"The continuous non-controlled exposure of the entire civilization to low-intensity EMFs now represents a more serious problem for mankind than ionizing radiation where the sources of radiation are under strict control and are well localized...
"More than 10 years ago, at a WHO-organized meeting on harmonization of standards, one of the authors of this article pointed out that neglecting the hazard of high-frequency EMF for children is a crime against humanity.
"The scientific and medical communities are obliged to ring the bell – the health and standardization institutions must urgently develop recommendations and actions for the protection of civilization and especially children."
by Marko Markov, Research International, Williamsville, NY, USA, and
Yuri G. Grigoriev, Russian National Committee of Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, Moscow, Russia
Published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, June 2013
Published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, June 2013
Following are extracts. See here for document in full.
The twenty-first century is marked with exponentially increasing development of technologies that provide wireless communications. To the pollution of the atmosphere with radio and TVsignals, not only satellite communications but also any varieties of the Wi-Fi networks are added. By 2010 in the USA, 285 million mobile phone subscribers have been registered (for a little bit more than 300 million inhabitants). The estimate for the world is more than 5 billion mobile phone users at approximately 7 billion people living on this planet. Approximately 2 years ago, the International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the electromagnetic fields used in mobile communication as a possible cancerogene. This paper discusses the potential health hazard and lack of scientific assessment and regulatory actions in protection of the life on the planet
The fast development of satellite communications, followed by wireless communications and recently Wi-Fi technology dramatically, changes the electromagnetic environment. To continuous action of complex and unknown (by sources, amplitudes, frequencies) electromagnetic fields is exposed entire biosphere and every organism living on this planet. We usually neglect this complex that includes radio and TV transmissions, satellite signals, mobile phones and base stations and wireless communications. Speaking on the potential hazard of Wi-Fi technologies, one should not forget that it includes not only mobile phones but also more importantly all means of emitters and distributors of Wi-Fi signals, mainly antennas, base stations and satellites. In many public locations, own systems are introduced in order to facilitate the work performance. Well, this might be understood. However, why Wi-Fi communications are secured in the subway tunnels? It obviously requires high and oriented power to which are exposed all passengers in the trains. Just to make comfortable the users of mobile phones or other WiFi gadgets.The search for specificity of the Wi-Fi technology can point to the following:
The fast development of satellite communications, followed by wireless communications and recently Wi-Fi technology dramatically, changes the electromagnetic environment. To continuous action of complex and unknown (by sources, amplitudes, frequencies) electromagnetic fields is exposed entire biosphere and every organism living on this planet. We usually neglect this complex that includes radio and TV transmissions, satellite signals, mobile phones and base stations and wireless communications. Speaking on the potential hazard of Wi-Fi technologies, one should not forget that it includes not only mobile phones but also more importantly all means of emitters and distributors of Wi-Fi signals, mainly antennas, base stations and satellites. In many public locations, own systems are introduced in order to facilitate the work performance. Well, this might be understood. However, why Wi-Fi communications are secured in the subway tunnels? It obviously requires high and oriented power to which are exposed all passengers in the trains. Just to make comfortable the users of mobile phones or other WiFi gadgets.The search for specificity of the Wi-Fi technology can point to the following:
- Popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data wirelessly (using radio waves) over a computer network, including high-speed Internet.
- A device that uses Wi-Fi can connect to a network resource such as the Internet via a wireless network access point. Such an access point has a range of about20m (65ft) indoors and a greater range outdoors. As a result,
- brains of 7,000,000,000 people are exposed to unknown spectrum of EMF,
- brains of 7,000,000,000 people are exposed to unknown spectrum of EMF,
- there are no criteria for hazard,
- no monitoring,
- no research and
- no prevention.
- no research and
- no prevention.
Generally speaking, we do not know if or to which extent the Wi-Fi radiation alters the physiology of normal, healthy organisms. The situation became more complex when we are asking about the influence on children, on aging adults or sick individuals. Especially for children we should point that:
- children are exposed to all spectrum of EMF that polluted the biosphere,
- who is brave enough to say that Wi-Fi cannot influence the children’s brain which is still underdeveloped,
- children are prone to electronic toys – cell phones and wireless games.
- children are exposed to all spectrum of EMF that polluted the biosphere,
- who is brave enough to say that Wi-Fi cannot influence the children’s brain which is still underdeveloped,
- children are prone to electronic toys – cell phones and wireless games.
Wi-Fi and mobile communications effects on children
To the large range of high-frequency electromagnetic fields is exposed any age group –from babies to very old people, most of which do not have interest toward mobile communications. This is extremely dangerous especially for children who use mobile phones from early age without any control from the site of their parents. In evaluation of the mobile phone EMF hazard for children, the main problem is the direct effect of the EMF on the brain of the child, which is the critical organ.One should remember that the child’s brain is still in process of the physiological development. Moreover, using the mobile phones children expose to EMF daily and in duration of years not only brain, but the complex nerve structures in the internal year that are responsible for normal functioning of the hearing and of the vestibular analyzers (Grigoriev, 2006a,b, 2012b). We discuss the basic principles for the estimation of the hazard of microwave EMF for this part of population who most frequently use contemporary modalities of the wireless communications – children and young adults.
To the large range of high-frequency electromagnetic fields is exposed any age group –from babies to very old people, most of which do not have interest toward mobile communications. This is extremely dangerous especially for children who use mobile phones from early age without any control from the site of their parents. In evaluation of the mobile phone EMF hazard for children, the main problem is the direct effect of the EMF on the brain of the child, which is the critical organ.One should remember that the child’s brain is still in process of the physiological development. Moreover, using the mobile phones children expose to EMF daily and in duration of years not only brain, but the complex nerve structures in the internal year that are responsible for normal functioning of the hearing and of the vestibular analyzers (Grigoriev, 2006a,b, 2012b). We discuss the basic principles for the estimation of the hazard of microwave EMF for this part of population who most frequently use contemporary modalities of the wireless communications – children and young adults.
- For the first time in the history of our civilization, the most critical systems inhuman organism – brain and the nerve structures – inside the internal year of children and adults are exposed to complicated and unknown exposure to EMF.
- Due to physiological reasons, the brain of a child exhibited higher rates of specific absorption of EMF compared with adult’s brain. Thus, more compartments of the brain are exposed to high-frequency EMF, including those responsible for intellectual development. Recently, data about unfavorable influence of the EMF on the cognitive function of the brain have been published (Grigoriev, 2012b).
- Once again, children’s brain is in the stage of physiological development and formation of the analytical function could be inhibited, including thed evelopment of pathological functions, such as epileptic syndrome (Grigoriev &Sidorenko, 2011).
- Children became owners of the mobile phones and other uncontrolled sources of EMF.
- Due to the age specificity, children cannot evaluate the potential hazard of the mobile phone. Rather they consider it as a wonderful tool for communication and entertainment.
- Taking into account the technological development in the wireless communications, it will be fair to say that children at the age of 3–4 will be using mobile communication longer than their parents with respect to their entire life. Thereis evidence that today the children and young adults are the most aggressive users of mobile communications and Wi-Fi technology.
- It is unfortunate that with support and encouragement of parents these two groups are exposed for long hours to uncontrolled influence of EMF in RF range.In addition, as shown by Divan, Kheifets, and Obel (2008), today one cannot neglect the fact that even during the embryonic development the child organism could be exposed to electromagnetic influence.It is reasonable to remind the position of the WHO “CHILDREN ARE DIFFERENT FROM ADULTS.”
- Once again, children’s brain is in the stage of physiological development and formation of the analytical function could be inhibited, including thed evelopment of pathological functions, such as epileptic syndrome (Grigoriev &Sidorenko, 2011).
- Children became owners of the mobile phones and other uncontrolled sources of EMF.
- Due to the age specificity, children cannot evaluate the potential hazard of the mobile phone. Rather they consider it as a wonderful tool for communication and entertainment.
- Taking into account the technological development in the wireless communications, it will be fair to say that children at the age of 3–4 will be using mobile communication longer than their parents with respect to their entire life. Thereis evidence that today the children and young adults are the most aggressive users of mobile communications and Wi-Fi technology.
- It is unfortunate that with support and encouragement of parents these two groups are exposed for long hours to uncontrolled influence of EMF in RF range.In addition, as shown by Divan, Kheifets, and Obel (2008), today one cannot neglect the fact that even during the embryonic development the child organism could be exposed to electromagnetic influence.It is reasonable to remind the position of the WHO “CHILDREN ARE DIFFERENT FROM ADULTS.”
Children have a unique vulnerability. As they grow and develop, there are “windows of susceptibility”: periods when their organs and systems may be particularly sensitive to the effect of certain environmental threats (WHO,2003, 5p.). Unfortunately, there is lack of scientific data and analysis of the estimation of the potential hazard of mobile communications. Nobody investigates thoroughly the potential damages in the brain of children, which potentially could occur in their developing brain (Markov, 2012). Studies of potential of development of the long-range modification of the brain functions in children whose brain have been exposed to continuous irradiation with high-frequency EMF are completely absent.Therefore, we should start from zero. At the same time, international and governmental agencies responsible for standards are slow in responding to the exponential growth of technologies and in principle completely neglect the hazard for children (Grigoriev, 2008; Markov, 2012).
More than 10 years ago, at the WHO organized meeting on harmonization of standards one of the authors pointed out that neglecting the hazard of high-frequency EMF for children is a crime against humanity (Markov, 2001). It should be stressed that at ionizing radiation the dose/effect dependence is present in any case of consideration, while with nonionizing radiation the threshold effect is basically absent, the occurrence of bioeffects needs some time todevelop and might be diminished or enlarge by modulation (Grigoriev, 2006,a,b). It is unfortunate that until now scientists, politicians and lawmakers under-estimate the unfavorable effects on human health that may occur as a result of long, continuous exposure to non-ionizing radiation (often exposure from different factors). The other problem arises from the engineering community, which forces the notion that non-thermal effects are only of importance. We believe that scientific community must be more insisting in comprehension of potential hazard that mobile exchange of information is potentially invoked in human organisms. In that aspect, it is very important that the IARCclassified the RF EMF as a possible cancerogene (2B). It is important to note that for less than two years this major International Agency switched from “noconclusive evidence for health hazard” to “possible cancerogene”.
At the same time, ICNIRP continues to affirm that “the trend in the accumulating evidence is against the hypothesis that mobile phones can cause brain tumors in adults” (Boice & Tarone, 2011). A question eventually arises “Why ICNIRP takes this position?” We may offer two different, but eventually complimentary answers: first, most of the funding forICNIRP is coming from industry and second, eventually more important – most of the members of ICNIRP are engineers for whom only thermal effects may cause biological effects. It is time that scientific community in general as well as radiobiologists andmagnetobiologist rings the bell that it is time to recognize and estimate the potential hazard for human health of the increasingly elevated background radiation levels. In 2003, IEEE published astandard that affirmed that biological effects can only bethermal (Cho & D’Andrea, 2003). No heat – no effect. This policy serves very well in the industry and creates a serious barrier preventing biology-based assessment of the human health.The scientific community must be more insisting in comprehension of potential hazard that mobile exchange of information potentially invoke in human organisms.In addition, the development of nuclear medicine and nuclear energy elevates the radiation background over the planet, not even considering Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters (Akahane et al., 2012; Grigoriev, 2012c).
In conclusion, we would like to point out the following:
1. For a number of reasons, the evaluation and prevention of hazard from ionizing radiation have been developed during the last 60 years.
2. The problem of potential hazard of non-ionizing radiation is studied for significantly shorter period of time and significant differences in standards indifferent countries can be seen. It is due to the fact that in North America the standards are based on engineering computation, while in former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe the standards are biologically based. Despite all efforts of the WHO for harmonization of standards, today standards do not consider the real pollution of the environment with non-ionizing radiation.
3. The comparison of both sources of radiation leads to conclusion that the continuous non-controlled exposure of the entire civilization to low-intensity EMFs represents now more serious problem for the mankind than ionizing radiation where the sources of radiation are under strict control and are well localized.
4. For the first time in the history of mankind, because of aggressive use of mobile phones children are exposed to harmful non-ionizing radiation and potentially are subject of larger risk than adults. Even if the dose received by the children’s brain is the same as for adults, due to the specificity of the body size and physiological development, children are in greater danger. It might be compared to the hazard of EMF for professional groups.
5. In early 2012, the European Parliament voted by 512 to 16 to urge member countries to impose stricter limits for exposure to radiation from mobile phone and Wi-Fi technologies, especially taking care for the most sensitive population of children.
6. The scientific and medical communities are obliged to ring the bell – the health and standardization institutions must urgently develop recommendations and actions for protection of the civilization and especially children.
7. We should stop telling the science, politicians and general population that Wi-Fi is harmless.
8. We should better be honest and say that “we do not know what long-term effects might be.”
Who else if not we? When if not now?
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