Mobile Phone Radiation Review Of Scientific Research Published
Are Blue Tooth headsets safe? - Which Mobile Phones give out the most radiation? Are Cordless phones a health probelm?
The latest review of scientific research into mobile phone (cellphone) radiation has been published by a well-known and respected US based research and pressure group - Environmental Working Group.+
The review not only examines the findings of current reaseach into mobile phone radiation and the effects on health, but also shows current evidence with regard to Blue Tooth radiation emissions and those of cordless home phones (DECT). It also identifies the worst and best manufacturers when it coems to phone radiation emisssions - with soem surprising results.
In its executive summary, the report states,
"Scientific research conducted over the past decade has
associated cell phone radiation with increased risk of
developing brain and salivary gland tumors, neurological
symptoms such as migraine and vertigo, and
neurodevelopmental effects observed as behavioral problems
in young children (BioInitiative 2007; Divan 2008; Kundi 2009;
Sadetzki 2008; Schuz 2009)."
Recent studies link mobile phone radiation to:
* Brain cancer: Two analyses of 25 original publications
identified a 50 to 90 percent increase in risk for two types
of brain tumors: glioma and acoustic neuroma (Hardell
2009, Kundi 2009).
* Salivary gland tumors: An Israeli study found an
increased risk of 50 to 60 percent for salivary gland
tumors among people with highest cell phone use
(Sadetzki 2008).
* Behavioral problems: A study of 13,159 Danish children
showed 80 percent elevated risk for emotional and
hyperactivity problems among young children who use
cell phones and whose mothers also used cell phones
during pregnancy (Divan 2008).
*
Migraines and vertigo: A study of 420,095 Danish adults
showed that long-term cell phone users were 10 to 20
percent more likely to be hospitalized for migraines and
vertigo than people who took up cell phones more
recently. (Schuz 2009).
The review explains mobile phone radiation absorption rates:
"Biological effects caused by radiofrequency radiation depend on the rate at which the energy is absorbed by a
particular mass of tissue, calculated as specific absorption rate, or SAR, and measured in watts per kilogram
(W/kg). Since brain structures on the side where a cell phone is used (the ipsilateral side) receive significantly
higher dose of radiation, and since radiation is unevenly absorbed into different types of tissues (bone, cartilage,
nervous tissue, or distinct anatomical structures within the brain), international experts agree that more precise
SAR measurements can be obtained when averaging over a smaller volume of tissue (Cardis 2008).
In general, energy absorption rate increases with greater conductivity of tissue and decreases with greater tissue
density. Absorption rate is also directly proportional to the intensity of the electromagnetic field (its power density)."
Despite claims by most manufactuers that using a Blue Tooth or corded mobile phone headset will reduce exposure levels to zero, the current research shows this not to be true. The Specific Absortion Rate figure is used to determine the amount of mobile phone radiation that is absorbed by the human body when in contact with the radiation source e.i. the mobile phone itself or the blue tooth headset.
Page 26 of the report deals with this issue and states:
"Bluetooth transmitters operate at frequency around 2.4 GHz. Bluetooth devices are assigned to one of three
power classes: 1, 2 and 3. Class 2 transmitters – most commonly found in mobile devices – have a range of 30
feet (10 meters) and operate at 2.5 mW peak transmission power; class 3 devices are weaker than class 2,
operating at peak transmission power of 1 mW in a range of less than 10 meters. Class 1 transmitters are the
most powerful, with a range of 300 feet and peak transmission power of 100 mW. Class 1 Bluetooth devices can
cause exposure to radiation similar to that emitted by a cell phone if they are operated in the immediate vicinity of
the body. Bluetooth devices are designed to limit the radiation power exactly to that actually required. When the
receiving device indicates that it is a few meters away, the transmitter immediately modifies its signal strength to
suit the exact range, which reduces the total emitted radiation and signal interference (IT'IS 2005).
A study commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) measured SAR for several Bluetooth
devices, including two different class 3 hands-free cell phone headsets. The headsets tested had SAR values of
0.001 and 0.003 W/kg, which is 34 and 12 times lower than the SAR of the lowest-emission cell phone currently
available (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health 2009a)."
It goes on to refer to absoprtion of radiation in other parts of the body of those using a bluetooth headset:
"Of note, while the Bluetooth headset reduces radiation exposure to the head, transmission strength from the
phone itself is not decreased. Bluetooth headset users frequently keep their phone in a pocket or clipped to the
belt, a position that leads to radiation exposure of internal organs (Whittow 2008). ...........
While the health effects of this exposure have not yet been assessed, the Swiss
FOPH recommended that “cell phones should not be carried in a front trouser pocket when making calls” and that
it may be safest “to hold the phone away from the body to reduce radiation exposure” (Swiss Federal Office of
Public Health 2009a). Furthermore, a study from the Loughborough University (U.K.) reported that realistic
everyday metallic objects found near the waistline, including a coin, a ring and a zipper increased the SAR in the
body at different frequencies (Whittow 2008)."
With regard to corded headsets being used in connection with mobile phoens, the report conlcudes that:
"
One conclusion is clear: radiation exposure to the head is reduced with the use of a cordless headset, according
to studies from the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the Queen's University of Belfast (Troulis
2003) and the University of York Department of Electronics reached similar conclusions (Porter 2004) and
Motorola (Bit-Babik 2003).
The Motorola study reported that, with a headset, SAR in the head is 8 times lower than when making calls
holding the phone to the ear (Bit-Babik 2003). While this is a significant decrease, some degree of radiation
exposure to the head occurs nevertheless (Bit-Babik 2003), which stands in contrast to statements from wired
headset manufacturers that “SAR readings at the head are virtually zero when a corded mobile headset is used”
(Plantronics 2005)."
Not much has been made public by manufacturers of the ehalth risks of using digitalk cordless phones in the home, but this report gives soem detail as to the issues involved with the radiation these type of phone emit on a continuous basis:
"Several studies on the association between cell phone use and cancer have raised question about the potential health impact of radiofrequency radiation from cordless home phones which is the same type of radiation as that
emitted by cell phones (Hardell, Carlberg 2006b; Hardell 2003; Mild 2007).
A recently published study from
Switzerland found that people who owned either a cordless phone or a mobile phone received more exposure to
radio frequency radiation than those not owning either type of phone (Frei 2009).
While the cordless phone handset emits radiation only during a call (same as a cell phone), radiation emission
from the cordless phone base station are continuous even when no calls are made (BfS 2008a).
The German
Federal Office of Radiation Protection recently issued a new requirement for cordless home phone models
whereby base stations must be automatically switched off when not in use or when in standby mode (BfS 2008a).
The Swiss government recommended keeping cordless phone base units away from relaxation places or work
stations occupied for long periods as well as using a corded phone or a headset instead of a standard cordless
phone (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health 2009b)."
You can check out the radiation levels from your own mobile phone by model and manufactuer here
Download the full EWG Cellphone Radiation report and the EWG Annual Report 2007 from the E-Library Database here
Source: EWG
+The US based Environmental Working Group (EWG) goal is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. EWG is a non-profit organization, founded in 1993.
