Summer 2013© Tim Pratt 20121 REU June 2013 Biological Effects of Radio Waves or Are Cell Phones Dangerous to Your Health? Tim Pratt, Instructor

Summer 2013 © Tim Pratt 2012 1

REU June 2013

Biological Effects of Radio Waves

or

Are Cell Phones Dangerous to Your Health?Tim Pratt, Instructor


http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d417153ef014e89094ed4970d-popup


The Known Danger

• Distracted driving – by you and by others• In 2009:• 5.5 million car crashes in the US• 31,000 killed, 2 million injured • 5,474 people killed in U.S. by accidents that

involved distracted driving• 448,000 were injured• The price we pay for using automobiles


Cell Phones and Vehicle Accidents

• Cell phone a factor in 995 fatal accidents• Also in 24,000 injuries• Under-20 age group had the highest percentage

of distracted drivers• 16% of under 20 years olds involved in fatal

crashes were distracted while driving• The price we pay for using cell phones


Radiation

• Radiation is divided into two categories:• Ionizing radiation• Alpha particles, Beta particles,• X rays, cosmic rays• Non-ionizing radiation• Light, including visible, Infra red and Ultra violet• Radio waves from ULF to millimeter waves• Also of interest:• 60 Hz fields from power lines and other sources


Ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing radiation causes changes to molecules• Waves/particles have sufficient energy to knock

electrons out of molecules• Can cause damage to biological materials• CDRH is US body responsible for human

exposure• Center for Devices and Radiological Health

places limits on acceptable exposure to X rays• Also regulates exposure to laser sources


Non-Ionizing Radiation

• Non-ionizing radiation covers entire EM spectrum up to ultra violet light

• Light and radio waves do not have enough energy to cause changes in molecules

• Many molecules – especially water – absorb EM energy

• Absorption process is called dipole rotation• Molecule behaves like electric dipole• Rotates at incident frequency – dissipates

energy


Known Effects of EM Waves

• Heating• Incident radio and light waves are absorbed by

animal and human components• Absorption varies greatly with material• Water content closely related to absorption• Effects observable with any microwave oven• Example: Dried peas in water• Water initially gets hot, peas don’t • The miniature poodle case


Penetration Depth

• Longer wavelengths penetrate more deeply• At 100 MHz, 99% of energy is absorbed in a

distance of several centimeters• At 2.4 GHz depth is ~ 1 cm• For optical frequencies depth is ~ ½ mm• Sunlight is powerful EM source• > 300 W / m2 on sunny summer day• Equal to 30 mW / cm2


Safety Standards

• International standards set by World Health Organization (WHO)

• National Standards set by government departments or agencies and national (independent) bodies

• CDRH in US• National Radiological Protection Board in UK• Department of Post and Telecommunications in

Japan


International Exposure Levels

• Maximum permitted exposure• UK 1.0 - 10

mW/cm2

• US, Canada, Japan, 0.2 – 1.0 mW/cm2 Germany

• Australia 0.2 mW/cm2

• Italy 0.05 mW/cm2

• Russia, Switzerland 0.002 – 0.01 mW/cm2

• Higher exposure may be permitted for short period of time


FCC Rules for Cell Phones

• Particular concern because half energy from antenna is absorbed in head

• 900 MHz (AMPS) cell phones• Tx power limit is around 0.5 watts• 1.8 – 2.0 GHz (PCS) cell phones• Limit is 0.3 W


Cell Phones and Cancer

• Recent World Health Organization report called cell phones a possible factor in cancer, along with coffee, car exhaust …

• FCC statement: • There is no scientific evidence to date that

proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other health effects, including headaches, dizziness or memory loss.


About 48% of power from cell phonetransmitter is absorbed by user’s head


Children and Cell Phones

Microwave radiation penetrates a child’s headmuch further than an adult’s


Research to Establish Biological Effects

• Sponsored by government agencies and departments, independent boards, private foundations

• Thousands of studies• Hundreds of conclusions• Particular concerns:• Absorption of microwave energy by head when

using a cell phone• Intense 60 Hz fields below high voltage power lines


Researching Biological Effects

• Population Studies - • Epidemiological studies of groups of people• Individual Studies -• Animal and human research• Cell and Tissue Studies -• Cell and biological investigations• Molecular Level Studies -• Biochemical and molecularbiological


Population Studies

• Compare groups of people exposed to radio waves with non-exposed control group

• Exposed groups:• Workers building radar and communication

systems• Installation engineers• People living near high power transmitters• Children in schools near transmitters


Population Studies

• Look for:• General decline in health• Specific conditions• E.g. cancer, digestive illnesses, sleeplessness• Results of Russian study:• People working in factories where exposure to

radio waves and radar transmissions were less healthy than general population

• Problem: What other factors might be involved?


Russian Study

• Russian government took results of study seriously

• Banned microwave ovens in 1976• Reduced exposure standard from 10 mW/cm2

to 0.01 mW/cm2

• No readily available data on whether health of workers improved

• No control groups reported• Russians identified Radio Wave Sickness


Individual Studies

• Typically conducted on rats, mice, guinea pigs• Place animals around a radiating antenna • Or in reduced power microwave oven• Set up control group in identical condition with

no radiation• Compare general health of animals after 2, 4, 6

… many weeks • Look for specific conditions: cancer, stroke,

heart arhythmia, other illnesses,


Iindividual Studies

• Rats, mice and guinea pigs

Test groupCell phone on

Control groupCell phone off

Look for difference in healthUse mice and rats susceptible to cancer


Individual Studies

• Example study on rats with GSM cell phone:• Equivalent of 0.91 W Tx power• Rats located around radiating antenna • Two control groups used• Experiment conducted for number of weeks• No adverse effects found• Doesn’t prove that cell phones are harmless to

humans


Cell and Tissue Studies

• Cancer studies• Use chemical agents to cause tumors• Place animal in microwave oven for a while

(at low power)• Set up control group with power off• See if tumor grows faster in exposed animals• Particular interest: brain tumors• Technique not used on human subjects


Biological Studies

• Put human brain tissue in a dish• Repeat rat experiment• Look for change in DNA – especially tumors

Test groupCell phone on

Control groupCell phone off


Molecular Studies

• Place cell cultures in Petrie dishes• Radiate some, use others for controls• Look for differences at molecular level


Other Studies

• Radio wave sickness• Further studies of selected groups via interviews

and health reports• Click effect – some people claim to hear a click

from pulse transmitters• Heart problems - look for specific condition


Conclusions on Studies

• Several independent groups have evaluated many studies of all types

• Most get rejected as flawed, unscientific, or poorly conducted

• Conclusions from all groups:• There is no conclusive evidence that radio

waves at safety standard levels cause illnesses, cancer, or other health hazards


Conclusions - Conditional

• Are some individuals more susceptible to radio waves than others?

• Are some tumors in some people sensitive to a specific frequency?

• What effect do radio waves have on children?• FCC says there are no known adverse effects

from cell phone use• UK Radiological Protection Board recommends

that children be restricted from non-essential cell phone use


The Concern

• Powerful interests don’t want restrictions• E.g. Cell phone manufacturers and operators • Others would like to discover a problem• E.g. Trial lawyers would like a chance for a class

action law suit on brain tumors• Thalidomide, Viox cases• Then there’s the Internet …


From the Internet …Hidden Hazards

• The Hidden Hazards Of Microwave Cooking • By Anthony Wayne and Lawrence Newell• Is it possible that millions of people are ignorantly

sacrificing their health in exchange for the convenience of microwave ovens?

• Why did the Soviet Union ban the use of microwave ovens in 1976?

• Who invented microwave ovens, and why? • The answers to these questions may shock you into

throwing your microwave oven in the trash• Ref:

http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards.htm


Hidden Hazards

• Over 90% of American homes have microwave ovens used for meal preparation

• Microwave ovens are convenient and energy efficient• Very few homes or restaurants are without them • People believe that microwave ovens don't have any

negative effect on either the food or their health• They are wrong!


Hidden Hazards

• If microwave ovens were really harmful, our government would never allow them on the market, would they?

• Would they? • We have stopped using ours based on the research

facts outlined in this article• The purpose of this report is to show proof - evidence -

that microwave cooking is not natural, nor healthy• Far more dangerous to the human body than anyone

could imagine …• The microwave oven is sapping your life force …


50 Hz and 60 Hz Electric Fields

• Similar concerns exist about exposure to 50 Hz and 60 Hz electric fields from power lines

• Population studies in some places suggest a problem, especially for children

• Sweden moved some schools from under power lines after one study

• Conclusion from analysis of many studies:• No conclusive evidence of health hazard


50 Hz and 60 Hz Electric Fields

• How to get exposed to 50 / 60 Hz:• Sleep under an electric blanket (turned on)• Studies did reveal one interesting effect• Workers who came in contact with high voltage

lines were more likely to contract Lou Gherig’s disease (ALS)

• ALS = amyotrophic lateral sclerosis • Condition in which some nerves cease to

conduct – no known cure


Lasers and the Human Eye

• Lasers radiate coherent radiation – a plane wave front

• Lens in the eye can focus laser beam to one micron spot

• Can burn a hole in the retina• CDRH and EU have complex formulas limiting

maximum exposure• Based on eye 10 or 20 cm away from laser• Limit is microwatts at visible and near IR


Conclusion

• After billions of dollars of research …• No conclusive indication that EM waves or

50/60 Hz harm human health other than by heating

• The research continues ….

Documents

Summer 2013© Tim Pratt 20121 REU June 2013 Biological Effects of Radio Waves or Are Cell Phones Dangerous to Your Health? Tim Pratt, Instructor