Radiation literature survey

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This is an animal study that investigated whether exposure to ELF MF results in adverse health effects (as revealed by a blood test). A total of 128 rats were randomly assigned into a sham group or exposed group. Exposure was at a frequency of 50 Hertz and at a MF of 100 µT (half the limit of current international guidelines for public exposure), for 20 hours a day, for three months. The analysis of the blood samples did not reveal any differences between the two groups. The authors concluded that ELF MF exposure does not affect the rats’ blood characteristics.

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This is a case-control study that investigated the association between electric shocks or ELF MF exposure and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A total of 4,709 cases and 23,335 controls were included in the study. The exposures were assessed based on the occupations using job-exposure matrices. Overall, there were no associations between occupational ELF MF or electric shocks and ALS. For subjects less than 65 years old, electric shocks were associated with ALS (odds ratio (OR) of 1.22, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.43). It was also found that for welders less than 65 years old, the OR was 1.52 (95% CI = 1.05, 2.21). The authors concluded that there is no overall higher risk of ALS in electrical occupations and provided only a weak support for association between electric shocks and ALS.

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This animal study investigated whether mobile phone use causes harm to the brains of juvenile rats, in order to relate the results to children and adolescents. Eighteen rats were divided into three groups: not exposed, sham-exposed and exposed to RF radiation. Exposure was at a frequency of 900 megahertz (MHz), for 1 hour per day, for 30 days at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 0.024 Watts per kilogram (W/kg) which is 1.2% of the public exposure limit. The analysis on the rats’ brains extracted from the exposed group revealed a lower nerve cells count. The authors suggested that RF exposure may adversely affect the brain of children and adolescents.

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This human provocation study examined if there is any association between radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Two hundred participants (half claiming to be EHS and half non-EHS) were divided into four groups, three being exposed to three different types of mobile phone base station RF fields: GSM900, GSM1800, or UMTS and one group sham-exposed. A series of tests to evaluate the cognitive performance were conducted before, during and after the exposure. Physiological parameters such as body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate were also monitored. The authors concluded that there is no difference in the cognitive performance and physiological parameters between the group of people with EHS and without EHS, regardless of exposure type.

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There have been many provocation studies investigating the possibility of association between RF exposure in the mobile telephony frequency range and cognitive function. A recent review published by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) this year mentioned that for symptoms triggered by short-term exposure to RF (measured in minutes to hours), the consistent results from multiple double-blind experiments give a strong overall weight of evidence that such effects are not caused by the exposure. A review published by the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority this year has also conveyed the same message regarding EHS and RF exposure.

Environmental exposure from RF sources is dominated by antennas used for broadcasting and other telecommunication services, and mobile phone base stations. Historical data from spot measurement campaigns and continuous radiation monitoring systems around the world indicate that the introduction of new mobile telecommunication technologies after the deployment of the GSM and UMTS systems did not substantially change the average levels of EMF in the environment. At the same time, other technologies, like digital broadcasting, have in some regions contributed to the reduction of EMF exposure from far field sources (SCENIHR, 2015).

The provocation study by Malek et al included participants who claimed to have EHS symptoms. It is important to note that the authors reported no difference in cognitive function between sensitive and normal participants, regardless of whether the exposure was present or not.

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This in vitro study investigated whether mobile phone use affects the development of human tumour cells. Human tumour cells were exposed to RF radiation for up to 48 hours at a frequency of 1950 MHz and SAR of 5 W/kg which is 2.5 times the Australian public exposure limit. The authors concluded that RF exposure did not act as a tumour promoter.

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This is a review of the literature looking at low level exposure to RF and its association with adverse health symptoms. The author suggested a possible mechanism that may lead to neuropsychiatric effects (dizziness, headaches, fatigue, irritability, etc.) due to the low level exposure to RF in the microwave region. The author reviewed the possible effects on the nervous system and assessed the cause-effect relationship using some of the epidemiological studies. The author was of the opinion that low level microwave exposure produces a range of neuropsychiatric effects.

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This is a human provocation study where the effects of ELF MF on brain activity were studied. Twenty nine healthy participants were either not exposed (sham) or exposed to ELF MF at 3000 microtesla (µT) (15 times above the current international guidelines for public exposure) for one hour, at a frequency of 60 Hertz. Some motor and cognitive tasks were conducted before and after the exposure or sham and the brain activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The authors concluded that the ELF MF exposure changed activity in specific brain regions, although there was no impact on task performance.

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This is an animal study that investigated whether RF exposure causes male infertility. Wi-Fi operating at a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz was used as the source of exposure. Rats were divided into three groups: control, exposed to 1 hour/day, and exposed to 7 hours/day for two months. The authors concluded that the RF exposure may cause a decline in male fertility. The authors do not state the level of RF exposure used in this study.

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This is a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies investigating whether occupational exposure to ELF MF increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Publications were systematically searched and eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis. This meta-analysis concluded that there was no evidence that ELF-MF exposure was associated with Parkinson’s disease (relative risk = 1.05, 95% confidence interval = 0.98-1.13).

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This is an update to the previous opinion in 2009 on electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health, in light of recently available information. The opinion was developed by a working group comprised experts from many European countries. The primary sources of information used by the committee were English language reports published in peer reviewed international scientific journals. This updated assessment reached the same conclusion as the previous opinion: based on current research there is no evidence of adverse health effects from EMF exposure below the levels recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.

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Reports published by various health authorities around the world continue to support the conclusion that there is no established evidence of adverse health effects from exposure to EMF, consistent with a recent report by the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority (SSM), reviewed in June’s literature report.

Overall, SCENIHR found that the epidemiological studies on radiofrequency (RF) EMF exposure do not indicate an increased risk of cancers of the head and neck region, including brain tumours. New studies do not confirm the link that EMF exposure increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The possible association between extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) and childhood leukaemia continues to be investigated, with no mechanisms identified and no support from experimental studies. Furthermore, recent research concerning electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) adds weight to the conclusion that the self-reported EHS symptoms are not caused by EMF exposure. For ARPANSA’s advice regarding EHS see this fact sheet http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/Factsheets/is_ehs.cfm.