See the bottom of this page for additional resources.
Systematic Derivation of Safety Limits for Time-Varying 5G
Radiofrequency Exposure Based on Analytical Models and Thermal Dose
Neufeld E, Kuster N. Systematic Derivation of Safety Limits for Time-Varying 5G Radiofrequency Exposure Based on Analytical Models and Thermal Dose. Health Phys. 2018 Sep 21. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000930.
Abstract
Extreme broadband wireless devices operating above 10 GHz may transmit data in bursts of a few milliseconds to seconds. Even though the time- and area-averaged power density values remain within the acceptable safety limits for continuous exposure, these bursts may lead to short temperature spikes in the skin of exposed people. In this paper, a novel analytical approach to pulsed heating is developed and applied to assess the peak-to-average temperature ratio as a function of the pulse fraction α (relative to the averaging time [INCREMENT]T; it corresponds to the inverse of the peak-to-average ratio). This has been analyzed for two different perfusion-related thermal time constants (τ1 = 100 s and 500 s) corresponding to plane-wave and localized exposures. To allow for peak temperatures that considerably exceed the 1 K increase, the CEM43 tissue damage model, with an experimental-data-based damage threshold for human skin of 600 min, is used to allow large temperature oscillations that remain below the level at which tissue damage occurs. To stay consistent with the current safety guidelines, safety factors of 10 for occupational exposure and 50 for the general public were applied. The model assumptions and limitations (e.g., employed thermal and tissue damage models, homogeneous skin, consideration of localized exposure by a modified time constant) are discussed in detail.
The results demonstrate that the maximum averaging time, based on the assumption of a thermal time constant of 100 s, is 240 s if the maximum local temperature increase for continuous-wave exposure is limited to 1 K and α ≥ 0.1. For a very low peak-to-average ratio of 100 (α ≥ 0.01), it decreases to only 30 s. The results also show that the peak-to-average ratio of 1,000 tolerated by the International Council on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines may lead to permanent tissue damage after even short exposures, highlighting the importance of revisiting existing exposure guidelines.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30247338
5G wireless telecommunications expansion:
Public health and environmental implications
Russell CL.
5G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications.
Environmental Research.
Available online 11 April 2018. In press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.016.
Abstract
The
popularity, widespread use and increasing dependency on wireless
technologies has spawned a telecommunications industrial revolution with
increasing public exposure to broader and higher frequencies of the
electromagnetic spectrum to transmit data through a variety of devices
and infrastructure. On the horizon, a new generation of even shorter
high frequency 5G wavelengths is being proposed to power the Internet of
Things (IoT). The IoT promises us convenient and easy lifestyles with a
massive 5G interconnected telecommunications network, however, the
expansion of broadband with shorter wavelength radiofrequency radiation
highlights the concern that health and safety issues remain unknown.
Controversy continues with regards to harm from current 2G, 3G and 4G
wireless technologies. 5G technologies are far less studied for human or
environmental effects.
It is argued that the addition of this
added high frequency 5G radiation to an already complex mix of lower
frequencies, will contribute to a negative public health outcome both
from both physical and mental health perspectives.
Radiofrequency
radiation (RF) is increasingly being recognized as a new form of
environmental pollution. Like other common toxic exposures, the effects
of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR) will be problematic
if not impossible to sort out epidemiologically as there no longer
remains an unexposed control group. This is especially important
considering these effects are likely magnified by synergistic toxic
exposures and other common health risk behaviors. Effects can also be
non-linear. Because this is the first generation to have cradle-to-grave
lifespan exposure to this level of man-made microwave (RF EMR)
radiofrequencies, it will be years or decades before the true health
consequences are known. Precaution in the roll out of this new
technology is strongly indicated.
This article will review
relevant electromagnetic frequencies, exposure standards and current
scientific literature on the health implications of 2G, 3G, 4G exposure,
including some of the available literature on 5G frequencies. The
question of what constitutes a public health issue will be raised, as
well as the need for a precautionary approach in advancing new wireless
technologies.
Conclusion
Although 5G technology may
have many unimagined uses and benefits, it is also increasingly clear
that significant negative consequences to human health and ecosystems
could occur if it is widely adopted. Current radiofrequency radiation
wavelengths we are exposed to appear to act as a toxin to biological
systems. A moratorium on the deployment of 5G is warranted, along with
development of independent health and environmental advisory boards that
include independent scientists who research biological effects and
exposure levels of radiofrequency radiation. Sound regulatory policy
regarding current and future telecommunications initiative will require
more careful assessment of risks to human health, environmental health,
public safety, privacy, security and social consequences. Public health
regulations need to be updated to match appropriate independent science
with the adoption of biologically based exposure standards prior to
further deployment of 4G or 5G technology.
Considering the
current science, lack of relevant exposure standards based on known
biological effects and data gaps in research, we need to reduce our
exposure to RF EMR where ever technically feasible. Laws or policies
which restrict the full integrity of science and the scientific
community with regards to health and environmental effects of wireless
technologies or other toxic exposures should be changed to enable
unbiased, objective and precautionary science to drive necessary public
policies and regulation. Climate change, fracking, toxic emissions and
microwave radiation from wireless devices all have something in common
with smoking. There is much denial and confusion about health and
environmental risks, along with industry insistence for absolute proof
before regulatory action occurs (Frentzel-Beyme, 1994; Michaels 2008).
There are many lessons we have not learned with the introduction of
novel substances, which later became precarious environmental pollutants
by not heeding warning signs from scientists (Gee, 2009). The threats
of these common pollutants continue to weigh heavily on the health and
well being of our nation. We now accept them as the price of progress. If
we do not take precautions but wait for unquestioned proof of harm will
it be too late at that point for some or all of us?
The human skin as a sub-THz receiver - Does 5G pose a danger to it or not?
Betzalel N, Ben Ishai P, Feldman Y.
The human skin as a sub-THz receiver - Does 5G pose a danger to it or not?
Environ Res. 2018 May;163:208-216.
Highlights
• The sweat duct is regarded as a helical antenna in the sub-THz band, reflectance depends on perspiration.
• We outline the background for non-thermal effects based on the structure of sweat ducts.
• We have introduced a realistic skin EM model and found the expected SAR for the 5G standard.
Abstract
In the interaction of microwave radiation and
human beings, the skin is traditionally considered as just an absorbing
sponge stratum filled with water. In previous works, we showed that this
view is flawed when we demonstrated that the coiled portion of the
sweat duct in upper skin layer is regarded as a helical antenna in the
sub-THz band.
Experimentally we showed that the reflectance of the human
skin in the sub-THz region depends on the intensity of perspiration,
i.e. sweat duct's conductivity, and correlates with levels of human
stress (physical, mental and emotional). Later on, we detected circular
dichroism in the reflectance from the skin, a signature of the axial
mode of a helical antenna. The full ramifications of what these findings
represent in the human condition are still unclear. We also revealed
correlation of electrocardiography (ECG) parameters to the sub-THz
reflection coefficient of human skin. In a recent work, we developed a
unique simulation tool of human skin, taking into account the skin
multi-layer structure together with the helical segment of the sweat
duct embedded in it. The presence of the sweat duct led to a high
specific absorption rate (SAR) of the skin in extremely high frequency
band.
In this paper, we summarize the physical evidence for this
phenomenon and consider its implication for the future exploitation of
the electromagnetic spectrum by wireless communication. Starting from
July 2016 the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new
rules for wireless broadband operations above 24 GHz (5 G). This trend
of exploitation is predicted to expand to higher frequencies in the
sub-THz region. One must consider the implications of human immersion in
the electromagnetic noise, caused by devices working at the very same
frequencies as those, to which the sweat duct (as a helical antenna) is
most attuned.
We are raising a warning flag against the unrestricted use
of sub-THz technologies for communication, before the possible
consequences for public health are explored.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29459303
Excerpt
The
need for high data transmission rates, coupled with advances in
semiconductor technology, is pushing the communications industry towards
the sub-THz frequency spectrum. While the promises of a glorious
future, resplendent with semi-infinite data streaming, may be
attractive, there is a price to pay for such luxury. We shall find our
cities, workspace and homes awash with 5 G base stations and we shall
live though an unprecedented EM smog. The benefits to our society of
becoming so wired cannot ignore possible health concerns, as yet
unexplored. There is enough evidence to suggest that the combination of
the helical sweat duct and wavelengths approaching the dimensions of
skin layers could lead to non-thermal biological effects. Such fears
should be investigated and these concerns should also effect the
definition of standards for the application of 5G communications.
Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink
Nasim I, Kim S. Human Exposure to RF Fields in 5G Downlink. Submitted on 10 Nov 2017 to IEEE International Communications Conference. arXiv:1711.03683v1.
Abstract
While cellular communications in millimeter wave (mmW) bands have been attracting significant research interest, their potential harmful impacts on human health are not as significantly studied. Prior research on human exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields in a cellular communications system has been focused on uplink only due to the closer physical contact of a transmitter to a human body. However, this paper claims the necessity of thorough investigation on human exposure to downlink RF fields, as cellular systems deployed in mmW bands will entail (i) deployment of more transmitters due to smaller cell size and (ii) higher concentration of RF energy using a highly directional antenna. In this paper, we present human RF exposure levels in downlink of a Fifth Generation Wireless Systems (5G). Our results show that 5G downlink RF fields generate significantly higher power density (PD) and specific absorption rate (SAR) than a current cellular system. This paper also shows that SAR should also be taken into account for determining human RF exposure in the mmW downlink.
Towards 5G Communication Systems:
Are there Health Implications?
Di Ciaula A.
Towards 5G communication systems: Are there health implications?
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Feb 2. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.01.011.
Highlights
- • RF-EMF exposure is rising and health effects of are still under investigation.
- • Both oncologic and non-cancerous chronic effects have been suggested.
- • 5G networks could have health effects and will use MMW, still scarcely explored.
- • Adequate knowledge of RF-EMF biological effects is also needed in clinical practice.
- • Underrating the problem could lead to a further rise in noncommunicable diseases.
Abstract
The spread of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
(RF-EMF) is rising and health effects are still under investigation.
RF-EMF promote oxidative stress, a condition involved in cancer onset,
in several acute and chronic diseases and in vascular homeostasis.
Although some evidences are still controversial, the WHO IARC classified
RF-EMF as "possible carcinogenic to humans", and more recent studies
suggested reproductive, metabolic and neurologic effects of RF-EMF,
which are also able to alter bacterial antibiotic resistance.
In this
evolving scenario, although the biological effects of 5G communication
systems are very scarcely investigated, an international action plan for
the development of 5G networks has started, with a forthcoming
increment in devices and density of small cells, and with the future use
of millimeter waves (MMW).
Preliminary observations showed that MMW
increase skin temperature, alter gene expression, promote cellular
proliferation and synthesis of proteins linked with oxidative stress,
inflammatory and metabolic processes, could generate ocular damages,
affect neuro-muscular dynamics.
Further studies are needed to better and
independently explore the health effects of RF-EMF in general and of
MMW in particular. However, available findings seem sufficient to
demonstrate the existence of biomedical effects, to invoke the
precautionary principle, to define exposed subjects as potentially
vulnerable and to revise existing limits. An adequate knowledge of
pathophysiological mechanisms linking RF-EMF exposure to health risk
should also be useful in the current clinical practice, in particular in
consideration of evidences pointing to extrinsic factors as heavy
contributors to cancer risk and to the progressive epidemiological
growth of noncommunicable diseases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29402696
--
Aug 18, 2017 (Updated Sep 27, 2017)
Scientists and Physicians Oppose
"Small Cell" Antenna Bill (Calif. SB 649)
I have been hearing from scientists around the world who are deeply
concerned about the deployment of fifth generation (5G) wireless
technology without adequate research on the health effects of exposure
to this type of radio frequency radiation.
Following is a sample of letters sent to California Governor Brown asking him to veto SB 659, a "small cell" antenna bill written by the cellular industry that paves the way for deployment of 5G wireless technology across the state.
Professor Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Golomb's letter begins with the following warning:
"I urge in the strongest terms that you vigorously oppose California SB 649.
If this bill passes, many people will suffer greatly, and needlessly, as a direct result.
This sounds like hyperbole. It is not.
My research group at UC San Diego alone has received hundreds of communications from people who have developed serious health problems from electromagnetic radiation, following introduction of new technologies. Others with whom I am in communication, have independently received hundreds of similar reports. Most likely these are a tip of an iceberg of tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of affected person. As each new technology leading to further exposure to electromagnetic radiation is introduced – and particularly introduced in a fashion that prevents vulnerable individuals from avoiding it – a new group become sensitized to health effects. This is particularly true for pulsed signals in the radiowave and microwave portion of the spectrum, the type for which the proposed bill SB 640 will bypass local control."
In the letter, Dr. Golomb summarizes the research on the effects of exposure to radio frequency radiation and advocates for "safer, wired and well shielded technology – not more wireless."
Appended to the letter are 360 references to the scientific literature.
Professor Martin Pall, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences at Washington State University, explains in his letter to the Governor his peer-reviewed research which has documented ...
"exquisite sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the voltage sensors in each cell, such that the force impacting our cells at the voltage sensor has massive impact on the biology in the cells of our bodies."
"This new understanding [1-7] means we can debunk the claims of the wireless industry that there cannot be a mechanism for effects produced by these weak EMFs. The 20 years plus of industry propaganda claims are false. Rather the thousands of studies showing diverse health impacts of these EMFs can be explained. We now have a mechanism, one that is supported by both the biology and the physics, both of which are pointing in exactly the same direction."
"5G will be much more active in activating the VGCCs and producinghealth impacts because of its rapid absorption by materials in the body, because of its very rapid pulsations and because of the huge number antennae they are planning to put up, at least 200 times the number of antennae from all current cell phone towers. What this means is that the impacts on the outer one to two inches of our bodies will be massive."
His letter discusses the potential health impacts on humans and on agriculture with exposure to 5G radiation.
The letter can be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/SB649Pall
Dr. Michael Lipsett, MD, JD, a retired public health physician with extensive experience in environmental health, mentions in his letter the recent demand for a 5G moratorium by more than 180 scientists and physicians and the study of cell phone radiation conducted by the National Toxicology Program.
He points out that while individuals can take precautions to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted by wireless devices, this is not feasible with exposure from cell antennas. He notes that ...
"laboratory and human health investigations designed and conducted by independent researchers have reported associations linking exposure to radiation from cell phones or similar devices with multiple adverse effects (e.g., headaches, impacts on brain function, memory, learning and sleep; decreased sperm counts and quality) as well as with DNA damage and tumors of the brain and nervous system."
"Potential health impacts of wireless communication have been ignored or obscured for decades by the telecommunications industry, which has implied that cell phones and other devices are safe because they comply with federal safety standards. However, these standards were established more than 20 years ago and were based on assumptions that have since been called into question by health research studies. The push to establish a 5G network, exemplified by SB 649, is based on a similarly unproven assumption: i.e., that round-the-clock exposure to 5G frequencies will not affect human health or the environment.
Establishment of a 5G network will be irreversible, as will the pattern of near-universal exposure of California residents to high-frequency, as-yet-untested 5G electromagnetic radiation."
The letter can be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/LipsettSB649.
June 23, 2017
EMF Scientist Appeal Advisors Call for Moratorium on Policies
for 5G “Small Cell” Antennas
The
advisors to the International EMF Scientist
Appeal submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in
opposition to a proposed change in FCC rules that would allow rapid deployment
of 5th generation (5G) wireless infrastructure throughout the
nation. A copy of the Appeal was appended to the letter.
5G
involves transmission of millimeter waves which operate at much higher
frequencies than currently used for cellular transmission (30 to 300 gigahertz).
Because the range of these signals is limited (i.e., less than a football
field), hundreds of thousands of new “small cell” antennas will be required in
the U.S. The wireless industry wants to install these not-so-small cellular antennas
on existing public utility poles.
The
FCC intends to streamline the approval of these antennas which would further
undermine the regulatory authority of cities and states over cell towers.
Meanwhile
the wireless industry is lobbying for legislation
in many states across the country that would limit local authority over cell antenna
deployment.
Due
to the concern that the FCC’s new rules will result in increased exposure to
electromagnetic fields (EMF), the Appeal’s advisors oppose the new rules and call
for a “public health review of the growing body of scientific evidence that
includes reports of increasing rates of cancer and neurological diseases that
may be caused by exposure to EMF from wireless sources.”
The
Appeal reflects the concerns of 225 EMF experts
from 41 nations about the impact of EMF exposure on public health. All
of the experts who signed this appeal have published research in peer-reviewed scientific
journals about the biologic or health effects of EMF.
According
to the Appeal’s signatories, current national and international EMF exposure
guidelines are obsolete and inadequate to protect human health and the
environment. The FCC’s radio frequency guidelines were adopted in 1996.
The
letter (dated June 9, 2017) is signed by the five advisors to the International
EMF Scientist Appeal: Drs. Martin Blank, Magda Havas, Henry Lai, and Joel
Moskowitz, and Elizabeth Kelley.
For
more information:
--
May 8, 2017
A 5G Wireless Future:
Will it give us a smart nation or contribute to an unhealthy one?
Dr. Cindy Russell, The (SCCMA) Bulletin, Jan/Feb 2017
Safety testing for 5G is the same as other wireless devices. It is based on heat. This is an obsolete standard and not considering current science showing cellular and organism harm from non-thermal effects. There is a large gap in safety data for 5G biological effects that has been demonstrated in older studies including military.
Recommendations
1. Do not proceed to roll out 5G technologies pending pre-market studies on health effects.
2. Reevaluate safety standards based on long term as well as short term studies on biological effects.
3. Rescind a portion of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which preempts state and local government regulation for the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects so that health and environmental issues can be addressed.
4. Rescind portions of The Spectrum Act which was passed in 2012 as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which strips the ability city officials and local governments to regulate cellular communications equipment, provides no public notification or opportunity for public input and may potentially result in environmental impacts.
5. Create an independent multidisciplinary scientific agency tasked with developing appropriate safety regulations, pre-market testing and research needs in a transparent environment with public input.
6. Label pertinent EMF information on devices along with appropriate precautionary warnings.
Dr. Russell provides a brief review of the research on millimeter wave bioeffects in this article: http://bit.ly/5GRussell.
--
Aug 17, 2016 (Updated Aug 19)
5G
cellular technology will employ much higher frequency microwaves than current
cell phone technologies: 2G, 3G, and 4G. These microwaves, known as
millimeter waves, won't penetrate building materials like the current
technology which is why industry may need one cell antenna base station for
every 12 homes.
But millimeter waves can affect your eyes and penetrate your skin.
When the Los Angeles Times reporter contacted me for the story
below, I did a quick search and found several recently published articles
examining biological effects of millimeter waves (see references below). This
form of microwave radiation is most likely to affect our skin and neuronal
cells in the upper dermis.
Moreover, widespread adoption of 5G cellular technology in the U.S. may have profound
effects on our ecosystem by altering bacteria, possibly creating harmful
bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
History has proved that we cannot trust the FCC and the FDA
to protect our health from microwave radiation exposure.
I submitted an open letter to the FCC in July calling for "an independent review of the biologic and health research to determine whether the RF standards should be modified before allowing additional spectrum to be used for new commercial applications."
Moreover, the FCC has ignored the 800-plus submissions
that call upon the agency to adopt rigorous radio frequency standards to protect the public’s health. Instead the agency
maintains its 20-year old exposure guidelines
that control only for heating or thermal risks. The FDA has ignored the
thousands of studies that find nonthermal biologic effects, and the human
studies that find a wide range of health effects including increased cancer
risk and reproductive harm from exposure to low intensity microwaves.
In my opinion, precaution is warranted before unleashing 5G technology on the world. I suspect most of the 221 scientists who signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal (referenced in the article below), would support this assertion.
However, more research is also needed as specific characteristics of the millimeter waves
(e.g., pulsing, modulation) to be employed in 5G cellular technology may be more important than
the frequency or intensity of the waves in terms of biologic and health
effects. The research funding must be independent of industry as conflicts of
interest have been found to undermine the science in this field.
--
Low-intensity millimeter waves
used for pain therapy have side effects
The Russians have pioneered millimeter wave therapy (MWT) using low intensity millimeter waves to reduce pain including headaches, joint pain, and postoperative pain.
Although the following review paper documents some positive effects from short-term exposure to MWT, the authors note that there are side effects including fatigue, sleepiness, and paresthesia (an abnormal sensation, tingling or pricking [“pins and needles”] caused by pressure on or damage to peripheral nerves).
"We conclude that there is promising data from pilot case series and small-scale randomized controlled trials for analgesic/hypoalgesic effects of electromagnetic millimeter waves in frequency range 30–70 GHz. Large-scale randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of this non-invasive therapeutic technique are necessary."
"In the studies reviewed the authors did not report any health-related side effects of MWT. Slight paresthesias, previously mentioned in several case reports and non-controlled case series (10,11), appeared in almost 50% of patients in studies where the effects of MWT were carefully described (21,27,28,31). The paresthesias were of short duration and reported as pleasant (‘warmth’) or neutral. General fatigue and sleepiness during the treatment sessions in almost 80% of the patients was a rather desirable side effect of MWT, as also described in previous reviews on biomedical effects of MWT (10,11,21,27,28)."
From: Usichenko TI, Edinger H, Gizhko VV, Lehmann C, Wendt M, Feyerherd F. Low-intensity electromagnetic millimeter waves for pain therapy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Jun;3(2):201-7. URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1475937/
Little research is available on long-term exposure to millimeter waves (see below). Most of the studies referred to in this review paper did not modulate or pulse the carrier waves which will be required for information-carrying millimeter waves employed in 5G technologies. Prior research suggests that such waves will be more biologically active than pure sine waves.
--
Effects of
Millimeter Waves Radiation on Cell Membrane - A Brief Review
Ramundo-Orlando
A. Effects of millimeter waves radiation
on cell membrane - A brief review. J Infrared
Milli Terahz Waves. 2010; 30 (12): 1400-1411.
Abstract
The
millimeter waves (MMW) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, extending from
30 to 300 GHz in terms of frequency (corresponding to wavelengths from 10 mm to
1 mm), is officially used in non-invasive complementary medicine in many Eastern
European countries against a variety of diseases such gastro duodenal ulcers, cardiovascular
disorders, traumatism and tumor. On the other hand, besides technological applications
in traffic and military systems, in the near future MMW will also find applications
in high resolution and high-speed wireless communication technology. This has
led to restoring interest in research on MMW induced biological effects. In
this review emphasis has been given to the MMW-induced effects on cell
membranes that are considered the major target for the interaction between MMW
and biological systems.
Excerpts
“Several studies on the effects induced by
millimeter radiation on biological systems have been reported in the
literature. Diverse effects have been observed on cell free systems, cultured
cells, isolated organs of animals and humans. The subject has been extensively reviewed
by Motzkin [17] and more recently by Pakhomov [3]. At the cellular level these effects
are mainly on the membrane process and ion channels, molecular complexes, excitable
and other structures. Many of these effects are quite unexpected from a
radiation penetrating less than 1 mm into biological tissues [3, 18, 19].
However none of the findings described in the above reviews has been replicated
in an independent laboratory, thus they cannot be considered as established
biological effects.”
“…a large
number of cellular studies have indicated that MMW may alter structural and
functional properties of membranes (Table 2).”
Conclusion
“In this
review emphasis has been given to the low-level MMW effects on cell membranes. Above
all, it should be mentioned that the reported effects are of a non-thermal character,
that is, the action of radiation does not produce essential heating of the
biological system or destroy its structure. In this context it appears that no
permanent structural change of lipid bilayer could arise under low level (less
than 10 mW/cm2) millimeter waves irradiation.
On the other
hand, MMW radiation may affect intracellular calcium activities, and, as a consequence,
several cellular and molecular processes controlled by Ca2+ dynamics themselves.
The effects of MMW radiation on ion transport may be the consequence of a direct
effect on membrane proteins as well as on phospholipid domain organization.
Water molecules seem to play an important role in these biological effects of
MMW radiation. Unfortunately, detailed cellular and molecular mechanisms
mediating physiological responses to MMW exposure remain largely unknown.
Usually the
search at a molecular level is simpler if we can reduce the complexity of our biological
samples. This is the case for cell membranes by using model systems. They can be
formed by a simple lipid bilayer without interfering components and they give independence
from biological activity that can create complication in searching for electromagnetic
fields bioeffects. The emphasis is on the search for molecular mechanisms of
the membrane effect induced by MMW with different frequencies and power
density. Furthermore, replication studies are needed including good temperature
control and appropriate internal control samples. It is also advantageous if
the future studies are multidisciplinary, invoking an integration of high
quality exposure and effects methodologies.
Clearly a
significant amount of accurate experimental work is still required in order to fully
understand the interactions between MMW radiation and cell membrane.”
Additional Resources (Updated 5/29/2018)
The roll out of 5G wireless service is 'a massive health experiment,' public health expert warns as cell companies install 800,000 towers across the US
Natalie Rahhal, Daily Mail, May 29, 2018
The 5G telecommunication technology--emitted millimeter waves: Lack of research on bioeffects
Dariusz Leszczynski, PhD, Presentation at 5th Asian & Oceanic IRPA Regional Congress on Radiation Protection, Melbourne, Australia, May 22, 2018
NEPA rollback now official for small wireless projects
Sobczyk N, GreenWire, May 3, 2018
5G: Great risk for EU, U.S. and International Health! Compelling Evidence for
Eight Distinct Types of Great Harm Caused by Electromagnetic Exposures and the Mechanism that Causes Them
Martin L. Pall, PhD, undated
5G and Internet of Things: A Trojan Horse
Paul Héroux, PhD, The Green Gazette, Mar 27, 2018
Residents worried about small cell safety have been waiting years for federal guidance
Ryan Barwick, Center for Public Integrity, Mar 2, 2018
5G Cell Service Is Coming. Who Decides Where It Goes?
Allan Holmes, New York Times, Mar 2, 2018
Tracy Seipel. Mercury News (San Jose, CA), Aug 31, 2017
Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times, Aug 8, 2016
