ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

By: Vrijheid M, Martinez D, Forns J, Guxens M, Julvez J, Ferrer M, Sunyer J
Published in: Epidemiology 2010: in press

This is a cohort study investigating prenatal and postnatal exposure to mobile phones and neurobehavioral problems in children. A birth cohort (group of pregnant women) was established in Sabadell (city in Spain) between 2004 and 2006. Mothers provided information on mobile phone use via a questionnaire in week 32 of their pregnancy. The development of the neurological function of the brains of their children was tested at age 14 months by assessing motor, language and cognitive development. The results showed only small differences in neurodevelopment between the children of mothers who used mobile phones and children of mothers who weren’t mobile phone users. The authors conclude that this study gives little evidence for an adverse effect of maternal mobile phone use during pregnancy on the early neurodevelopment of their offspring.

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There is limited research investigating the association between radiofrequency (RF) field exposure prior to or during pregnancy and behavioural problems in children. Another cohort study by Divan et al (2008 – included in the June 2008 report) reported an association between prenatal and (to a lesser extent) postnatal exposure to mobile phones and behavioural problems in children aged 7 years. However reporting errors in regard to the behaviour or to the exposure (both reported by the parents at age 7 of the child) or unmeasured confounding factors (other explanations for the result) could have biased results, and the authors cautioned against interpreting the association as being causal.

The 2009 review by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) on “Health Effects of Exposure to EMF” discussed epidemiological and animal studies on adverse developmental effects of RF fields. The SCENIHR review mentions that numerous animal studies have clearly shown that RF fields cause developmental effects at exposure levels that are sufficiently high to cause significant increase of temperature (greater than 1 degree Celsius). However the SCENIHR review also mentions that there is no consistent evidence of adverse effects at low exposure levels. Finally SCENIHR mentions that the limited number and statistical power of epidemiological studies to date, as well as their inconsistent findings preclude any definite conclusions.

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By:  Hirata A et al
Published in: IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2010: in press

This study investigated the threshold for exposure at 2.5 GHz RF radiation causing behavioural signs in rabbits due to thermal stress. The results showed that a core body temperature elevation of 1 degree Celsius is an estimate of the threshold causing behavioural signs of RF-induced thermal stress in rabbits. The whole-body average Specific Absorption Rate (SAR - rate at which energy from radiofrequency fields is absorbed by the body) required for behavioural signs in rabbits was estimated as approximately 1.3 Watts per kilogram (W/kg) at 2.45 GHz. The limit for whole-body SAR to members of the public in Australia is 0.08 W/kg.

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By:  Hirose H et al
Published in: Bioelectromagnetics. 2010 Feb;31(2):104-12.

This is an in vitro study investigating the effect of mobile phone RF signals (1950 MHz  Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) on microglial cells (type of brain cells). Primary microglial cell cultures prepared from neonatal rats were subjected to a WCDMA signal or sham field (no exposure) for 2 hours at different SAR levels (0.2, 0.8, and 2.0 W/kg). No statistically significant differences were observed between any of the cultures subjected to the RF signal and the sham field. The authors conclude that these findings suggest that exposure to RF fields up to 2 W/kg does not activate microglial cells in vitro.

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By:  Chen C et al
Published in: Breast Cancer Res Treat 2010: in press

This is a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies investigating exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) and female breast cancer. The meta-analysis included 15 studies published over the period 2000 to 2009 and encompassing 24,338 cases (of breast cancer) and 60,628 controls (not having breast cancer). Subjects were deemed as being exposed if they exceeded 0.2 µT. The results showed no significant association between ELF-EMF exposure and female breast cancer overall (Odds Ratio = 0.988, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.898-1.088) and in all the subgroup analyses by exposure modes, menopausal status, and estrogen receptor status. The authors conclude that this meta-analysis suggests that ELF-EMF exposure has no association with the susceptibility of female breast cancer.

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By:  Leszczynski D, Xu Z
Published in: Health Res Policy Syst 2010: in press

In this paper the authors review the in vitro, animal and epidemiological studies in relation to the safety standards for mobile phone RF emissions. The authors conclude that the presently available scientific evidence is insufficient to prove reliability of the current safety standards. They recommend to use precaution when dealing with mobile phones and, whenever possible and feasible, to limit the RF exposure to the body. They further recommend further research on mobile phones and health effects.

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By:  Panda NK et al
Published in: J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2010; 39 (1): 5 – 11

This is a cross-sectional study investigating a possible association between  Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) mobile phones and auditory function. The subjects who took part in the study included 112 long-term mobile phone users (more than 1 year) and 50 non-users (had never used a mobile phone). All subjects took part in a variety of audiologic investigations. Trends for audiologic abnormalities were seen within the users. The authors conclude that long-term and intensive mobile phone use may cause inner ear damage however they note that a large sample size would be required to reach definitive conclusions.

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