Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of Global Communication system radio-frequency fields on Well Being and Cognitive Functions of human subjects with and without subjective complaints med./bio.

By: Zwamborn APM, Vossen SHJ, van Leersum BJA, Ouwens MA, Makel WN

Netherleands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)

2003, TNO report, FEL-03-C148: 1-89

Full-text

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study general symptoms and cognitive functions with and without exposure to GSM and UMTS-like fields in subjects presenting with complaints subjectively attributed to GSM fields.

Background/further details

This study is the so-called TNO study.
72 subjects (36 self-reported electrosensitive, 36 non-electrosensitive subjects) participated.

Endpoint

cognitive/behavioral endpoints: cognitive performance
well-being

Exposure

- CDMA
- TDMA
- mobile communications
- mobile phone base station
- GSM
- UMTS

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 945 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min	electric field strength: 1 V/m peak value electric field strength: 0.71 V/m effective value SAR: 0.045 mW/kg maximum (10 g) SAR: 0.000513 µW/kg average over mass (partial body)
Exposure 2: 1,840 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min	electric field strength: 1 V/m peak value electric field strength: 0.71 V/m effective value SAR: 0.082 mW/kg maximum (10 g) SAR: 0.000383 µW/kg average over mass (partial body)
Exposure 3: 2,140 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min	electric field strength: 1 V/m peak value electric field strength: 1 V/m effective value SAR: 0.078 mW/kg maximum (10 g) SAR: 0.064 mW/kg maximum (10 g) (front illumination) SAR: 0.000316 µW/kg average over mass (partial body) SAR: 0.000327 µW/kg average over mass (partial body) (front illumination)

General information

The design of the study was a completely balanced double-blind randomized three-way crossover evaluation where study subjects were allocated to exposure sessions according to a balanced block randomization (for both groups, 18 blocks of 2 subjects each) taking into account all exposure sequences. After a first training session, each subject participated in three consecutive experimental sessions with one sham (in any case) and two different RF exposures to 900, 1800, or 2100 MHz EMF.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	945 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Charakteristic	far field
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Pulse width	577 µs
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	GSM signal with time slots 0-3 on and 4-7 off resulting in an overall duty cycle of 50%

Exposure setup

Exposure source	anechoic chamber signal generator, amplifier, GSM/DCS antenna
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	3 m
Chamber	Two antennas were placed on a tripod, one antenna transmitting UMTS-like fields while the other was a dual band antenna transmitting GSM 900 MHz as well as DCS 1800 MHz fields. The amplifier and antenna combination was selected by a coaxial switch box.
Setup	The subjects were seated at a desk with their right (?) side turned to the antennas that were at a distance of 3 m from the body axis with their centre at a height of 1.5 m.
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	1 V/m	peak value	measured	-	-
electric field strength	0.71 V/m	effective value	measured	-	-
SAR	0.045 mW/kg	maximum	calculated	10 g	-
SAR	0.000513 µW/kg	average over mass	calculated	partial body	-

Additional parameter details

The SAR values indicated are local maximum and total average in the head with side illumination.

Measurement and calculation details

Field verification measurements were performed before the experiments by placing an isotropic electric field probe at the planned position of the test subjects. A monitor probe in front of the antennas was used for field verification and logging during the experiments. The SAR calculations were performed using a global numerical method called the three-dimensional volume integral equation or the WCG-FFT method [Zwamborn and van den Berg, 1992] and assuming a vertically polarized homogeneous plane wave.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	1,840 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Charakteristic	far field
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Pulse width	577 µs
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	GSM signal with time slots 0-3 on and 4-7 off resulting in an overall duty cycle of 50%

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	1 V/m	peak value	measured	-	-
electric field strength	0.71 V/m	effective value	measured	-	-
SAR	0.082 mW/kg	maximum	calculated	10 g	-
SAR	0.000383 µW/kg	average over mass	calculated	partial body	-

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Frequency	2,140 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Charakteristic	far field
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min

Modulation

Modulation type	cf. additional info
Additional info	The UMTS signal simulated the downlink settings of a base station with the following frames transmitted: P-SCH, S-SCH, P-CCPCH and CPICH. The chiprate (clock frequency) was 3.84 MHz.

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1 but UMTS antenna
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
electric field strength	1 V/m	peak value	measured	-	-
electric field strength	1 V/m	effective value	measured	-	-
SAR	0.078 mW/kg	maximum	calculated	10 g	-
SAR	0.064 mW/kg	maximum	calculated	10 g	front illumination
SAR	0.000316 µW/kg	average over mass	calculated	partial body	-
SAR	0.000327 µW/kg	average over mass	calculated	partial body	front illumination

Reference articles

Zwamborn APM et al. (1992): The three dimensional weak form of the conjugate gradient FFT method for solving scattering problems

Exposed system:

human
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cognitive/behavioral endpoints: cognitive performance (cognitive tasks (reaction time task, dual tasking test, visual selective attention task, memory comparison test, filtering irrelevant information))
hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: subjective complaints (questionnaire)
well-being (questionnaire)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

A statistically significant relation between UMTS-like fields with a field strength of 1 V/m and an effect on the well-being was found (lower overall well-being). Further, a number of significant effects was revealed in the cognitive tasks.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
double-blind study, cross-over study

Study funded by

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Netherlands
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Netherlands
Ministry of Spatial Planning, Housing and the Environment, Netherlands

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Effects of Global Communication system radio-frequency fields on Well Being and Cognitive Functions of human subjects with and without subjective complaints med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Background/further details

Endpoint

Exposure

General information

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Modulation

Exposure setup

Parameters

Additional parameter details

Measurement and calculation details

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Modulation

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Modulation

Exposure setup

Parameters

Reference articles

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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