Radiation literature survey

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This animal study looked into any effects in the behaviour of mice due to in utero exposure to 9.417 GHz microwave radiation (type of radiofrequency, RF, radiation) during gestation. In some tests, the mice demonstrated less mobility indicating increased anxiety-related behaviour. Whilst in other tests less immobility was observed which correlates to decreased depression-related behaviour. It was also observed that male offspring showed decreased learning and memory, which was not observed in the female offspring. The authors suggested that microwaves may have gender-dependent effects on behaviour.

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To date there is still no established evidence that microwave radiation exposure during gestational period causes any neurobehavioural issues in animals. Although there are some studies such as this one showing possible effects other studies do not corroborate these findings. In this study the exposure was at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2 Watts per kilogram (W/kg), which is at the public exposure limit in the current Australian Standard. The frequency used in this experiment is typically used for satellite communication and radar and is not normally encountered by the public in the everyday environment.

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This animal study investigated the effects of Wi-Fi RF exposure on tooth development in growing rats. In the study rats were exposed to either RF radiation at 2.45 GHz (SAR = 0.009 W/kg) or sham for 2 hours per day during the periods of pregnancy (21 days) and lactation (21 days). The offspring were also exposed for up to 21 days after birth. Examination of the offspring’s teeth found no effect on the development of the teeth and surrounding tissues. However there were alterations in the teeth’s elemental composition especially in iron, copper and zinc suggesting that short-term exposure to Wi-Fi may cause an imbalance in the oxidative stress condition in the teeth of growing rats.

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This in vitro study investigated whether mobile phone RF exposure (at a SAR of 0.023 W/kg) affects the neurons of epileptic rat. The authors found that neurons were affected by epileptic episodes but not exposure to RF radiation.

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This is a pooled analysis of two case-control studies that investigated the risk of malignant brain tumours with the use of mobile and cordless (wireless) phones. A total of 1498 brain tumour cases and 3530 controls were included in the analysis. Overall, it was found that mobile phone use increased the risk of glioma (odds ratio, OR = 1.3, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 1.1 – 1.6). The risk increased with longer latency period, especially in the group that used mobile phones for more than 25 years. Use of cordless phones increased the risk to OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1-1.7. The highest risk was for ipsilateral mobile or cordless phone use (used at the same side of the head as the tumour location) at OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.4-2.2 and OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3-2.1, respectively. The authors concluded that these results support the hypothesis that RF exposure from wireless phones cause glioma.

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This is a cross-sectional study investigated the association between mobile phone use and inattention in a group of 7,102 adolescent participants. The authors reported an association between self-reported mobile phone use (more than 60 minutes a day) and inattention in adolescents.

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It is unclear from these results if the inattention was due to the radiofrequency radiation exposure or due to being distracted from using the phone.

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This case-control study looked at the association between long-term mobile and cordless (wireless) phone use and the survival of glioma patients. In the study wireless phone use was compared among 1678 glioma patients. The study found decreased survival for glioma patients with wireless phone use of more than 20 years (odds ratio, OR = 1.7, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 1.2-2.3). For the most malignant glioma type, glioblastoma multiforme, mobile phone use yielded OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.4-2.9 and cordless phone use OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.04-11 (for use of more than 20 years). However the study found lower OR (increased survival) for the less malignant glioma types. The authors conclude that this study strengthens the proposed causal association between use of wireless phones and glioma.

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There have been several case-control studies since 2000 looking at the association between mobile phone use and brain tumours. The majority of these can be divided into two main groups: (a) the studies by Hardell and co‑workers (some of which have also included cordless phones) and (b) the INTERPHONE studies.

Hardell and colleagues have published quite a number of papers since 2000 based on six original case-control studies performed in Sweden; some of which have been pooled analyses of the results. Khurana et al (2009) summarised the Hardell results as showing statistically significant positive associations between glioma or acoustic neuroma and use of wireless phones. The risks increased with latency period, particularly of more than 10 years, and with cumulative mobile phone use of more than 2000 hours.

The INTERPHONE project, which is coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, is a multi-national series of case-control studies (from thirteen different countries including Australia) testing whether using mobile phones is associated with an increased risk of various cancers in the head and neck. The INTERPHONE studies were based on a common core protocol to enable valid data pooling.

A pooled analysis of the INTERPHONE studies for malignant brain tumours (glioma and meningioma) showed no overall association (INTERPHONE Study Group, 2010 (PDF 187 kb)). There were suggestions of an association (most pronounced for glioma) in the group representing individuals with the highest cumulative call time. The authors note that limitations of the methodology prevent conclusions of causality being drawn from these observations.

Although the Hardell studies are similar to the INTERPHONE studies there are subtle methodological differences which might account for the deviating results.

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This in vitro study investigated the effects of static magnetic fields on the development of rats’ muscle cells. Cells were exposed to static magnetic fields (60-400 mT) created by a permanent magnet. The authors found that exposure to static magnetic fields at a few times the strength of the earth’s magnetic field can have a stimulating effect on proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells and increase in intracellular calcium concentration.

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This case-control study assessed the association between living next to high voltage power lines and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the study the distance of the residential address between 1,139 ALS patients was compared to that of 2,864 controls. The study found no increased risk of ALS in persons living in close vicinity of a power line compared to persons who had always lived at a distance of at least 600 meters. The authors conclude that there was no association between living next to high voltage power lines and ALS.

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This in vitro study investigated the effects of millimetre wave (MMW) exposure on the gene expression in human cells (keratinocytes). Thermal effects were investigated by exposing the cells to MMW at 20 mW/cm². Significant modification of keratinocyte gene expression was observed, due to the thermal effects of MMW. However there was no modification in gene expression, when the temperature of the exposed cells was artificially maintained constant.

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This is a pooled analysis of all the epidemiological studies investigating extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MF) and childhood cancer and specifically leukaemia. There was no statistically significant association between ELF MF and childhood cancer or leukaemia. The authors suggest that the International Agency for Research on Cancer classification (IARC) of ELF MF as possibly carcinogenic should be revised (IARC, 2002).

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Previous pooled analyses have reported an association between prolonged exposure to higher than normal ELF MF and childhood leukaemia (Ahlbom et al, 2000 and Greenland et al, 2000). Based on these results IARC classified ELF MF as possibly carcinogenic. In his investigation Leitgeb applies different methods to include more studies in his pooled analysis compared to previous pooled analyses.