This review focused on three related studies conducted by Frererei (2006), Tavaneinen (2007) and D’andra (2009), whose correlated the matters released by the MPs; heat, radio frequencies as well as microwaves and its effect on the human health using different indicators of health hazard such as increasing the temperature of the ear canal, the hemisphere brain excitability and the up-regulation of heat shock proteins. Although, all of those studies examined that the matters released by the MP positively correlated with such parameters, they did not end up with a conclusion that the MPs do jeopardize the human health.
Keywords; mobile phones, heat, radio frequency, microwave, ear canal
1 Introduction
Recently, mobile phones have been used by more than 500 million people around the world (Frereri, F., 2006). This number will be continuously increased as the MPs price goes down. Those facts raised a concern of many researchers to examine its effect on human health, particularly caused by its radiation as well as heat dissipation. It is generally known that MPs release several matters that can be categorized into heat and non-heat emission. The heat is elicited from the battery, while the non-heat in form of radio frequencies (RF) and microwaves emitted by the antenna or the transmission system (Ferreri et al, 2006). These matters are suspiciously assumed as hazardous matters on human health (Tavanein et al, 2007). This assumption attracted several researchers such as Tavanein, K et al, D’Andrea, et al, French W, et al and others to examine such important issues by undergoing empirical analysis to examine the safety of using the MP. Upon their studies, the researchers set of what they called as “hazardous indicators” such as; increasing the ear canal temperature may cause a brain defect, stress disorder and even tumor; excitability of hemisphere brain lead and upregulation of heat shock proteins are a good indication of brain cancer development. They have done the studies successfully and proving the MP using has positive correlation with such hazardous indicator, however, none of them ended up with a decisive conclusion of that using MP harm on human health.
This essay will discuss the studies held by those researches in detail as well as the reasons why such scientists failed to result a conclusion that mobile phones do have negative impacts on human health, despite their results examined so. In the end, this essay will concisely put the author recommendations regarding how people should behave in relation of using the MP.
2 Materials and Methodology
This essay will review three studies that have been done in the past that investigate the effects of MPs on the health; the studies about of heat and radio frequencies (RF) emitted by the MP and its influence to increase the ear canal temperature by Tavaneinen et.al; the study about the radio frequencies its effect on hemisphere brain excitability and upregulation of heat shock proteins by Peter W. French et al., as well as the literature review of D’Andra, of et.al. which focused on effect of microwave on the nervous system (NS).
3 The Related Studies held in the past
Many studies have been conducted in the past to investigate whether MPs do have deleterious effects on human health. Mann & Ro¨schke, 1996; Borbelyetal.,1999 ; Preeceetal., 1999, were the list of researches that investigated the influences of using the MPs on health. The studies that focused on investigating the influence of the heat emitted by the MPs and its effect toward the increase of the ear canal temperature were held by Tahvanainen , K., et. al., in 2007. They examined that the heat produced by the battery and reaches its peak on the “calling or receiving” mode as the maximum power is needed to support the antenna. Such heat is transferred from the battery to soft tissues – usually cheek and ear – whereby the MPs attached to. It then flowed conductively along such soft tissues to eventually reach the ear canal. As a result, the ear canal temperature was risen up by 1.2o – . As it was presumed by Tahvanainen K., et. al, that an increase of 1oC of ear canal may cause malfunction of brain, stress behavioral and even tumor and cancer propagation.
Besides investigating the effect of the heat, Thavenin K. et.al. also examined the effects of radio frequency (RF) – other matters released by MP – on increasing of the ear canal temperature. This is aimed to purvey the past studies that merely considered heat as a trigger of rising up of the ear canal. During the study, Thavenin K. et.al involved 20 people as samples to use a MP for 35 minutes along. Thavanenin et al then recorded the changes of ear canal temperature. As a result, they eventually noted that whenever the samples engaged a dual band MP (in this case using Nokia type 6150), after 35 minutes exposition, it was accounted increases of ear canal temperature by 1.2o C and 1.3 o C of using 900 and 1800 MHz system respectively. Other researcher even accounted increasing of ear canal temperature by 3.1oC – 5.0oC whenever infrared method – a different methodology of calculating the ear canal warm up – was applied. Regardless of how much the temperature increase was, Tahvanainen K. et al concluded that radio frequencies (RF) do significantly warm-up the ear canal.
Another target of investigation was conducted by another researcher. An experiment held by Ferreri, F. et al has been undergone to investigate the influences of electromagnetic field (EMF) released by the MP to the excitability of hemisphere brain. This excitability represents brain defects and induces stress-related disorder, vomit, dizziness and headache, and in the long term may cause cancer. In this investigation, fifteen males were exposed to the EMF for 45 minutes along. Ferreri, F. et al then recorded such excitability by using a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (MTS). Furthermore, the level of the hemisphere exposition called Motor Evoked Potential (MEPs) was measured. As a result, by using empirical analyses, Ferreri, F. et al concluded that there were definitive effects of using the MP on the excitability of the motor cortex adjacent of the hemisphere brain.
The other study of investigating an effect of the EMF emitted by MPs and its possibility causing a brain cancer was held by Peter W. French et al. This experiment differs to the previous study held by Ferreri, et all in term of the parameter they were using to examine the cancer causer. They still scrutinized the effect of EMF from MPs, however, instead of using the excitability of hemisphere brain, French applied another parameter called heat sock protein. The upregulation of heat shock proteins (Hsps), is known as an anticancer medication. The heat shock response is universal and highly conserved, present in all organisms from bacteria to plants and animals. It functions as a substantial mechanism for the cells protection from exposure to a harmful ‘stresses’. Whilst temperature elevation was the first inducer of the response hence the name) it is now recognized as a general response to a wide variety of other stresses, including alcohols, heavy metals, oxidative stress, or osmotic pressure changes (French, P.W., 2001). Through their article titled “Mobile phones, heat shock proteins and cancer” published by Blackwell Wissenschafts – Verlag, 22 February 2001, they exposed their finding. Through such a study they successfully proved that the EMF emitted by the MP did activate the heat sock protein (Hsps). They concluded that RF emitted from the MPs have a level of ”more than enough” of triggering the heat shock responses.
Another study was held by D’Andrea et al. By reviewing many literatures, they exposed the effect of microwave emitted by MPs on central nervous system. Through the article titled “Microwave Effects on the Nervous System (NS)”, they assumed that such microwave might bring deleterious influences on the brain function, particularly on the NS working system. This conclusion was based on the fact that human brain consists of billion of neurons, which transmit electrical waves. Moreoever, the nervous system (NS) was considered to be the most sensitive to the electromagnetic (EM) exposure[1], therefore an external electromagnetic including microwaves emitted from the MP, might induce then disturbed the whole system balances.
4 Discussion
Thavenin K. et.al. have examined that the heat produced by the MP lead to rise up the ear canal temperatures, therefore may cause a brain cancer formation. However, some people argued that heat caused by MP was not big issues since it could be easily resolved by avoiding a direct contact between the skin and the MP. It could be held by putting the MP away from the skin either by using headset or “loudspeaker” mode[2]. As a result, since there is no conductive heat transfer between the MP and the skin, using the MP will not increase the ear canal temperature, therefore there is no possibility of cancer propagation. Such a reason can be very well understood. However, most of the MP users prefer do not using either loudspeaker modes or handset. They still attached the MP on their ear. It is well understood since the loudspeaker feature was not available on every MP brands and types. In addition, using loudspeaker mode often disturbs the surrounding people due to noisy sounds. Likewise loudspeaker modes, headset is sometime useless. Since incoming call often suddenly come, most of MP users tend to pick up the MP rather than plug the headset in prior to answering the call and the MP is still attached to the user’s ear. As a result, the ear canal temperature still tends to increase.
However, other researchers also compelled that increasing 1oC of the ear canal temperature is nothing and will not cause cancer since human is used to have such temperature. Under sunlight exposition, the ear canal temperature will increase for more than 1oC. Furthermore, the body has a cooling system i.e blood circulation by which wash away the heat from the ear canal.
Even if there were many experiments have been conducted to investigate the relationship between matters released by MP and its possibility to adversely affect human health, the researcher failed to yield a conclusive verdict whether MPs do or do not harmful human health. It is understandable since there were many constraints were involved. There are three main problems can be risen up. First, exposing periods[3] were too short. Most of observations are held below 24 hours. Some of them were merely taken 30 minutes. It is obviously insufficient to represent the entire human lifetime. Otherwise, it is impossible to examine samples, who are human being, into a laboratory condition – that may take several weeks even months to complete. By examining within only a short time of exposition, it is likely impossible to result a representative verdict. Another reason why a firm conclusion is difficult to yield is that the MP released many matters in the same time; radio frequency, heat as well as microwaves, while the study just focused on one parameter. Upon all of studies, the researchers just investigated one parameter with a specific assumption. Therefore, it could not be specifically stated which parameter causing what effect. It is even more difficult since others parameter that have not been yet taken into account; modulation, power density, and duration of exposure (D’Andra, et.al., 2003). In addition, a valid exposure level is hard to find. Since the MP models change rapidly, on a reality, it is difficult to meet people using the same MP type within a long period of time. They tend to change their old MP with another new type. While, each MPs type has different level of exposure strength, a general conclusion could not be easily decided. (Tahvanainen, K. et all, 2007).
Besides the aforementioned effects, there are many more effects correlated with using MPs and its emissions such as :
- Microwaves cause albumin leakage into the brain via blood brain barrier,
- Under 0.3 – 2 W/kg EMF exposition can damage the genetics chromosomes,
- Radio frequencies tend to cause sleep disorder.
5 Recommendations
Many researchers have successfully done the empirical experiments to investigate the relationship MP and its possibilities endangering human health. They have obtained result as they were hypothesized. However, they have not firmly concluded whether mobile phones deleteriously affect human health. Though there is no empirical investigation stated that MPs have a negative effect on human heath, however, we could not take for granted that mobile phones are safe. Proofs always come late. Therefore, we should restrain our self to use or to from exposure mobiles phones as minimum as possible. Waiting until there are empirical to proof so, means that is too late to protect our self.
6 REFERENCES
Ahlbom, A., Green, Kheifets, L., Savitz, D. and Swerdlow, A., 2004, ‘Epidemiology of Health Effects of Radiofrequency Exposure’, ICNIRP (International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection), Environmental Health Perspectives December, vol. 112 #17.
Besset, A., Espa, E., Dauvilliers, Y., Billiard, M. and de Seze, R., 2005, ‘No Effect on Cognitive Function From Daily Mobile Phone Use’, Bioelectromagnetics, Wiley-Liss, Inc, vol. 26, p.102 – 108.
D’Andrea, J.A, Chou, C.K., Johnston, S.A. and Adair, E.R., 2003, ‘Microwave Effects on the Nervous System Naval Health Research Center Detachment’ Bioelectromagnetics Supplement, Wiley-Liss, Inc.vol.6, S107-S147.
Ferreri, F., Curcio, G., Pasqualetti, P., De Gennaro, L., Fini F, Tech, Rossini, P.M., 2006, ‘Mobile Phone Emissions and Human Brain Excitability’, Annals of Neurology, August, vol. 60, No. 2.
Feychting, M., Ahlbom, A., September 1994, ‘Magnetic Fields, Leukemia, And Central Nervous System Tumors In Swedish Adults Residing Near High-Voltage Power Lines’, Epidemiology, vol.5, p. 501-9.
French P.W., Penny, A.R., Jocelyn, A., Laurence, A.,McKenzie,D.R., 2001, ‘Mobile phones, Heat Shock Proteins And Cancer’, Differentiation, Blackwell Wissenschafts – Verlag vol. 67, p. 93 – 97.
Tahvanainen. K., Nin˜o, J., Halonen, P., Kuusela, J., Alanko, T., Laitinen, T., La¨nsimies, E., Hietanen, M., and Lindholm, H., 2007, ‘Effects of cellular phone use on ear canal temperature measured by NTC thermistors’, Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging – Journal compilation, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, vol. 27, pp. 162–172.
[1] It works by generating impulses to retain equilibrium state by which it reacts to specific stimuli (pressure, temperature, chemical and a potential).
[2] Loudspeaker mode is MP speaker-hearing type of that we may still hear the voice from particular distance. This feature is not bundled in every MP brand/type.
[3] Time exposure is duration of someone using MP (from the beginning until the end) then recorded by using specific devices.
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