Mobile Phone hazards

By: Dr.Sanjay Bhardwaj

Mobile phones have indeed become an indispensable part of our lifestyle but not without a
price. Mobile phones and telephone towers emit microwave (Frequencies from 1-30 GHz)
radiation, which is in the radio frequency radiation (RFR) part of the spectrum of
electromagnetic waves.

RFR, like ultra-violet (UV) and infra-red light, is a sources of non-ionising radiation. These
radiations, together with ionizing electromagnetic radiations (X-rays, gamma rays) make up
the electromagnetic spectrum. Radiofrequency is the spectrum of electromagnetic waves that
range from 100 Kilohertz (KHz) to 300 Gigahertz (GHz).

RFR energy is used for a number of applications, including:

• Carriage of telephone and broadcasting signals (radio, TV, mobile phones, cordless
phones).
• Industrial processing.
• Radar and microwave ovens.
• Medical therapies.

Mobile (or cellular) phones use electric power to receive and transmit signals through a base
station tower that is linked with other transmission towers. These signals are usually around
900 MHz which is within the microwave range.

Effects of RFR on health:

Heating (thermal) effects

Radiofrequency radiation is a source of thermal energy and in adequate doses, has all the
known effects of heating on biological systems, including burns and cataracts in the eye.
Human and animal studies indicate that RF fields can cause harmful effects because of
excessive heating of internal tissues.

For most of the range of RFR the skin does not easily detect the heating caused by these
fields. Workers can therefore absorb significant amounts of RFR without being aware of any
leakage fields. There are reports of workers in some occupations experiencing a "warming
sensation" some time after being exposed to RFR at work. Calculations show that maximal
temperature rises may be about 0.03o C. Although this temperature rise is slight, the heating
effect of RFR can become a problem in individuals with metallic implants such as rods in
bones, and electro-magnetic interference can interact with some cardiac pacemakers.

Acute high dose exposures to RFR may cause injury to the eye. The cornea and crystalline
lens are particularly susceptible to frequency in the 1-300 GHz range and formation of lesions
in the retina is also possible.

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Non-thermal effects

Biological effects from RFR exposure also occur where thermal mechanisms are not possible
or are inadequate to account for these effects. These are referred to as athermal effects. Long-
term exposure to low-level RFR has induced a variety of effects in the nervous system and
components of the immune system of small animals. However, the significance of these in
humans is still not clear. A number of recent studies have suggested differences in cognitive
function in frequent users of mobile phones. These changes included changes in reaction time
and memory. Other reported health effects include headaches and sleep disorder.

RFR and cancer

A research study has suggested that RFR may act as a cancer promoter in animals but there is
not enough evidence that RFR can initiate cancer in humans. There are few epidemiological
studies of workers exposed to RFR and conclusions regarding health effects in humans are
limited. Studies have been few and inconsistent with regard to possible cancer effects of RFR
in exposed humans.

In 2007, an assessment was published by the European Commission Scientific Committee on

Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks or SCENIHR that there is no significant health
effect on human beings exposed to mobile phone radiation. This assumes a moderate and
normal level of exposure. They claim that

• the normal exposure to mobile phone radiation will not cause headaches or dizziness
• moderate exposure to mobile phones does not cause brain cancer, negative
neurological effects, or negative reproductive effects
• there are inconclusive studies that say that mobile phones could cause a benign
tumour in the auditory nerve
• there are still more studies to be done regarding the effect of mobile phones on
children

Recent studies claim that cell and cordless phone microwave can possibly cause:

• Damage nerves in the scalp

• Cause blood cells to leak hemoglobin
• Cause memory loss and mental confusion
• Cause headaches and induce extreme fatigue
• Induce depression and sleeping disorders
• Create joint pain, muscle spasms and tremors
• Create burning sensation and rash on the skin
• Alter the brain's electrical activity during sleep
• Induce ringing ! in the ears, impair sense of smell
• Precipitate cataracts, retina damage and eye cancer
• Open the blood-brain barrier to viruses and toxins
• Reduce the number and efficiency of white blood cells
• Stimulate asthma by producing histamine in mast cells
• Cause digestive problems and raise bad cholesterol levels
• Stress the endocrine system, especially pancreas, thyroid, ovaries, testes

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 • Could cut male sperm production by third and/or cause them to function
abnormally reducing their chance of fertilization
• Some people appear to have an almost pathological emotional attachment to their cell
phones and there is a fascinating suggestion that cell radiation pulses might actually
be addictive to the human brain.
• Cell phone is a microwave transmitter. Microwave energy oscillates at millions to
billions of cycles per second. The Journal of Cellular Biochemistry reports that these
frequencies cause cancer and other diseases by interfering with cellular DNA and its
repair mechanisms. Microwave promotes rapid cell aging. Italian scientists have
recently demonstrated that cell phone radiation makes cancerous cells grow
aggressively. Cordless phones marked 900 megahertz or 2.4 gigahertz emits the same
dangerous microwave radiation as cell phones.

According to the World Health Organization, some harmful effects EMFs can have on your
body include: Headache Fatigue Stress Sleep disturbances Skin symptoms like prickling,
burning sensations and rashes Muscle pains and aches.
Researchers say that headaches, memory loss, cancer, rashes in ears and fingers and even
leukemia are likely to occur after a continuous use of phone over a period of 14 months. The
radiations produced by the phones can affect the brain of children and it will give them the
difficulty to cope up with their studies and soon memory loss arises.
Long-term use of a cell phone may cause inner ear damage and can lead to high frequency
hearing loss, according to a new study.100 people who had used mobile phones for over a
year suffered increases in the degree of hearing loss over the span of 12 months. Furthermore,
the study also discovered that people who used their phones for more than 60 minutes a day
had a worse hearing threshold than those with less use.
The researchers warn users of cell phones to look out for ear symptoms such as ear warmth,
ear fullness, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus) as early warning signs that you may have an
auditory abnormality.

Recently, new media has reported a study showing the microwave radiation from cell phones
is so full of energy they can be used to cook eggs.
In the experiment, 2 Russian researchers placed one egg in a porcelain cup (because it is easy
to conduct heat), and put one cell phone on one side and another cell phone on the other. The
researchers then called from one cell phone to another and kept the cell phones on after
connecting.

During the first 15 minutes, nothing changed. After 25 minutes, however, the egg shell started
to become hot and at 40 minutes, the surface of the egg became hard and bristled.
Researchers found the protein in the egg had become solid although the egg yolk was still in
liquid form. After 65 minutes, the whole egg was well cooked.

Now a days a syndrome associated with excessive use of Mobile phone is being postulated
which is known as Health syndrome. In this syndrome:

Around 40% of users complain that they suffer from headaches, and many people find that
after a day's heavy use of the phone that they have a thumping headache.

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After a while users feel extremely tired, and their reaction times start to fall off.

After 14 months to two years some users will start to develop leukaemia.

[Some laboratory tests also show that after a seven-and-a-half hour exposure to a mobile
phone on stand-by there was a serious degradation of the while blood cells (the cells that fight
disease). A day after exposure there was a substantial fall in the viability of white blood cells,
and after the 2nd day only 13% of white blood cells were viable.]

Several studies show cell phones are a leading cause of car crashes.The reaction time of cell
phone users slows dramatically, increasing the risk of accidents

Simple protective measures to avoid mobile hazards:

1) Choose a phone with lowest RFR level.

2) Make shorter calls
3) Hold the mobile a couple of cms away from the ear while using.
4) Even if users holding their phones away from their head while usage
experience a slight muscle ache it should warn them that they have been on
phone too long.
5) Use loud speaker mode of mobile for conversing whenever and wherever
possible.
6) Make more use of ordinary wire phone in the office and at home
7) Small children should be discouraged to use mobile phones
8) Avoid using mobile phones while driving or travelling
9) Switch off mobile phone while sleeping

Studies showing no adverse effect of mobile phone usage:

• A Danish study in 2004 that was ten years long showed no evidence
• A Swedish study in 2005 drew the conclusion that mobile phone use is not related to
glioma or meningioma
• A British study in 2005 stated that there is no significant risk of acoustic neuroma for
the first decade of using a mobile phone. One must still keep in mind that the long
term effects of such use has still to be discovered
• A German study in 2006 states that there is no risk of glioma or meningioma for
cellphone users although the long term effects of such use are still to be known
• A joint study which was conducted across northern Europe states that the results do
not indicate an increased risk of glioma in relation to the use of mobile phones
although it is possible that the most heavily exposed part of the brain may have long
term effects that are unknown of

Conclusion: It is still a matter of debate whether mobile phone usage have any ill effects on
health or not. But it is certain that chronic and long term usage of mobile phone certainly has
its impact on person’s life either directly or indirectly. ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is a
general rule and should be adopted here also by following the simple measures as mentioned
above.

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