Biological effects on human health due to radiofrequency/microwave exposure: a synopsis of cohort studies (original) (raw)
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Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation Health Effects and Occupational Exposure
Acta medica medianae, 2011
In the recent years, there have been considerable discussion and concern about the possible hazards of RF/MW radiation. More recently, the growth and development in personal mobile communications have focused attention on the frequencies associated with this technology. A number of studies have examined the health effects of RF/MW electromagnetic fields (EMFs), originating from occupational exposure, hobbies, or residence near the radio or television transmitters. Particularly controversial are the biophysical mechanisms by which these RF fields may affect biological systems. General health effects reviews explore possible carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects. Health effects by exposure source have been observed in radar traffic devices, wireless communications with cellular phones, radio transmission, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Several epidemiological surveys have suggested associations with non-specific complaints such as headache, tiredness, sleep disturbance, loss of memory, and dizziness. These findings, which echo reports of illness associated with other types of radiofrequency (RF) radiation, relate not only to the use of mobile phones, but also to residence near the mobile phone base stations and other settings involving occupational exposure. The biological effects suggest that some precautions are necessary, and preventive approaches are highly recommended. Further researches are required to give more information about the effects of microwave radiation on our health, especially in occupational setting and professionally exposed workers. Acta
Environmental health : a global access science source, 2009
The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of performing a cohort study on health risks from occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in Germany. A set of criteria was developed to evaluate the feasibility of such a cohort study. The criteria aimed at conditions of exposure and exposure assessment (level, duration, preferably on an individual basis), the possibility to assemble a cohort and the feasibility of ascertaining various disease endpoints. Twenty occupational settings with workers potentially exposed to RF-EMF and, in addition, a cohort of amateur radio operators were considered. Based on expert ratings, literature reviews and our set of predefined criteria, three of the cohorts were identified as promising for further evaluation: the personnel (technicians) of medium/short wave broadcasting stations, amateur radio operators, and workers on dielectric heat sealers. After further analyses, the cohort of workers on dielectric heat seal...
The Comprehensive Impact of Radio Frequency Radiation on Human Health
Intelligence and Quality for Applied Development in Engineering. IQADE- International Journal, 2023
The electromagnetic spectrum is crucial in powering numerous modern technologies, ranging from low-frequency communication systems to high-frequency medical and industrial applications. Despite the advantages of radio frequency (RF) technologies, increasing exposure has raised concerns about potential health risks, especially as RF exposure has become more integrated into daily life. Health risks associated with RF bands vary depending on several factors, including the frequency of the wave, exposure duration, the intensity of the field, interference patterns, and individual physiological characteristics. This paper reviews various RF bands, from Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) to Tremendously High Frequency (THF), examining each band’s applications, potential benefits, and health risks. Special emphasis is placed on how prolonged exposure can contribute to adverse health effects, including thermal damage, neurological impact, and potential interference with medical devices. This review also explores the cumulative and individual risks of RF exposure and emphasizes the importance of regulatory standards and guidelines to minimize potential health hazards. By analyzing each RF band comprehensively, this paper aims to support informed decisions and safer practices in the use of RF technologies in both occupational and everyday environments.
Radiofrequency Exposure and Human Health
PIERS Online, 2007
Research on the biological and health effects of radiofrequency (RF) fields has been conducted for more than 50 years and the RF database available in the 1990's proved adequate for the development of the human exposure limits recommended in 1998 by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) . The ICNIRP guidelines are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and have been adopted by more than 35 countries. The database that led to the development of the ICNIRP guidelines has grown, with about 500 studies at mobile phone frequencies including many modulated signals. The WHO database [2] has more than 1500 original, peer-reviewed papers useful for public health risk assessment of RF exposure. The database provides even stronger evidence today that RF exposures within ICNIRP limits associated with mobile telephony pose no known health risks and warrant no special precautions for any segments of the population. WHO has stated that scientific knowledge on electromagnetic fields including RF fields is now more extensive than for most chemicals . Expert scientific organizations, international organizations and government agencies that have reviewed the available database since the publication of the ICNIRP guidelines include the UK Independent Expert Group on Mobile ). All of these reviews have consistently concluded that there is no credible or convincing evidence that RF exposure within ICNIRP limits causes adverse human health effects. This paper describes a) the extensive database on the biological and health effects of exposure to RF energy, b) the ICNIRP RF safety guidelines, and c) recent conclusions of national and international expert groups that have evaluated the scientific and medical evidence on the potential health effects of RF exposure.
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2019
Objective:Microwave radiation is one of the most growing environmental workplace factors that exposes too many workers in the various workplaces. Regard to concerns about cancer incidence in these workers and lack of systematic or meta-analytic studies about this object, so, we conducted a meta-analysis to acquire an understanding of the association between cancer risk and occupational exposure to radar radiation. Methods:A systematic search was carried out on case-control, cohort and clinical control trial studies that published in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus and Google scholar databases that accomplished from March 2017 to March 2018 and updated on 30 September, 2018 in English and Persian articles without time limit in publication date. Keywords were selected based on PICO principle and collected from MeSH database. After removal of duplicated studied, taking into inclusion and exclusion criteria, the process of screening was carried out and data were extracted after preparation of the full text of included articles. Article collection was completed by manually searching for a reference list of eligible studies. For quality assessment of included studies, Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used. Results:a total of 533 studies was found in the first step of literature search, only 6 were included with 53,008 sample size according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Estimated pooled random effects size analysis showed no significant increasing effect of occupational exposure to radar radiation on mortality rate (MR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.78, 0.83) and relative risk (RR=0.87, 95%CI: 0.75, 0.99, P <0.0001) of cancer with a significant heterogeneity between the selected studies. Conclusions:In conclusion, the results of this meta-analysis study have shown no significant increase in overall mortality ratio and cancer risk ratio from occupational exposure to the radar frequency of workers. But, these results are not conclusive. As regards to some limitation such as fewer numbers of included studies, lack of data about exposure characterizations and demographic characterizations in this meta-analysis, this result is not certain and conclusive. It is recommended to conduct future studies.
Occupational or residential exposures to radiofrequency energy (RFE), including microwaves, have been alleged to result in health problems. This paper is a review of the recent medical and scientific literature (from mid-1998 through 2002) dealing with possible effects of RFE on brain tumors and malignancies, leukemia, other cancers, and the central nervous system. A large number of studies were related to exposures from cellular telephones. On the basis of previous reviews of older literature and the current review of recent literature, one can conclude that the evidence for any proven health effects (related to the topics above) of low-level RFE exposure is minimal.
Radio frequency radiation-related cancer: assessing causation in the occupational/military setting
Environmental Research
Background and aim: We reexamine whether radio frequency radiation (RFR) in the occupational and military settings is a human carcinogen. Methods: We extended an analysis of an already-reported case series of patients with cancer previously exposed to whole-body prolonged RFR, mainly from communication equipment and radar. We focused on hematolymphatic (HL) cancers. We used analysis by percentage frequency (PF) of a cancer type, which is the proportion of a specific cancer type relative to the total number of cancer cases. We also examined and analyzed the published data on three other cohort studies from similar military settings from different countries. Results: The PF of HL cancers in the case series was very high, at 40% with only 23% expected for the series age and gender profile, confidence interval CI95%: 26-56%, p < 0.01, 19 out of 47 patients had HL cancers. We also found high PF for multiple primaries. As for the three other cohort studies: In the Polish military sector, the PF of HL cancers was 36% in the exposed population as compared to 12% in the unexposed population, p < 0.001. In a small group of employees exposed to RFR in Israeli defense industry, the PF of HL cancers was 60% versus 17% expected for the group age and gender profile, p < 0.05. In Belgian radar battalions the HL PF was 8.3% versus 1.4% in the control battalions as shown in a causes of deaths study and HL cancer mortality rate ratio was 7.2 and statistically significant. Similar findings were reported on radio amateurs and Korean war technicians. Elevated risk ratios were previously reported in most of the above studies. Conclusions: The consistent association of RFR and highly elevated HL cancer risk in the four groups spread over three countries, operating different RFR equipment types and analyzed by different research protocols, suggests a cause-effect relationship between RFR and HL cancers in military/occupational settings. While complete measurements of RFR exposures were not available and rough exposure assessments from patients interviews and from partial exposure data were used instead, we have demonstrated increased HL cancers in occupational groups with relatively high RFR exposures. Our findings, combined with other studies, indicate that exposures incurred in the military settings evaluated here significantly increased the risk of HL cancers. Accordingly, the RFR military exposures in these occupations should be substantially reduced and further efforts should be undertaken to monitor and measure those exposures and to follow cohorts exposed to RFR for cancers and other health effects. Overall, the epidemiological studies on excess risk for HL and other cancers together with brain tumors in cellphone users and experimental studies on RFR and carcinogenicity make a coherent case for a cause-effect relationship and classifying RFR exposure as a human carcinogen (IARC group 1). 1.2. Types of exposure Radio frequencies comprise the band of 30 kHz to 300 GHz. This includes microwaves covering the 1-100 GHz band. The major uses of RFR in the military are radio communications, radar for surveillance and weapon guidance, and electronic warfare transmitted to disrupt communications and radar. Exposures to the whole body or major parts of the body of operators and bystanders occur from a normal operation
Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation Biological Effects and Safety Standards: A Review
1994
The study of human exposure to radiofrequency/microwave radiation has been the subject of widespread investigation and analysis. It is known that electromagnetic radiation has a biological effect on human tissue. An attempt has been made by researchers to quantify the effects of radiation on the human body and to set guidelines for safe exposure levels. A review of the pertinent findings is presented along with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommended safety standard (C95.1-1982) and the United States Air Force permissible exposure limit for RF/MW radiation (AFOSH Standard 161-9, 12 February 1987). An overview of research that was conducted in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe is also included in this report.