimeters,
"small cell" antenna arrays may consist of dozens or even hundreds of antenna
elements. What does research tell
us about the biologic and health effects of millimeter waves? Millimeter
waves (MMWs) are mostly absorbed within 1 to 2 millimeters of human skin and in the
surface layers of the cornea. Thus, the skin or near-surface zones of tissues
are the primary targets of the radiation. Since skin contains capillaries and
nerve endings, MMW bio-effects may be transmitted through molecular mechanisms by
the skin or through the nervous system. Thermal
(or heating) effects occur when the power density of the waves is above 5–10
mW/cm2. Such high-intensity MMWs act on human skin and the cornea in
a dose-dependent manner—beginning with heat sensation followed by pain and
physical damage at higher exposures. Temperature elevation can impact the growth,
morphology and metabolism of cells, induce production of free radicals, and damage
DNA. The
maximum permissible exposure that the FCC permits for the general public is 1.0
mW/cm2 averaged over 30 minutes for frequencies that range from 1.5
GHz to 100 GHz. This guideline was adopted in 1996 to protect humans from acute
exposure to thermal levels of radiofrequency radiation. However, the guidelines
were not designed to protect us from nonthermal risks that may occur with
prolonged or long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation. With
the deployment of fifth generation wireless infrastructure (aka 5G), much of the nation will be exposed
to MMWs for the first time on a continuous basis. Due to FCC guidelines, these
exposures will likely be of low intensity. Hence, the health consequences of 5G exposure will be limited to non-thermal
effects produced by prolonged exposure to MMWs in conjunction with exposure to
low- and mid-band radiofrequency radiation. Unfortunately,
few studies have examined prolonged exposure to low-intensity MMWs, and no
research that I am aware of has focused on exposure to MMWs combined with other
radiofrequency radiation. Although
biologic effects of low-intensity MMWs have been studied for decades,
particularly in Eastern Europe, study results are often inconsistent because
the effects are related to many factors including the frequency, modulation, power
density, and duration of the exposures, as well as the type of tissue or cells
being investigated. Results vary
across studies—MMWs have been shown to induce or inhibit cell death and enhance
or suppress cell proliferation. Some studies found that the radiation inhibits cell
cycle progression, and some studies reported no biologic effects (Le Drean et
al., 2013) A review of
the research in 2010 noted that "A large number of cellular studies have indicated
that MMW may alter structural and functional properties of membranes." Exposure
to MMWs may affect the plasma membrane either by modifying ion channel activity
or by modifying the phospholipid bilayer. Water molecules also seem to play a
role in these effects. Skin nerve endings are a likely target of MMWs and the
possible starting point of numerous biological effects. MMWs may activate the immune
system through stimulation of the peripheral neural system (Ramundo-Orlando,
2010). In 1998, five scientists employed by U.S. Army and Air Force research institutes published a
seminal review of the research on MMWs. They reported: "Increased
sensitivity and even hypersensitivity of individual specimens to MMW may be
real. Depending on the exposure characteristics, especially wavelength, a
low-intensity MMW radiation was perceived by 30 to 80% of healthy examinees
(Lebedeva, 1993, 1995). Some clinical studies reported MMW hypersensitivity,
which was or was not limited to a certain wavelength (Golovacheva, 1995)." "It
is important to note that, even with the variety of bioeffects reported, no
studies have provided evidence that a low-intensity MMW radiation represents a
health hazard for human beings. Actually, none of the reviewed studies with
low-intensity MMW even pursued the evaluation of health risks, although in view
of numerous bioeffects and growing usage of MMW technologies this research
objective seems very reasonable. Such MMW effects as alterations of cell growth
rate and UV light sensitivity, biochemical and antibiotic resistivity changes
in pathogenic bacteria, as well as many others are of potential significance
for safety standards, but even local and short-term exposures were reported to
produce marked effects. It should also be realized that biological effects of a
prolonged or chronic MMW exposure of the whole body or a large body area have
never been investigated. Safety limits for these types of exposures are based
solely on predictions of energy deposition and MMW heating, but in view of
recent studies this approach is not necessarily adequate." (Pakhomov et al.,
1998) Microbes are
also affected by MMW radiation. In 2016 a review of the research on the effects
of MMWs on bacteria was published (Soghomonyan et al., 2016). The authors
summarized their findings as follows: "…bacteria
and other cells might communicate with each other by electromagnetic field of
sub-extremely high frequency range. These MMW affected Escherichia coli and
many other bacteria, mainly depressing their growth and changing properties and
activity. These effects were non-thermal and depended on different factors. The
significant cellular targets for MMW effects could be water, cell plasma
membrane, and genome….The consequences of MMW interaction with bacteria are the
changes in their sensitivity to different biologically active chemicals,
including antibiotics….These effects are of significance for understanding
changed metabolic pathways and distinguish role of bacteria in environment;
they might be leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria." "Changing the sensitivity
of bacteria to antibiotics by MMW irradiation can be important for the
understanding of antibiotic resistance in the environment. In this respect, it
is interesting that bacteria [that] survived near telecommunication-based
stations like Bacillus and Clostridium spp. have been found to be multidrug
resistant (Adebayo et al. 2014)." (Soghomonyan et al., 2016) In sum, the
peer-reviewed research demonstrates that short-term exposure to low-intensity
millimeter wave (MMW) radiation not only affects human cells, it may result in
the growth of multi-drug resistant bacteria harmful to humans. Since little
research has been conducted on the health consequences from long-term exposure
to MMWs, widespread deployment of 5G or 5th generation wireless
infrastructure constitutes a massive experiment that may have adverse impacts
on the public's health. Early Russian research on millimeter radiation Russian scientists conducted much of the early research on the effects of exposure to millimeter radiation. The U.S.Central Intelligence Agency collected and translated the published research but did not declassify it until decades later. In 1977, N.P. Zalyubovskaya published a study, "Biological effects of millimeter waves," in a Russian-language journal, "Vracheboyne Delo." The CIA declassified this paper in 2012. The study examined the effects of exposing mice to millimeter radiation (37-60 GHz; 1 milliwatt per square centimeter) for 15 minutes daily for 60 days. The animal results were compared to a sample of people working with millimeter generators. Here is a brief summary of the paper:
Excerpts: The paper can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/MMWstudy1977. -- References to many MMW biologic studies can be found in EMF-Portal (as of 9/6/2023):
--- Following are summaries of research reviews of the effects of MMW exposure and a list of recently published studies. Millimeter Wave Research Reviews (Updated August 15, 2023)
Dagli N, DagliR; Thangavelu L. Interaction
of Millimetre Waves Used in 5G Network with Cells and Tissues of
Head-and-Neck Region: A Literature Review. Advances in Human Biology
13(2):p 168-176, Apr–Jun 2023. | DOI: 10.4103/aihb.aihb_133_22 .
Abstract
Fifth-generation mobile technology is supposed to revolutionise the
world. It has many features which can benefit humankind, but at the same
time, it will expose us to much radiation. Therefore, we need to
understand the importance and ill effects of 5 G technology. An online
literature search was conducted through PubMed and Scopus databases from
April 2021 to May 2021, using the Boolean operators OR, AND and NOT and
the keywords '5G Network',
'Human tissues', and 'Animal tissues'. The literature is very scarce in
studies on the effects of millimetre waves on various tissues. A total
of 1269 studies were identified, and 24 were selected for qualitative
evidence synthesis. Randomised control trials, laboratory studies,
in-vitro studies, in-vivo studies and ex-vivo studies were included.
Data from the studies were collected using the data extraction form, and
all the relevant information was summarized. Five of 24 studies were
done on animals, four on humans, five on models, and ten on various
cells. Ten of 24 studies demonstrated the harmful effects of millimetre
waves. Results are ambivalent, and no association is found between
particular frequency and impact on tissue, animals or humans.
Pathophysiological effects observed in most studies were mild,
reversible, and limited to the cellular level. Available evidence
reported temperature rise after millimetre wave exposure, which was
within safety limits. Any biological impact on a cellular level noticed
due to radiation's thermal effects were insignificant and did not affect
the organ level. However, only a few studies have mentioned non-thermal
impact, but those effects should not be overlooked. Clinical trials on a
large population and for a longer duration are required to establish
the safety of millimetre waves before deploying a 5G network worldwide.
Conclusion
Very few studies published related to the effects of
millimetre waves on various tissues. Therefore, it is very difficult to
reach a clear conclusion. Available evidence suggests that heating
effects in tissues due to MMW exposure cause temperature rise. However,
the temperature rise was found to be within safety limits for the short
duration of exposure, but biological effects on the cellular level were
observed in a few studies. It is unclear how these changes will affect
organs or individuals when the population is exposed to radiation
continuously for a lifetime. Very few studies have shown harmful
non-thermal effects too. These effects should not be overlooked. Special
attention should be paid to the tissues of the head and neck region as
they are in close proximity to electromagnetic devices. More research is
required to confirm those findings and the chronic thermal and
non-thermal effects of MMW and to establish safety before the deployment
of 5G networks all over the world. Technological advancement is
necessary for human race development but not at the cost of our health.
We need to limit the use of certain frequencies at workplaces where a
high amount of data is required to be transferred at high speed and find
the safest frequency for widespread use so that our environment and the
next generations can be protected from hazardous effects.
Future study recommendation
Very few studies have been done on the effects of
millimetre waves on humans. Clinical trials on a large population and
for longer duration are required to establish the safety of millimetre
waves before the 5G network
roll out all over the world. The effect of other environmental toxic
stimuli should be considered while studying the effect of MMW. Other
factors that affect the absorption of MMW, such as the shadowing effect,
reflection from surrounding tissues, angle of a screen of a device,
thickness of skin and the water content of the skin should be
considered.
Millimeter wave (MM-wave) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are predicted to not produce penetrating effects in the body. The electric but not magnetic part of MM-EMFs are almost completely absorbed within the outer 1 mm of the body. Rodents are reported to have penetrating MM-wave impacts on the brain, the myocardium, liver, kidney and bone marrow. MM-waves produce electromagnetic sensitivity-like changes in rodent, frog and skate tissues. In humans, MM-waves have penetrating effects including impacts on the brain, producing EEG changes and other neurological/neuropsychiatric changes, increases in apparent electromagnetic hypersensitivity and produce changes on ulcers and cardiac activity. This review focuses on several issues required to understand penetrating effects of MM-waves and microwaves: 1. Electronically generated EMFs are coherent, producing much higher electrical and magnetic forces then do natural incoherent EMFs. 2. The fixed relationship between electrical and magnetic fields found in EMFs in a vacuum or highly permeable medium such as air, predicted by Maxwell's equations, breaks down in other materials. Specifically, MM-wave electrical fields are almost completely absorbed in the outer 1 mm of the body due to the high dielectric constant of biological aqueous phases. However, the magnetic fields are very highly penetrating. 3. Time-varying magnetic fields have central roles in producing highly penetrating effects. The primary mechanism of EMF action is voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation with the EMFs acting via their forces on the voltage sensor, rather than by depolarization of the plasma membrane. Two distinct mechanisms, an indirect and a direct mechanism, are consistent with and predicted by the physics, to explain penetrating MM-wave VGCC activation via the voltage sensor. Time-varying coherent magnetic fields, as predicted by the Maxwell-Faraday version of Faraday's law of induction, can put forces on ions dissolved in aqueous phases deep within the body, regenerating coherent electric fields which activate the VGCC voltage sensor. In addition, time-varying magnetic fields can directly put forces on the 20 charges in the VGCC voltage sensor. There are three very important findings here which are rarely recognized in the EMF scientific literature: coherence of electronically generated EMFs; the key role of time-varying magnetic fields in generating highly penetrating effects; the key role of both modulating and pure EMF pulses in greatly increasing very short term high level time-variation of magnetic and electric fields. It is probable that genuine safety guidelines must keep nanosecond timescale-variation of coherent electric and magnetic fields below some maximum level in order to produce genuine safety. These findings have important implications with regard to 5G radiation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34043892/ -- Dariusz Leszczynski. Physiological effects of millimeter-waves on skin and skin
cells: an overview of the to-date published studies.
Reviews on Environmental Health. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2020-0056. Published online: 24 Aug 2020. Abstract
The
currently ongoing deployment of the fifth generation of the wireless
communication technology, 5G technology, has reignited the health
debate around the new kind of radiation that will be used/emitted by 5G devices and networks – the millimeter-waves. The new aspect of 5G technology, that is of concern to some of the future users, is that
both, antennas and devices will be continuously in a very close
proximity of the users' bodies. Skin is the only organ of the human
body, besides the eyes, that will be directly exposed to the mm-waves of 5G technology. However, the whole scientific evidence on the
possible effects of millimeter-waves on skin and skin cells, currently
consists of only some 99 studies. This clearly indicates that the
scientific evidence concerning the possible effects of millimeter-waves
on humans is insufficient to devise science-based exposure limits and to
develop science-based human health policies. The sufficient research
has not been done and, therefore, precautionary measures should be
considered for the deployment of 5G, before the sufficient number of
quality research studies will be executed and health risk, or lack of
it, scientifically established. Excerpt
Therefore, the recently published guidelines by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) [103],
stating that the ICNIRP proposed mm-waves radiation exposure limits are
protecting users form health effects of mm-waves are only an assumption
that is not sufficiently based on scientific evidence because the
research on effects of mm-waves on skin has not been performed. This is
why any claims, including ICNIRP's, that the current safety limits
protect all users, no matter of their age or their health status, have
no sufficient scientific basis. The safety limits that are suggested to
protect from health effects of mm-waves are based on scientifically
unsupported assumptions as seen from the evidence presented in Tables 1– 4.
https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/reveh/ahead-of-print/article-10.1515-reveh-2020-0056/article-10.1515-reveh-2020-0056.xml -- Alekseev SI, Ziskin MC. Biological effects of millimeter and submillimeter waves. Handbook of Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (B. Greenebaum and F. Barnes, editors), 4th ed., Chapter 6, pp. 179-242, 2019, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315186641/chapters/10.1201/9781315186641-7 -- Belyaev IY,
Shcheglov
VS, Alipov
ED, Ushakov
VD.Nonthermal effects of extremely high-frequency microwaves
on chromatin conformation in cells in vitro—Dependence on physical, physiological,
and genetic factors. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. 2000; 48(11):2172-2179. Abstract There is a substantial number of studies showing biological
effects of microwaves of extremely high-frequency range [i.e., millimeter waves
(MMWs)] at nonthermal intensities, but poor reproducibility was reported in few
replication studies. One possible explanation could be the dependence of the
MMW effects on some parameters, which were not controlled in replications. The
authors studied MMW effects on chromatin conformation in Escherichia coli (E.
coli) cells and rat thymocytes. Strong dependence of MMW effects on frequency
and polarization was observed at nonthermal power densities. Several other
factors were important, such as the genotype of a strain under study, growth
stage of the bacterial cultures, and time between exposure to microwaves and
recording of the effect. MMW effects were dependent on cell density during
exposure. This finding suggested an interaction of microwaves with cell-to-cell
communication. Such dependence on several genetic, physiological, and physical
variables might be a reason why, in some studies, the authors failed to
reproduce the original data of others. https://www.avaate.org/IMG/pdf/IEEE_MTT_paper.pdf
-- Le
Drean Y, Mahamoud YS, Le Page Y, Habauzit D, Le Quement C, Zhadobov M, Sauleau
R. State of knowledge on biological effects at 40–60 GHz. Comptes Rendus
Physique. 2013; 14(5):402-411. Abstract Millimetre
waves correspond to the range of frequencies located between 30 and 300 GHz.
Many applications exist and are emerging in this band, including wireless
telecommunications, imaging and monitoring systems. In addition, some of these
frequencies are used in therapy in Eastern Europe, suggesting that interactions
with the human body are possible. This review aims to summarise current
knowledge on interactions between millimetre waves and living matter. Several
representative examples from the scientific literature are presented. Then,
possible mechanisms of interactions between millimetre waves and biological
systems are discussed. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crhy.2013.02.005 -- Pakhomov AG, Akyel Y, Pakhomova ON, Stuck BE, Murphy MR. Current state and implications of research on biological effects of millimeter waves: a review of the literature. Bioelectromagnetics. 1998; 19(7):393-413. In recent years, research into biological and medical effects of millimeter waves (MMW) has expanded greatly. This paper analyzes general trends in the area and briefly reviews the most significant publications, proceeding from cell-free systems, dosimetry, and spectroscopy issues through cultured cells and isolated organs to animals and humans. The studies reviewed demonstrate effects of low-intensity MMW (10 mW/cm2 and less) on cell growth and proliferation, activity of enzymes, state of cell genetic apparatus, function of excitable membranes, peripheral receptors, and other biological systems. In animals and humans, local MMW exposure stimulated tissue repair and regeneration, alleviated stress reactions, and facilitated recovery in a wide range of diseases (MMW therapy). Many reported MMW effects could not be readily explained by temperature changes during irradiation. The paper outlines some problems and uncertainties in the MMW research area, identifies tasks for future studies, and discusses possible implications for development of exposure safety criteria and guidelines. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9771583 --
Ramundo-Orlando
A. Effects of millimeter waves radiation on cell membrane - A brief review.
Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves. 2010; 31(12):1400–1411. Abstract The
millimeter waves (MMW) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, extending from
30 to 300 GHz in terms of frequency (corresponding to wavelengths from 10 mm to
1 mm), is officially used in non-invasive complementary medicine in many
Eastern European countries against a variety of diseases such gastro duodenal
ulcers, cardiovascular disorders, traumatism and tumor. On the other hand,
besides technological applications in traffic and military systems, in the near
future MMW will also find applications in high resolution and high-speed
wireless communication technology. This has led to restoring interest in
research on MMW induced biological effects. In this review emphasis has been
given to the MMW-induced effects on cell membranes that are considered the major
target for the interaction between MMW and biological systems. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10762-010-9731-z
--
Ryan KL,
D'Andrea JA, Jauchem JR, Mason PA. Radio frequency radiation of millimeter wave
length: potential occupational safety issues relating to surface heating. Health Phys. 2000; 78(2):170-81. Abstract Currently,
technology is being developed that makes use of the millimeter wave (MMW) range
(30-300 GHz) of the radio frequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum. As
more and more systems come on line and are used in everyday applications, the
possibility of inadvertent exposure of personnel to MMWs increases. To date,
there has been no published discussion regarding the health effects of MMWs;
this review attempts to fill that void. Because of the shallow depth of
penetration, the energy and, therefore, heat associated with MMWs will be
deposited within the first 1-2 mm of human skin. MMWs have been used in states
of the former Soviet Union to provide therapeutic benefit in a number of
diverse disease states, including skin disorders, gastric ulcers, heart disease
and cancer. Conversely, the possibility exists that hazards might be associated
with accidental overexposure to MMWs. This review attempts to critically
analyze the likelihood of such acute effects as burn and eye damage, as well as
potential long-term effects, including cancer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10647983
--
Soghomonyan
D, Trchounian K, Trchounian A. Millimeter waves or extremely high frequency
electromagnetic fields in the environment: what are their effects on bacteria?
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2016; 100(11):4761-71. doi:
10.1007/s00253-016-7538-0. Abstract Millimeter
waves (MMW) or electromagnetic fields of extremely high frequencies at low
intensity is a new environmental factor, the level of which is increased as
technology advance. It is of interest that bacteria and other cells might
communicate with each other by electromagnetic field of sub-extremely high
frequency range. These MMW affected Escherichia coli and many other bacteria,
mainly depressing their growth and changing properties and activity. These
effects were non-thermal and depended on different factors. The significant
cellular targets for MMW effects could be water, cell plasma membrane, and
genome. The model for the MMW interaction with bacteria is suggested; a role of
the membrane-associated proton FOF1-ATPase, key enzyme of bioenergetic
relevance, is proposed. The consequences of MMW interaction with bacteria are
the changes in their sensitivity to different biologically active chemicals,
including antibiotics. Novel data on MMW effects on bacteria and their
sensitivity to different antibiotics are presented and discussed; the combined
action of MMW and antibiotics resulted with more strong effects. These effects
are of significance for understanding changed metabolic pathways and
distinguish role of bacteria in environment; they might be leading to
antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The effects might have applications in the
development of technique, therapeutic practices, and food protection
technology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27087527
--
Torgomyan
H, Trchounian A. Bactericidal effects of low-intensity extremely high frequency
electromagnetic field: an overview with phenomenon, mechanisms, targets and
consequences. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2013; 39(1):102-11. Abstract Low-intensity
electromagnetic field (EMF) of extremely high frequencies is a widespread
environmental factor. This field is used in telecommunication systems,
therapeutic practices and food protection. Particularly, in medicine and food
industries EMF is used for its bactericidal effects. The significant targets of
cellular mechanisms for EMF effects at resonant frequencies in bacteria could
be water (H2O), cell membrane and genome. The changes in H2O
cluster structure and properties might be leading to increase of chemical
activity or hydration of proteins and other cellular structures. These effects
are likely to be specific and long-term. Moreover, cell membrane with its
surface characteristics, substance transport and energy-conversing processes is
also altered. Then, the genome is affected because the conformational changes
in DNA and the transition of bacterial pro-phages from lysogenic to lytic state
have been detected. The consequences for EMF interaction with bacteria are the
changes in their sensitivity to different chemicals, including antibiotics.
These effects are important to understand distinguishing role of bacteria in
environment, leading to changed metabolic pathways in bacteria and their
antibiotic resistance. This EMF may also affect the cell-to-cell interactions
in bacterial populations, since bacteria might interact with each other through
EMF of sub-extremely high frequency range. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22667685
-- Betskii OV , Devyatkov ND, Kislov VV. Low intensity millimeter waves in medicine and biology. Crit Rev Biomed Eng. 2000;28(1-2):247-68. Abstract This paper provides evidence on the interaction of objects. Basic regularities of that interaction are discussed. Conclusions Summarizing the results of the 30-year study of biological effects of low-intensity MM waves, we may ascertain the following. As it often happens, applied research and commercialization have outdistanced fundamental investigations. The wide application of MM waves in medicine, biotechnology, animal husbandry, and plant cultivation has taken a giant step forward. By this time, Russia has manufactured more than 10,000 MM-wave therapy devices, organized more than 2,500 MM-wave therapy rooms, and treated over 2,500,000 patients.... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10999395 Open access version of paper: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d0f5/d75d92b7fb8f4d13ae5461e26afa62e87e60.pdf
See also: May EC, Faith LV. The effects of electromagnetic radiation on biological systems: Current status in the former Soviet Union. Science Applications International Corporation. Presented to US Government, Feb 26, 1993. Approved for release by US Central Intelligence Agency, Aug 10, 2000. https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000100070001-9.pdf Recent Millimeter Wave
Studies (Last Update: July 13, 2022) Banday Y, Rather GM, Begh Gh R. Effect of atmospheric absorption on millimetre wave frequencies for 5G cellular networks. IET Commun. 2019. 13(3):265-270. https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-com.2018.5044 Bantysh BB, Krylov AY, Subbotina TI, et al.
Peculiar effects of electromagnetic millimeter waves on tumor development in BALB/c mice. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2018 Sep;165(5):692-694. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30225701 Christ A, Samaras T, Neufeld E, Kuster N. RF-induced temperature increase in a stratified model of the skin for plane-wave exposure at 6-100 GHz.
Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2020 Jan 16. pii: ncz293. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncz293. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31950182 Dilli R. Implications of mmWave radiation on human health: State of the art threshold levels. IEEE Access. 18 January 2021. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3052387. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9328127
Foster KR, Ziskin MC, Balzano Q. Thermal response of human skin
to microwave energy: A critical review. Health Phys. 2016; 111(6):528-541.
(Note: This work was sponsored by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum. The authors
state that MMF had no control over the contents.) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27798477 Gajda GB, Lemay E, Paradis J. Model of Steady-state Temperature Rise in Multilayer Tissues Due to Narrow-beam Millimeter-wave Radiofrequency Field Exposure. Health Phys. 2019 Feb 15. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001036. https://insights.ovid.com/pubmed?pmid=31125321 Gandhi OP, Riazi A. Absorption of millimeter waves by human
beings and its biological implications. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory
and Techniques. MTT-34(2):228-235. 1986. https://bit.ly/2oS3rKD
Haas AJ, Le Page Y, Zhadobov M, et al. Effects of 60-GHz
millimeter waves on neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells using high-content
screening. Neurosci Lett. 2016 Apr 8;618:58-65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26921450 Haas AJ, Le Page Y, Zhadobov M, et al. Effect of acute millimeter wave exposure on dopamine metabolism of NGF-treated
PC12 cells. J Radiat Res. 2017 Feb 24:1-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28339776 He W, Xu B, Yao Y, Colombi D, Ying Z, He S.
Implications of incident power density limits on power and EIRP Levels of 5G millimeter-wave user equipment. IEEE Access. 10 Aug 2020. Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9163106 Héliot F, Loh TH, Cheadle D, Gui Y, Dieudonne M. An Empirical
Study of the Stochastic Nature of Electromagnetic Field Exposure in
Massive MIMO Systems. IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 63100-63112, 2022, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3182236. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9794655 Hovnanyan K, Kalantaryan V, Trchounian A. The distinguishing
effects of low intensity electromagnetic radiation of different extremely high
frequences on Enterococcus hirae: growth rate inhibition and scanning electron
microscopy analysis. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28609553 Kojima M, Tsai C-Y, Suzuki Y, et al. Ocular response to millimeter wave exposure under different humidity levels. J Infrared Millimeter Terahertz Waves. 40(5):474-484. 2019. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10762-019-00586-0 Koyama S, Narita E, Shimizu Y, et al. Effects of long-term exposure to 60 GHz millimeter-wavelength radiation
on the genotoxicity and heat shock protein (Hsp) expression of cells derived from human eye. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Aug
8;13(8). pii: E802. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27509516 Lemay E, Gajda GB, McGarr GW, et al.
Analysis of ICNIRP 2020 Basic Restrictions for Localized Radiofrequency Exposure in the Frequency Range Above 6 GHz.
Health Phys. 2022 May 21. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001581. https://journals.lww.com/health-physics/Fulltext/9900/Analysis_of_ICNIRP_2020_Basic_Restrictions_for.15.aspx Le Pogam P, Le Page Y, Habauzit D, et al. Untargeted metabolomics unveil alterations of biomembranes permeability in human HaCaT keratinocytes upon 60 GHz millimeter-wave exposure. Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 27;9(1):9343. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45662-6. Open access paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-45662-6 Li Y, Lu M. Study on SAR distribution of electromagnetic exposure of 5G mobile antenna in human brain. J. Appl. Sci. Eng.23, 279–287 (2020). Open access paper: https://jase.tku.edu.tw/articles/jase-202006-23-2-0012 Parker JE, Beason CW, Sturgeon SP, Voorhees WB, Johnson SS, et al. Revisiting 35 and 94 GHZ Millimeter Wave Exposure to the Non-human
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See the bottom of this page for additional summaries and resources. Worldwide deployment of 5G, the fifth-generation of cell phone technology, started in 2019. 5G cellular technology employs low-band (600-900 megahertz), mid-band (1.7-4.7 gigahertz), and high-band radio frequencies (24-47 gigahertz). The allocation of radio frequency spectrum for 5G varies by country. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated low-band spectrum at 0.6-0.8 GHz (i.e., 600-800 MHz), mid-band spectrum in the 2.5-4.0 GHz range, and11 GHz of high-band frequencies including licensed spectrum from 24-28 GHz and 37-47 GHz, as well as unlicensed spectrum from 64-71 GHz which is open to all wireless equipment manufacturers. To increase transmission speed 5G utilizes complex modulation of the carrier wave (i.e., Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access). Other features include massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or the capacity to send large amounts of data across multiple streams, and beamforming or the use of multiple antennas to control the signal enabling it to be targeted toward specific users. These features can create brief, but very intense, exposures to radio frequency radiation. Since current exposure limits are based upon exposures averaged over time (6 or 30 minutes), these bursts of radiation are essentially unregulated. Biological and Health Effects of 5G https://www.emf-portal.org/en/article/overview/mobile-communications-5g#level-1 To date, little research has been published on the biological or health effects of 5G. According to EMF-Portal, an archive that contains more than 39,000 publications on electromagnetic fields, of the 587 papers published on "5G," only 20 were medical/biological studies (as of September 4, 2023). The 20 studies reported evidence of oxidative stress and adverse effects on the neuroendocrine system, the cardiovascular system, sleep quality, sperm quality, bone quality, gene expression, and sensorimotor responses. Most studies used animal models and short-term exposures to microwave radiation (especially continuous wave 3.5 GHz). However, only five of the 20 studies actually tested the effects of 5G. The biologic and health effects associated with exposure to 5G radiation depend on more than just the carrier frequency. Although these 20 studies employed carrier frequencies used in 5G (e.g., 3.5 GHz, 27-28 GHz), only five studies tested exposures with 5G modulation. Moreover, only four of these studies had other 5G components (e.g., beamforming, massive MIMO) that are likely to affect the nature and extent of biological or health effects from exposure. The five studies are briefly summarized below (Canovi et al., 2023; Hardell and Nilsson, 2023; Chu et al., 2023; Pustake et al., 2022; Perov et al., 2022). Two 5G studies examined the effects of exposure to a 5G cell tower:
Hardell and Nilsson (2023) reported a case study in which a man and woman developed electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) with neurological symptoms, headache, fatigue, insomnia, tinnitus, skin disorders, and blood pressure variability) after a 5G antenna was added to a 3G/4G cell tower on the roof of their apartment building. (In addition, Nilsson and Hardell (2023) published a case study of two men who developed EHS after a 5G antenna was added to 3G/4G cell tower on the roof of their office).
Perov et al. (2022) exposed male rats for four months to a 5G base station that transmitted at 3.6 GHz, 28 GHz, and 36 GHz and found that the exposure moderately increased stress on neuroendocrine system.
Two 5G studies examined the effects of exposure to 5G cell phones:
Chu et al. (2022) conducted a pilot study in which human semen samples were briefly exposed to smart phones and found that Wi-Fi negatively affected sperm motility and viability, but not 4G/5G; however, the results varied across phones.
Pustake et al. (2022) exposed butter bean seeds to a 4G/5G cell phone and found adverse effects on seed germination and growth.
Finally, Canovi et al. (2023) used a signal generator to examine the effects of a 3.5 GHz continuous wave and a 5G-modulated signal on cell cultures composed of neurons extracted from rat embryos. They found that 15 minutes of low-intensity exposures (1 and 3 W/kg SAR) "do not cause major changes in firing and bursting activities;" whereas, high-intensity exposures (28 W/kg SAR) of either type caused major changes in neuronal activity. Following are the 20 "5G" studies currently listed in EMF-Portal:
ICNIRP Guidelines' Exposure Assessment Method
for 5G Millimetre Wave Radiation May Trigger Adverse Effects
Redmayne M, Maisch DR. ICNIRP Guidelines' Exposure Assessment Method
for 5G Millimetre Wave Radiation May Trigger Adverse Effects. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 5267. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075267.
Abstract
The current global roll-out of 5G infrastructure is designed to utilise
millimetre wave frequencies (30–300 GHz range) at data transmission
rates in the order of gigabits per second (Gbps). This frequency band
will be transmitted using beamforming, a new introduction in near-field
exposures. The International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation
Protection (ICNIRP) has recently updated their guidelines. We briefly
examine whether the new approach of the ICNIRP is satisfactory to
prevent heat damage and other adverse bio-effects once millimetre wave
5G is included, and we challenge the use of surface-only exposure
assessment for local exposures greater than 6 GHz in part due to
possible Brillouin precursor pulse formation. However, this is relevant
whether or not Brillouin precursors occur from absorption of either 5G
or future G transmissions. Many significant sources conclude there is
insufficient research to assure safety even from the heat perspective.
To date, there has been no published in vivo, in vitro or
epidemiological research using exposures to 5G New Radio beam-formed
signals.
Conclusions Surface
radiofrequency exposure assessments including mmW radiation are
insufficient to ensure safety; there are several reasons assessment of
SAab is also needed. A real danger
of the 'expert' assurances of a lack of risk is that they discourage the
necessary research to evaluate risk properly. They may also discourage
review of apparently outmoded/questionable approaches being taken in RF
exposure standards. Once the 5G mmW band is
internationally operational, a significant proportion of the world's
population will be exposed to new hazards. The intensity and complexity
of near-field exposure, such as when carrying a phone in a pocket or
using it next to the head, will be different for 5G, and this is the
first time mmW have been used for public telecommunications and the
first time beamforming has been deliberately introduced for near-field
use. Without research on the impact of near-field 5G, this global step
is an experiment at the population level. Bearing this in mind, there is
a vital and urgent need for targeted research and for a re-evaluation
of the scientific relevance of the current RF human exposure standards'
basic approach and assumptions.
Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/7/5267 -- Case
Report: The Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Emphasizes the
Need for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation Hardell L, Nilsson M. (2023). Case Report: The Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Emphasizes the Need for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation. Ann Case Report. 8: 1112. doi: 10.29011/2574-7754.101112.
Abstract
In this case reporttwo previously healthy persons, a man aged 63 years and a woman aged 62 years, developed symptoms of the microwave syndrome after installation of a 5G base station for wireless communication on the roof above their apartment. A base station for previous telecommunication generation technology (3G/4G) was present at the same spot since several years. Very high radiofrequency (RF) radiation with maximum (highest measured peak value) levels of 354 000, 1 690 000, and >2 500 000 µW/m2 were measured at three occasions in the bedroom located only 5 meters below the new 5G base station, compared to maximum (peak) 9 000 µW/m2 prior to the 5G deployment. The rapidly emerging symptoms after the 5G deployment were typical for the microwave syndrome with e.g., neurological symptoms, tinnitus, fatigue, insomnia, emotional distress, skin disorders, and blood pressure variability. The symptoms were more pronounced in the woman. Due to the severity of symptoms, the couple left their dwelling and moved to a small office room with maximum (peak) RF radiation 3 500 µW/m2. Within a couple of days, most of their symptoms alleviated or disappeared completely. This medical history can be regarded as a classic provocation test. The RF radiation levels in the apartment were well below the limit proposed to be "safe" below which no health effects would occur, recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP). These now presented symptoms of the microwave syndrome were caused by non-thermal effects from RF radiation and highlight that the ICNIRP guidelines used in most countries including Sweden do not protect human health. Guidelines based on all biological negative effects from RF radiation are urgently needed, as well as monitoring human health, not the least due to rapidly increasing levels of exposure.
Background: Cellphones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) for transmission of data for social media communication, web browsing, and music/podcast streaming. Use of Bluetooth ear buds has probably prolonged the time during which cellphones reside in the trouser pockets of men. It has been postulated that RF-EMR increases oxidative stress and induces free radical formation.
Objective: To investigate the effect of wireless-spectrum (4G, 5G, and WiFi) RF-EMR emitted by modern smartphones on sperm motility and viability and explore whether these effects can be mitigated using a physical barrier or distance.
Design, setting, and participants: Semen samples were obtained from fertile normozoospermic men aged 25-35 yr. A current-generation smartphone in talk mode was used as the RF-EMR source. A WhatsApp voice call was made using either 4G, 5G, or WiFi wireless connectivity. We determined if exposure effects were mitigated by either a cellphone case or greater distance from the semen sample.
Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The semen samples were analyzed according to 2010 World Health Organization laboratory guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.28.
Results and limitations: We observed decreases in sperm motility and viability with WiFi exposure but not with exposure to 4G or 5G RF-EMR. With large variability among smartphones, continued research on exposure effects is needed.
Conclusions: Our exploratory study revealed that sperm motility and viability are negatively impacted by smartphones that use the WiFi spectrum for data transmission.
Patient summary: We looked at the effect of cellphone use on sperm motility and viability. We found that cellphones using WiFi connectivity for data usage have harmful effects on semen quality in men.
Excerpts
Our study is not without limitations. First, our small sample size of 18
introduces potential sources of bias. We did not collect demographic
data for these patients in order to maintain privacy, so the results may
be subject to confounding bias. As the first of its kind at our
institution, this small trial was a pilot study to validate our
experimental model and procedures. We hope that further studies on the
effects of RF-EMR on semen parameters can be performed on larger samples
to validate our initial results. Second, we recognize that other
potential variables, including temperature and radiation strength, could
play a role in inducing changes in semen parameters. For this
preliminary study, we were only interested in a single variable
(radiation); future work should investigate the impact of temperature
and radiation strength on changes in semen. This was an exploratory in
vitro study, and further in vivo studies in animal models should be
performed to further evaluate the impact of radiation on semen
parameters. Conclusions
Our
study revealed that 4G/5G RF-EMR emitted by a contemporary cellphone
did not have negative effects on sperm motility and viability. By
contrast, WiFi exposure did have negative effects. During data use,
there may be an increase in heat dissipated by a cellphone, depending on
the power required to connect to the source. Interestingly, we observed
varying effects of WiFi on sperm parameters, depending on the
environment. We posit that a greater distance from the wireless router
results in a need for more cellphone power, which may lead to greater heat production
and result in negative effects on sperm motility and viability.
Mitigation measures such as use of a cellphone case and increasing the
distance between the cellphone and the sperm sample lessened the
effects. Further studies need to be performed to better understand the
effects of RF-EMR on sperm parameters.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36379868/ -- Status of the Neuroendocrine System in Animals Chronically Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields of 5G Mobile Network Base Stations
Perov SY, Rubtsova NB, Belaya OV. Status of the Neuroendocrine System in Animals Chronically Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields of 5G Mobile Network Base Stations. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2023 Jan 4. doi: 10.1007/s10517-023-05689-2. Abstract We studied the biological effect of chronic exposure to multifrequency electromagnetic fields simulating the effects of 5G NR/IMT-2020 mobile communication systems. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 24-h radiation (250 μW/cm2) for 4 months. The exploratory activity of the animals and blood concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone were evaluated at the end of each month of exposure and 1 month after exposure. The results suggest that exposure to multifrequency electromagnetic field simulating the effects of 5G systems affected functional activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and was stressful in nature. Excerpts The animals were divided into 5 experimental (exposure to EMF of 5G systems, power density (PD) 250 μW/cm2) and 5 control (sham exposure) groups (12 rats each). Exposure conditions: chronic experiment — exposure for 4 months (120 days; 24-h, 7 days per week) and 1-month (30 days) post exposure period (without irradiation). During exposure period, the animals of experimental groups were kept in radio transparent (plastic) cages. Exposure was carried out by 5G/IMT-2020 base stations with simultaneous use of radio channels with 3.6 GHz (n78 with 100 MHz channel bandwidth), 28 GHz (n257 with 100 MHz channel bandwidth) and 37 GHz (n260 with 400 MHz channel bandwidth) central frequencies.... The neuroendocrine system of rats responded to chronic 4-month EMF exposure by waveform changes of serum levels of ACTH and corticosterone. ACTH content had a tendency to increase after 3 months of the experiment (Fig. 1).
Changes in serum corticosterone content in exposed animals were more pronounced; significant differences from the control group were revealed after 1 and 2 months of exposure and the maximum increase was found 1 month after end of exposure (Fig. 2). Chronic exposure induced changes in orientation and exploratory activity and emotional state of experimental animals. These changes were detected starting from 3rd month of exposure, but did not reach significance threshold, and 1 month after the end of irradiation, the excitation and inhibition processes in the CNS returned to normal. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36598666/ --
Brillouin
Precursors, a theoretical oddity or a real concern for 5G
millimetre-wave bands to be used in future high-speed
telecommunications?
Don Maisch, Ph.D., Discussion Paper, July 21, 2022
The following topics are briefly discussed in the paper:
Brillouin Precursors
The need for reliable research
Uncertainties with ICNIRP's thermally based limits for millimeter wave emissions
A potential risk for property owners
Excerpts
"...
With a millimeter wavelength of 0.65 mm at 42 GHz. The waves can
penetrate into the human skin deep enough to affect most skin structures
located in the epidermis and dermis.1 However, these types of waves
present other challenges. The first is that when most of the energy is
focused in a small area, such as 5G antenna beam-forming, the risk of
human tissue heating for anyone in the path of the beam will be
increased. The second challenge is that signals such as
radar that are made of sharp pulses behave differently when they enter
body tissue containing moving charges (such as potassium ions). Each
incoming pulse generates a force that accelerates these moving charges,
thereby causing them to become emitters of electromagnetic radiation
(EMR). This additional radiation adds large spikes onto the leading and
trailing edges of the original EMR pulse. The sharp transients, called
"Brillouin Precursors" increase the strength of the original signal and
reradiate EMR waves deeper into the body than predicted by conventional
thermal models. 2
The creation of Brillouin
Precursors within the body by very short pulsed signals in the
frequency of 10 GHz or more (millimeter wave bands) was described by
Albanese et al in 1994. These authors predicted that the interaction of
these signals with human tissue would cause disruption of large
molecules, and damage cell membranes leading to blood-brain barrier
leakage. 3 .... It must be pointed out that
little research has been carried out on the possibility of adverse
biological effects from the creation of Brillouin precursors with 5G
phased array antennas (let alone on 6G communications). Considering the
high download speeds, which may have unintended adverse biological
effects, this should be a priority. Other damaging effects
have been predicted in a paper published in Health Physics in December
2018 by Esra Neufeld and Niels Kuster. The paper suggests that permanent
skin damage from tissue heating may occur even after short exposures to
5G millimetre wave pulse trains (where repetitive short, intense pulses
can cause rapid, localised heating of skin). The authors stated that
there is an urgent need for new thermal safety standards to address the
kind of health risks possible with 5G technology .... It
is possible that this advice was in response to the ICNIRP draft
guidelines (2019) as some changes were made to the final published
guidelines. However, the changes did not conform to those suggested and
it is not clear that the possibility of excessive heat absorption from
these higher frequencies, which may result in pain, has been addressed
in ICNIRP's current guidelines. The necessity for more
reliable research into possible damaging effects of pulsed millimetre
waves used for 5G communications is also seen in an August 2021 paper by
Foster and Vijayalaxmi .... Concerns over the
lack of scientific data regarding possible biological effects of
millimeter waves proposed for use in modern telecommunications have been
raised by Nicholas Lawler et al. in Biomedical Optics Express (May
2022). The authors found that the studies cited indicate a strong power
and dose dependence of millimeter wave induced effects at biologically
relevant exposure levels such as those recommended by the International
Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) .... The
"take-home" message from the above mentioned papers is that we still do
not have adequate research on 5G millimetre waves to be able to assure
the public that the many thousands of 5G antennas, in many instances
placed in close proximity to homes and workplaces, are without a
possible health risk because the necessary research has not yet been
conducted. Open access paper: https://betweenrockandhardplace.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/don-maisch-brillouin-precursors-july-8-2022.pdf --
One
of the world's leading authorities on wireless radiation has documented
the risks of 5G radiation in "the first book on 5G that outlines the
potential dangers of 5G technology, both in Russia and overseas."
The
book, written by Professor Yuri Grigoriev shortly before his death, was
recently translated into English by the Oceania Radiofrequency
Scientific Advisory Association (ORSAA) and can now be downloaded for
free.
Many
countries (including Australia) base their radiation standards on
Guidelines developed by the International Commission on Nonionizing
Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In the book, Prof Grigoriev points out
that ICNIRP is not necessarily a credible body, and its members are not
impartial scientists. The ICNIRP Guidelines, he believes, are inadequate
because they are only designed to protect people from the heating
effects of radiation. But even this, they don't do properly.
[Note: In the U.S., the radio frequency radiation guidelines adopted by the FCC are similar to those of ICNIRP.]
Among the
problems with these guidelines are that:
they don't prevent unacceptable increases in temperature
they don't restrict the intensity of spikes of radiation
a person would have to hold a 5G mobile phone 8 cm from their head or body to comply with them.
Grigoriev
says 'ICNIRP members persist in arguing that the thousands of
peer-reviewed studies that have found biological or medical consequences
from chronic exposure to non-thermal EMF levels are insufficient to
warrant stricter safety regulations.'
Grigoriev refers to studies showing harmful effects of 5G millimetre waves (MMWs). They include:
demyelination of nerve cells
changes to cell membranes, including changes to ion channels
inhibition of cell cycle progression
changes to levels of enzyme and proteins in the brain's hippocampus
double-strand breaks in DNA
effects on reproduction
changes to the sensitivity of the skin
effects on peripheral and central nervous systems
effects on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands and changes to cortisol and testosterone hormones
changes to heart rate
changes to immune function
degranulation of mast cells in the skin (that can cause allergic-type symptoms).
Grigoriev
says that individuals react differently to exposure, and this can make
it difficult for observers to draw conclusions and can lead to errors in
assessing the impacts of radiation.
He
writes, "From our evaluation of the results of preliminary studies on
the possible impacts on the health of the population of the 5G
MMW-exposures alone …, we consider it reasonable to expect the following
adverse effects: impacts on normal functioning in the critical organs
of the skin and eyes; mediated systemic reactions in the body as a
whole; and, most notable, impacts to the nervous and immune systems."
Grigoriev
refers to calls by doctors, scientists and administrations in different
countries to halt the roll-out of 5G until it can be demonstrated to be
safe. He says, 'Irradiation of the human population by MMWs without the
appropriate precautionary standards is clearly immoral – in the same
way as conducting or observing an experiment would be, when it has the
possibility of developing pathological processes; eg, according to the
notion: 'Wait and see … then we will be able to establish proper standards.' Of course, by then, it will be too late!"
Professor Yuri G. Grigoriev (PhD, DMedSci) 1925-2021
Chief Scientific Officer, Laboratory of Radiobiology and Hygiene of Non-Ionizing Radiation, Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of the Federal Medical Biological Agency (Russia)
Academician, Academy of Electro-Technical Sciences (Russia)
Deputy Chair, Bureau of Radiobiology, Russian Academy of Sciences
Member of the WHO Advisory Committee (International EMF Project)
Member of the Russian Scientific Commission on Radiation Protection
Member of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
Member of the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety
== Mar 24, 20225G Observatory Quarterly Report 13 - Up to October 2021
Valdani Vicari & Associati (VVA), PolicyTracker, LS telcom AG. European Commission Study on "European 5G Observatory phase III." CNECT/2021/OP/0008: 1-135. 2021.
Excerpts
In the richest nations like the USA, Japan, South Korea and China,
commercial 5G services have been in operation for a couple of years, and
5G is now spreading to less developed countries.
The USA has assigned the most mmWave (millimeter wave) spectrum: four bands in total, compared to one in some of the EU and none in China.
It is important to note that most of the figures collected on the number
of 5G base stations are provided by governments, but in some cases such
as the USA and Japan, they are based on market research estimates. It
is possible that some market-based estimates are not entirely up to date
or accurate.
Open access report:
https://5gobservatory.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/5G-Obs-PhaseIII_Quarterly-report-13_final-version-11112021.pdf == Possible health effects on the human brain by various
generations of mobile telecommunication: a review based estimation of 5G
impact Hiie Hinrikus, Tarmo Koppel, Jaanus Lass, Hans Orru, Priit Roosipuu, Maie Bachmann.
Possible health effects on the human brain by various generations of
mobile telecommunication: a review based estimation of 5G impact.
Int J Radiat Biol. 2022 Jan 7;1-48. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2022.2026516.
Abstract
Purpose: The deployment of new 5G NR technology
has significantly raised public concerns in possible negative effects on
human health by radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF). The
current review is aimed to clarify the differences between possible
health effects caused by the various generations of telecommunication
technology, especially discussing and projecting possible health effects
by 5G. The review of experimental studies on the human brain over the
last fifteen years and the discussion on physical mechanisms and factors
determining the dependence of the RF EMF effects on frequency and
signal structure have been performed to discover and explain the
possible distinctions between health effects by different
telecommunication generations.
Conclusions: The human
experimental studies on RF EMF effects on the human brain by 2G, 3G and
4G at frequencies from 450 to 2500 MHz were available for analyses. The
search for publications indicated no human experimental studies by 5G
nor at the RF EMF frequencies higher than 2500 MHz. The results of the
current review demonstrate no consistent relationship between the
character of RF EMF effects and parameters of exposure by different
generations (2G, 3G, 4G) of telecommunication technology. At the RF EMF
frequencies lower than 10 GHz, the impact of 5G NR FR1 should have no
principal differences compared to the previous generations. The radio
frequencies used in 5G are even higher and the penetration depths of the
fields are smaller, therefore the effect is rather lower than at
previous generations. At the RF EMF frequencies higher than 10 GHz, the
mechanism of the effects might differ and the impact of 5G NR FR2
becomes unpredictable. Existing knowledge about the mechanism of RF EMF
effects at millimeter waves lacks sufficient experimental data and
theoretical models for reliable conclusions. The insufficient knowledge
about the possible health effects at millimeter waves and the lack of in
vivo experimental studies on 5G NR underline an urgent need for the
theoretical and experimental investigations of health effects by 5G NR,
especially by 5G NR FR2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34995145/ Excerpts Experimental human in vivo studies at radiofrequency range
0.01-300 GHz published in peer-reviewed journals in the last fifteen
years (2007–2021) were eligible, including all types of
telecommunication signals and pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation.
Altogether 73 publications were included in the review.
According
to investigated parameters, the studies were divided into four
categories: resting electroencephalography (EEG), sleep EEG and sleep
quality, event related potentials (ERP) and cognition-behavior and brain
metabolism. Statistically significant changes in an investigated
parameter between sham and exposed conditions were considered as an
effect.
Table 2 presents the studies that report the RF EMF effect or no effect at different signal structures and frequencies.
No clear interdependency between the generation of telecommunication
technology and the character of RF EMF effects becomes evident from Table 2.
All categories of the reported statistically significant effects as
well as no effects include exposure from various generations of
telecommunication systems and different RF EMF frequencies.
The rate of studies reporting effect is 78.6% at 450 MHz, 66.7% at
900 MHz, 43.6% at 1800 MHz, and 57.1% at 2450 MHz. The rate of positive
findings is maximal, 78.6%, at 450 MHz band and minimal, 43.8%, at
1800 MHz band. However, along with the possible regular frequency
dependent trend, the decrease could be related to other factors:
differences in signal structures and varying number of experiments at
different frequencies. The difference between results at 450 MHz and
1800 MHz can be partly related to the character of applied exposure: at
450 MHz remarkable part of studies have used meander-like
pulse-modulated, not telecommunication signals like RF EMF exposure.
The rate of studies reporting effect is 33.3% at TETRA, 63.6% at GSM,
46.2% at WCDMA, 80% at LTE and 20% at WiFi signals. These numbers should
be taken with caution due to the small number of studies, especially at
LTE, WiFi and TETRA signals. Some trends can be mentioned: the rate of
studies reporting RF EMF effect is higher than 50% at LTE and GSM
signals, lower than 50% at WCDMA and TETRA signals and minimal at WiFi
signals. This trend is not in accordance with the possible dependence on
the used radiofrequency and needs explanation based on the
characteristic behavior of the used signals.
Conclusions
In
the current review, the experimental investigations on RF EMF effects
on human EEG, ERP, cognition and behavior were analyzed at the exposure
conditions typical for the 2G, 3G and 4G generations of mobile
telecommunication technology at frequencies from 450 to 2500 MHz. The
search for publications indicated no studies on human EEG, ERP,
cognition and behavior by 5G nor at RF EMF frequencies higher than
2500 MHz.
The results of the current review demonstrate no
consistent relationship between the character of RF EMF effects and
parameters of exposure by different generations (2G, 3G, 4G) of mobile
telecommunication technology. The following trends can be mentioned:
Various
generations of telecommunication technology seem to contribute to
similar effects. There is no special frequency nor signal structure
related to a specific effect.
Some
decrease in the rate of studies reporting effects with the increase of
RF EMF frequency can be declared. However, due to the small number of
studies, especially at higher frequencies (≥2 GHz), the results need to
be considered with caution.
The existing knowledge about the mechanisms underlying RF EMF effects allows us to formulate the following conclusions:
The
dielectric polarization, a physical reason behind the RF EMF effects,
decreases with the frequency of RF EMF. The electric permittivity is
relatively stable at frequencies over 0.1 and 10 GHz, but decreases fast
at frequencies higher than 10 GHz. At frequencies higher than 10 GHz,
the effects related to the dielectric polarization become small. The
scarce data about the RF EMF effects at frequencies higher than 10 GHz
provide insufficient knowledge to clarify the possible interaction
mechanisms.
The theory of parametric
excitation could explain the impact of the signal structure. The
presence of the low-frequency components lower than 1000 Hz in the
spectrum of RF EMF exposure (2G-5G) is an important factor to give rise
to the RF EMF effects on the nervous system. The RF EMF effects are most
probably caused by the telecommunication systems with low-frequency
components lower than 100 Hz (4G, 5G FR1, 5G FR2).
Currently,
there are no data about RF EMF effects caused by 5G telecommunication
systems. Combining data of experimental results with existing knowledge
in the mechanisms of RF EMF effects, the conclusions about the possible
5G effects can be derived:
At
the RF EMF frequencies lower than 10 GHz, the impact of 5G NR FR1
should have no principal differences compared to the previous
generations. The frequencies used in 5G are even higher and the
penetration depths of the fields are smaller, therefore the effect is
rather lower than at previous generations.
The
low-frequency components in the 5G NR FR1 RF EMF spectrum are similar
to these of 4G. Therefore, the possible health effects should have the
same level.
At the RF EMF frequencies
higher than 10 GHz, the mechanism of the effects might change and the
impact of 5G NR FR2 becomes unpredictable.
The
possible health effects caused by 5G NR FR2 are not limited to the
impact on skin but can be widened by the excitation of nervous system.
Existing
knowledge about the mechanism of RF EMF effects at millimeter waves
lacks sufficient experimental data and theoretical models for reliable
conclusions.
The insufficient knowledge about the possible health effects at millimeter waves and the lack of in vivo
experimental studies on 5G NR underline an urgent need for the
theoretical and experimental investigations of health effects by 5G NR,
especially by 5G NR FR2.
-- Health Effects of 5G Base Station Exposure: A Systematic Review Tasneem Sofri, Hasliza A Rahim, Mohamedfareq Abdulmalek, Khatijahhusna Abd Rani, Mohd Hafizi Omar, Mohd Najib Mohd Yasin, Muzammil Jusoh, Ping Jack Soh. Health Effects of 5G Base Station Exposure: A Systematic Review. IEEE Access. Dec 30, 2021. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3139385.
Abstract
The Fifth Generation (5G) communication technology will deliver faster data speeds and support numerous new applications such as virtual and augmented reality. The additional need for a larger number of 5G base stations has sparked widespread public concerns about their possible negative health impacts. This review analyzes the latest research on electromagnetic exposure on humans, with particular attention to its effect on cognitive performance, well-being, physiological parameters, and Electroencephalography (EEG). While most of their results indicated no changes in cognitive function, physiological parameters, or overall well-being, the strength of the EEG alpha wave is noticed to vary depending on various aspects of cognitive functions. However, the available studies have not investigated the health effects resulting from exposure from the 5G mobile phone and base station antennas from 700 MHz to 30 GHz on the cognitive performance, well-being subjective symptoms, human physiological parameters, and EEG of adults. There is a need for such research regarding this current emerging technology. Such studies are significant in determining whether 5G technology is indeed safe for humans.
Conclusion
This work presents an analysis of exposure studies conducted using signals from 400 MHz to 1750 MHz (for 4G). From this analysis, the following conclusions are made: • Most of the studies in literature using 2G/3G/4G showed no effects and no consistency in how exposure to these signals affected the cognitive, physiological parameters, well-being, and EEG of the volunteers. • Most research on human cognition, physiological parameters, and well-being so far have focused on the impacts of GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS/4G MPs, GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS BSs, DECT, and Wi-Fi exposures.
• There is an absence of studies reporting the effects of 5G (700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, or 28 GHz) BS signals on adults in terms of cognitive performance, well-being, or physiological markers (heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature).
Figure 9 and 10 illustrated the possible flowchart and schematic diagram to study the effects of 5G BS exposure signals for sub-6 GHz and mmWave bands (of up to 30 GHz) to human subjects. Data from such a study will be useful in explicitly determining the significance signal exposure from 5G BS on human health, considering their much closer proximity to users.
Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9665755 -- Health Council of the Netherlands and evaluation of the fifth
generation, 5G, for wireless communication and cancer risks
Lennart Hardell. Health Council of the Netherlands and evaluation of the fifth
generation, 5G, for wireless communication and cancer risks. World J
Clin Oncol 2021; 12(6): 393-403 doi: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i6.393. Abstract
Currently the fifth generation, 5G,
for wireless communication is about to be rolled out worldwide. Many
persons are concerned about potential health risks from radiofrequency
radiation. In September 2017, a letter was sent to the European Union
asking for a moratorium on the deployment until scientific evaluation
has been made on potential health risks (https://www.5Gappeal.eu). This
appeal has had little success. The Health Council of the Netherlands
released on September 2, 2020 their evaluation on 5G and health. It was
largely based on a World Health Organization draft and report by the
Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, both criticized for not being
impartial. The guidelines by the International Commission on
Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection were recommended to be used, although
they have been considered to be insufficient to protect against health
hazards (https://www.emfscientist.org).
The Health Council Committee recommended not to use the 26 GHz
frequency band until health risks have been studied. For lower
frequencies, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection guidelines were recommended. The conclusion that there is no
reason to stop the use of lower frequencies for 5G is not justified by
current evidence on cancer risks as commented in this article. A
moratorium is urgently needed on the implementation of 5G for wireless
communication.
Core
Tip: In this comment, guidelines for radiofrequency radiation are
discussed in relation to a recent evaluation by the Health Council of
the Netherlands. The Committee recommends that for the deployment of 5G
the frequency band 26 GHz should not be used. For lower frequencies, the
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
guidelines are recommended. However, these guidelines are not based on
an objective evaluation of health risks, which is discussed in this
paper. Conclusion
In conclusion regarding cancer, current scientific evidence clearly
demonstrates an increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma for use
of mobile and/or cordless phones. In this review other tumor types and
health endpoints are not discussed. The increased risk for brain and
head tumors is based on human cancer epidemiology studies and is
supported by similar tumor types found in animal studies. In fact, these
animal studies confirmed the earlier results in case-control studies on
increased tumor risk for use of wireless phones (both mobile and
cordless phones). Mechanistic aspects on carcinogenesis come from
laboratory findings on, e.g., the increase of reactive oxygen species[5]
and DNA damage[4].
The current evaluation by the Health Council of the Netherlands is based
on a WHO draft and SSM report. It also recommends using ICNIRP
guidelines, considered to be insufficient to protect against health
hazards, such as cancer, by the majority of the scientists in this field
(https://www.emfscientist.org). The report does not represent a
thorough, balanced, objective, and up-to-date evaluation of cancer risks
and other hazardous effects from RF radiation. It is also strikingly
contradictory as it concludes that serious health effects such as cancer
and birth defects are "possible." Yet it has no objection to the
roll-out of 5G and recommends that later studies are performed to study
health outcomes such as cancer and birth defects. Thus, no lessons are
learned from existing observations on increased cancer risks[49].
The conclusion by the Commission that there is no reason to stop the use
of lower frequencies for 5G up to 3.5 GHz because of no "proven adverse
health effects," merely reflects the biased conclusions by ICNIRP
dominated groups. Thus that conclusion must be dismissed, and new
guidelines for previous and new frequencies must be established
considering the new technology, the different propagation pattern for
5G, and increased RF radiation.
A moratorium is urgently required on the implementation of 5G for
wireless communication[13]. Ultimately, wired solutions are preferred.
My note: JamesC. Lin, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Lin
is one of the most renowned scientists who has studied the biological
interactions of wireless radiation. He is a fellow of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science and the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Since 2006 he has
been the Editor-in-Chief of the Bioelectromagnetics journal published on behalf of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS), an international organization of biological and physical scientists,
physicians and engineers. In a prior article, Dr. Lin, an
ICNIRP Commission member from 2004-2016, accused the organization of groupthink: "The simultaneous penchant to dismiss and criticize positive results and
the fondness for and eager acceptance of negative findings are palpable
and concerning."
Like several previous articles that Dr. JC Lin wrote for IEEE Microwave Magazine, the abstract is biased toward risk minimization so read the paper or the following excerpts.
Excerpts Low-band 5G starts at roughly 400 MHz and uses existing or previous 3G or 4G frequencies or newly opened frequencies to operate; the latter, for example, may overlap with the existing 4G band. The 5G rollout began with midband, which includes popular frequencies between 3 and 4 GHz. However, primary 5G technological advances are associated with high-band 5G, which promises performance bandwidth as high as 20 GHz, and multiple-input, multiple-output strategies using 64–256 antennas at short distances and offering performances up to 10 times better than the current 4G networks." "For health safety matters, it is not apparent whether the biological responses to high-band 5G radiations would be akin to earlier generations or low-band 5G radiations, given the distinctive characteristics of mm-wave and its interaction with the complex structure and composition of pertinent, superficial biological cells and tissues such as the cornea of the eye and nerve-rich human skin, the large, protective organ of the body." "The two most widely promulgated RF health safety guidelines or standards have recently published revisions of their respective 1998 and 2005 versions [1], [2]. The updated International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection guidelines and IEEE standards appear to cater to industry wishes; they are strongly linked to thermal effects associated with measurable temperature elevations. Also, the updates seem to have been synchronized to accommodate the 5G rollout." "To date, there has not been a single reported epidemiological study that investigated mm-waves and their potential health effects. Thus, although there are roughly 100 published laboratory investigations of all types, and the reported biological responses are inconsistent in their association between biological effects and mm-wave exposure. Indeed, the types of reported laboratory investigations are small, limited, and diverse, considering the wide, 5G, mm-wave frequency domain. The jury on biological effects or health impacts is still out on 5G mm-waves. Moreover, there is a lack of ongoing, controlled laboratory investigations...." "If the entities responsible for safety recommendations believe what appears to be their position concerning experimental results from rats from the NIEHS/NTP that a whole-body temperature rise of 1 °C is carcinogenic, then the safety factors of 50 adopted for the public or 10 for workers would be marginal for their stated purpose and practically meaningless from the perspective of "safety" protection (more so above 6 GHz)." "As shown in Table 1, for mm-waves, the referenced local-tissue-temperature rise in the head, torso, and limbs of humans is 5 °C. This level of temperature rise would bring the tissue temperature from a normal value of 37 °C to a hyperthermic 42 °C. A 42 °C tissue temperature is known to be cytotoxic, with exponential cell-killing capacities. It is used as the basis for clinical cancer therapy in hyperthermia treatment for cancer protocols [14]–[16]. The recently updated safety recommendations provide a reduction factor of 10 for the public's safety and a reduction factor of two in the case of workers. In this situation, the efficacy of these updated safety recommendations is borderline, and the updated recommendations are meaningless from the perspective of safety protection.
In summary, the safety recommendation updates were based primarily on limiting the tissue-heating potentials of RF radiation to elevate body temperatures. There are significant anomalies in the recently updated safety recommendations. Moreover, aside from the aforementioned anomalies, the existing scientific data are too limited—especially at mm-wavelengths—to make a reliable assessment or conclusion with any certainty. Some of the updated safety recommendations are marginal, questionable, and lack scientific justification from the perspective of safety protection." -- 5G Cellular Standards. Total Radiobiological Assessment of the Danger of Planetary Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure to the Population (in Russian)Y.G. Grigoriev, A.S. Samoylov. 5G-cellular standards. Total radiobiological assessment of the danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population. G384; М.: SRC — FMBC, Moscow, 2020. Abstract The book discusses the implementation of the 5G-standard in the cellular communication system. 5G-technology works with millimeter waves (MMW) with simultaneous distribution of the IoT (Internet of Things) program — Internet connection between «things», both for home use, and other objects, for example, in transport, in production. MMW are easily shielded. Given this, only the skin and sclera of the eyes will be affected. A new radiobiological approach to hazard assessment of the 5G-standard is presented. The significance of radiobiological criteria and the degree of risk are considered, taking into account the appearance of new critical organs and the load on existing critical organs and systems during lifetime exposure to EMF in the population. This point of view of the authors is used to assess the total radiobiological danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population. Ways of possible reduction of the electromagnetic load on the population are suggested. Relevance of the book by L.A. Ilyin, RAS academician Both in Russia and in countries abroad, there have been active discussions over the past few years about a promising proposal for optimizing cellular communications — the planetary introduction of a new 5G-standard that will guarantee fast transmission of a large amount of data. For this purpose, millimeter waves (MMW) will be used. The techno-economic advantage of this offer is obvious and widely reported by the media in many countries. However, the degree of danger of this type of electromagnetic radiation to public health and the environment remains unclear. Unfortunately, the appeals of scientists and medical professionals to the UN and the European Union about the need for preliminary medical and biological research before implementing the 5G-standard remain beyond real implementation. A number of countries refuse to place the 5G-standard on their territory. Book by Yu.G. Grigoriev and A.S. Samoylov "5G-CELLULAR STANDARD. TOTAL RADIOBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DANGER OF PLANETARY ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION EXPOSURE TO THE POPULATION" considers the implementation of the 5G-standard in the cellular communication system. Unlike existing wireless technologies 2G, 3G and 4G, which use electromagnetic fields of the radio frequency range, the 5G-standard works with millimeter waves with simultaneous distribution of the IoT (Internet of Things) program — Internet communication between "objects", both for home use and other objects, for example, in transport and in production. For stable delivery of MMW to the entire territory of our planet, Earth satellites are used. It is planned to launch 4,425 satellites for the implementation of the universal Internet access program, but there are already 800 satellites in space under this program. It should be noted that there are currently several thousand satellites in orbit, which is of great concern to astronomers and the security service of manned space flights in Russia. In fact, the entire population will be trapped for life in the electromagnetic grid of millimeter waves and no one will be able to avoid their impact. MMW are easily shielded. Naturally, to cover a certain area with a millimeter cell, you will need to increase the number of base stations (BS). For example, with a cell radius of only 20 meters, you will need about 800 base stations per square kilometer and located 3-5 meters from the consumer. This is in sharp contrast, for example, with 3G and 4G-standards, which use large cells and have ranges from 2 to 15 km or more. Given that MMW is absorbed in biotissues at a depth of up to 2 mm, only the skin and sclera of the eyes will be affected by them. Therefore, the authors rightly believe that when assessing the risk of MMV, it is necessary to take into account the appearance of new critical organs — the skin and eyes. The skin is a very complex biostructure, has a large number of receptors and is actually a "bio-relay" between the external environment and the functional state of the body. Naturally, the introduction of 5G-technology raises new questions. First, the technical part of providing this type of communication. A significantly larger number of micro-antenna base station antennas per unit area with satellite support is needed. Second, there is a lack of a consistent methodology for hygienic rationing. Third, there are only assumptions about possible biological effects in the lifetime impact of MMW on populations and ecosystems. There are no data on possible bioeffects with constant exposure to MMW on the skin and sclera of the eyes. Targeted research is still not carried out both in Russia and abroad. There are different perspectives on the assessment of the dangers of this new technology. The International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assess the hazard only by adding the absorbed dose to existing standards. This is a small addition, and therefore the existing FCC and ICNIRP standards, approved in 1996, are not being revised. International standards, despite criticism from the scientific community and the European Union, have remained unchanged for more than 20 years. The authors of the reviewed book consider this approach erroneous, because in this case, the radiation load on new critical organs — the skin and eyes--is not taken into account. They considered the significance of radiobiological criteria and the degree of risk, taking into account the emergence of new critical organs and the load on existing critical organs and systems, taking into account the lifetime exposure of the population to EMF. From this point of view, the book presents an assessment of the total radiobiological danger of planetary electromagnetic radiation exposure to the population. The book offers new ways to reduce the electromagnetic load, taking into account 5G on the population. It is necessary to explain to the population that EMF is considered harmful and their safety is regulated by certain hygiene standards. Exposure to EMF that exceeds these standards may negatively affect the health of the mobile user. In this regard, the population should strictly follow the existing hygiene recommendations. However, most people perceive gadgets simply as an element of convenient everyday communication without time limits, as a toy for children, for entertainment, using cellular communication without the need. The population should understand that by violating hygiene recommendations, they are putting themselves at a certain risk. This danger must be persistently explained and, above all, through the media. It is recommended to introduce such a concept as "The conscious risk". This is the first generalization on the problem of the danger of 5G-technologies, both in Russia and abroad. Open access book (in Russian; 196 pp. pdf): https://bit.ly/Grigoriev5G My comments: A considerable amount of research suggests that exposure to millimeter waves can affect many organs of the body, not just the skin and the eyes. --Electromagnetic fields, 5G and health: what about the precautionary principle? John William Frank.
Electromagnetic fields, 5G and health: what about the precautionary principle? J Epidemiol Community Health. Published Online First: 19 January 2021. doi: 10.1136/jech-2019-213595. Abstract
New
fifth generation (5G) telecommunications systems, now being rolled out
globally, have become the subject of a fierce controversy. Some health
protection agencies and their scientific advisory committees have
concluded that there is no conclusive scientific evidence of harm.
Several recent reviews by independent scientists, however, suggest that
there is significant uncertainty on this question, with rapidly emerging
evidence of potentially harmful biological effects from radio frequency
electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposures, at the levels 5G roll-out
will entail. This essay identifies four relevant sources of scientific
uncertainty and concern: (1) lack of clarity about precisely what
technology is included in 5G; (2) a rapidly accumulating body of
laboratory studies documenting disruptive in vitro and in vivo effects
of RF-EMFs—but one with many gaps in it; (3) an almost total lack (as
yet) of high-quality epidemiological studies of adverse human health
effects from 5G EMF exposure specifically, but rapidly emerging
epidemiological evidence of such effects from past generations of RF-EMF
exposure; (4) persistent allegations that some national
telecommunications regulatory authorities do not base their RF-EMF
safety policies on the latest science, related to unmanaged conflicts of
interest. The author, an experienced epidemiologist, concludes that one
cannot dismiss the growing health concerns about RF-EMFs, especially in
an era when higher population levels of exposure are occurring widely,
due to the spatially dense transmitters which 5G systems require. Based
on the precautionary principle, the author echoes the calls of others
for a moratorium on the further roll-out of 5G systems globally, pending
more conclusive research on their safety.
Conclusions and recommendation
In
assessing causal evidence in environmental epidemiology, Bradford Hill
himself pointed out that 'the whole picture matters;' he argued against
prioritising any subset of his famous nine criteria for causation. One's
overall assessment of the likelihood that an exposure causes a health
condition should take into account a wide variety of evidence, including
'biological plausibility'. After reviewing the evidence cited above, the writer, an experienced
physician-epidemiologist, is convinced that RF-EMFs may well have
serious human health effects. While there is also increasing scientific
evidence for RF-EMF effects of ecological concern in other species, both plant and animal, these have not been reviewed here, for reasons
of space and the author's disciplinary limitations. In addition, there
is convincing evidence, cited above, that several nations' regulatory
apparatus, for telecommunications innovations such as the 5G roll-out,
is not fit for purpose. Indeed, significant elements in that apparatus
appear to have been captured by vested interests. Every society's public
health—and especially the health of those most likely to be susceptible
to the hazard in question (in the case of EMFs, children and pregnant
women)—needs to be protected by evidence-based regulations, free from
significant bias.
Finally, this commentary would be
remiss if it did not mention a widely circulating conspiracy theory,
suggesting that 5G and related EMF exposures somehow contributed to the
creation or spread of the current COVID-19 pandemic. There are
knowledgeable commentators' reports on the web debunking this theory, and no respectable scientist or publication has backed it. Indeed, combatting it is widely viewed by the scientific community as critical to dealing with the pandemic, as conspiracy theorists holding this view have already carried out violent attacks on mobile phone transmission facilities and other symbolic targets, distracting the public and authorities at a time when pandemic control actions are paramount. 42 This writer completely supports that view of the broader scientific community: the theory that 5G and related EMFs have contributed to the pandemic is baseless.
It follows that, for the current 5G roll-out, there is a sound basis for invoking 'the precautionary principle'. This is the environmental and occupational health principle by which significant doubt about the safety of a new and potentially widespread human exposure should be a reason to call a moratorium on that exposure, pending adequate scientific investigation of its suspected adverse health effects. In short, one should 'err on the side of caution'. In the case of 5G transmission systems, there is no compelling public health or safety rationale for their rapid deployment. The main gains being promised are either economic (for some parties only, not necessarily with widely distributed financial benefits across the population) or related to increased consumer convenience. Until we know more about what we are getting into, from a health and ecological point of view, those putative gains need to wait.
-- Chemical polarization effects of electromagnetic field radiation from the novel 5G network deployment at ultra high frequency Ugochukwu O. Matthew, Jazuli S. Kazaure. Chemical polarization effects of electromagnetic field radiation from the novel 5G network deployment at ultra high frequency. Health Technology (Berl). 2021 Jan 27: 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s12553-020-00501-x. Abstract
The wide-spectrum of
non-ionizing, non-visible radiation emitted from the novel 5G network
deployment was investigated and found liable to produce effects capable
of heating up and altering human body nomenclature. The Ultra-high
frequency magnetic fields, induced circulation of currents in the
surrounding human body when potentially exposed. The quantum of these
electromagnetic charges is influenced by the magnitude of the external
magnetic field. The Magnetic fields warming is the major organic
consequence of the electromagnetic fields radiofrequency radiation
emitted from 5G network installation especially at a very high
frequencies. From the current research, the levels of electromagnetic
fields to which individuals are naturally unmasked under 4G network and
5G network technology in SCENARIO1, SCENARIO 2 and SCENARIO 3 are very
negligible to alter human body dipolar chemistry. On the several
findings of the research, deploying 5G network technology under the
ultra-high frequency above 20 GHz will produce effect that will heat up
the human body tissues due to electromagnetic field inducement since
human body is dipolar in nature. The research established that while the
current digital society will continue investment into 5G network
technology, caution must be applied not to deploy 5G network under
ultra-high frequency above 20 GHz due to its adverse health effects. Conclusions
From
the knowledge and principle of electromagnetism, human beings are
constituted of substantial amount of oriented cells with diverse
electromagnetic field attributes. The Biological attributes of the human
tissue under diverse electromagnetic radiative emission are studied and
that had provided the basis upon which the current research on the
effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body. The heating
consequences of the radio electromagnetic waves from 5G network
technology deployment had formed the fundamental basis for current
research. On the several findings of the research, deploying 5G network
technology under the ultra-high baseband above 20 GHz will produce
effects such as heating up of the body tissues due to electromagnetic
field inducement on the account that human body is dipolar in nature.
The effects will extend to produce dielectric polarization, ionic
polarization, interfacial polarization and orientational polarization.
This is generally on the account that variations on dielectric
properties of biological tissues with the frequency of the
electromagnetic field inducement are very dissimilar. While it is very
imperative to determine the frequency distribution in deploying the
novel 5G network to avoid adverse dielectric dispersion that may flow
into the human body.
-- New IEEE paper questions safety of exposure to 5G cell phone radiation There has been considerable public pressure
in many countries including the U.S.
to stop deployment of 5G due to potential health risks. Most of the attention has focused on the cell towers or base stations; however, the safety of using 5G cell phones and other 5G personal devices may be an even greater concern due to the proximity of these devices to our bodies. A new peer-reviewed paper, "Human Electromagnetic Field Exposure in 5G at 28 GHz," questions the safety of exposure to 5G millimeter waves. The authors found in a simulation study that use of a 5G cell phone at 28 GHz could exceed ICNIRP (i.e. international) radio frequency exposure limits when held at 8 centimeters (i.e., 3 inches) or closer to the head or body. Whereas the ICNIRP exposure limit for the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is 2.0 watts per kilogram averaged over 10 grams of tissue, the FCC limit is 2-3 times more conservative, namely the SAR limit is 1.6 watts per kilogram averaged over only 1 gram of tissue. This means compliance with the FCC exposure limit would require a greater separation distance from the body than 8 centimeters in the U.S. Although there have been numerous peer-reviewed papers that have raised serious concerns about the safety of exposure to 5G radiation and/or millimeter waves, this new paper is significant because it is published in an industry-sponsored journal, the November/December issue of IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine. Seungmo Kim,Imtiaz Nasim. Human Electromagnetic Field Exposure in 5G at 28 GHz. IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine. 9(6):41-48. Nov. 1 2020.DOI: 10.1109/MCE.2019.2956223. Abstract The
fifth-generation wireless (5G) has already started showing its
capability to achieve extremely fast data transfer, which makes itself
considered to be a promising mobile technology. However, concerns have
been raised on adverse health impacts that human users can experience in
a 5G system by being exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This
article investigates the human EMF exposure in a 5G system and compares
them with those measured in the previous-generation cellular systems. It
suggests a minimum separation distance between a transmitter and a
human user for keeping the EMF exposure below the safety regulation
level, which provides consumers with a general understanding on the safe
use of 5G communications. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9090831 Excerpts
"First, we discuss the human EMF exposure in the downlink as
well as the uplink. Most of the prior work studies the uplink only,
while hardly paying attention to EMF emissions generated by BSs
[base stations or cell towers]
in a 5G
network. Recall the aforementioned changes that the 5G adopts: 1)
operation at higher carrier frequencies; 2) reduction of cell size
(which leads to increase in number of BSs; and 3) concentration of
higher EMF energy into an antenna beam. They all imply that in 5G,
unlike the previous-generation wireless systems, the downlink can also
be a threat to human health as well as the uplink.
Second, we suggest that both SAR [Specific Absorption Rate] and PD
[power density] should be used to display human EMF exposure for a wireless system. The
reason is that SAR captures an amount of EMF energy that is actually
"absorbed" into human tissues, whereas PD is an efficient metric only to
present the EMF energy being introduced to a human user.
Third, we present an explicit comparison of human EMF exposure in 5G to those in the currently deployed wireless standards....
Fourth, we consider the maximum possible exposure that a human user can experience...."
"... in a 5G network, a consumer is likely to be exposed to high EMF energy
more consistently. Nevertheless, it is easier to apply a "compliance
distance" [17]
in a downlink than in an uplink. Thus, this article suggests 1) an
overhaul of the compliance distances defined in different standards and
2) the consumers' discretion on being close to a BS...."
"... the
fact that a high-frequency EMF cannot penetrate deep into human skin
does not mean that it is not dangerous. Specifically, although the
penetration is limited only at the skin surface, the SAR (illustrated as
a heat map in Figure 4) can be higher within the concentrated area, which can cause subsequent health problems such as skin heating."
Downlink vs. Uplink "Figure 3(c) and (d) compare PD and SAR in uplink to the ICNIRP guidelines set at 10 W/m2 and 2W/kg, respectively. PD and SAR are remarkably higher in uplink than those in downlink, shown via a comparison of the results for uplink to those for downlink shown in Figure 3(a) and (b). It is attributed to smaller separation distance between a transmitter and a human body. Imagine one talking on a voice call; it is a "direct" physical contact of the phone and the head!
Also, it is significant to notice that no regulation exists at 28 GHz where this article investigates for 5G. As such, we refer to the ICNIRP's guideline that is set to be 2 W/kg by ICNIRP[11] at a frequency "below 10 GHz." In Figure 3(d), it provides a ""inferred" understanding on SAR in an uplink. The zoom-in look shown in Figure 3(d) suggests that in 5G, use of a handheld device within the distance of 8 cm causes an EMF absorption exceeding 2 W/kg, which would have been prohibited if the carrier frequency was lower than 10 GHz. This implies the gravity of human EMF exposure in an uplink of 5G."
Conclusion
"This article has discussed human EMF exposure in 5G operating at
28 GHz, while most of the prior work focuses only on the technological
benefits that the technology brings. Considering the significance of
wireless technologies in our daily life, the potential danger of using
them should also be emphasized for sustainable advancement of the
technologies. In this article, the first case study has demonstrated how
much EMF exposure is caused in a 5G system compared to 4G and 3.9G.
Then, the latter case study has suggested an adequate separation
distance from a transmitter, in order to keep a human user from being
exposed to EMF below a regulatory guideline. This article is expected to
ignite continued interest in overarching research on the design of
future wireless systems that achieve high performance while keeping
consumer safety guaranteed.
However, considering the gravity of this issue, we suggest several directions to be achieved in our future research.
Human EMF exposure mitigation strategy:
We are particularly interested in exploiting the technical features in
future wireless systems—i.e., a larger number of BSs within a unit area.
Such a paradigm change will enable a holistic, network-based approach
to mitigate the EMF exposure as an optimization problem with a set of
constraints representing the PD, SAR, and skin-temperature elevation.
Further studies regarding exact human health impacts caused by EMF exposure:
The particular focus will be put on 1) skin dielectric effect with
respect to frequency and 2) the effect of radiation when the body is
covered with clothing or garment materials."
-- Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios Sven Kuehn, Serge Pfeifer, Beyhan Kochali, Niels Kuster.
Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios. Final Report of Project CRR-816. A report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Zurich, IT'IS Foundation. 24 June 2019. Executive Summary In January 2019, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) mandated the IT'IS Foundation to evaluate the total human exposure in hypothetical 5G mobile networks for varied topologies and user scenarios to identify factors that would minimize the total exposure of the population. In this study, total exposure is defined as the combined exposure from network base stations, the user's own device, as well as bystanders' mobile devices. The influence of various factors on total exposure in mobile communication networks (as defined above) was modeled and analyzed with the help of the Monte Carlo simulation technique. Total exposure is described as the local peak specific absorption rate (SAR) spatially averaged over any 10 g of tissue mass (psaSAR10g) averaged over a period of 6 minutes. The unit psaSAR10g was chosen because it defines the governing basic restriction for wireless exposure as the whole-body average SAR limits (wbaSAR) are intrinsically met if the limits of local exposure are satisfied. The averaging duration of 6 minutes constitutes the internationally accepted averaging time to prevent thermal hazards at frequencies below 6 GHz as instant values have little justification. However, it should be noted that some regulators define shorter averaging time periods, e.g., the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of 100 s. In a first step, we analyzed the tissue-specific exposure as a function of frequency. The preliminary dosimetric study showed that exposure of the human brain to the 3.6 GHz band, that has been recently added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor of >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile network operation at <1 GHz. This reduction is due to the smaller penetration depth at higher frequencies. This conclusion, however, does not apply to exposed tissues close to the surface or skin (eyes, testicles, etc.) when the peak SAR in this tissue is evaluated. The peak SAR in the grey matter remains in approximately the same order of magnitude ( 3 dB) over all frequencies but the area of high exposure is reduced at 3.6 GHz. In a second step, we used data measured in 4G systems and analyzed the latest mobile network standards to extrapolate the exposures for various 5G network scenarios. These measured data were also used to extrapolate the exposure to the future development of data usage in 5G networks. Specifically, we analyzed the effect on the total exposure of (i) the network topology by varying the cell size and amount of indoor coverage in the network, as well as the usage of (ii) an individual's own device, and (iii) devices of close bystanders. The results – based on simulations of more than 200 different exposure scenarios – reveal that, for all user types, except for non-users (including passive mobile phone users and users dominantly using downlink data traffic, e.g., video streaming), total exposure is dominated by the person's own mobile device. Compared to non-users, the exposure is increased (i) for light users (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or a factor of 4 to 10), (ii) for moderate users (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or a factor of 20 to >300), and (iii) for heavy users by 15 – 40 dB (or a factor of 30 to >10000). Further, the results show that peak exposure of non-users is not defined by exposure to base stations but by exposure to mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna. While a reduction of the mobile cell size leads to a reduction in total exposure by a factor of 2 to10 for people actively using their mobile devices, this might also lead to a small increase by a factor of 1.6 in total exposure of non-users due the generally increased incident signal levels from the surrounding base stations. Similarly, the exposure of active users can be reduced by a factor of 4 to 600 by increasing the indoor network coverage. Yet, in line with the results for the mobile cell sizes, increased indoor coverage will also lead to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. This increase, however, starts at a level 1000 times lower than the typical total exposure of active users. The results of this study show that the personal mobile device is the dominant exposure source for active mobile network users. Besides a person's own usage behavior, total exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network with a lower path loss, i.e., smaller cells and additional indoor coverage, helps to reduce total exposure. The exposure per transmitted bit is reduced by a factor of <3 by the increased spectral efficiency of the 5G technology, and the reduced penetration depth associated with the new bands at 3.5 – 3.8 GHz. The results presented above are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated in this report. Furthermore, it only considers time-averaged (6 min) and not instant exposures. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links, for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks. Conclusions The results of this study show that the absorption of energy by the human brain, resulting from exposure to the 3.6 GHz band newly added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile networks operating at <1 GHz, and by a factor of >2 when compared to the frequency bands at 1.8 – 2GHz. For deep brain regions, the reduction is much larger. The reduced exposure for these regions is due to lower penetration depths at higher frequencies. Close to the surface (eyes, testicles, etc.) the exposure can be higher. At the most exposed surface of the grey matter, the values remain approximately 3 dB over all frequencies whereas the area of high exposure is reduced. More than 200 Monte Carlo simulated exposure scenarios have been analyzed to evaluate total human exposure in 5G Networks for different topologies and user scenarios. The results show that for all users (except non-users), the total exposure is dominated by a person's own mobile device. Compared to a non-user, the exposure is increased for a light user (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or by a factor 4 to 10), for a moderate user (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or by a factor of 20 to >300), and for a heavy user by 25 – 40 dB (or a factor of 300 to >10000). The peak exposure of non-users is further not defined by exposure to surrounding base stations but by mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas, resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna. Reducing the diameter of the mobile cell leads to a decreased overall exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people who actively use their mobile devices. At the same time, the reduction in cell size might lead to a small increase by a factor <2 in exposure for non-users. The exposure of active users can be reduced by factors ranging from 4 to 600 by increasing indoor network coverage which, in turn, will be linked to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. However, such an increase is by a factor 1000 lower than the typical exposure of active users. The results of this study are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated earlier in this report. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO and multi-user MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links – for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks. In summary, the results of this study show that the user's own mobile device is the dominant source of exposure for the population of active mobile network users. Besides personal usage patterns, totl exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network that decreases the path loss by means of smaller cells and additional indoor coverage will help to reduce the total exposure of the population. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/dam/bafu/en/dokumente/elektrosmog/externe-studien-berichte/modelling-of-total-exposure-in-hypothetical-5g-mobile-networks-for-varied-topologies-and-user-scenarios.pdf.download.pdf/Modelling%20of%20Total%20Exposure%20in%20Hypothetical%205G%20Networks%20-%20Schlussbericht.pdf -- Oct 14, 2020 5G Research
from the EMF-Portal Archive As of June 1, 2020, the EMF-Portalarchive listed 133 papers and letters to the editor published in professional journals and
presentations at professional conferences that focus on 5G research. Although most
discuss technical or dosimetric issues (n = 92), 41 citations address other
issues including potential biologic or health effects. In all, the EMF-Portal archivereferences more than 30,000 publications and presentations on non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. The Portal is a project based at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany.
Currently, no peer-reviewed, empirical studies of the biologic
or health effects from actual exposure to 5G radiation have been published. Hence,
those who claim that 5G is safe because it complies with radiofrequency
exposure guidelines are engaging in sophistry. These guidelines were designed to protect the
population from short-term heating (or thermal) risks. However, numerous peer-reviewed
studies have found adverse biologic and health effects from exposure to low-intensity
or non-thermal levels of electromagnetic fields (EMF). Hence, more than 240 EMF
scientists who have signed theInternational EMF Scientist Appeal have recommended that "guidelines and regulatory standards be strengthened": "Numerous recent scientific publications have shown
that EMF affects living organisms at levels well below most international and
national guidelines…. The
various agencies setting safety standards have failed to impose sufficient
guidelines to protect the general public, particularly children who are more
vulnerable to the effects of EMF." To download the list of 133 papers and presentations: bit.ly/EmfPortal5G -- 5G Wireless Deployment and Health Risks: Time for a Medical Discussion Priyanka
Bandara, Tracy Chandler, Robin Kelly, Julie McCredden, Murray May,
Steve Weller, Don Maisch, Susan Pockett, Victor Leach, Richard Cullen,
Damian Wojcik.
5G Wireless Deployment and Health Risks: Time for a Medical Discussion
in Australia and New Zealand. ACNEM Journal. 39(1). July 2020. No abstract. Excerpts "There is an urgent need for clinicians and
medical scientists in the Australia-New Zealand region to engage in an
objective discussion around the potential health impacts of the fifth
generation (5G) wireless technology currently being deployed. The
statements of assurance by the industry and government parties that
dominate the media in our region are at odds with the warnings of
hundreds of scientists actively engaged in research on biological/health
effects of anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation/fields (EMR/EMF).
(1) There have been worldwide public protests as well as appeals by
professionals and the general public (2) that have compelled many cities
in Europe to declare moratoria on 5G deployment and to begin
investigations. In contrast, there is no medically-oriented
professional discussion on this public health topic in Australia and New
Zealand, where 5G deployment is being expedited. 5G is untested for
safety on humans and other species and the limited existing evidence
raises major concerns that need to be addressed. The vast body of
research literature on biological/health effects of 'wireless
radiation' (radiofrequency EMR) (3,4) indicates a range of
health-related issues associated with different types of wireless
technologies (1G-4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, Radar, radio/TV transmission,
scanning and surveillance systems). These are used in a wide range of
personal devices in common use (mobile/cordless phones, computers, baby
monitors, games consoles etc) without users being aware of the health
risks. Furthermore, serious safety concerns arise from the extra
complexity of 5G as follows: •
5G carrier waves use a much broader part of the microwave spectrum
including waves with wavelengths in the millimetre range (hence called
'millimetre waves') which will be used in the second phase of 5G).
Until now, millimetre waves have had limited applications such as radar,
point-to-point communications links and non-lethal military weapons.
(5) • Extremely complex modulation patterns involving numerous frequencies form novel exposures. • Beam formation characteristics can produce hotspots of high unknown intensities. •
A vast number of antenna arrays will add millions of microwave
transmitters globally in addition to the existing RF transmitters
thereby greatly increasing human exposure. This includes 5G small cell
antennas to be erected every 200-250 metres on street fixtures, such as
power poles and bus shelters, many of which will be only metres from
homes with the homeowners having absolutely no say in where the antennas
will be located. This massive leap in human
exposure to RF-EMR from 5G is occurring in a setting where the existing
scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates biological interference,
(3,4) therefore suggesting the need to urgently reduce exposure...." "As
for the new 5G technology, it is concerning that leading experts in the
technical field (6) have reported the possibility of damaging thermal
spikes under the current exposure guidelines (from beam forming 5G
millimetre waves that transfer data with short bursts of high energy)
and some animals and children may be at an increased risk due to smaller
body size. Even working within the entirely thermally-based current
regulatory process, they pointed out 5G millimetre waves "may lead to
permanent tissue damage after even short exposures, highlighting the
importance of revisiting existing exposure guidelines". (6) Microwave
experts from the US Air Force have reported on 'Brillouin Precursors'
created by sharp transients at the leading and trailing edges of pulses
of mm waves, when beam forming fast millimetre waves create moving
charges in the body which penetrate deeper than explained in the
conventional models, and have the potential to cause tissue damage. (7)
In fact, concerns about moving charges affecting deep tissue are
associated with other forms of pulsed RF radiation currently used for
wireless communications. This may be one factor explaining why the
pulsed radiation used in wireless communication technologies is more
biologically active than continuous RF radiation. (8) Such effects of
high energy 5G mm waves could have potentially devastating consequences
for species with small body size and also creatures that have innate
sensitivity to EMF, which include birds and bees that use nature's EMFs
for navigation. (9) Unfortunately, non-thermal effects and chronic
exposure effects are not addressed in the current guidelines. (10)" "Our
investigation into the scientific literature has found RF-EMR to be a
potent inducer of oxidative stress even at so-called "low-intensity"
exposures (which are in fact billions of times higher than in nature
(26)) such as those from commonly used wireless devices. An analysis
(22) of 242 publications (experimental studies) which had investigated
endpoints related to oxidative stress - biomarkers of oxidative damage
such as 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (indicating oxidative DNA damage) and/or
altered antioxidant levels - revealed that 216 studies (89%) had
reported such findings (Fig. 1). This evidence base on RF-associated
oxidative stress from 26 countries (only one study from Australia and
none from New Zealand) is relatively new and mostly post 2010, i.e.
after the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
classified RF-EMR as a Group 2B possible carcinogen. Moreover, 180
studies out of the 242 (74.7%) were in vivo studies (including several
human studies) which presents strong evidence. "Proponents
of 5G often dismiss concerns about health risks claiming that 5G
microwaves will minimally penetrate the skin and therefore any effects
are limited to minor skin heating (and they acknowledge that there is
some uncertainty around heating effects on the eyes). The medical
community understands that skin is the largest organ of the human body
and a key part of the neuro-immune and neuro-endocrine systems. Natural
UVA and UVB (also so-called non-ionizing radiation) that penetrate the
skin less than 5G millimetre waves have profound effects on health and
wellbeing of humans. Therefore, artificial 5G waves must be subjected to
rigorous safety testing." "Unfortunately, the
questionable conduct of regulatory agencies such as ARPANSA and WHO's
international EMF Project (43) with conflicts of interest due to funding
links to the wireless industry (44) remains to be investigated. More
open questioning and protests are appearing in Europe and North America
where there is some level of engagement on the part of government bodies
in response to warnings of adverse health effects of anthropogenic
EMF/EMR by expert medical bodies such as EUROPAEM and AAEM (31,32)
(despite industry opposition)." -- 5G Communication Technology and Coronavirus Disease [Health Matters] James C. Lin. 5G Communication Technology and Coronavirus Disease [Health
Matters]. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 21(9):16-19. Sep 2020. No abstract. Excerpts "The fact is that there is no link between the COVID-19 virus and 5G cell phone technology or 5G base-station communication towers. These are totally different constructs; they are not even close. None of the conspiracy theories that try to link 5G and the coronavirus make any sense scientifically." "For biological matters, it is not obvious whether the biological responses to high-band 5G radiation will be akin to earlier generations or low-band 5G radiations, given the distinctive characteristics of mm-wave [millimeter wave] and its interaction with the complex structure and composition of pertinent biological tissues." "It is important to note that the recent NTP and Ramazzini RF exposure studies presented similar findings in terms of heart schwannomas and brain gliomas. Thus, two relatively well-conducted RF exposure studies employing the same strain of rats showed consistent results in significantly increased cancer risks. More recently, an advisory group for the IARC has recommended including reevaluation of the carcinogenicity of human exposure to RF radiation, with high priority, in their monograph series [7]." "... the 5G frequency domain is divided into low, mid, and high bands. The operating frequencies at low and mid bands can overlap with the current 4G band at 6 GHz or below. Thus, the biological effects of RF radiation at these lower frequency bands are likely to be comparable to 2, 3, or 4G. However, the scenarios of high-band 5G—especially for 24–60 GHz in the mm-wave region for high-capacity, short-range wireless data communications—are relatively recent arrivals and pose considerable challenge to health risk assessment. There is a paucity of data on permittivity and coupling, such as reflection, transmission, and induced energy deposition, in biological tissues in the mm-wave frequency band." "Induced energy deposition increases with mm-wave frequency. However, at the highest frequencies, the energy deposition in the deeper regions inside the skin is lower because of the reduced penetration depth at these frequencies [11]." "A recently published review [13] included 45 in vivo studies conducted using laboratory animals and other biological preparations and 53 in vitro studies involving primary cells and cultured cell lines.... This industry-supported review noted that, aside from the wide frequency ranges, the studies were diverse both in subjects and in the end points investigated. Biological effects were observed to occur both in vivo and in vitro for different biological endpoints studied. Indeed, the percentage of positive responses at nonthermal levels in most frequency groups was as high as 70%." "While many of these investigations with mm-wave exposures reported biological responses, there is inconsistency in the dependence of biological effects and mm-wave intensity used for exposure. Also, the reported in vitro and in vivo laboratory investigations are modest in number and diverse in subject matter, considering the wide 5G/mmwave frequency domain. The jury on the biological effect or health impact is still out on 5G. Moreover, there is a lack of ongoing controlled laboratory investigations. Simply put, the existing scientific data are too limited for any reliable assessment or conclusion with certainty." https://ieeexplore-ieee-org/document/9154657 -- Setting
Guidelines for Electromagnetic Exposures and Research Needs Barnes F,
Greenebaum B. Setting Guidelines for Electromagnetic Exposures and Research
Needs. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020 Jul;41(5):392-397. doi: 10.1002/bem.22267.
Abstract
Current limits for exposures to nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) are
set, based on relatively short-term exposures. Long-term exposures to weak EMF
are not addressed in the current guidelines. Nevertheless, a large and growing
amount of evidence indicates that long-term exposure to weak fields can affect
biological systems and might have effects on human health. If they do, the
public health issues could be important because of the very large fraction of
the population worldwide that is exposed. We also discuss research that needs
to be done to clarify questions about the effects of weak fields. In addition
to the current short-term exposure guidelines, we propose an approach to how
weak field exposure guidelines for long-term exposures might be set, in which
the responsibility for limiting exposure is divided between the manufacturer,
system operator, and individual being exposed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32311139/ Excerpts "Both IEEE and
ICNIRP base their analyses on rigorous reviews of the scientific literature and
on established firm evidence of health effects in humans. The present
guidelines are based on acute exposures; to date both IEEE and ICNIRP have not
found sufficient evidence to include health effects of long-term exposures at
lower levels. However, over the last 20 years the evidence has become extremely
strong that weaker EMF over the whole range for frequencies from static through
millimeter waves can modify biological processes. There is now solid
experimental evidence and supporting theory showing that weak fields,
especially but not exclusively at low frequencies, can modify reactive free
radical concentrations and that changes in radical concentration and that of
other signaling molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide and calcium, can modify
biological processes …" "The evidence
that weak radiofrequency (RF) and low-frequency fields can modify human health
is still less strong, but the experiments supporting both conclusions are too
numerous to be uniformly written off as a group due to poor technique, poor
dosimetry, or lack of blinding in some cases, or other good laboratory
practices. Based on recent studies by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)
[Smith‐Roe et
al., 2020] and the Ramazzini Foundation [Falcioni et al., 2018] as well as
laboratory data, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has
declared RF fields as possible human carcinogens [IARC, 2013]. A recent paper
extends the NTP studies by evaluating genotoxicity in animals exposed to fields
at or over the guideline limits and found DNA damage in Comet assays [Smith‐Roe et al., 2020]. Many other papers
indicate similar results, but many negative results are also in the
literature."
"PROPOSED APPROACH TO SETTING EXPOSURE LIMITS
From these and other lines of solid research, the guidelines for exposure could
be revised. Increased emphasis on long-term exposures may require refining the
concept of dose to more flexibly combine exposure time and field intensity or
energy absorbed. Eventual guidelines might suggest limiting cell phone calls to
X hours per day with exposure levels above Y W/m2, and for Z days per week
exposure should be less than Y W/m2 to allow the body to reset its baseline."
"What is missing in the current guidelines or regulations are guidelines for
long-term exposure to weak EMF…."
"Guidelines should be set at three levels: the individual user, local company,
and national or international level…. External guidance, in terms of informed
recommendations or at least analysis of various intensities and styles of usage
from some agency such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or NIH,
would be useful.
Limits on the time for operations of base stations and exposures in adjacent
living spaces are not controlled by the user and must be set by competent
authorities, based on scientific evidence. It is likely to be difficult to
specify times when exposures to RF signals are zero or below some limit. What
will be needed is being able to say with some certainty that exposure below a
given level has not been shown to cause changes in body chemistry above some
level. A starting point might be current levels from TV and radio stations that
are large enough to give signal-to-noise ratios around 20 dB (100-fold) with
typical receiving systems. Currently, mean values for the population's exposure
to these systems are estimated to be around 0.1 V/m and peak exposures range up
to 2 V/m, which exceed current exposure limits for a small fraction of the
population. Therefore, one starting point for exposure limits might be an
average of 0.1 V/m, not based on research but on practicality, until further
research results dictate either a lower or higher limit." -- Effects of 5G Wireless Communication on Human Health Karaboytcheva M. Effects of 5G wireless communication on human health.European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). Briefing document: PE 646.172. March 2020. Summary The fifth generation of telecommunications technologies, 5G, is fundamental to achieving a European gigabit society by 2025. The aim to cover all urban areas, railways and major roads with uninterrupted fifth generation wireless communication can only be achieved by creating a very dense network of antennas and transmitters. In other words, the number of higher frequency base stations and other devices will increase significantly. This raises the question as to whether there is a negative impact on human health and environment from higher frequencies and billions of additional connections, which, according to research, will mean constant exposure for the whole population, including children. Whereas researchers generally consider such radio waves not to constitute a threat to the population, research to date has not addressed the constant exposure that 5G would introduce. Accordingly, a section of the scientific community considers that more research on the potential negative biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) and 5G is needed, notably on the incidence of some serious human diseases. A further consideration is the need to bring together researchers from different disciplines, in particular medicine and physics or engineering, to conduct further research into the effects of 5G. The EU's current provisions on exposure to wireless signals, the Council Recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), is now 20 years old, and thus does not take the specific technical characteristics of 5G into account. In this Briefing
Difference between 5G and current technology
Regulation of electromagnetic fields and 5G exposure
European Parliament Research on EMF and 5G effects on human health
Stakeholders' views
The road ahead for 5G
Open access paper:https://bit.ly/EUParl5G -- Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions Kostoff RN, Heroux P, Aschner M, Tsatsakis A. Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions. Toxicology Letters. 323(1):35-40. May 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.01.020.
Highlights • Identifies wide-spectrum of adverse health effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation • Most laboratory experiments were not designed to identify the more severe adverse effects reflective of real-life conditions • Many experiments do not include the real-life pulsing and modulation of the carrier signal • Vast majority of experiments do not account for synergistic adverse effects of other toxic stimuli with wireless radiation • 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, but will have adverse systemic effects as well
Abstract
This article identifies adverse effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation (hereafter called wireless radiation) reported in the premier biomedical literature. It emphasizes that most of the laboratory experiments conducted to date are not designed to identify the more severe adverse effects reflective of the real-life operating environment in which wireless radiation systems operate. Many experiments do not include pulsing and modulation of the carrier signal. The vast majority do not account for synergistic adverse effects of other toxic stimuli (such as chemical and biological) acting in concert with the wireless radiation. This article also presents evidence that the nascent 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, as commonly believed, but will have adverse systemic effects as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31991167
-- Appeals that matter or not on a moratorium on the deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation Hardell L, Nyberg R. [Comment] Appeals that matter or not on a moratorium on the deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation. Molecular and Clinical Oncology. Published online January 22, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2020.1984. Abstract
Radiofrequency (RF) radiation in the frequency range of 30 kHz‑300 GHz is classified as a 'possible' human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2011. The evidence has since then been strengthened by further research; thus, RF radiation may now be classified as a human carcinogen, Group 1. In spite of this, microwave radiations are expanding with increasing personal and ambient exposure. One contributing factor is that the majority of countries rely on guidelines formulated by the International Commission on Non‑Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), a private German non‑governmental organization. ICNIRP relies on the evaluation only of thermal (heating) effects from RF radiation, thereby excluding a large body of published science demonstrating the detrimental effects caused by non‑thermal radiation. The fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation is about to be implemented worldwide in spite of no comprehensive investigations of the potential risks to human health and the environment. In an appeal sent to the EU in September, 2017 currently >260 scientists and medical doctors requested for a moratorium on the deployment of 5G until the health risks associated with this new technology have been fully investigated by industry‑independent scientists. The appeal and four rebuttals to the EU over a period of >2 years, have not achieved any positive response from the EU to date. Unfortunately, decision makers seem to be uninformed or even misinformed about the risks. EU officials rely on the opinions of individuals within the ICNIRP and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), most of whom have ties to the industry. They seem to dominate evaluating bodies and refute risks. It is important that these circumstances are described. In this article, the warnings on the health risks associated with RF presented in the 5G appeal and the letters to the EU Health Commissioner since September, 2017 and the authors' rebuttals are summarized. The responses from the EU seem to have thus far prioritized industry profits to the detriment of human health and the environment. Excerpt In conclusion, this article demonstrates that the EU
has given mandate to a 13‑member, non‑governmental
private group, the ICNIRP, to decide upon the RF radiation
guidelines. The ICNIRP, as well as SCENIHR, are well
shown not to use the sound evaluation of science on the
detrimental effects of RF radiation, which is documented
in the research which is discussed above (9,10,21‑24,54,55).
These two small organizations are producing reports which
seem to deny the existence of scientific published reports on
the related risks. It should perhaps be questioned whether it
is in the realm of protecting human health and the environment by EU and whether the safety of EU citizens and the
environment can be protected by not fully understanding
the health‑related risks. Open access paper: https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/mco.2020.1984/download -- Spatial and Time Averaging Restrictions Within the Electromagnetic Exposure Safety Framework in the Frequency Range Above 6 GHz Neufeld E, Samaras T, Kuster N. Discussion on Spatial and Time Averaging Restrictions Within the Electromagnetic Exposure Safety Framework in the Frequency Range Above 6 GHz for Pulsed and Localized Exposures. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019 Dec 30. doi: 10.1002/bem.22244. Abstract Both the current and newly proposed safety guidelines for local human exposure to millimeter-wave frequencies aim at restricting the maximum local temperature increase in the skin to prevent tissue damage. In this study, we show that the application of the current and proposed limits for pulsed fields can lead to a temperature increase of 10°C for short pulses and frequencies between 6 and 30 GHz. We also show that the proposed averaging area of 4 cm2 , that is greatly reduced compared with the current limits, does not prevent high-temperature increases in the case of narrow beams. A realistic Gaussian beam profile with a 1 mm radius can result in a temperature increase about 10 times higher than the 0.4°C increase the same averaged power density would produce for a plane wave. In the case of pulsed narrow beams, the values for the time and spatial-averaged power density allowed by the proposed new guidelines could result in extreme temperature increases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31885092 Excerpts ....
In this letter, we look at limits, such as those currently proposed or
recently approved for the revised ICNIRP guidelines and IEEE standard,
and investigate whether such limits are consistent with the stated goals
of the exposure safety frameworks of preventing excessive heating in
the case of pulsed and/or localized radiation. In cases when they are
not consistent, we discuss how consistency can be achieved. In line with
the above mentioned safety standards and exposure guidelines, the
presented analysis focuses exclusively on the magnitude of the tissue
temperature increase as a risk factor and does not consider other
aspects, such as the thermoelastic effect related to the rapidity of
temperature increase.....
In conclusion, the results presented above demonstrate that, in the case
of very short pulses, pulse‐duration‐independent limits imposed on
transmitted energy density (fluence) alone cannot preclude the induction
of high‐temperature increases in the skin. Pulse‐duration‐dependent
limits should be applied also for pulses less than 1 s and possibly less
than 30 GHz as well. Even though the amplifiers of the currently
developed consumer devices will not allow the full exploitation of the
limits of the guidelines, the guidelines should not implicitly rely on
this, as they will be used to develop exposure assessment standards with
the aim of ensuring safety of any future technology, e.g. IEC/IEEE
63195 [2018].
Accordingly, either assumption must be explicitly stated in the
guidelines, or the limits should be adapted to be intrinsically safe. In
the absence of limitations applied to the peak‐to‐average power ratio
of pulses, it is possible to deliver to the body large amounts of energy
within a very short time interval. For millimeter‐wave frequencies,
where the absorption is superficial, this results in fast and dramatic
temperature rises, as the step response function is proportional to the
rapidly rising ... rather than the ... commonly encountered for deeper heating. As far as spatial averaging is
concerned, it has been shown that an averaging area smaller than 4 cm2 should be introduced in order to avoid peak PDs in narrow beams [Neufeld and Kuster, 2018]
that overheat the tissues. With increasing beam radius, e.g. at larger
distances from the antenna(s), the tolerable averaging area increases
rapidly, provided that there are no sharp exposure peaks.
Duration‐independent limits on the fluence of pulses are not suitable.
They should either be replaced by duration‐dependent fluence limits for
pulses or by limits on the (temporal) peak exposure. In both cases, the
limits should be set after taking narrow‐beam exposures into
consideration. These limits will depend on the chosen spatial and
temporal averaging schemes and the maximum temperature increase deemed
acceptable. Forward‐looking knowledge about the technical needs and
priorities of the industry could allow for selecting the balance between
thresholds (averaging time and area, peak‐to‐average ratio, PD) to
minimally impact the technological potential using the same
limit‐setting framework. -- 5G
mobile networks rated as "high impact" risk for insurance industry in
new Emerging Risk report from Swiss Re Swiss Re, one of the world's leading providers of insurance and reinsurance, rated 5G as a "high impact" risk for the insurance industry that may affect property and casualty claims in more than 3 years.
Off the leash – 5G mobile
networks
"5G – short for fifth generation – is the latest standard for cellular
mobile communications. Providing ultrafast broadband connection with higher
capacity and lower latency, 5G is not only heaven for your smartphone. It will
enable wireless connectivity in real time for any device of the Internet of
things (IoT), whether that be autonomous cars or sensor-steered factory. In
doing so, it will allow decentralised seamless interconnectivity between
devices.To allow for a functional network
coverage and increased capacity overall, more antennas will be needed,
including acceptance of higher levels of electromagnetic radiation. In some
jurisdictions, the rise of threshold values will require legal adaptation.
Existing concerns regarding potential negative health effects from
electromagnetic fields (EMF) are only likely to increase. An uptick in
liability claims could be a potential long-term consequence.
Other concerns are focused on cyber
exposures, which increase with the wider scope of 5G wireless attack surfaces.
Traditionally IoT devices have poor security features. Moreover, hackers can
also exploit 5G speed and volume, meaning that more data can be stolen much
quicker. A large-scale breakthrough of autonomous cars and other IoT
applications will mean that security features need to be enhanced at the same
pace. Without, interruption and subversion of the 5G platform could trigger
catastrophic, cumulative damage. With a change to more automation facilitated
by new technology like 5G, we might see a further shift from motor to more
general and product liability insurance. There are also worries about
privacy issues (leading to increased litigation risks), security breaches and
espionage. The focus is not only on hacking by third parties, but also
potential breaches from built-in hard- or software "backdoors." In addition,
the market for 5G infrastructure is currently focussed on a couple of firms, and
that raises the spectre of concentration risk.Potential impacts:
·Cyber exposures are significantly
increased with 5G, as attacks become faster and higher in volume. This
increases the challenge of defence.
·Growing concerns of the health
implications of 5G may lead to political friction and delay of implementation,
and to liability claims. The introductions of 3G and 4G faced similar
challenges.
·Information security and national
sovereignty concerns might delay implementation of 5G further, increasing
uncertainty for planning authorities, investors, tech companies and insurers.
·Heated international dispute over 5G
contractors and potential for espionage or sabotage could affect international
cooperation, and impact financial markets negatively.
·As the
biological effects of EMF in general and 5G in particular are still being
debated, potential claims for health impairments may come with a long latency."
Source: Swiss Re. SONAR – New emerging risk insights. Zurich, Switzerland: Sustainability, Emerging and Political Risk Management, Swiss Re Institute, Strategy Development & Performance Management. May 2019. page 29. https://www.swissre.com/institute/research/sonar/sonar2019.html --5G Deployment Blackman C,
Forge S. 5G Deployment: State of Play in Europe, USA, and Asia. Study
for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Policy Department for
Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies, European Parliament,
Luxembourg, 2019. Download the report at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2019/631060/IPOL_IDA(2019)631060_EN.pdf Excerpts "It is
becoming clear that 5G [fifth generation cellular technology] will cost much more to deploy than previous mobile
technologies (perhaps three times as much) as it is more complex and requires a
denser coverage of base stations to provide the expected capacity. The European
Commission has estimated that it will cost €500 billion to meet its 2025
connectivity targets, which includes 5G coverage in all urban areas. As 5G is
driven by the telecoms supply industry, and its long tail of component
manufacturers, a major campaign is under way to convince governments that the
economy and jobs will be strongly stimulated by 5G deployment. However, we are
yet to see significant "demand-pull" that could assure sales. These campaign
efforts are also aimed at the MNOs [mobile network operators] but they have limited capacity to invest in
the new technology and infrastructure as their returns from investment in 3G
and 4G are still being recouped. The notion of
a "race" is part of the campaign but it is becoming clear that the technology
will take much longer than earlier generations to perfect. China, for instance,
sees 5G as at least a ten-year programme to become fully working and completely
rolled out nationally. This is because the technologies involved with 5G are
much more complex. One aspect, for example, that is not well understood today
is the unpredictable propagation patterns that could result in unacceptable
levels of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation." "Although
lower frequencies, many in the UHF [ultra high frequency] range, are being proposed for the first
phase of 5G networks, much higher radio frequencies are also projected in bands
traditionally used for radars and microwave links. Whether this will transpire
is still open to question. These frequencies are being commercially tested by
some (e.g. by AT&T in the USA at 28 GHz [gigahertz]). The new bands are well above the
UHF ranges, being either in centimetric (3-30 GHz) or in millimetric bands
(30-300 GHz) and popularly branded "mmWave", but present technical challenges
that are expensive to solve." "Although
many 5G networks currently being piloted will use the much lower bands, those
upper frequencies being proposed for the future may offer propagation ranges
only in the order of hundreds or even tens of metres. Higher frequency signals
are also subject to more interference from weather – rain, snow, fog – and
obstacles - wet foliage or buildings and their walls. This means that, at
higher frequencies, indoor use may be problematic if based on through-wall or
window penetration. Consequently, re-use of the existing UHF bands and also
those just above in the 3-10 GHz range ("mid-range") are emphasised today, to
give 5G signals greater range with fewer technical challenges." "With higher
frequencies and shortened ranges, base stations will be more closely packed
into a given area to give complete coverage that avoids "not-spots". Ranges of
20-150 metres may be typical, giving smaller coverage areas per "small cell". A
cell radius of 20 metres would imply about 800 base stations per square
kilometre (or small area wireless access points (SAWAPs), the term used in the
European Electronic Communications Code (EECC)). That contrasts with 3G and 4G
which use large or "macro" cells. Traditionally they offer ranges of 2-15 km or
more and so can cover a larger area but with fewer simultaneous users as they
have fewer individual channels." 5G Electromagnetic Radiation and
Safety "Significant
concern is emerging over the possible impact on health and safety arising from
potentially much higher exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation
arising from 5G. Increased exposure may result not only from the use of much
higher frequencies in 5G but also from the potential for the aggregation of
different signals, their dynamic nature, and the complex interference effects
that may result, especially in dense urban areas. The 5G radio
emission fields are quite different to those of previous generations because of
their complex beamformed transmissions in both directions – from base station
to handset and for the return. Although fields are highly focused by beams,
they vary rapidly with time and movement and so are unpredictable, as the
signal levels and patterns interact as a closed loop system. This has yet to be
mapped reliably for real situations, outside the laboratory. While the
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) issues
guidelines for limiting exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic
fields (EMF), and EU member states are subject to Council Recommendation
1999/519/EC which follows ICNIRP guidelines, the problem is that currently it
is not possible to accurately simulate or measure 5G emissions in the real
world." USA "The USA is
moving towards some form of rollout of mobile broadband as 5G but not
necessarily in a holistic, well-orchestrated operation. It is more a set of ad
hoc commercial manoeuvres. Some of these are simply rebranding existing LTE,
rather than delivering novel networks. Re-use of the LTE spectrum in the UHF
ranges (300 MHz to 3 GHz) is significant. The latter decision is probably
warranted by its geography of large rural spaces and high density urban centres
situated more on the coasts. Thus, the insistence for 5G on high centimetric
bands (25–30 GHz and higher) is probably less justified than for the dense
conurbations of Asia and the EU. A significant
challenge concerns the administrative local barriers to small cell rollout. The
need for many small cells implies long delays and high costs. Local regulations
continue to prevail despite the FCC's mandate on a light-touch regime and
minimal permit costs. This has led to a wide divide between local and central
government on the principles of having to obtain permission for rollout and the
charges for that. Local administrations, especially in the larger
municipalities, are at loggerheads with the FCC (Zima, 2018). Several court
challenges are being made to the FCC mandate of August 2018 that overrides
local objections to a "one-touch" regime."
-- How Harmful is 5G?
Harald Schumann and Elisa Simantke. How harmful is 5G really? Der Tagesspiegel, Jan 15, 2019. (In German. For English translation email me at jmm@berkeley.edu.) "5G should transfer huge amounts of data quickly. But it could also harm your health. Europe's governments ignore the danger." Investigate Europe reports on the current state of the science and
exposes the harmful roles that the International Commission on
Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the
World Health Organization's International EMF Project, and the EU
Commission's Scientific Committee on New Health Risks (SCENIHR) have
played in paving the way for the deployment of 5G without regard to
health consequences. Investigate
Europe is a
pan-European journalist team that researches topics of European
relevance and
publishes the results across Europe. The project is supported by several
foundations, the Open Society Initiative for Europe, and readers'
donations. Among the media partners for the report on
5G include "Newsweek Polska", "Diario de Noticias",
"Il Fatto Quotidiano", "De Groene Amsterdamer",
"Efimerida ton Syntakton", "Aftenbladet" and the
"Falter". In addition to the authors, Crina Boros, Wojciech Ciesla,
Ingeborg Eliassen, Juliet Ferguson, Nikolas Leontopoulos, Maria
Maggiore, Leila
Minano, Paulo Pena and Jef Poortmans contributed to this. More about the
project: https://www.investigate-europe.eu/publications/the-5g-mass-experiment/https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/mobilfunk-wie-gesundheitsschaedlich-ist-5g-wirklich/23852384.html Literature Reviews 5G Wireless Communication and Health Effects-A Pragmatic Review Based on Available Studies Regarding 6 to 100 GHz Simkó M, Mattsson MO.
5G wireless communication and health effects-A pragmatic review based on available studies regarding 6 to 100 GHz.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 13;16(18). pii: E3406. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16183406.
Abstract The
introduction of the fifth generation (5G) of wireless communication
will increase the number of high-frequency-powered base stations and
other devices. The question is if such higher frequencies (in this
review, 6-100 GHz, millimeter waves, MMW) can have a health impact. This
review analyzed 94 relevant publications performing in vivo or in vitro
investigations. Each study was characterized for: study type (in vivo,
in vitro), biological material (species, cell type, etc.), biological
endpoint, exposure (frequency, exposure duration, power density),
results, and certain quality criteria. Eighty percent of the in vivo
studies showed responses to exposure, while 58% of the in vitro studies
demonstrated effects. The responses affected all biological endpoints
studied. There was no consistent relationship between power density,
exposure duration, or frequency, and exposure effects. The available
studies do not provide adequate and sufficient information for a
meaningful safety assessment, or for the question about non-thermal
effects. There is a need for research regarding local heat developments
on small surfaces, e.g., skin or the eye, and on any environmental
impact. Our quality analysis shows that for future studies to be useful
for safety assessment, design and implementation need to be
significantly improved. Conclusions Since
the ranges up to 30 GHz and over 90 GHz are sparingly represented, this
review mainly covers studies done in the frequency range from 30.1 to
65 GHz.In
summary, the majority of studies with MMW exposures show biological
responses. From this observation, however, no in-depth conclusions can
be drawn regarding the biological and health effects of MMW exposures in
the 6–100 GHz frequency range. The studies are very different and the
total number of studies is surprisingly low. The reactions occur both in
vivo and in vitro and affect all biological endpoints studied.There
does not seem to be a consistent relationship between intensity (power
density), exposure time, or frequency, and the effects of exposure. On
the contrary, and strikingly, higher power densities do not cause more
frequent responses, since the percentage of responses in most frequency
groups is already at 70%. Some authors refer to their study results as
having "non-thermal" causes, but few have applied appropriate
temperature controls. The question therefore remains whether warming is
the main cause of any observed MMW effects? In order to evaluate and summarize the 6–100 GHz data in this review, we draw the following conclusions:
Regarding
the health effects of MMW in the 6–100 GHz frequency range at power
densities not exceeding the exposure guidelines the studies provide no
clear evidence, due to contradictory information from the in vivo and in
vitro investigations.
Regarding
the possibility of "non-thermal" effects, the available studies provide
no clear explanation of any mode of action of observed effects.
Regarding
the quality of the presented studies, too few studies fulfill the
minimal quality criteria to allow any further conclusions.
EMF safety guidelines are fraudulent: The consequences for microwave frequency exposures and 5G Pall M. Eight repeatedly documented findings each show that EMF safety guidelines do not predict biological effects and are, therefore fraudulent: The consequences for both microwave frequency exposures and also 5G. Second Edition, May 23, 2019. Abstract ICNIRP, US FCC, EU and other EMF safety guidelines are all based on the assumption that average EMF intensities and average SAR can be used to predict biological effects and therefore safety. Eight different types of quantitative or qualitative data are analyzed here to determine whether these safety guidelines predict biological effects. In each case the safety guidelines fail and in most of these, fail massively. Effects occur at approximately 100,000 times below allowable levels and the basic structure of the safety guidelines is shown to be deeply flawed. The safety guidelines ignore demonstrated biological heterogeneity and established biological mechanisms. Even the physics underlying the safety guidelines is shown to be flawed. Pulsed EMFs are in most cases much more biologically active than are non-pulsed EMFs of the same average intensity, but pulsations are ignored in the safety guidelines despite the fact that almost all of our current exposures are highly pulsed. There are exposure windows such that maximum effects are produced in certain intensity windows and also in certain frequency windows but the consequent very complex dose-response curves are ignored by the safety guidelines. Several additional flaws in the safety guidelines are shown through studies of both individual and paired nanosecond pulses. The properties of 5G predict that guidelines will be even more flawed in predicting 5G effects than the already stunning flaws that the safety guidelines have in predicting our other EMF exposures. The consequences of these findings is that "safety guidelines" should always be expressed in quotation marks; they do not predict biological effects and therefore do not predict safety. Because of that we have a multi-trillion dollar set of companies, the telecommunication industry, where all assurances of safety are fraudulent because they are based on these "safety guidelines." Open access paper:https://bit.ly/RFguidelinesPall190523 -- 5G Wireless Telecommunications Expansion: Public Health & Environmental Implications Russell CL.
5G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications.
Environmental Research. 2018 Aug;165:484-495. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.016. Abstract The
popularity, widespread use and increasing dependency on wireless
technologies has spawned a telecommunications industrial revolution with
increasing public exposure to broader and higher frequencies of the
electromagnetic spectrum to transmit data through a variety of devices
and infrastructure. On the horizon, a new generation of even shorter
high frequency 5G wavelengths is being proposed to power the Internet of
Things (IoT). The IoT promises us convenient and easy lifestyles with a
massive 5G interconnected telecommunications network, however, the
expansion of broadband with shorter wavelength radiofrequency radiation
highlights the concern that health and safety issues remain unknown.
Controversy continues with regards to harm from current 2G, 3G and 4G
wireless technologies. 5G technologies are far less studied for human or
environmental effects. It is argued that the addition of this
added high frequency 5G radiation to an already complex mix of lower
frequencies, will contribute to a negative public health outcome both
from both physical and mental health perspectives. Radiofrequency
radiation (RF) is increasingly being recognized as a new form of
environmental pollution. Like other common toxic exposures, the effects
of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR) will be problematic
if not impossible to sort out epidemiologically as there no longer
remains an unexposed control group. This is especially important
considering these effects are likely magnified by synergistic toxic
exposures and other common health risk behaviors. Effects can also be
non-linear. Because this is the first generation to have cradle-to-grave
lifespan exposure to this level of man-made microwave (RF EMR)
radiofrequencies, it will be years or decades before the true health
consequences are known. Precaution in the roll out of this new
technology is strongly indicated. This article will review
relevant electromagnetic frequencies, exposure standards and current
scientific literature on the health implications of 2G, 3G, 4G exposure,
including some of the available literature on 5G frequencies. The
question of what constitutes a public health issue will be raised, as
well as the need for a precautionary approach in advancing new wireless
technologies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29655646 Conclusion Although 5G technology may
have many unimagined uses and benefits, it is also increasingly clear
that significant negative consequences to human health and ecosystems
could occur if it is widely adopted. Current radiofrequency radiation
wavelengths we are exposed to appear to act as a toxin to biological
systems. A moratorium on the deployment of 5G is warranted, along with
development of independent health and environmental advisory boards that
include independent scientists who research biological effects and
exposure levels of radiofrequency radiation. Sound regulatory policy
regarding current and future telecommunications initiative will require
more careful assessment of risks to human health, environmental health,
public safety, privacy, security and social consequences. Public health
regulations need to be updated to match appropriate independent science
with the adoption of biologically based exposure standards prior to
further deployment of 4G or 5G technology. Considering the
current science, lack of relevant exposure standards based on known
biological effects and data gaps in research, we need to reduce our
exposure to RF EMR where ever technically feasible. Laws or policies
which restrict the full integrity of science and the scientific
community with regards to health and environmental effects of wireless
technologies or other toxic exposures should be changed to enable
unbiased, objective and precautionary science to drive necessary public
policies and regulation. Climate change, fracking, toxic emissions and
microwave radiation from wireless devices all have something in common
with smoking. There is much denial and confusion about health and
environmental risks, along with industry insistence for absolute proof
before regulatory action occurs (Frentzel-Beyme, 1994; Michaels 2008).
There are many lessons we have not learned with the introduction of
novel substances, which later became precarious environmental pollutants
by not heeding warning signs from scientists (Gee, 2009). The threats
of these common pollutants continue to weigh heavily on the health and
well being of our nation. We now accept them as the price of progress. If
we do not take precautions but wait for unquestioned proof of harm will
it be too late at that point for some or all of us? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118300161 -- Towards 5G Communication Systems: Are there Health Implications? Di Ciaula A. Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications? Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Apr;221(3):367-375. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011. Highlights • RF-EMF exposure is rising and health effects of are still under investigation. • Both oncologic and non-cancerous chronic effects have been suggested. • 5G networks could have health effects and will use MMW, still scarcely explored. • Adequate knowledge of RF-EMF biological effects is also needed in clinical practice. • Underrating the problem could lead to a further rise in noncommunicable diseases.
Abstract
The spread of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is rising and health effects are still under investigation. RF-EMF promote oxidative stress, a condition involved in cancer onset, in several acute and chronic diseases and in vascular homeostasis. Although some evidences are still controversial, the WHO IARC classified RF-EMF as "possible carcinogenic to humans", and more recent studies suggested reproductive, metabolic and neurologic effects of RF-EMF, which are also able to alter bacterial antibiotic resistance. In this evolving scenario, although the biological effects of 5G communication systems are very scarcely investigated, an international action plan for the development of 5G networks has started, with a forthcoming increment in devices and density of small cells, and with the future use of millimeter waves (MMW). Preliminary observations showed that MMW increase skin temperature, alter gene expression, promote cellular proliferation and synthesis of proteins linked with oxidative stress, inflammatory and metabolic processes, could generate ocular damages, affect neuro-muscular dynamics. Further studies are needed to better and independently explore the health effects of RF-EMF in general and of MMW in particular. However, available findings seem sufficient to demonstrate the existence of biomedical effects, to invoke the precautionary principle, to define exposed subjects as potentially vulnerable and to revise existing limits. An adequate knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms linking RF-EMF exposure to health risk should also be useful in the current clinical practice, in particular in consideration of evidences pointing to extrinsic factors as heavy contributors to cancer risk and to the progressive epidemiological growth of noncommunicable diseases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29402696
-- Effects of Millimeter Waves Radiation on Cell Membrane - A Brief Review Ramundo-Orlando A. Effects of millimeter waves radiation on cell membrane - A brief review. J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves. 2010; 30 (12): 1400-1411. Abstract The millimeter waves (MMW) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, extending from 30 to 300 GHz in terms of frequency (corresponding to wavelengths from 10 mm to 1 mm), is officially used in non-invasive complementary medicine in many Eastern European countries against a variety of diseases such gastro duodenal ulcers, cardiovascular disorders, traumatism and tumor. On the other hand, besides technological applications in traffic and military systems, in the near future MMW will also find applications in high resolution and high-speed wireless communication technology. This has led to restoring interest in research on MMW induced biological effects. In this review emphasis has been given to the MMW-induced effects on cell membranes that are considered the major target for the interaction between MMW and biological systems. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10762-010-9731-z Excerpts "Several studies on the effects induced by millimeter radiation on biological systems have been reported in the literature. Diverse effects have been observed on cell free systems, cultured cells, isolated organs of animals and humans. The subject has been extensively reviewed by Motzkin [17] and more recently by Pakhomov [3]. At the cellular level these effects are mainly on the membrane process and ion channels, molecular complexes, excitable and other structures. Many of these effects are quite unexpected from a radiation penetrating less than 1 mm into biological tissues [3, 18, 19]. However none of the findings described in the above reviews has been replicated in an independent laboratory, thus they cannot be considered as established biological effects." "…a large number of cellular studies have indicated that MMW may alter structural and functional properties of membranes (Table 2)." Conclusion "In this review emphasis has been given to the low-level MMW effects on cell membranes. Above all, it should be mentioned that the reported effects are of a non-thermal character, that is, the action of radiation does not produce essential heating of the biological system or destroy its structure. In this context it appears that no permanent structural change of lipid bilayer could arise under low level (less than 10 mW/cm2) millimeter waves irradiation. On the other hand, MMW radiation may affect intracellular calcium activities, and, as a consequence, several cellular and molecular processes controlled by Ca2+ dynamics themselves. The effects of MMW radiation on ion transport may be the consequence of a direct effect on membrane proteins as well as on phospholipid domain organization. Water molecules seem to play an important role in these biological effects of MMW radiation. Unfortunately, detailed cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating physiological responses to MMW exposure remain largely unknown. Usually the search at a molecular level is simpler if we can reduce the complexity of our biological samples. This is the case for cell membranes by using model systems. They can be formed by a simple lipid bilayer without interfering components and they give independence from biological activity that can create complication in searching for electromagnetic fields bioeffects. The emphasis is on the search for molecular mechanisms of the membrane effect induced by MMW with different frequencies and power density. Furthermore, replication studies are needed including good temperature control and appropriate internal control samples. It is also advantageous if the future studies are multidisciplinary, invoking an integration of high quality exposure and effects methodologies. Clearly a significant amount of accurate experimental work is still required in order to fully understand the interactions between MMW radiation and cell membrane."
Research Papers (updated 11/28/2022) RF exposure from ten 5G beamforming cell towers (3.6 GHz band) in Germany Kopacz T, Bornkessel C, Wuschek M. Consideration of current mobile phone antenna technology when determining HF-EMF exposure - project 3619S82463. Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Nov-2022. Report number(s): BfS-RESFOR-208/22. URN(s): urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660. The report is in German with an English-language executive summary (see below).
Abstract (Google translation)
This research project deals with the metrological recording and analysis of immissions from 5G base stations with beamforming antennas in the 3.6 GHz band. As a basis, measurement methods for determining current, typical and maximum possible immissions were proposed, which suitably take into account the time-varying radiation behavior of the antennas. The maximum possible immissions can be determined either by extrapolation based on the difference in antenna gain between traffic and broadcast beams at the measuring point or by direct measurement when the maximum immission is provoked using a 5G terminal device. Immission measurements at 100 systematically selected measuring points in the vicinity of ten 5G beamforming base stations in the 3.6 GHz band resulted in maximum immissions between 0.2% (0.15 V/m) and 28.9% (17.6 V/m m) the field strength limit of the 26th BImSchV (median 4.7% or 2.9 V/m). The instantaneous immissions without provoked traffic were between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.1% (0.67 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.08% or 0.05 V/m) and the emissions during typical use (ARD live stream) are only slightly higher, between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.3% (0.8 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.2% or 0.12V/m). The visibility conditions between the place of immission and the 5G antenna have a major influence on the size of the immission, since significant attenuation also occurs in the 3.6 GHz band due to vegetation. The dependence on the vertical angle between the point of immission and the antenna observed in GSM, UMTS and LTE base stations has changed in the 5G beamforming base stations examined in such a way that the immissions are no longer highest at small but at larger vertical angles. len. If the beam does not act at the point of immission, but is shifted azimuthally or radially by a few tens of meters in the cell, the measurements carried out here showed an average immission reduction of 7.5 dB compared to a direct alignment of the beam to the point of immission. Long-term measurements showed that users were only active sporadically at the time of the measurements. Even with targeted provoked typical use, the 6-minute mean value of the field strength at most points could only be significantly raised above the detection limit of the measuring device by downloading a large file. Immission peaks were usually very limited in time.
Open access paper: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/handle/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660 Summary
The aim of this research project is the measurement-based assessment and analysis of RF-EMF exposure caused by beamforming base station antennas (massive MIMO antennas) used for 5G in the 3.6 GHz band. Suitable measurement methods for determining instantaneous, typical and maximum possible exposure levels are proposed as a basis. The extrapolation to maximum possible exposure to 5G is based on the measurement of the field strength of the SS/PBCH block (SSB), which is part of the signaling and is radiated periodically. The measurement can be carried out in frequency-selective or code-selective domain. In the case of frequency-selective measurement, care must be taken to ensure that the correct RMS value is recorded. In case a laboratory spectrum analyzer is used, this is done by applying an RMS detector in combination with an observation time, which is adapted to the 5G symbol duration for each recording point. In the case of the Narda SRM-3006 field strength meter, averaging is performed by a video filter with a suitable bandwidth. For code-selective measurements, the Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) is decoded as part of the SSB and its field strength is determined. The code-selective measurement is preferable to the frequency-selective measurement because it is the only way to measure the cell-specific SSB field strength and not only the sum field strengths of all present 5G cells. Code-selective measurement values are also independent of the traffic superimposing the SSB in time.
The usage of beamforming in the 3.6 GHz band, i.e. the time-varying radiation pattern of the base station antenna, poses a great challenge to the exposure assessment with regard to determining the maximum exposure: In the case of multiple SSBs, these are sequentially radiated into different areas of the cell by the broadcast beams. However, the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), which is causing maximum exposure at the measurement point, is radiated via the traffic beams. The radiation characteristics of the traffic and broadcast beams can differ significantly. These differences must be considered by the extrapolation procedure individually for each measurement point depending on its location in the cell. However, this requires that the used antenna patterns of traffic and broadcast beams and the current settings are provided for the corresponding frequency bands by the network operators. Investigations in this research project have shown that this extrapolation procedure works reliably for measurement points having line-of-sight to the base station antenna.
An alternative to the extrapolation to maximum possible exposure is the immediate measurement while maximum exposure is provoked using a 5G user equipment, which is located in the vicinity of the measurement point and is allocated as many resources of the base station as possible by means of an FTP download. In this way, radiation with maximum possible EIRP towards the measurement point is forced. Given the complexity of required data for the extrapolation procedure, this method is a recommendable alternative as the current network utilization in the 3.6 GHz band is very low. However, due to the higher market penetration of 5G terminals expected in the medium term, it is questionable whether it can still be applied reliably in the future. In the course of the measurements, exposure levels were determined at each ten systematically selected measurement points in the vicinity of ten 5G base stations with massive MIMO antennas in the 3.6 GHz band. On the one hand, the "instantaneous exposure" experienced at the measurement time without provoked utilization of the radio cell and on the other hand the "typical exposure" (i.e. the exposure occurring during a typical use case (TV live streaming)) as well as the "maximum exposure" during provoked utilization of the radio cell were determined. Maximum exposure was investigated by immediate measurement while a 5G user equipment was provoking maximum exposure in the vicinity of the measurement point. In addition to typical exposure levels in case a traffic beam was aligned with the measurement point, for more than half of the measurement points, the typical exposure was determined in case the traffic beam was displaced either horizontally of radially into another area of the cell. Furthermore, the instantaneous and maximum exposure levels to GSM, LTE and LTE/5G-DSS (Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, passive antennas) were determined at each two measurement points in the vicinity of five base stations. The highest maximum exposure level determined (no. of measurement points n = 96) amounts to 28.9 % (17.7 V/m) of the German safety limits given by the 26th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (26. BImSchV), which are equal to the reference levels given in ICNIRP 1998 and 2020.The lowest maximum exposure level is 0.2 % (0.15 V/m). Thus, there is a very large range of more than 40 dB. For measurement points with line-of-sight (LOS) to the 5G antenna (n = 56), the range is significantly lower at 27 dB. The mean maximum exposure level over all measurement points is 9.3 % of the reference levels (5.7 V/m, averaged over power) and the median is 4.7 % (2.9 V/m). Compared to the results of the previous studies on LTE and UMTS, the frequency distribution of the maximum exposure levels experiences a broadening towards higher values. However, it should be noted, that in this project only systematically selected measurement points were chosen which tended to have LOS to the antenna and thus above-average exposure levels, whereas the measurement points in the previous studies were also selected randomly. The highest typical exposure level caused by TV streaming (n = 97) is 1.3 % of the reference levels (0.8 V/m) and the lowest 0.04 % (0.03 V/m, detection threshold of the measuring device), which means that the real typical exposure levels could be even lower at some points. The range is nearly 30 dB both for measurement points with line-of-sight (LOS, n = 57) and without line-of-sight (NLOS, n = 40) to the 5G antenna. Evaluated over all measurement points, the range is only slightly higher at a little more than 30 dB. The mean typical exposure level over all measurement points is 0.4 % of the reference levels (0.27 V/m, averaged over power) and the median is 0.2 % (0.12 V/m). For the instantaneous exposure levels without provoked utilization of the radio cell (n = 100), the maximum is 1.1 % of the reference levels (0.67 V/m) and the minimum is 0.04 % (0.03 V/m, detection threshold of the measurement device). According to typical exposure levels, the real instantaneous exposure could also be even lower at some points. Over all measurement points, the found range of 29 dB is similar to that of the typical exposure levels. At measurement points without line-of-sight to the antenna (NLOS, n = 40), the range of 22 dB is lower compared to measurement points with line-of-sight to the antenna (LOS, n = 60, 27 dB), which is presumably due to the fact that in NLOS cases, measured values in the order of the magnitude of the detection limit frequently occurred. This can be also observed in the frequency distribution of the measured instantaneous exposure levels, where very low values strongly dominate. Due to the currently very low network load in the 3.6 GHz band, the measured instantaneous exposure levels are for the most part very close to the theoretically estimated minimum exposure (0.01 % to 0.4 % of the reference levels), which is present when the base station is in idle mode. However, this also demonstrates that an idle 5G base station generates only very low exposure levels. Even typical use cases of a user equipment in the vicinity of the measurement point evoke exposure levels, which are still well below the maximum value. A comparison of the median values of maximum and instantaneous exposure levels shows a difference of 34.5 dB (i.e., a factor of 3,450 with respect to the power). The individual difference factors at the single measurement points ranged between about 7 dB and 48 dB. Only at six of the 96 measurement points, the difference factor was less than 20 dB. At ten measurement points in the vicinity of five 5G base stations, the instantaneous as well as the maximum exposure values to all mobile radio services (GSM, LTE, LTE/5G-DSS and 5G in the 3.6 GHz band) and frequency bands operated at the base stations were determined. TETRA-BOS was not installed at any of the sites. Furthermore, UMTS was no longer in operation at any of the sites. At all measurement points, the exposure to other mobile radio services (GSM, LTE and LTE/5G-DSS) dominates over the instantaneous as well as the typical 5G exposure. At nine out of ten measurement points, the instantaneous exposure to at least one frequency band of GSM, LTE or LTE/5G-DSS is also higher than the instantaneous as well as the typical exposure to 5G (this applies to both the field strength as well as the percent-age of the reference levels). Only at one measurement point, the highest field strength occurs with typical 5G usage. However, due to the lower reference level, the highest percentage of the reference levels is caused by LTE signals in the 800 MHz band. For the maximum exposure, there is no consistent result: at six out of ten measurement points (each both measurement points around three of five 5G sites), the sum of the maximum exposures to other mobile radio services dominates. At the remaining four measurement points (each both measurement points around two of five 5G sites), the maximum exposure is dominated by 5G. However, the difference factors exhibit a wide range with values between -19 dB (i.e., 5G exposure dominates) and 7 dB (i.e., exposure to other mobile radio services dominates). The maximum exposure levels to 5G at these ten measurement points were in the range of 0.7 % (0.4 V/m) to 25.5 % (15.5 V/m).
The statistical evaluation of the levels of the three different 5G exposure types ("instantaneous", "typical", "maximum") taking into account the location of the outdoor measurement points in relation to the 5G antenna shows that it is obviously not justified to use the distance between the measurement point and the base station antenna as the sole decisive criterion for the assessment of the exposure level. One reason for this is that in this range of distances, the exposure level is strongly influenced by the side lobes and nulls of the vertical antenna pattern. Due to the ability of beamforming antennas to change their direction of the main lobe in the vertical domain, the distance range, in which measurement points are located only in the region of the side lobes will be reduced, but no prediction can be done on this without knowing the actual settings of the base station (vertical scanning range). For a certain distance between measurement point and the base station antenna, the range of the measured exposure levels amounts up to 30 dB. A significant influence on the exposure levels is observed in the line-of-sight conditions between the measurement point and the 5G antenna. At the relatively high frequencies around 3.6 GHz, buildings and even vegetation have a strong attenuation on the propagating waves. However, it should be mentioned that for some non-line-of-sight measurement points, which were covered by a reflected or an edge-diffracted beam, the resulting exposure levels were comparable to exposure levels at measurement points with line-of-sight to the antenna at similar distances. The impact of the vertical angle between base station antenna and the measurement point on the resulting exposure to 5G massive MIMO antennas has changed compared to the results of similar measurements on mobile radio services with passive antennas. Obviously, it can no longer be assumed that the exposure levels at smaller vertical angles (< 10°) are in general higher than those at large vertical angles. For the investigated base stations, on average, the highest maximum exposure levels occurred even in the vertical angle range between 15° and 20°. The orientation of the beam has a significant influence on the resulting exposure. In addition to the typical exposure, while a user equipment was provoking cell load in the vicinity of the measurement point, further measurements of the typical exposure were carried out under the constraint that the active user equipment was no longer close to the measurement point, but at a greater distance of several tens of meters from it, which resulted in an azimuthal or radial displacement of the radiated traffic beam with respect to the location of the measurement point. The displacement of the beam resulted in a median reduction of the exposure levels of around 7.5 dB. The results show that, in areas of the radio cell that are not in the main lobe of the radiated beam, the exposure is on average lower. However, due to reflections and transmission via side lobes, the exposure is still measurable despite the alignment to a different location in the cell. Long-term measurements at in total five differently located measurement points over each 24 hours around an urban and a rural 5G site in the 3.6 GHz band showed that users were active only very sporadically, which can be observed by very few peaks of the instantaneous exposure. However, the subsequently calculated 6-minute moving average of the exposure is barely affected by the exposure peaks occurring only for a short time. Most of the time, the measured instantaneous exposure at most of the measurement points was low enough to not exceed the detection threshold of the measurement device. When a typical data traffic case in the cell was provoked by a user equipment in the vicinity of the measurement point, the six-minute average exposure could only be significantly increased when downloading a large file of 1 GB. Other use cases such as surfing or video streaming generated only sporadic field strength peaks, but occurred so rarely that they did not significantly affect the six-minute aver-age exposure. The magnitude of the field strength peaks was strongly depending on the location of the measurement point. At an indoor measurement point on the upper floor immediately opposite from the base station antenna, the exposure amounted up to 9.0 % of the reference levels (5.5 V/m). At measurement points in larger distances or at higher vertical angles to the base station antenna, the exposure was clearly lower with values up to around 0.2 % of the reference levels (0.1 V/m).
Open access paper: https://doris.bfs.de/jspui/handle/urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660 -- Sven Kuehn, Serge Pfeifer, Beyhan Kochali, Niels Kuster.
Modelling of Total Exposure in Hypothetical 5G Mobile Networks for Varied Topologies and User Scenarios. Final Report of Project CRR-816. A report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). IT'IS Foundation, Zurich. 24 June 2019. Executive Summary
In January 2019, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) mandated the IT'IS Foundation to evaluate the total human exposure in hypothetical 5G mobile networks for varied topologies and user scenarios to identify factors that would minimize the total exposure of the population. In this study, total exposure is defined as the combined exposure from network base stations, the user's own device, as well as bystanders' mobile devices.
The influence of various factors on total exposure in mobile communication networks (as defined above) was modeled and analyzed with the help of the Monte Carlo simulation technique. Total exposure is described as the local peak specific absorption rate (SAR) spatially averaged over any 10 g of tissue mass (psaSAR10g) averaged over a period of 6 minutes. The unit psaSAR10g was chosen because it defines the governing basic restriction for wireless exposure as the whole-body average SAR limits (wbaSAR) are intrinsically met if the limits of local exposure are satisfied. The averaging duration of 6 minutes constitutes the internationally accepted averaging time to prevent thermal hazards at frequencies below 6 GHz as instant values have little justification. However, it should be noted that some regulators define shorter averaging time periods, e.g., the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of 100 s.
In a first step, we analyzed the tissue-specific exposure as a function of frequency. The preliminary dosimetric study showed that exposure of the human brain to the 3.6 GHz band, that has been recently added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor of >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile network operation at <1 GHz. This reduction is due to the smaller penetration depth at higher frequencies. This conclusion, however, does not apply to exposed tissues close to the surface or skin (eyes, testicles, etc.) when the peak SAR in this tissue is evaluated. The peak SAR in the grey matter remains in approximately the same order of magnitude ( 3 dB) over all frequencies but the area of high exposure is reduced at 3.6 GHz.
In a second step, we used data measured in 4G systems and analyzed the latest mobile network standards to extrapolate the exposures for various 5G network scenarios. These measured data were also used to extrapolate the exposure to the future development of data usage in 5G networks.
Specifically, we analyzed the effect on the total exposure of (i) the network topology by varying the cell size and amount of indoor coverage in the network, as well as the usage of (ii) an individual's own device, and (iii) devices of close bystanders.
The results – based on simulations of more than 200 different exposure scenarios – reveal that, for all user types, except for non-users (including passive mobile phone users and users dominantly using downlink data traffic, e.g., video streaming), total exposure is dominated by the person's own mobile device. Compared to non-users, the exposure is increased (i) for light users (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or a factor of 4 to 10), (ii) for moderate users (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or a factor of 20 to >300), and (iii) for heavy users by 15 – 40 dB (or a factor of 30 to >10000). Further, the results show that peak exposure of non-users is not defined by exposure to base stations but by exposure to mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.
While a reduction of the mobile cell size leads to a reduction in total exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people actively using their mobile devices, this might also lead to a small increase by a factor of 1.6 in total exposure of non-users due the generally increased incident signal levels from the surrounding base stations.
Similarly, the exposure of active users can be reduced by a factor of 4 to 600 by increasing the indoor network coverage. Yet, in line with the results for the mobile cell sizes, increased indoor coverage will also lead to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. This increase, however, starts at a level 1000 times lower than the typical total exposure of active users.
The results of this study show that the personal mobile device is the dominant exposure source for active mobile network users. Besides a person's own usage behavior, total exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network with a lower path loss, i.e., smaller cells and additional indoor coverage, helps to reduce total exposure. The exposure per transmitted bit is reduced by a factor of <3 by the increased spectral efficiency of the 5G technology, and the reduced penetration depth associated with the new bands at 3.5 – 3.8 GHz.
The results presented above are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated in this report. Furthermore, it only considers time-averaged (6 min) and not instant exposures. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links, for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and (iii) millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks. Conclusions The results of this study show that the absorption of energy by the human brain, resulting from exposure to the 3.6 GHz band newly added to the Swiss mobile communication frequencies, is reduced by a factor >6 for the tissue averaged SAR when compared to mobile networks operating at <1 GHz, and by a factor of >2 when compared to the frequency bands at 1.8 – 2GHz. For deep brain regions, the reduction is much larger. The reduced exposure for these regions is due to lower penetration depths at higher frequencies. Close to the surface (eyes, testicles, etc.) the exposure can be higher. At the most exposed surface of the grey matter, the values remain approximately 3 dB over all frequencies whereas the area of high exposure is reduced. More than 200 Monte Carlo simulated exposure scenarios have been analyzed to evaluate total human exposure in 5G Networks for different topologies and user scenarios. The results show that for all users (except non-users), the total exposure is dominated by a person's own mobile device. Compared to a non-user, the exposure is increased for a light user (with 100 MByte uplink data per day) by 6 – 10 dB (or by a factor 4 to 10), for a moderate user (with 1 GByte uplink data per day) by 13 – 25 dB (or by a factor of 20 to >300), and for a heavy user by 25 – 40 dB (or a factor of 300 to >10000). The peak exposure of non-users is further not defined by exposure to surrounding base stations but by mobile devices of close bystanders in urban areas, resulting in 6 dB (or a factor of 4) higher exposure than from a nearby base station antenna.
Reducing the diameter of the mobile cell leads to a decreased overall exposure by a factor of 2 to 10 for people who actively use their mobile devices. At the same time, the reduction in cell size might lead to a small increase by a factor <2 in exposure for non-users. The exposure of active users can be reduced by factors ranging from 4 to 600 by increasing indoor network coverage which, in turn, will be linked to increased exposure of non-users by a factor of 2 to 10. However, such an increase is by a factor 1000 lower than the typical exposure of active users. The results of this study are limited due to the network data that has been used and the definition of total exposure as stated earlier in this report. This study does not consider (i) the effect of upcoming massive MIMO and multi-user MIMO systems in 5G networks, (ii) alternative data transmission links – for instance the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and (iii)millimeter wave frequencies in 5G mobile networks.
In summary, the results of this study show that the user's own mobile device is the dominant source of exposure for the population of active mobile network users. Besides personal usage patterns, totl exposure is also closely linked to the network infrastructure. Generally speaking, a network that decreases the path loss by means of smaller cells and additional indoor coverage will help to reduce the total exposure of the population.
In a world where many overlapping 2G, 3G, and 4G electromagnetic radiation sources already exist, concerns regarding the potential increase in these radiation levels following the roll-out of 5G networks are growing. The deployment of 5G is expected to increase power density levels drastically, given the limitations of mmWave communications that impose a notably higher number of base stations to cover a given area of interest. In this paper, we propose a gradual deployment strategy of a 5G network for a small area in downtown Austin, Texas, using the already existing 4G LTE sites of the area. The radiated power density of the proposed 5G network is then analyzed according to several electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure limits and compared to the radiation levels of the same area where only the LTE network is present. Simulation results for the selected area demonstrate the significant increase in radiation levels resulting from the addition of 5G cell towers. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9221314 For the frequency range of 2 to 300 GHz, the IEEE C95.1-2019 standard [18] specifies a limit power density value of 10 W/m2 in restricted environment and 50 W/m2 in unrestricted environments. These correspond to an averaging time of 30 minutes. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 2020 guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields [19] specify the general public exposure limit at 10 W/m2 for frequencies between 2 and 300 GHz with the averaging time being 30 minutes. Similar limits are specified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in [20] where a restriction of 10 W/m2 for the general public has been set. In contrast, the institute for building biology and sustainability (IBN) in Germany have specified the exposure limit to be less than 0.1 W/m2 in their 2015 Standard of Building Biology Measurement Technique (SBM-2015) [21], which is a million-fold lower than what is specified by the aforementioned guidelines. This suggests that negative health effects can occur at levels much lower than 10 W/m2. Finally, the Chinese ministry of health [22] have set the power density exposure limit to 0.1 W/m2.This paper presented an analysis of the radiation levels in a deployed 5G network in an urban outdoor environment. Under the constraints of exposure limits, several challenges face the design and planning of such radiation aware 5G networks. Cell ranges need to be reduced to comply with the maximum allowed radiated power, requiring the densification of small cells in small areas and making it more costly to deploy these radiation-aware 5G networks. Although in this work we considered the maximum allowed EIRP prior to network deployment, results showed power density levels that do not satisfy all the exposure limits set by several sources. In this regard, a positive impact can be imposed by radiation-aware 5G networks on several levels. On a governmental level, the exposure limits for the power density need to be revised using today's data and approaches to bridge the gap between the thresholds specified by the different institutes and commissions. On a technological and scientific level, the radiation exposure constraint can open the door for innovative 5G solutions targeted to limit the health risks and economic barriers associated with this problem. This work can be extended by developing an analytical framework to efficiently rank and rate different cell allocation alternatives to minimize the potential radiations given a carefully chosen list of key performance indicators. -- Absorption of 5G radiation in brain tissue as a function of frequency, power and time David H. Gultekin, Peter H. Siegel.
Absorption of 5G radiation in brain tissue as a function of frequency, power and time. IEEE Access. Published online June 12, 2020.DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3002183.
Abstract The rapid release of 5G wireless communications networks has spurred renewed concerns regarding the interactions of higher radiofrequency (RF) radiation with living species. We examine RF exposure and absorption in ex vivo bovine brain tissue and a brain simulating gel at three frequencies: 1.9 GHz, 4 GHz and 39 GHz that are relevant to current (4G), and upcoming (5G) spectra. We introduce a highly sensitive thermal method for the assessment of radiation exposure, and derive experimentally, accurate relations between the temperature rise (ΔT), specific absorption rate (SAR) and the incident power density (F), and tabulate the coefficients, ΔT/ΔF and Δ(SAR)/ΔF, as a function of frequency, depth and time. This new method provides both ΔT and SAR applicable to the frequency range below and above 6 GHz as shown at 1.9, 4 and 39 GHz, and demonstrates the most sensitive experimental assessment of brain tissue exposure to millimeter-wave radiation to date, with a detection limit of 1 mW. We examine the beam penetration, absorption and thermal diffusion at representative 4G and 5G frequencies and show that the RF heating increases rapidly with frequency due to decreasing RF source wavelength and increasing power density with the same incident power and exposure time. We also show the temperature effects of continuous wave, rapid pulse sequences and single pulses with varying pulse duration, and we employ electromagnetic modeling to map the field distributions in the tissue. Finally, using this new methodology, we measure the thermal diffusivity of ex vivo bovine brain tissue experimentally. Summary In this paper, we present for the first time, a simple, highly accurate test system for measuring the temperature rise and the specific absorption rate in tissue samples and liquid or gel simulants as a function of frequency, RF exposure power and time – pulsed and CW. We use this set up to make, and compare, carefully calibrated measurements of bovine brain tissue and a gel simulant, Triton X and water, at both 4G (1.9 GHz) and newly allocated 5G frequency bands (4 GHz - 39 GHz). We show the effects of beam concentration, focusing, absorption and heat diffusion at all three frequencies and delineate a linear range over which we can derive highly accurate coefficients (ΔT/ΔF and Δ(SAR)/ΔF) that can be used to predict the temperature rise and the specific absorption rate at prescribed depths and exposure times within the tissue or gel at power levels that go down to detectable limits (<1 mW). This method may be used to evaluate a wide range of RF radiation sources, tissues and simulants. We also note that the impact of relatively modest incident RF power (1 W) and short exposure times (6 minutes CW and 30 second pulsed) at 39 GHz using a single mode waveguide source for the exposure, results in extremely large power density (16.5 kW/m2) and temperature rise (> 60°C for CW, > 35°C for 30 s pulse) in both bovine brain tissue and gel. This same temperature rise can be expected on skin (which has very similar dielectric properties) when such large surface power densities are present in very close proximity to the RF source or antenna, perhaps emanating from millimeter-wave base stations, handsets, or wireless-enabled appliances or kiosks. Although, current safety limits of 28.76 and 143.8 W/m2 for power density in unrestricted (public) and restricted (occupational) environments, respectively should prevent such exposures, the resulting limits on RF power generation of only 1.7 to 8.5 mW from a directional RF source, such as our waveguide at 39 GHz, in the vicinity, will greatly limit the application potential for any such communications system. In the USA, the FCC and FDA are overseeing the implementation of millimeter wave technology in the public realm and more studies are needed to help guide the science, technology and policy. Our experimental method can provide threshold temperature and SAR values for both occupational and public exposures to millimeter waves with surface power densities from 16.5 W/m2 to 16.5 kW/m2 and exposure times from 1 second to 30 minutes. Finally, we use our new data and this RF method to derive a thermal diffusivity coefficient for the ex vivo bovine brain tissue that is consistent with our prior measurements using an MRI. This is the first time that the thermal diffusivity of ex vivo bovine brain tissue has been directly measured by this thermal RF method [47, 50, 51, 70]. Open access paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9115853 -- A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on the Measurement of
the Electromagnetic Field Level Radiated by 5G Base Stations Adda S, Aureli T, D'elia S, Franci D, Grillo E, Migliore MD, Pavoncello S, Schettino F, Suman R. A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on the Measurement of
the Electromagnetic Field Level Radiated by 5G Base Stations. IEEE Access 2020. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2998448.
Abstract This paper presents some
theoretical considerations and experimental results regarding the
problem of maximum power extrapolation for the assessment of the
exposure to electromagnetic fields radiated by 5G base stations. In
particular the results of an extensive experimental campaign using an
extrapolation procedure recently proposed for 5G signal is discussed and
experimentally checked on a SU-MIMO signal. The results confirm the
effectiveness of the extrapolation technique. Starting from an analysis
(that represents a further novel contribution of this paper) on the
impact of Spatial Division Multiple Access techniques used in 5G on the
measurement of EMF level, some indications of possible extension of the
technique to the highly complex MU-MIMO case are also given. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9103530 -- Adverse Impacts of 5G Downlinks on Human Body Nasim I, Kim S. Adverse Impacts of 5G Downlinks on Human Body.
2019 SoutheastCon. Huntsville, AL. 11-14 April 2019. DOI:10.1109/SoutheastCon42311.2019.9020454 Abstract The increasing demand for higher data rates and uninterrupted reliable service have made the frequency spectrum above 6 GHz a very promising candidate for future wireless communications because of its massive amount of raw bandwidth and extremely high data transfer capabilities. However, increasing concerns of communications at high frequencies on human health have gained international alarm that suggests more research before it is deployed successfully. In this context, this paper aims to investigate the human electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from fifth-generation (5G) downlink communications and compare its impacts with the present cellular technologies considering the features that the 5G systems will likely adopt. Our simulation results suggest that while the impacts from 5G beamforming communications cross the regulatory borders at downlinks for a very short range between base stations (BSs) and user equipment (UE), the exposure level remains on a high throughout the entire network compared to the present systems. Also, this paper urges for more research on the exposure level from future communications to determine any possible threats below the existing guidelines. This paper also highlights the significance of considering SAR for the measurement of exposure compliance in downlinks. Excerpt ... this paper urges the regulatory authorities to set SAR guidelines for 5G systems at far-field exposure also for frequencies above 6 GHz. Also, the minimum AP-UE [access point - user equipment] distance should be maintained at least 6 m [meters] for 5G and further space should be left for a conservative operation regarding human safety. Conclusions This paper has highlighted the significance of the human EMF exposure issue in the downlink of a cellular communications system. This paper measured the exposure level in terms of PD and SAR and compared them to those calculated in the 3.9G and 4G specifications. Distinguished from the prior art that studied uplinks only, this paper has found that the downlinks of a 5G can also yield a higher level of emissions in terms of SAR compared to concurrent cellular systems. Our results emphasized that this increase stems from more highly concentrated EMF energy per downlink RF beam due to the use of larger phased arrays within small cells of a 5G network. However, only skin effects are being taken into consideration for simplicity. This paper has also suggested the minimum AP-UE distance for human safety in cellular communications at high frequencies such as 28 GHz. To this end, this paper urges to investigate any possible threats at the exposure level shown in this work for future 5G systems before it is finally globalized. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9020454
-- A Survey on Electromagnetic Risk Assessment and Evaluation Mechanism for Future Wireless Communication Systems Jamshed MA, Heliot F, Brown T. A Survey on Electromagnetic Risk Assessment and Evaluation Mechanism for Future Wireless Communication Systems. IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology. May 20, 2019. DOI: 10.1109/JERM.2019.2917766 Abstract The accurate measurement of electromagnetic exposure and its application is expected to become more and more important in future wireless communication systems, given the explosion in both the number of wireless devices and equipment radiating electromagnetic-fields (EMF) and the growing concerns in the general public linked to it. Indeed, the next generation of wireless systems aims at providing a higher data rate, better quality of service (QoS), and lower latency to users by increasing the number of access points, i.e. densification, which in turn will increase EMF exposure. Similarly, the multiplication of future connected devices, e.g. internet of things (IoT) devices, will also contribute to an increase in EMF exposure. This paper provides a detailed survey relating to the potential health hazards linked with EMF exposure and the different metrics that are currently used for evaluating, limiting and mitigating the effects of this type of exposure on the general public. This paper also reviews the possible impacts of new wireless technologies on EMF exposure and proposes some novel research directions for updating the EMF exposure evaluation framework and addressing these impacts in future wireless communication systems. For instance, the impact of mmWave or massive-MIMO/beamforming on EMF exposure has yet to be fully understood and included in the exposure evaluation framework. Conclusions A thorough survey on exposure risk assessment, evaluation, limitation and mitigation for current and future wireless devices and equipment have been provided in this paper. From the human health point of view, it seems that the possibility of brain tumor is still the main cause of concerns related to the extensive use of wireless devices, even though the effects of EMF exposure is now being investigated in new parts of the body (e.g. eyes). Meanwhile, with the advent of 5G, more efforts are now been made to understand the thermal and non-thermal effects of mmWave exposure on the human body. When it comes to the evaluation of EMF exposure, we have presented the most common evaluation frameworks and metrics that are utilized in wireless communications to measure the exposure. We have also explained how new more generic metrics have been defined by combining existing metrics to better reflect the exposure of large geographical areas and have argued that a generic metric for measuring the individual exposure would also be of interest. We have also reviewed the existing exposure guidelines and have explained how they can be updated for better reflecting the true nature of EMF exposure, i.e. by better taking into account the duration of exposure. Finally, we have provided some views on how key 5G enabling technologies such as densification, massive MIMO and mmWave will impact the EMF exposure in the near future; for instance, the dense deployment of small cells and IoT devices is very likely to increase the overall ambient exposure. We also believe that there could be some technical opportunities in 5G to increase the exposure awareness of wireless system users and to let them decide if they want to reduce it at the cost of, for instance, a lower QoS. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8718293 -- Assessment of Maximally Allowable Power-Density Averaging Area for EMF Exposure above 6 GHz Neufeld E, Carrasco E, Murbach M, Balzano Q, Christ A, Kuster N. Theoretical and numerical assessment of maximally allowable power-density averaging area for conservative electromagnetic exposure assessment above 6 GHz. Bioelectromagnetics. 2018 Dec;39(8):617-630. doi: 10.1002/bem.22147. Abstract The objective of this paper is to determine a maximum averaging area for power density (PD) that limits the maximum temperature increase to a given threshold for frequencies above 6 GHz. This maximum area should be conservative for any transmitter at any distance >2 mm from the primary transmitting antennas or secondary field-generating sources. To derive a generically valid maximum averaging area, an analytical approximation for the peak temperature increase caused by localized exposure was derived. The results for a threshold value of 1 K temperature rise were validated against simulations of a series of sources composed of electrical and magnetic elements (dipoles, slots, patches, and arrays) that represented the spectrum of relevant transmitters. The validation was successful for frequencies in which the power deposition occurred superficially (i.e., >10 GHz). In conclusion, the averaging area for a PD limit of 10 W/m2 that conservatively limits the temperature increase in the skin to less than 1 K at any distance >2 mm from the transmitters is frequency dependent, increases with distance, and ranges from 3 cm2 at <10 GHz to 1.9 cm2 at 100 GHz. In the far-field, the area depends additionally on distance and the antenna array aperture. The correlation was found to be worse at lower frequencies (<10 GHz) and very close to the source, the systematic evaluation of which is part of another study to investigate the effect of different coupling mechanisms in the reactive near-field on the ratio of temperature increase to incident power density. The presented model can be directly applied to any other PD and temperature thresholds. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30383885 -- The Human Skin as a Sub-THz Receiver - Does 5G Pose a Danger to It or Not? Betzalel N, Ben Ishai P, Feldman Y.
The human skin as a sub-THz receiver - Does 5G pose a danger to it or not?
Environ Res. 2018 May;163:208-216. Highlights
• The sweat duct is regarded as a helical antenna in the sub-THz band, reflectance depends on perspiration. • We outline the background for non-thermal effects based on the structure of sweat ducts. • We have introduced a realistic skin EM model and found the expected SAR for the 5G standard. Abstract
In the interaction of microwave radiation and
human beings, the skin is traditionally considered as just an absorbing
sponge stratum filled with water. In previous works, we showed that this
view is flawed when we demonstrated that the coiled portion of the
sweat duct in upper skin layer is regarded as a helical antenna in the
sub-THz band. Experimentally we showed that the reflectance of the human
skin in the sub-THz region depends on the intensity of perspiration,
i.e. sweat duct's conductivity, and correlates with levels of human
stress (physical, mental and emotional). Later on, we detected circular
dichroism in the reflectance from the skin, a signature of the axial
mode of a helical antenna. The full ramifications of what these findings
represent in the human condition are still unclear. We also revealed
correlation of electrocardiography (ECG) parameters to the sub-THz
reflection coefficient of human skin. In a recent work, we developed a
unique simulation tool of human skin, taking into account the skin
multi-layer structure together with the helical segment of the sweat
duct embedded in it. The presence of the sweat duct led to a high
specific absorption rate (SAR) of the skin in extremely high frequency
band. In this paper, we summarize the physical evidence for this
phenomenon and consider its implication for the future exploitation of
the electromagnetic spectrum by wireless communication. Starting from
July 2016 the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new
rules for wireless broadband operations above 24 GHz (5 G). This trend
of exploitation is predicted to expand to higher frequencies in the
sub-THz region. One must consider the implications of human immersion in
the electromagnetic noise, caused by devices working at the very same
frequencies as those, to which the sweat duct (as a helical antenna) is
most attuned. We are raising a warning flag against the unrestricted use
of sub-THz technologies for communication, before the possible
consequences for public health are explored.
The
need for high data transmission rates, coupled with advances in
semiconductor technology, is pushing the communications industry towards
the sub-THz frequency spectrum. While the promises of a glorious
future, resplendent with semi-infinite data streaming, may be
attractive, there is a price to pay for such luxury. We shall find our
cities, workspace and homes awash with 5 G base stations and we shall
live though an unprecedented EM smog. The benefits to our society of
becoming so wired cannot ignore possible health concerns, as yet
unexplored. There is enough evidence to suggest that the combination of
the helical sweat duct and wavelengths approaching the dimensions of
skin layers could lead to non-thermal biological effects. Such fears
should be investigated and these concerns should also effect the
definition of standards for the application of 5G communications. --
On Measuring Electromagnetic Fields in 5G Technology Pawlak R, Krawiec P, Żurek J. On measuring electromagnetic fields in 5G technology. IEEE Access. 7: 29826-29835. March 5, 2019. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2902481 Abstract
At the awakening of the new 5G network as the network of services, issues related to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) will become one of the key aspects for the cost-effective establishment of the 5G infrastructure. The new 5G services will meet the rigorous demand for bandwidth through the implementation of a large number of densely located base stations operating in the millimeter-wave range. Introduction of new emission sources, working in parallel with already existing 2G/3G/4G mobile technologies, raises concerns about exceeding the admissible EMF exposure limits. This paper analyzes issues and challenges related to EMF measurements in 5G technology, which are crucial for the assessment of EMF compliance with regulatory limits. We point out that the existing methodologies, dedicated to EMF measurements in 2G, 3G, and 4G networks, are not suitable for 5G. The reason is the use of new techniques, such as massive MIMO and precise beamforming together with higher frequency bands so that the existing measurement methods can lead to significantly overestimated results when they will be applied to 5G networks. Such results, in conjunction with the restrictive legislation on the EMF limits that apply in some countries, may have the negative impact on 5G network deployment, making it difficult to achieve the intended 5G network capabilities. We also propose an alternative method of EMF exposure assessment that is based on calculations and simulations and allows obtaining an accurate estimation of the EMF distribution in the 5G environment.
Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Assessment for Future 5G Networks Persia S, Carciofi C, Barbiroli M, Volta C, Bontempelli D, Anania G. Radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure assessment for future 5G networks. IEEE 29th Annual International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), 2018. IEEE, 2018. doi:10.1109/PIMRC.2018.8580919
Abstract
The fifth generation of mobile network (5G) will relay not only on the expansion of existing fourth (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, but thanks to the introduction of new radio access in the millimetre wave bands will allow to meet new requirements in terms of connectivity and capacity. Specifically, 5G network will be characterized by the use of new spectrum at higher frequencies with a very large number of antenna elements deployment. As a consequence, the RF EMF (Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field) compliance assessments with the regulatory requirements for human exposure for the installation permission needs to be revised accordingly. In this work, a Country case (Italy), where a more restrictive regulatory framework than the ICNIRP Guidelines is applied, has been analysed to investigate the impact of the restrictive approach on the future 5G mobile networks roll-out.
Conclusions
The EMF evaluations of existing cellular networks has been analysed in this work in order to highlight how restrictive regulatory framework than International Guidelines can affect 5G and future network deployment. Italy case study is considered as an example, due to its restrictive regulation to verify if it can permit an efficient 5G roll-out. This consideration has been confirmed by evaluations of the trend of saturated sites from 2010 to 2017 in Italy. Simulations demonstrate that in Italy the strong development expected for the evolution of 4G networks and, in the perspective of 5G systems, can be threatened with the stringent constraints imposed by the current regulatory framework for exposure to electromagnetic fields.
-- Derivation of Safety Limits for 5G RF Exposure Based on Analytical Models & Thermal Dose Neufeld E, Kuster N. Systematic Derivation of Safety Limits for Time-Varying 5G Radiofrequency Exposure Based on Analytical Models and Thermal Dose. Health Phys. 2018 Sep 21. 705-711. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000930.
Abstract
Extreme broadband wireless devices operating above 10 GHz may transmit data in bursts of a few milliseconds to seconds. Even though the time- and area-averaged power density values remain within the acceptable safety limits for continuous exposure, these bursts may lead to short temperature spikes in the skin of exposed people. In this paper, a novel analytical approach to pulsed heating is developed and applied to assess the peak-to-average temperature ratio as a function of the pulse fraction α (relative to the averaging time T; it corresponds to the inverse of the peak-to-average ratio). This has been analyzed for two different perfusion-related thermal time constants (τ1 = 100 s and 500 s) corresponding to plane-wave and localized exposures. To allow for peak temperatures that considerably exceed the 1 K increase, the CEM43 tissue damage model, with an experimental-data-based damage threshold for human skin of 600 min, is used to allow large temperature oscillations that remain below the level at which tissue damage occurs. To stay consistent with the current safety guidelines, safety factors of 10 for occupational exposure and 50 for the general public were applied. The model assumptions and limitations (e.g., employed thermal and tissue damage models, homogeneous skin, consideration of localized exposure by a modified time constant) are discussed in detail. The results demonstrate that the maximum averaging time, based on the assumption of a thermal time constant of 100 s, is 240 s if the maximum local temperature increase for continuous-wave exposure is limited to 1 K and α ≥ 0.1. For a very low peak-to-average ratio of 100 (α ≥ 0.01), it decreases to only 30 s. The results also show that the peak-to-average ratio of 1,000 tolerated by the International Council on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines may lead to permanent tissue damage after even short exposures, highlighting the importance of revisiting existing exposure guidelines. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30247338 -- Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink Nasim I, Kim S. Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink. Submitted on 10 Nov 2017 to IEEE International Communications Conference. arXiv:1711.03683v1. Abstract While cellular communications in millimeter wave (mmW) bands have been attracting significant research interest, their potential harmful impacts on human health are not as significantly studied. Prior research on human exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields in a cellular communications system has been focused on uplink only due to the closer physical contact of a transmitter to a human body. However, this paper claims the necessity of thorough investigation on human exposure to downlink RF fields, as cellular systems deployed in mmW bands will entail (i) deployment of more transmitters due to smaller cell size and (ii) higher concentration of RF energy using a highly directional antenna. In this paper, we present human RF exposure levels in downlink of a Fifth Generation Wireless Systems (5G). Our results show that 5G downlink RF fields generate significantly higher power density (PD) and specific absorption rate (SAR) than a current cellular system. This paper also shows that SAR should also be taken into account for determining human RF exposure in the mmW downlink. https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.03683
-- Implications of EMF exposure limits on output power levels for 5G devices above 6 GHz
Colombi D, Thors B, Törnevik C. Implications
of EMF exposure limits on output power levels for 5G devices above 6 GHz. IEEE
Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters. 14:1247-1249. 04 February 2015. DOI:
10.1109/LAWP.2015.2400331. Abstract Spectrum is a scarce resource, and the interest for
utilizing frequency bands above 6 GHz for future radio communication systems is
increasing. The possible use of higher frequency bands implies new challenges
in terms of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure assessments since the
fundamental exposure metric (basic restriction) is changing from specific
absorption rate (SAR) to power density. In this study, the implication of this
change is investigated in terms of the maximum possible radiated power (P max )
from a device used in close proximity to the human body. The results show that
the existing exposure limits will lead to a non-physical discontinuity of
several dB in P max as the transition is made from SAR to power
density based basic restrictions. As a consequence, to be compliant with
applicable exposure limits at frequencies above 6 GHz, P max might
have to be several dB below the power levels used for current cellular
technologies. Since the available power in uplink has a direct impact on the
system capacity and coverage, such an inconsistency, if not resolved, might
have a large effect on the development of the next generation cellular networks
(5G). Conclusion Above 6 GHz for FCC and 10 GHz for ICNIRP, EMF exposure limits
are defined in terms of free-space power density rather than SAR. It was shown
that at the transition frequency where the exposure metric changes, the maximum
radiated power to meet compliance with ICNIRP and FCC EMF limits, for a device
used in close proximity of the body, presents a strong discontinuity (in the
order of 6 dB for the investigated case). This discrepancy has no scientific
basis and is due to inconsistencies in the exposure limits. As a consequence,
the estimated maximum output power in uplink for devices operating at
frequencies above 6-10 GHz is about 18 dBm and 15 dBm for ICNIRP and FCC,
respectively. These figures were obtained by numerical simulations of a
canonical dipole at frequencies up to 70 GHz. It was shown that for more directive
antennas, the maximum available power can be substantially lower. For the IEEE
limits, the incongruity at the transition frequency is less evident. This is
because the IEEE PD limits make use of a larger averaging area than the ICNIRP
and FCC limits. The IEEE limits, however, have not yet been adopted in any
national regulations. With a growing interest for utilizing frequency bands above
6 GHz for mobile communications, it is important that the inconsistencies at
the transition frequency from SAR to PD based basic restrictions are timely
solved. If not, the observed discrepancy might have a large impact on the
development of future mobile communication networks. We therefore encourage the
relevant standardization organizations and regulatory authorities responsible
for defining EMF exposure limits to address this issue. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7031364
Expert Opinions May 20, 2019 5G: The Unreported Global Threat Devra Davis, PhD, Medium, May 18, 2019 https://medium.com/@devradavis/5g-the-unreported-global-threat-717c98c9c37d
-- Aug 18, 2017 (Updated Sep 27, 2017) Scientists and Physicians Oppose "Small Cell" Antenna Bill (Calif. SB 649) I have been hearing from scientists around the world who are deeply
concerned about the deployment of fifth generation (5G) wireless
technology without adequate research on the health effects of exposure
to this type of radio frequency radiation. Following is a sample of letters sent to California Governor Brown asking him to veto SB 659, a "small cell" antenna bill written by the cellular industry that paves the way for deployment of 5G wireless technology across the state. Professor Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Golomb's letter begins with the following warning:
"I urge in the strongest terms that you vigorously oppose California SB 649.
If this bill passes, many people will suffer greatly, and needlessly, as a direct result.
This sounds like hyperbole. It is not.
My research group at UC San Diego alone has received hundreds of communications from people who have developed serious health problems from electromagnetic radiation, following introduction of new technologies. Others with whom I am in communication, have independently received hundreds of similar reports. Most likely these are a tip of an iceberg of tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of affected person. As each new technology leading to further exposure to electromagnetic radiation is introduced – and particularly introduced in a fashion that prevents vulnerable individuals from avoiding it – a new group become sensitized to health effects. This is particularly true for pulsed signals in the radiowave and microwave portion of the spectrum, the type for which the proposed bill SB 640 will bypass local control."
In the letter, Dr. Golomb summarizes the research on the effects of exposure to radio frequency radiation and advocates for "safer, wired and well shielded technology – not more wireless." Appended to the letter are 360 references to the scientific literature. The letter can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/SB649Golomb822. Professor Martin Pall, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences at Washington State University, explains in his letter to the Governor his peer-reviewed research which has documented ...
"exquisite sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the voltage sensors in each cell, such that the force impacting our cells at the voltage sensor has massive impact on the biology in the cells of our bodies."
"This new understanding [1-7] means we can debunk the claims of the wireless industry that there cannot be a mechanism for effects produced by these weak EMFs. The 20 years plus of industry propaganda claims are false. Rather the thousands of studies showing diverse health impacts of these EMFs can be explained. We now have a mechanism, one that is supported by both the biology and the physics, both of which are pointing in exactly the same direction."
"5G will be much more active in activating the VGCCs and producinghealth impacts because of its rapid absorption by materials in the body, because of its very rapid pulsations and because of the huge number antennae they are planning to put up, at least 200 times the number of antennae from all current cell phone towers. What this means is that the impacts on the outer one to two inches of our bodies will be massive."
His letter discusses the potential health impacts on humans and on agriculture with exposure to 5G radiation. The letter can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/SB649Pall Dr. Michael Lipsett, MD, JD, a retired public health physician with extensive experience in environmental health, mentions in his letter the recent demand for a 5G moratorium by more than 180 scientists and physicians and the study of cell phone radiation conducted by the National Toxicology Program. He points out that while individuals can take precautions to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted by wireless devices, this is not feasible with exposure from cell antennas. He notes that ...
"laboratory and human health investigations designed and conducted by independent researchers have reported associations linking exposure to radiation from cell phones or similar devices with multiple adverse effects (e.g., headaches, impacts on brain function, memory, learning and sleep; decreased sperm counts and quality) as well as with DNA damage and tumors of the brain and nervous system."
"Potential health impacts of wireless communication have been ignored or obscured for decades by the telecommunications industry, which has implied that cell phones and other devices are safe because they comply with federal safety standards. However, these standards were established more than 20 years ago and were based on assumptions that have since been called into question by health research studies. The push to establish a 5G network, exemplified by SB 649, is based on a similarly unproven assumption: i.e., that round-the-clock exposure to 5G frequencies will not affect human health or the environment.
Establishment of a 5G network will be irreversible, as will the pattern of near-universal exposure of California residents to high-frequency, as-yet-untested 5G electromagnetic radiation."
EMF Scientist Appeal Advisors Call for Moratorium on Policies for 5G "Small Cell" Antennas The
advisors to the International EMF Scientist
Appeal submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in
opposition to a proposed change in FCC rules that would allow rapid deployment
of 5th generation (5G) wireless infrastructure throughout the
nation. A copy of the Appeal was appended to the letter. 5G
involves transmission of millimeter waves which operate at much higher
frequencies than currently used for cellular transmission (30 to 300 gigahertz).
Because the range of these signals is limited (i.e., less than a football
field), hundreds of thousands of new "small cell" antennas will be required in
the U.S. The wireless industry wants to install these not-so-small cellular antennas
on existing public utility poles. The
FCC intends to streamline the approval of these antennas which would further
undermine the regulatory authority of cities and states over cell towers. Meanwhile
the wireless industry is lobbying for legislation
in many states across the country that would limit local authority over cell antenna
deployment. Due
to the concern that the FCC's new rules will result in increased exposure to
electromagnetic fields (EMF), the Appeal's advisors oppose the new rules and call
for a "public health review of the growing body of scientific evidence that
includes reports of increasing rates of cancer and neurological diseases that
may be caused by exposure to EMF from wireless sources." The
Appeal reflects the concerns of 225 EMF experts
from 41 nations about the impact of EMF exposure on public health. All
of the experts who signed this appeal have published research in peer-reviewed scientific
journals about the biologic or health effects of EMF. According
to the Appeal's signatories, current national and international EMF exposure
guidelines are obsolete and inadequate to protect human health and the
environment. The FCC's radio frequency guidelines were adopted in 1996. The
letter (dated June 9, 2017) is signed by the five advisors to the International
EMF Scientist Appeal: Drs. Martin Blank, Magda Havas, Henry Lai, and Joel
Moskowitz, and Elizabeth Kelley. For
more information: FCC filing detail (June 9, 2017)FCC letter submitted by Advisors to International EMF Scientist Appeal FCC submission: International EMF Scientist Appeal
Safety testing for 5G is the same as other wireless devices. It is based on heat. This is an obsolete standard and not considering current science showing cellular and organism harm from non-thermal effects. There is a large gap in safety data for 5G biological effects that has been demonstrated in older studies including military.
Recommendations
1. Do not proceed to roll out 5G technologies pending pre-market studies on health effects.
2. Reevaluate safety standards based on long term as well as short term studies on biological effects.
3. Rescind a portion of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which preempts state and local government regulation for the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects so that health and environmental issues can be addressed.
4. Rescind portions of The Spectrum Act which was passed in 2012 as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which strips the ability city officials and local governments to regulate cellular communications equipment, provides no public notification or opportunity for public input and may potentially result in environmental impacts.
5. Create an independent multidisciplinary scientific agency tasked with developing appropriate safety regulations, pre-market testing and research needs in a transparent environment with public input.
6. Label pertinent EMF information on devices along with appropriate precautionary warnings.
Dr. Russell provides a brief review of the research on millimeter wave bioeffects in this article: https://bit.ly/5GRussell. -- Aug 17, 2016 (Updated Aug 19) 5G
cellular technology will employ much higher frequency microwaves than current
cell phone technologies: 2G, 3G, and 4G. These microwaves, known as
millimeter waves, won't penetrate building materials like the current
technology which is why industry may need one cell antenna base station for
every 12 homes.
But millimeter waves can affect your eyes and penetrate your skin.
When the Los Angeles Times reporter contacted me for the story
below, I did a quick search and found several recently published articles
examining biological effects of millimeter waves (see references below). This
form of microwave radiation is most likely to affect our skin and neuronal
cells in the upper dermis.
Moreover, widespread adoption of 5G cellular technology in the U.S. may have profound
effects on our ecosystem by altering bacteria, possibly creating harmful
bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
History has proved that we cannot trust the FCC and the FDA
to protect our health from microwave radiation exposure. I submitted an open letter to the FCC in July calling for "an independent review of the biologic and health research to determine whether the RF standards should be modified before allowing additional spectrum to be used for new commercial applications." Moreover, the FCC has ignored the 800-plus submissions
that call upon the agency to adopt rigorous radio frequency standards to protect the public's health. Instead the agency
maintains its 20-year old exposure guidelines
that control only for heating or thermal risks. The FDA has ignored the
thousands of studies that find nonthermal biologic effects, and the human
studies that find a wide range of health effects including increased cancer
risk and reproductive harm from exposure to low intensity microwaves.In my opinion, precaution is warranted before unleashing 5G technology on the world. I suspect most of the 221 scientists who signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal (referenced in the article below), would support this assertion.
However, more research is also needed as specific characteristics of the millimeter waves
(e.g., pulsing, modulation) to be employed in 5G cellular technology may be more important than
the frequency or intensity of the waves in terms of biologic and health
effects. The research funding must be independent of industry as conflicts of
interest have been found to undermine the science in this field.For an unbiased summary of the partial findings of the
National Toxicology Program study of cancer risk from 2G cell phone radiation,
see https://www.saferemr.com/2016/05/national-toxicology-progam-finds-cell.html.
--Low-intensity millimeter waves used for pain therapy have side effects The Russians have pioneered millimeter wave therapy (MWT) using low intensity millimeter waves to reduce pain including headaches, joint pain, and postoperative pain. Although the following review paper documents some positive effects from short-term exposure to MWT, the authors note that there are side effects including fatigue, sleepiness, and paresthesia (an abnormal sensation, tingling or pricking ["pins and needles"] caused by pressure on or damage to peripheral nerves).
"We conclude that there is promising data from pilot case series and small-scale randomized controlled trials for analgesic/hypoalgesic effects of electromagnetic millimeter waves in frequency range 30–70 GHz. Large-scale randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of this non-invasive therapeutic technique are necessary."
"In the studies reviewed the authors did not report any health-related side effects of MWT. Slight paresthesias, previously mentioned in several case reports and non-controlled case series (10,11), appeared in almost 50% of patients in studies where the effects of MWT were carefully described (21,27,28,31). The paresthesias were of short duration and reported as pleasant ('warmth') or neutral. General fatigue and sleepiness during the treatment sessions in almost 80% of the patients was a rather desirable side effect of MWT, as also described in previous reviews on biomedical effects of MWT (10,11,21,27,28)."
From: Usichenko TI, Edinger H, Gizhko VV, Lehmann C, Wendt M, Feyerherd F. Low-intensity electromagnetic millimeter waves for pain therapy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Jun;3(2):201-7. URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1475937/
The preponderance of research published from 1990 through July 2023 has found significant effects from exposure to radio frequency radiation as well as to extremely low frequency and static electromagnetic fields. Dr. Henry Lai, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, Editor Emeritus of the journal, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, and an emeritus member of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of EMF, has compiled summaries of the research on the biological effects of exposure to radio frequency (RFR) and extremely low frequency (ELF) and static electromagnetic fields (EMF). His set of abstracts which cover the period from 1990 to July 2023 constitute a comprehensive collection of the research. Dr. Lai reports that the preponderance of the research has found that exposure to RFR or ELF EMF produces oxidative effects or free radicals, and damages DNA. Moreover the preponderance of RFR studies that examined genetic, neurological and reproductive effects has found significant effects. Among hundreds of studies of RFR, 70% to 89% reported significant effects. Among hundreds of studies
of ELF and static fields, 74% to 91% reported significant effects. Currently, there are about 2,500 studies in Dr. Henry Lai's collection of research on the effects of exposure to RFR and static or ELF/static fields EMF. The abstracts for these studies can be downloaded by clicking on the links below. Government and scientists who receive industry funding for their research often claim that research on the effects of exposure to EMF is inconsistent, and that more research is needed before health warnings are issued or regulatory exposure limits are strengthened. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization classified radio frequency radiation (RFR) "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B). The IARC plans to review RFR again by 2024 because most peer-reviewed studies published in the past decade found significant evidence that RFR causes genotoxicity. Thus, the IARC will likely re-classify RFR to either "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A) or "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1) at the next expert review. Cell phones and other wireless devices also produce static and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields. ELF was classified by the IARC as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) a decade before RFR received this classification. The evidence for DNA damage has been found more consistently in animal and human (in vivo) studies than in studies of cell cultures (in vitro). Summary of Results (July 2023) Radio frequency radiation (RFR) 89% (n=297) of 333 RFR oxidative effects (or free radical) studies published since 1997 reported significant effects including 96% (n=89) of 92 studies with a SAR (specific absorption rate) ≤ 0.40 W/kg. 70% (n=312) of 448 RFR genetic effects studies published since 1990 reported significant effects including 79% (n=103) of 131 studies of gene expression. 76% (n=322) of 423 RFR neurological studies published since 2007 reported significant effects. 82% (n=262) of 317 RFR reproduction and development studies published since 1990 reported significant effects. Among the studies that reported significant effects, 51 studies used an exposure with a SAR ≤0.40 W/kg and 31 studies had a SAR ≤0.08 W/kg. Extremely low frequency (ELF) and static electromagnetic fields 91% (n=282) of 311 ELF/static EMF oxidative effects (or free radical) studies published since 1990 reported significant effects. 84% (n=282) of 337 ELF/static EMF genetic effects studies published since 1990 reported significant effects including 95% (n=168) of 177 studies of gene expression. 91% (n=310) of 339 ELF/static EMF neurological studies published since 2007 reported significant effects. 74% (n=62) of 83 ELF/static EMF reproduction and development studies published since 1990 reported significant effects.
-- Feb 4, 2023 (Updated Aug 4, 2023) Effects of Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure on Free Radical-Related Cellular Processes (290 studies) Dr. Henry Lai, Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington
This document contains abstracts for 332 studies published since 1997 that assessed the effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on free radical-related cellular processes.
See pages 180-207 for the Table that summarizes key details about each study.
Summary
1. Of the 332 studies published from 1997- August, 2023, 297 (89%) studies reported significant effects; 36 (11%) studies found no significant effects.
2. Change in cellular free radical status is a consistent effect of radiofrequency radiation.
3. Effects can occur at low specific absorption rates (SAR) or power density of exposure. See 82 studies marked LI for low intensity (less than or equal to 0.4 W/kg); 79 LI studies found effects.
4. Effects have been reported at different frequencies, exposure duration, and modulations, and in many different biological systems, cell lines, and animal species. These data support the assertion that "Radiofrequency radiation affects cellular free radical processes."
5. Most of the studies are live animal (in vivo) studies with long-term exposure, e.g., daily exposure up to months.
6. Some studies used mobile phones or RFR-emitting devices for exposure (see Table). The SAR and characteristics of RFR in these studies are not well defined. However, these studies should not be overlooked because they represent real-life exposure scenarios. Waveform modulations of radiofrequency radiation during wireless communication usage probably play an important role in biological effects. They are not revealed in studies that used a simple form of radiation (e.g., continuous-wave or GSM) and spatially uniformed fields. Researchers in bioelectromagnetics should realize that the perfect RFR exposure system simulating real life exposures simply does not exist.
Click on the following link to download the 207-page document (pdf): Link
Note: This is not a comprehensive list. I have focused on more recent papers and tried to be parsimonious. The links to the abstracts and open access papers below were checked and updated on June 7, 2019. This list is periodically updated. National Toxicology Program cell phone radiation studies
Tumor risk review papers Myung et al (2009) Mobile phone use and risk of tumors: a meta-analysis. J Clinical Oncology. https://bit.ly/2F0IdUS Khurana et al (2009) Cell phones and brain tumors: a review including long-term epidemiologic data. Surgical Neurology. https://bit.ly/2WTQwfk Levis et al (2011) Mobile phones and head tumours: the discrepancies in cause-effect relationships in the epi studies-how do they arise. Environ Health. https://bit.ly/2IsQy4r Levis et al (2012) Mobile phones and head tumours: a critical analysis of case-control epi studies. Open Environ Sciences. https://bit.ly/2EXT5ml WHO (2013) IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Volume 102: Non-ionizing radiation, Part 2: Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. https://bit.ly/10oIE3o Morgan et al (2015) Mobile phone radiation causes brain tumors and should be classified as a probable human carcinogen (2A) (Review). Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/2XwgVNa Wang & Guo (2016) Meta-analysis of association between mobile phone use and glioma risk. J Cancer Research Therapyhttps://bit.ly/2o1dVcn Bortkiewicz et al (2017) Mobile phone use and risk of intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis. Int J Occ Med Envir Health. https://bit.ly/2nVJC5d Prasad et al (2017) Mobile phone use and risk of brain tumours: a systematic review of association between study quality, source of funding, and research outcomes. Neurol Sci. https://bit.ly/2Xxp83P Carlberg, Hardell (2017) Evaluation of mobile phone and cordless phone use and glioma risk using the Bradford Hill viewpoints from 1965 on association or causation. Biomed Res Int. https://bit.ly/2WwBX1K Miller, et al (2018). Cancer epidemiology update, following the 2011 IARC evaluation of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (Monograph 102). Environ Res. https://bit.ly/2rJD7Fu Choi, Moskowitz, et al (2020). Cellular phone use and risk of tumors: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Envir Res Public Health.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218079. Also see Long-Term Cell Phone Use Increases Brain Tumor Risk Tumor risk studies Interphone Study Group (2010) Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile phone use: results of the Interphone international case-control study. Int J Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2MzsceR Interphone Study Group (2011) Acoustic neuroma risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study. Cancer Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2Ix7BlQ Aydin et al (2011) Mobile phone use & brain tumors in children & adolescents: a multi-center case-control study. (CEFALO Study). JNCI. https://bit.ly/31j0JBa Hardell et al (2013) Case-control study of the association between malignant brain tumours diagnosed between 2007 and 2009 and mobile and cordless phone use. Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/2ZaVJg5 Hardell et al (2013) Pooled analysis of case-control studies on acoustic neuroma diagnosed 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 and use of mobile and cordless phones. Int J Oncology. https://bit.ly/31gbDaO Coureau et al (2014) Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study. Occup Envi Med. https://bit.ly/1DWgzRi Grell et al (2016) The intracranial distribution of gliomas in relation to exposure from mobile phones: Analyses from the INTERPHONE Study. Am J Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2ZcawHu Also see: Acoustic neuroma risk and cell phone use studiesandShould Cellphones Have Warning Labels? Breast cancer West et al (2013) Multifocal breast cancer in young women with prolonged contact between their breasts and their cellular phones. Case Rep Med. https://bit.ly/2WW8n52 Shih et al (2020) The association between smartphone use and breast cancer risk among Taiwanese women: A case-control study. Cancer Manag Res. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7605549/ Brain tumor incidence trends Inskip et al (2010) Brain cancer incidence trends in relation to cellular telephone use in the United States. Neuro Oncology. https://bit.ly/2K6rEuz Zada et al (2012) Incidence trends in the anatomic location of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States: 1992-2006. World Neurosurg. https://bit.ly/2Wq1Dbm Hardell & Carlberg (2015) Increasing rates of brain tumours in the Swedish National Inpatient Register & the Causes of Death Register. Int J Envir Res Public Health. https://bit.ly/1aDHJm Devocht (2016) Inferring the 1985–2014 impact of mobile phone use on selected brain cancer subtypes using Bayesian structural time series and synthetic controls. Environ Int. https://bit.ly/2jJlbZucorrigendum (2017): https://bit.ly/2Cuq2nU Hardell & Carlberg (2017) Mobile phones, cordless phones and rates of brain tumors in different age groups in the Swedish National Inpatient Register and the Swedish Cancer Register during 1998-2015. PLOS One. https://bit.ly/H-C2017 Philips et al (2018) Brain tumours: Rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme incidence in England 1995-2015 suggests an adverse environmental or lifestyle factor. J Environ Public Health.https://bit.ly/2KIY4aI Also see: Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: The Role of Cell Phone & Cordless Phone Use
Mechanisms Ruediger (2009) Genotoxic effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Pathophysiology.https://bit.ly/2EXGaRb Behari (2010) Biological responses of mobile phone frequency exposure. Indian J Exp Biology. https://bit.ly/2Xx0Gzr Giuliani and Soffritti (2010). Nonthermal effects and mechanisms of interaction between electromagnetic fields and living matter. ICEMS Monograph. Ramazzini Institute. 403 pp. https://bit.ly/2HUnO7R Juutilainen et al (2011) Review of possible modulation-dependent biological effects of radiofrequency fields. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/2MAQ7KJ Volkow et al (2011) Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. JAMA. https://bit.ly/2KyjIBT Pall (2013) EMFs act via activation of voltage-gated calcium channels to produce beneficial or adverse effects. J Cell Mol Med. https://bit.ly/2K5yO2e Calderon et al (2014) Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones. Bioelectromagnetics.https://bit.ly/2EA1N7e Dasdag & Akdag (2015) The link between radiofrequencies emitted from wireless technologies & oxidative stress. J Chem Neuroanat. https://bit.ly/2EXN88W Yakymenko et al (2016) Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation. Electromagnet Biol Med. https://bit.ly/2qCGM4F Barnes & Greenenbaum (2016) Some effects of weak magnetic fields on biological systems: RF fields can change radical concentrations and cancer cell growth rates. IEEE Power Electronics J. https://bit.ly/1WvQGiY Tamrin et al (2016) Electromagnetic fields and stem cell fate: When physics meets biology. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. https://bit.ly/2b6Ht3y Terzi et al (2016) The role of electromagnetic fields in neurological disorders. J Chem Neuroanat. https://bit.ly/3j9if6b Havas (2017) When theory and observation collide: Can non-ionizing radiation cause cancer? Environ Pollution. https://bit.ly/2DssMS2 Barnes & Kandala (2018) Effects of time delays on biological feedback systems and electromagnetic field exposures. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/2EZkZPS Belpomme et al (2018) Thermal and non-thermal health effects of low intensity non-ionizing radiation: An international perspective. Environ Pollution. https://bit.ly/IntlEMFreview Hinrikus et al (2018) Understanding physical mechanism of low-level microwave radiation effect. Int J Radiation Biol. https://bit.ly/2EwNyoU Mortazavi et al (2019) Evaluation of the validity of a nonlinear J-shaped dose-response relationship in cancers induced by exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. J Biomed Phys Eng. https://bit.ly/37FlDxP Nielsen et al (2019) Towards predicting intracellular radiofrequency radiation effects. PLOS One. https://bit.ly/2uaeFxY Panagopoulos (2019) Comparing DNA damage induced by mobile telephony and other types of man-made electromagnetic fields. Mutation Res. https://bit.ly/2HACI1O Halgamuge et al (2020) A meta-analysis of in vitro exposures to weak radiofrequency radiation exposure from mobile phones (1990–2015). Envir Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109227. Bertagna et al (2021) Effects of electromagnetic fields on neuronal ion channels:
a systematic review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. https://bit.ly/2R3TigSPanagopoulos et al (2021) Human‑made
electromagnetic fields: Ion forced‑oscillation and voltage‑gated ion
channel dysfunction, oxidative stress and DNA damage (Review).Int J Oncol. https://www.spandidos-publications.com/ijo/59/5/92Lai H, Levitt B. (2023) Cellular and molecular effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. Reviews on Environmental Health. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2023-0023 Reproductive Health Effects LaVignera et al (2011) Effects of the exposure to mobile phones on male reproduction: a review of the literature. J Andrology. https://bit.ly/2wL7zRO Aldad et al (2012) Fetal radiofrequency radiation exposure from 800-1900 Mhz-rated cellular telephones affects neurodevelopment and behavior in mice. Science Reports. https://bit.ly/2Z6H45I Divan et al (2012) Cell phone use and behavioural problems in young children. J Epidemiol Commun Health. https://bit.ly/2EV1bw8 Adams et al (2014) Effect of mobile telephones on sperm quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproduction. https://bit.ly/1pUnmDq Houston et al (2016) The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on sperm function. Reproduction. https://bit.ly/2cJJ2pEKim et al (2021) Effects of mobile phone usage on sperm quality – No time-dependent relationship on usage: A systematic review and updated meta-analysis. Environ Research. https://bit.ly/3squsu2Kaur et al (2023) Genotoxic risks to male reproductive health from radiofrequency radiation. Cells. https://bit.ly/3PbbIaU Also see: Effect of Mobile Phones on Sperm Quality and Pregnancy & Wireless Radiation Risks Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity See: Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Exposure Kelsh et al (2010) Measured radiofrequency exposure during various mobile-phone use scenarios. J Exposure Sci Environ Epidemiol. https://bit.ly/2IuYH8s Gandhi et al (2012) Exposure limits: the underestimation of absorbed cell phone radiation, especially in children. Electromagnetic Biol Med. https://bit.ly/2EZilbN International EMF Scientist Appeal (2015). https://emfscientist.org/ International Appeal: Scientists call for protection from non-ionizing electromagnetic field exposure. European J Oncology. 20(3/4). 2015. https://bit.ly/EMFAppealEurOncol Schmid & Kuster (2015) The discrepancy between maximum in vitro exposure levels and realistic conservative exposure levels of mobile phones operating at 900/1800 MHz. Bioelectromagnetics. https://bit.ly/31j46be Sagar et al (2018) Comparison of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure levels in different everyday microenvironments in an international context. Environ Intl.https://bit.ly/2E5QR10Gandhi OP (2019) Microwave emissions from cell phones exceed safety limits in Europe and the US when touching the body. IEEE Access. https://bit.ly/2QUTI4N Wall et al (2019) Real-world cell phone radiofrequency electromagnetic field
exposures. Environ Research. https://bit.ly/CDPHphone Calderón et al (2022) Estimation of RF and ELF dose by anatomical location in the
brain from wireless phones in the MOBI-Kids study. Environ Intl. https://bit.ly/3Or2x3FLai H, Levitt BB (2022). The roles of intensity, exposure duration, and modulation on the biological effects of radiofrequency radiation and exposure guidelines. Electromagnetic Biol Med. https://bit.ly/RFLaiLevitt2022 ICBE-EMF (2022). Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environ Health. https://bit.ly/ICBE-EMFpaper1 Lin J (2023). Incongruities in recently revised radiofrequency exposure guidelines and standards. Environ Research. https://bit.ly/3lijiUP Miclaus et al (2023). An Exposimetric Electromagnetic Comparison of Mobile Phone Emissions: 5G versus 4G Signals Analyses by Means of Statistics and Convolutional Neural Networks Classification. Technologies. https://bit.ly/3ParNO5 Genetic Effects Lai H (2021) Genetic effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic Biol Med. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15368378.2021.1881866 Blood-Brain Barrier Studies AirPods: Are Apple's New Wireless Earbuds Safe? (Blood-Brain Barrier Effects) 5G and Millimeter Wave Studies
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See the bottom of this page for links to recent news stories about 5G hype. The CTIA, the wireless industry trade association, has launched an advertising campaign entitled, "The Global Race to 5G." The ads claim that unless the U.S. wins this "global race" to become the first nation to deploy the fifth generation of wireless technology or 5G, we will not reap the economic benefits of this technology. The CTIA claims that "compared to today's 4G networks, 5G will be up to 100x faster, support
100x more devices, and provide a 5x faster response time." Moreover, the association asserts that the nation's wireless industry is prepared to invest $275 billion in 5G which will yield three million new jobs and $500 billion in economic growth. If we win the global race, the "next-generation of wireless will drive $2.7 trillion of new economic benefits to American families and businesses." The CTIA has denied for decades that there are adverse health effects from exposure to wireless radiation. By establishing a revolving door between its leadership and the FCC's, the CTIA ensures that the federal regulatory agency maintains the inadequate, obsoleteradio frequency exposure limits which the FCC adopted in 1996. The FCC and federal health agencies have been oblivious to the health concerns raised by more than 240 scientists from 44 nations who have published peer-reviewed research on the biologic or health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. More than 400 scientists and medical doctors from over 40 countries signed a declaration demanding a moratorium on the planned increase of cell antennas for 5G deployment in the European Union. Concerns over health effects from higher radiation exposure include potential neurological impacts, infertility, and cancer. The following excerpts were extracted from a 23-page special report from RCR Wireless that cuts through much of the hype surrounding the deployment of 5G. The excerpts are direct quotes from the report. RCR Wireless is a trade publication that has reported on the wireless industry and wireless technology since 1982. Transitioning to a 5G World Kelly Hill, RCR Wireless, Nov 2017 Excerpts from the Report
Hype
is certainly high for 5G, given that the industry is still technically
in a pre-standard phase and that standalone 5G systems are still some time off.
5G
is coming even faster than originally expected. In December, the first
official specification from the Third Generation Partnership Project
is expected to be released; 5G New Radio will finally make its
standardized debut – although like Long Term Evolution, 5G will continue to evolve and be refined in the coming years.
"5G will not replace LTE,"
Rysavy Research concluded in an August report for the GSMA. "In most
deployments, the two technologies will be tightly integrated and
co-exist through at least the late-2020s."
Although
the industry is preparing for 5G, LTE [4G] capabilities will continue to
improve in LTE Advanced Pro through the rest of the decade," Rysavy
wrote .... 5G will eventually play an important role, but it must be
timed appropriately so that the jump in capability justifies the new
investment.
KT, for example, plans to
support two different frequencies from the get-go in its 5G network: 3.5
GHz as an anchor with better propagation, complemented by 28 GHz in
dense areas. Given that networks are expected to initially be 4G/5G
networks, testing will have to continue to support LTE alongside 5G.
Hurtarte
of LitePoint noted that although "millimeter wave" tends to be treated
as one category, there are significant differences between the
components and frequency planning needed at 28 GHz versus 39 GHz. In
addition, although some frequencies are widely agreed upon, there are
other frequencies that may get the nod for 5G use: 24 GHz in China,
possibly 40-43 Ghz and possibly even above 70 GHz.
There
are some major challenges to the success of 5G, which are all
interrelated: the move to mmwave, the need for ultra-density, and the
question of when the economics of 5G will actually work well enough to
take off.
Mmwave [millimeter wave] provides the huge
bandwidths that are needed for fast speeds and high capacity, but the
higher the frequency, the shorter its range and more susceptible it is
to being easily blocked and reflected (thus the need for beamforming in
order to focus the energy more tightly). Seasonal foliage, energy
efficient glass windows with special coatings, and standard housing
materials all present effective barriers to mmwave reaching indoors to
customer premise equipment, operators and vendors have found in their
field testing.
Denisowski pointed out
that fixed wireless is one thing, but moving objects are another.
Obstruction, not radiating sources of energy, is likely to be the main
cause of interference in 5G systems: vehicles driving back and forth, or
even wind farms can scatter microwave radiation.
Density of foliage "plays a big role,"
said Thadasina of Samsung, which has been working with a number of
carriers on 5G trials. "What we found is that for the mmwave signal, as
it penetrated through trees, the thickness of the trees matters.
Initially the impedence offered by foliage is linear, but beyond a
certain density it is no longer linear … it kills the signal."Building materials are well-known to play a role in transmission from outdoors to indoors,
he added, but the angle of incidence does as well. The difference
between 30 degrees to 60 degrees to 90 degrees can create additional
impedance, Thadasina said, "some of those things make it challenging in
terms of closing the link." Moisture levels play a role as well, he said
....
Fiber is fuel for 5G, and its prevalence is increasing. SNL
Kagan found earlier this year that global fiber residential investment
increased sharply in 2016, and that fiber is on track to reach 1 billion
subscribers by 2021. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Vertical Systems Group
reported that 49.6% of multi-tenant and enterprise buildings had access
to fiber last year, compared to only 10% in 2004. Deloitte
said earlier this year that it expects to see $130 billion-$150 billion
in "deep fiber" investment in the U.S. over 5-7 years, due to a
combination of broadband competition, ensuring 5G readiness, and
expanding fiber into new areas. Murphy
of Nokia said that operators should expect that, depending on which
frequency they deploy in, they will need 2.5 to 10 times as many sites
as they have now. That's a tall order, especially given that small
cell sites in cellular frequencies can take 18 to 24 months to get site
approvals – scaling small cells has been hard enough in LTE, with the
market moving much more slowly than analysts had predicted or carriers
would like.
"It's going to take a long time," Einbinder
said. "Constructing a cell tower is hard. A micro-cell has a lot of the
same issues": power and fiber and access to a site, which a community
may be reluctant to grant – California, for instance, recently
rejected a measure passed at the state level that would have streamlined
processes for small cells.
...
Einbinder thinks that some communities will take initiative and want to
be 5G economic centers. While that's encouraging for operators, it may
also mean that 5G coverage maps look very different from the familiar
red, blue, yellow and magenta maps indicating nationwide coverage. "The
resulting coverage maps might have a lot more to do with [communities]
than any economic or technological drivers – it's going to be driven by
local preference."
While early work
estimated that as many as 40 to 50 homes could be covered by a single
fixed wireless site, according to Rouault of EXFO, that number has
turned out to be around five in testing because of the complexity of
beamforming necessary to support multiple homes. "It's not at the
point we would say the verdict is out," Rouault added. "The technology
is proven to work, but to make the business case work, the scale is the
problem right now."
So the biggest question
is where a breakthrough is going to happen that becomes the point at
which 5G becomes a more attractive investment than LTE. "What can 5G do
that other systems can't? This is where there is no clear answer," said
Hemant Minocha, EVP for device and IoT at TEOCO. There is no 5G
requirement for IoT [Internet of Things], he points out, and the business case hasn't yet
been proven out for ultra-low latency (not to mention that LTE is
capable of lower latency than it has achieved to this point in
networks).
Key Takeaways:
•
The industry is moving quickly toward 5G, with momentum in testing and
trials. The first official 5G specification from 3GPP is expected in
December, with a protocol-focused release coming in the spring of 2018.
•
Many features and architectures in LTE, particularly gigabit LTE, will
both underpin future 5G networks and provide lessons learned in making
5G systems work. These include dense fiber deployment, higher-order and
massive MIMO, network slicing, virtualization, and mobile edge
computing.
• The biggest challenge for 5G lies
in a millimeter-wave based RAN, with significant challenges ahead for
designing and deploying a workable, optimized and profitable mmwave
network on a large scale.
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