In this study, 26 healthy young volunteers were submitted to 900 MHz (2 W) GSM cellular phone exposure and to sham exposure in separate sessions. The study was designed to assess cardiac regulatory mechanism in different autonomic nervous system (ANS) states during exposure to low-intensity EMF. Rest-to-stand protocol was applied to evaluate ANS in quiet condition (rest, vagal prevalence) and after a sympathetic activation (stand). The procedure is conducted twice in a double-blind design: once with a genuine EMF exposure and once with a sham exposure (at least 24 h apart). During each session three-leads electrocardiograms were recorded and RR series extracted off-line. Time domain and frequency domain HRV parameters were calculated in every phase of the protocol and during different exposures. The analysis of the data show there was no statistically significant effect due to EMF exposure both on main (i.e., RR mean) and most of the other HRV parameters. A weak interaction between some HRV parameters (i.e., SDNN, TINN, and triangular index in time domain and LF power in frequency domain analysis) and RF exposure was observed and this effect seems to be gathered around the sympathetic response to stand.

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The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the usefulness of a radiofrequency (RF) personal exposimeter (dosimeter) for assessing individual RF exposure in an urban environment. Measurements taken by RF personal dosimeter were also compared to preliminary site measurements taken around mobile base stations. The results from personal exposure showed that one third of the participants spent 40-70% of 24 h recording time above the detection limits (0.05 V/m), and half of subjects spent less than 10%. The highest exposure was detected during the traveling period and the lowest in bed at home. Based on our results, we concluded that site measurements cannot be used to accurately determine personal exposure. We also concluded that duration of time exposed to RF levels above the detection limit of the personal dosimeter is a useful exposure metric to compare and contrast individual RF exposure of study subjects.

BackgroundThere are about 1.6 billion GSM cellular phones in use throughout the world today. Numerous papers have reported various biological effects in humans exposed to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones. The aim of the present study was to advance our understanding of potential adverse effects of the GSM mobile phones on the human hearing system.MethodsAuditory Brainstem Response (ABR) was recorded with three non-polarizing Ag-AgCl scalp electrodes in thirty young and healthy volunteers (age 18–26 years) with normal hearing. ABR data were collected before, and immediately after a 10 minute exposure to 900 MHz pulsed electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by a commercial Nokia 6310 mobile phone. Fifteen subjects were exposed to genuine EMF and fifteen to sham EMF in a double blind and counterbalanced order. Possible effects of irradiation was analyzed by comparing the latency of ABR waves I, III and V before and after genuine/sham EMF exposure.ResultsPaired sample t-test was conducted for statistical analysis. Results revealed no significant differences in the latency of ABR waves I, III and V before and after 10 minutes of genuine/sham EMF exposure.ConclusionThe present results suggest that, in our experimental conditions, a single 10 minute exposure of 900 MHz EMF emitted by a commercial mobile phone does not produce measurable immediate effects in the latency of auditory brainstem waves I, III and V.

This study was designed to assess the nonlinear dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) during exposure to low-intensity EMFs. Twenty-six healthy young volunteers were subjected to a rest-to-stand protocol to evaluate autonomic nervous system in quiet condition (rest, vagal prevalence) and after a sympathetic activation (stand). The procedure was conducted twice in a double-blind design: once with a genuine EMFs exposure (GSM cellular phone at 900 MHz, 2 W) and once with a sham exposure (at least 24 h apart). During each session, three-lead electrocardiograms were recorded and RR series extracted off-line. The RR series were analyzed by nonlinear deterministic techniques in every phase of the protocol and during the different exposures. The analysis of the data shows there was no statistically significant effect due to GSM exposure on the nonlinear dynamics of HRV.

The European project EMFnEAR was undertaken to assess potential changes in human auditory function after a short-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation produced by UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) mobile phones. Participants were healthy young adults with no hearing or ear disorders. Auditory function was assessed immediately before and after exposure to radiofrequency radiation, and only the exposed ear was tested. Tests for the assessment of auditory function were hearing threshold level (HTL), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), contralateral suppression of transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (CAS effect on TEOAE), and auditory evoked potentials (AEP). The exposure consisted of speech at a typical conversational level delivered via an earphone to one ear, plus genuine or sham RF-radiation exposure produced by a commercial phone controlled by a personal computer. Results from 134 participants did not show any consistent pattern of effects on the auditory system after a 20-min UMTS exposure at the maximum output of the phone with 69 mW/kg SAR in the cochlea region in a double blind comparison of genuine and sham exposure. An isolated effect on the hearing threshold at high frequencies was identified, but this was statistically nonsignificant after correction for multiple comparisons. It is concluded that UMTS short-term exposure at the maximum output of consumer mobile phones does not cause measurable immediate effects on the human auditory system.

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