Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields

2006 ◽  
pp. 189-210
Author(s):  
Riadh Habash
Author(s):  
Elena I. Sarapultseva ◽  
Darya V. Uskalova ◽  
Ksenya V. Ustenko

Despite the fact that there are still conflicting opinions about the damage caused by modern wireless communication technologies, most scientists report on the negative biological effects of low-intensity radio frequency electromagnetic radiation at different levels of the organization of live nature. There is no doubt that there is a need not only for a sanitary and hygienic assessment of man-made electromagnetic effects on humans, but also for an environmental assessment for biota. The purpose of the study was to assess the potential environmental risk of electromagnetic impact in the centimeter range on natural ecosystems. The initial data were the authors' own results in the field of radiobiology of non-ionizing radiation, as well as published of other researchers. The article analyzes the biological effects of radio frequency electromagnetic fields detected in organisms of different systematic groups and levels of organization. The data on the non-thermal biological effects of electromagnetic fields indicate a high sensitivity of different species to this factor. The analyzed research results emphasize the need to take into account the features of non-thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation on biota, since these radiations can have a negative impact on different hierarchical levels in natural ecosystems.


Our atmosphere is full of electromagnetic fields emitted from wireless communication transmitters. At the same time the bio-systems (including humans, animals & birds and vegetation as well) are complex electrical systems. Naturally therefore, they are likely to have interaction and to be affected in some way or the other. Research into this field started with the knowledge about pleasing presence of negative charges and unpleasant presence of positive charges around us, concentrating effects of static or pulsating fields. Also came the explanation (and experimental verification) of Hindu mythological effects of geomagnetic fields coupled with solar activity. The effects of power line radiation and radiation from video game TV sets, microwave oven and other domestic instruments like electric blankets also figured in the research. At last the fastest emerging mobile telephony overpowered all others. Though the results of researches into possible harmful effects of mobile phone radiation and those of radiation from base station towers remain inconclusive partly because of influencing pressure from manufacturing and service providing companies, some of the researchers conclusively assert the harmfulness of the radiation at some level of field intensity present near the tower or the handset relating it to the specific absorption ratio (SAR) value. Recent increased observation of infertility among young couples is also attributed by some researchers to the effect of radiation from mobile kept in pantaloons pockets which becomes near their genitals affecting sperm or ovum. This review explains all these researches into bio-effects of electromagnetic fields and concludes that there is certainly some possible harmfulness of radiation above some level of intensity of fields.


2000 ◽  
Vol 206 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOCELYN A. LAURENCE ◽  
PETER W. FRENCH ◽  
ROBYN A. LINDNER ◽  
DAVID R. MCKENZIE

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1431-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. PHILIPPETIS

Aspects from condensed matter physics combined with recent advances on statistical physics and physics of complex systems related to critical phenomena have inspired the continuous experimental study of electromagnetic precursory phenomena. For example, during the last two decades anomalous electromagnetic signals have been repeatedly observed before big earthquakes. Since it has been independently found that weak electromagnetic fields can produce biological effects, the following possibility is forwarded in this paper: The finding that electromagnetic signals are emitted before earthquakes, may be the key for the explanation that anomalous animal behavior have been frequently observed in various countries before major events.


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