Health hazards with electromagnetic radiation

Abstract

In our daily life, we are surrounded by electromagnetic radiation (EMR), there are emitted from the environment, radio, television, medical diagnostic, and communication devices such as cell phones, and also Wi-Fi routers. Radiation from cell phone and Wi-Fi is the radiation that we encountered the most in our life, and this resulted in increased human exposure to electromagnetic radiation and health risks. The current review is to summarize the effect of EMR exposures on physical and mental health. ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is a form of energy generated by oscillation of electric and magnetic disturbance, or by the movement of electrically charged particles (e.g. electron) traveling through a vacuum or material medium. The electric and magnetic field (MF) oscillates in planes mutually perpendicular to each other, and thus create the disturbance. EMR propagated through a material medium or through free space in the form of electromagnetic waves. The EMR has certain unique characteristics, given as frequency, energy, or wavelength. [1] Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is the range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). In general, EMR can be classified into ionizing or nonionizing radiation (NIR), based on their energy possessed to knock electrons off atoms that it interacts with. Ionizing radiation holds a great number of energy to knock off electrons and ionize the matter, whereas NIR does not possess enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules. Ionizing radiation can be further divided into five types, namely, alpha-particles, beta-particles, gamma-ray, X-rays, and neutron particles. NIRs are part of EMS encompass the wavelength (>100 nm), low photon energy (<12.4 eV) portion of the EMS from 1 Hz to 3 × 10 15 Hz. NIR is divided into four regions, namely, static electric and magnetic field, extremely low-frequency filed, radiofrequency, and microwave radiation and optical radiation. NIR can be from both natural (e.g., sunlight) and man-made sources (e.g., wireless communications devices). EMR exposures can be divided into three categories, which is high-level, medium-level, and low-level exposure. High-level radiation exposure can cause damage to the body, and the affected cells cannot repair fast enough with a dose that may quickly kill the exposed person. EMR is hazardous to all living organisms because its effects are latent, painless, and cumulative. The current review is to summarize the effect of EMR exposures on physical and mental health.

Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) and Human Health: A Study on the Health Effect of EMR from GSM Base Stations in North-Western Nigeria

“…non-ionizing radiation [14]. The ionizing electromagnetic radiations are among the high-frequency classification such as Gamma rays and X-rays while the non-ionizing radiation (NIR) is the electromagnetic spectrum which has photon energies too weak to break atomic bonds [20]. The electromagnetic NIR comprised of microwave fields, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation and radiofrequency [20].…”

“…The ionizing electromagnetic radiations are among the high-frequency classification such as Gamma rays and X-rays while the non-ionizing radiation (NIR) is the electromagnetic spectrum which has photon energies too weak to break atomic bonds [20]. The electromagnetic NIR comprised of microwave fields, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation and radiofrequency [20]. The electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is the collection of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) dispersed through the electromagnetic base station such as telecom mask.…”

“…The NIRs are the segment of EMS incorporating wavelength less than 100 nm low photon energy less than 12.4 eV portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from 1 Hz to 3 × 1015 Hz. However, the NIR is distributed into four sections according to the following order, optical radiation, microwave radiation, static electric-magnetic field and extremely low-frequency field radiofrequency radiation [20]. The NIR constituents could be naturally produced from the, sunlight or technologically synthesized by humans through wireless communications devices installations.…”

Effect of electromagnetic radiation on the liver structure and ultrastructure of in utero irradiated rats

“…Elevated temperatures can cause deactivation of enzymes, protein unfolding, or denaturation, and acceleration of cellular metabolism, for example when tissue is heated it can directly disrupt the hydrogen and disulphide bounds that maintain the tertial structure of proteins (Wilmink and Grundt 2012). The non-thermal effect involves mostly the direct interaction of EMR with various molecules in the tissues (Parasuraman et al 2018). One of the most detectable non-thermal effects is the ion-flux (Yurish 2014).…”