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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
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Amal Hakki Dr. Martin Muschol Dr. Silverman, Dr. Kleine, & the
Honors College
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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?
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BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY
Communication Cell Phones GPS
Information Dissemination Radio Television Internet
Health Care Life Support Defibrillator
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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
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WHAT IS AN ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD?
EMF: invisible field that is generated by and surrounds all electrical devices
Low-frequency fields cannot be sensed
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ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM Properties of EMFs are dependent upon the frequencies in which they oscillate
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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
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FREQUENCIES IN PERSPECTIVE
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FACTORS INVOLVED IN CONSIDERING THE HAZARDS OF EMFS
Oscillation FrequencyField StrengthDuration of ExposureFrequency of exposure timeHost Factor
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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
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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
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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
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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
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INTERNATIONAL EMF CONFERENCE 2009:“ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND HEALTH”
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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
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SAFETY STANDARDS
Protect Against Heating EffectsELF = 833 GRF = 100,000 µW/cm²SAR for Cell Phones = 1.6 W/kg
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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
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EVIDENCE OF THE NON-THERMAL EFFECTS
Camilla Rees and Dr. Magda Havas – Public Health SOS
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GENERAL SYMPTOMS DUE TO WIRELESS RADIATION EXPOSURE FROM CELL PHONE TOWER
Camilla Rees and Dr. Magda Havas – Public Health SOS
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BEHAVIORAL TRAITS
Reduction of RF radiation due to “dirty electricity” in Minnesota grade school positively affected behavioral traits in students
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HEART RATEWireless radiation exposure can cause resting heart rate to be nearly doubled
Dr. Magda Havis, Professor at Trent University
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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
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BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER PERMEABILITYCell phone radiation causes albumin leakage across BBB after 20 minutes of use
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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
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NEOPLASIADode et al. found that mortality rate from neoplasms increased with closer distance to cell phone tower
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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
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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
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WHY ARE NON-THERMAL EFFECTS NOT CONSIDERED WHEN SETTING STANDARDS?
Lack of Replication Conflicting Studies Liability Potential Industry
Bias Lack of Media
Coverage
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CELL PHONE BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
Dr. Henry Lai – University of Washington
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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.
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“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,”-Benjamin Franklin