BIOFSICA E FSICA MDICA

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Physical Prop r!i s a"# E$$ c!s o" Biolo%ical Sys! &s Natural and many human-made sources generate electromagnetic energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. These waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields which interact differently with 'iolo%ical sys! &s such as cells, plants, animals, or human beings. In order to better understand these interactions, it is essential to be familiar with the physical properties of the waves which make up the electromagnetic spectrum. El c!ro&a%" !ic (a) s can be characterized by their (a) l "%!h, $r *+ "cy, or " r%y. The three parameters are interrelated. Each influences the effect the field may have on a biological system. , The $r *+ "cy of an electromagnetic wave is simply the number of oscillations which passes a fi ed point per unit of time. It is measured in cycles per second, or hertz. !ne cycle per second e"uals one h r!- #H-$. %arge divisions commonly used to describe radio fre"uency #&'$ fields include the .iloh r!- #.H-$, or one thousand cycles per second( the & %ah r!- #MH-$, one million cycles per second( and the %i%ah r!- #GH-$, one billion cycles per second. , Th shor! r !h (a) l "%!h/ !h hi%h r !h $r *+ "cy . The middle of the )* broadcast band, for e ample, has a fre"uency of one million hertz #+ *,z$ and a wavelength of about -.. metres. *icrowave ovens use a fre"uency of /.01 billion hertz #/.01 2,z$ and a wavelength of +/ centimetres. , )n electromagnetic wave consists of very small packets of energy called pho!o"s. The energy in each packet or photon is directly proportional to the fre"uency of the wave3 Th hi%h r !h $r *+ "cy/ !h lar% r !h a&o+"! o$ " r%y in each photon. Ho( l c!ro&a%" !ic (a) s a$$ c! 'iolo%ical sys! &s is # ! r&i" # par!ly 'y !h i"! "si!y o$ !h $i l# a"# par!ly 'y !h a&o+"! o$ " r%y i" ach pho!o"0 Electromagnetic waves at low fre"uencies are referred to as 1 l c!ro&a%" !ic $i l#s1 and those at very high fre"uencies are called 1 l c!ro&a%" !ic ra#ia!io"s1. )ccording to their fre"uency and energy, electromagnetic waves can be classified as either 4 io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s4 or 4"o"2io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s4 #NIR$. , Io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s are e tremely high fre"uency electromagnetic waves #5-rays and gamma rays$, which have enough photon energy to produce io"i-a!io" #create positive and negative electrically charged atoms or parts of molecules$ by breaking the atomic bonds that hold molecules in cells together. , No"2io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s #NIR$ is a general term for that part of the electromagnetic spectrum which has photon energies too weak to break atomic bonds. They include +l!ra)iol ! #U3$ ra#ia!io", )isi'l li%h!, i"$rar # ra#ia!io", ra#io$r *+ "cy and &icro(a) $i l#s, 4!r & ly lo( $r *+ "cy #ELF$ $i l#s, as well as s!a!ic l c!ric a"# &a%" !ic $i l#s.

, E) " hi%h i"! "si!y NIR ca""o! ca+s io"i-a!io" i" a 'iolo%ical sys! &0 NI&, however, have been shown to produce other biological effects, for instance, by heating, altering chemical reactions or inducing electrical currents in tissues and cells. Electromagnetic waves may produce 'iolo%ical $$ c!s which may so& !i& s, but "o! al(ays, lead to a#) rs h al!h $$ c!s. It is important to understand the difference between the two3 , A 'iolo%ical $$ c! occurs when e posure to electromagnetic waves causes some noticeable or detectable physiological change in a biological system. , A" a#) rs h al!h $$ c! occurs when the biological effect is outside the normal range for the body to compensate, and thus leads to some detrimental health condition. , 6ome biological effects can be innocuous, such as the body7s reaction of increasing blood flow in the skin in response to slightly greater heating from the sun. 6ome effects can be advantageous, such as the feeling of warmth of direct sunshine on a cool day, or can even lead to positive health effects, such as the sun7s role in helping the body produce vitamin 8. ,owever, some biological effects lead to adverse health effects, such as the pain of sunburn or skin cancer. Th I"! r"a!io"al EMF Pro5 c! o$ !h 6orl# H al!h Or%a"i-a!io" is a##r ssi"% !h h al!h co"c r"s rais # a'o+! 4pos+r !o ra#io$r *+ "cy 7RF8 a"# &icro(a) $i l#s/ 4!r & ly lo( $r *+ "cy 7ELF8 $i l#s/ a"# s!a!ic l c!ric a"# &a%" !ic $i l#s0 These electromagnetic fields can produce different biological effects that may lead to health conse"uences. Ra#io$r *+ "cy #RF$ $i l#s are known to produce h a!i"% a"# !h i"#+c!io" o$ l c!rical c+rr "!s0 !ther less established biological effects have also been reported 0 , RF $i l#s at fre"uencies a'o) about 9 MH- primarily cause h a!i"% by moving ions and water molecules through the medium in which they e ist. Even very low levels of &' energy produce a small amount of heat, but this heat is carried away by the body7s normal thermoregulatory processes without the person noticing it. 9 ) number of studies at these fre"uencies suggest that 4pos+r !o RF $i l#s !oo ( a. !o ca+s h a!i"% may have adverse health conse"uences, including cancer and memory loss. Identifying and encouraging coordinated research into these open "uestions is one of the ma:or ob:ectives of the I"! r"a!io"al EMF Pro5 c!0 , RF $i l#s at fre"uencies ' lo( a'o+! 9 MH- primarily induce electrical charges and currents which can stimulate cells in tissues such as nerves and muscles. Electrical currents already e ist in the body as a normal part of the chemical reactions involved in living. If &' fields induce currents significantly e ceeding this background level in the body, there is a possibility of adverse health conse"uences. E4!r & ly Lo( Fr *+ "cy #ELF8 l c!ric a"# &a%" !ic $i l#s0 The primary action in biological systems by these fields is the i"#+c!io" o$ l c!rical char% s a"# c+rr "!s. This mechanism of action is unlikely to e plain the health effects, such as cancer in children, reported to occur from e posure to 4environmental4 levels of E%' fields. , ELF l c!ric $i l#s e ist whenever a charge #voltage$ is present, regardless of whether any current is flowing. )lmost none of the electric field penetrates into the human body. )t very high field strengths they can be perceived by hair movement on the skin. ,owever,

some studies suggest that e posure to low levels of these fields is associated with an increased incidence of childhood cancer or other health conse"uences. !ther studies do not. Th I"! r"a!io"al EMF Pro5 c! is recommending that more focused research be conducted to improve health risk assessments. , ELF &a%" !ic $i l#s e ist whenever an electric current is flowing. They easily penetrate the human body without any significant attenuation. 6ome epidemiological studies have reported associations between E%' fields and cancer, especially in children, but others have not. &esearch on effects of low-level #environmental$ E%' fields is currently underway, including that monitored and encouraged by the I"! r"a!io"al EMF Pro5 c!. S!a!ic l c!ric a"# &a%" !ic $i l#s0 ;hile the primary action in biological systems by these fields is the i"#+c!io" o$ l c!rical char% s a"# c+rr "!s , other effects have been established to occur that could potentially lead to adverse health conse"uences, but only at very high field strengths. , S!a!ic l c!ric $i l#s do not penetrate into the body, but can be perceived by skin hair movement. E cept for electrical discharges from strong static electric fields, they do not seem to have significant health effects. , S!a!ic &a%" !ic $i l#s have virtually the same strength inside the body as outside. <ery intense static magnetic fields can alter blood flow or change normal nerve impulses. =ut such high field strengths are not found in everyday life. ,owever, there is insufficient information about the effects of long-term e posure to static magnetic fields at levels found in the working environment. Sa$ !y S!a"#ar#s3 In order to ensure that human e posure to E*' should not have adverse health effects, that man-made E*' generating devices are safe and their use does not electrically interfere with other devices, various international guidelines and standards are adopted. 6uch standards are developed following reviews of all the scientific literature by groups of scientists who look for evidence of consistently reproduced effects with adverse health conse"uences. These groups then recommend guidelines for standards for action by the appropriate national and international bodies. ) non-governmental organization, formally recognised by ;,! in the field of NI& protection, is the I"! r"a!io"al Co&&issio" o" No"2Io"i-i"% Ra#ia!io" Pro! c!io" #ICNIRP$. ICNIRP has established international guidelines on human e posure limits for all electromagnetic fields, including ultraviolet #><$ radiation, visible light and infrared radiation, as well as &' fields and microwaves. Electromagnetic waves are generated by natural, but mostly by human-made sources. Their spectrum includes both io"i-i"% and "o"2io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s #NIR$. Io"i-i"% ra#ia!io"s #5-rays and gamma rays$ have enough energy to create positive and negative electrically charged atoms or parts of molecules by breaking the atomic bonds that hold molecules in cells together. This effect is called io"i-a!io". Even high intensity NIR ca""o! ca+s io"i-a!io" in the biological system. NI&, however, have been shown to produce other biological effects, for instance, by heating, altering normal chemical reactions or inducing electrical currents in tissues. Th I"! r"a!io"al EMF Pro5 c! o$ !h 6orl# H al!h Or%a"i-a!io" deals with the health effects of s!a!ic, 4!r & ly lo( $r *+ "cy #ELF$ and ra#io$r *+ "cy #RF$ l c!ro&a%" !ic $i l#s #:2;:: GH-$. Electromagnetic waves of different fre"uencies interact differently with 'iolo%ical sys! &s/

such as cells, plants, animals, or human beings. The e tent they affect biological systems depends partly on their i"! "si!y and partly on the a&o+"! o$ " r%y i" pho!o"s0 Biolo%ical $$ c!s produced by electromagnetic waves may sometimes, but "o! al(ays/ l a# !o a#) rs h al!h $$ c!s.