T HE P OTENTIAL A DVERSE EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF) ON HUMAN HEALTH BY A LEXANDER B EAR T HESIS M ENTOR : D R. A MAL H AKKI C OMMITTEE M EMBER.

THE POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF) ON HUMAN HEALTH

B Y A L EX A N D E R B EA R

T H E SIS ME N TO R :

D R . A M A L H A K K I

C O MM IT T EE M EM B ER : D R . M A RTIN M U SC H O L

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Amal Hakki Dr. Martin Muschol Dr. Silverman, Dr. Kleine, & the

Honors College

PURPOSE What is the harm associated with

using devices that emit low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs)?

What can we do to protect ourselves from the harmful effects?

BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY

Communication Cell Phones GPS

Information Dissemination Radio Television Internet

Health Care Life Support Defibrillator

IMPORTANCE OF STUDYNearly 6 billion people use cell phonesThere are almost 2 million cell phone towers and antennas

in the U.S.387 within a 4 mile radius of USF

Over 1 billion people use computersThere are TVs in 99% of American homesWi-Fi used extensively in universities, businesses, homes,

and hospitalsNo wireless technology has undergone rigorous safety

testing

WHAT IS AN ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD?

EMF: invisible field that is generated by and surrounds all electrical devices

Low-frequency fields cannot be sensed

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM Properties of EMFs are dependent upon the frequencies in which they oscillate

FREQUENCY OF OSCILLATIONLow-Frequency EMFs

Extremely Low Frequency (ELF)Up to 100 Hz

Radiofrequency (RF)Thousands () to Billions () of HzIncludes Microwave Band

X-Rays Hz – Hz

FREQUENCIES IN PERSPECTIVE

FACTORS INVOLVED IN CONSIDERING THE HAZARDS OF EMFS

Oscillation FrequencyField StrengthDuration of ExposureFrequency of exposure timeHost Factor

HEATING EFFECTS OF EMFS Heating of tissue causes

adverse effects High frequency EMFs can

cause heating in tissue at low to moderate power

Low frequency EMFs (ELF and RF) only cause heating at very high power

HOW COULD NON-THERMAL EFFECTS OCCUR?

Sudden increase in ELF and RF allowed no time for adaption

No protection mechanisms for RF radiation

Dr. Robert Becker – Cross Currents

HOW COULD NON-THERMAL EFFECTS OCCUR?Cyclotron Resonance – Characteristic frequencies and magnetic

fields resonate with charged particles in the body, causing them to vibrate – leads to cell membrane depolarization

Dr. Robert Becker – Cross Currents

HOW COULD NON-THERMAL EFFECTS OCCUR?

Modulated waves interact with protein receptors on the cell membrane and cause vibrations that compromise its permeabilityImpairs nutrient flowLess waste is pushed out of cell

INTERNATIONAL EMF CONFERENCE 2009:“ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND HEALTH”

Over 2,000 scientific studies on radiofrequency radiation exposure have shown positive associations with:

DNA strand breaks Chromosome aberrations Activation of stress proteins Decreased melatonin production Alteration of glucose metabolism Decreased cell membrane permeability Reduced intercellular communication Increased free radical production Cell death Premature aging Performance impairment Headaches Fatigue Sleep Disorders

SAFETY STANDARDS

Protect Against Heating EffectsELF = 833 GRF = 100,000 µW/cm²SAR for Cell Phones = 1.6 W/kg

EVIDENCE OF THE NON-THERMAL EFFECTSEffect SAR Value (W/kg) SAR (W/kg) Compared

to Standard

Psychological Changes 0.03 50

Affects on Immune System

0.015 100

Increases Calcium Efflux 0.005 300

Induces DNA Damage 0.0024 600

Induces Stress Response 0.001 1600

Affects Blood Brain Barrier

0.0004 4000

Affects Calcium in Heart 0.00015 10600

Enhances Cell Proliferation

0.000021 76000

Dr. Ted Litovitz – Catholic University Physicist

EVIDENCE OF THE NON-THERMAL EFFECTS

Camilla Rees and Dr. Magda Havas – Public Health SOS

GENERAL SYMPTOMS DUE TO WIRELESS RADIATION EXPOSURE FROM CELL PHONE TOWER

Camilla Rees and Dr. Magda Havas – Public Health SOS

BEHAVIORAL TRAITS

Reduction of RF radiation due to “dirty electricity” in Minnesota grade school positively affected behavioral traits in students

HEART RATEWireless radiation exposure can cause resting heart rate to be nearly doubled

Dr. Magda Havis, Professor at Trent University

GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN BRAINA study in JAMA found that 50 minutes of cell phone exposure was associated with increased brain glucose metabolism in the region closest to the antenna of the phone

Dr. Vora Volkow, Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse

BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER PERMEABILITYCell phone radiation causes albumin leakage across BBB after 20 minutes of use

CANCER World Health Organization:

ELF: Group “2B” Possible Carcinogen (2001)

RF: Group “2B” Possible Carcinogen (2011)

“2B” includes: lead, gasoline, engine exhaust, burning coal, dry cleaning chemicals, and DDT

NEOPLASIADode et al. found that mortality rate from neoplasms increased with closer distance to cell phone tower

CHILDHOOD CANCERS Epidemiological study (2010) showed increased risk of leukemia in children

exposed to ELF fields ≥ 30 mG

Cherry found living within 1 km of Sutro tower increased the risk of developing cancer in childhood 9.9 times; with 15.5 times increased risk seen for brain cancer and lymphoma

BRAIN CANCERInterphone study: Cell phone use protects user from brain tumors

Hansson et al.: Every 100 hours of cell phone use increases risk of brain cancer by 5%; for every year of use, risk increases by 8%

Hardell et al. : ≥10 years of cell phone use increases risk by 280%

Gandhi et al. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and

TechniquesDr. George Carlo, epidemiologist

WHY ARE NON-THERMAL EFFECTS NOT CONSIDERED WHEN SETTING STANDARDS?

Lack of Replication Conflicting Studies Liability Potential Industry

Bias Lack of Media

Coverage

CELL PHONE BIOLOGICAL STUDIES

Dr. Henry Lai – University of Washington

GENERAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES Keep as much distance as possible

from EMF-emitting devices; as distance increases, field strength decreases

Turn off and unplug electronic devices when not in use

Use wired technology or fiber optic cables instead of wireless

Use LED light bulbs instead of CFLs Avoid wearing or being near metal Consider getting home tested for

EMFs by expert

PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR CELL PHONES

Use speaker phone during calls

Keep calls short

Do not use phone when roaming or in bad reception areas

Do not use wired or wireless (Bluetooth) headsets; instead use air-tube earpiece

Text instead of talking

Do not keep phone on at night, or put in Airplane Mode

Consider not allowing your children to use mobile phones

PROTECTIVE MEASURES APPLIED FOR COMPUTERS

Use LCD computer monitor Keep laptop away from body Use a wired connection, not

Wi-Fi, and turn off Wi-Fi signal reception on computer

PROTECTIVE MEASURES APPLIED FOR TELEVISIONS

Sit as far as possible from television

Use LCD screen instead of plasma or cathode-ray screens

Use analog receiver as opposed to digital TV receiver

DETOXIFICATION

Eat polyunsaturated fats Fish, nuts, seeds

Keep Well Hydrated

Antioxidant Supplementation Green tea polyphenols, caffeic acid

Sleep in complete darkness to support melatonin production

Exercise

Qigong Breathing Exercises/Relaxation

Earthing: Walking barefoot or with leather shoes on natural surfaces

Acupuncture

Removal of dental amalgams (mercury)

SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONSThe aim is to raise awareness to the potential hazardous effects of EMFs due to ever increasing exposure from electronic devices.The major concern is attributed to the continuous development of the telecommunications  industry, and to a rapid increase in the installation of cell phone towers in residential areas. In addition to domestic, industrial, and medical electrical devices andappliances, the high voltage overhead transmission lines are major sources of exposure to Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) fields in the environment. The advanced technology that we heavily rely on and employ in our daily life is considered indispensable; hence, we have to be aware of the harm that may be resulting from its overuse and continuous application.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,”-Benjamin Franklin