Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on well-being and resting EEG med./bio.

By: Kleinlogel H, Dierks T, Koenig T, Lehmann H, Minder A, Berz R

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2008; 29 (6): 479-487

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of 1950 MHz UMTS (SAR 0.1 and 1 W/kg) and pulsed 900 MHz GSM (1 W/kg) electromagnetic fields on well-being and vigilance-controlled resting electroencephalogram (eyes closed) in 15 healthy subjects.

Background/further details

Each subject performed five sessions at 1-week intervals, each at the same day and the same time.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: EEG
hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: well-being

Exposure

- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- GSM
- UMTS

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 0.9 GHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for about 30 min	SAR: 1 W/kg maximum (10 g) (spatial peak in the head)
Exposure 2: 1.95 GHz Exposure duration: continuous for about 30 min UMTS	SAR: 0.1 W/kg maximum (10 g) (spatial peak in the head (UMTS weak)) SAR: 1 W/kg maximum (10 g) (spatial peak in the head (GSM and UMTS high))

General information

Each subject performed one training and four exposure sessions at 1-week intervals, each at the same day and time. Computer controlled EMF or sham exposure (four conditions) was applied in a double-blind randomized crossover design. Schuller M, Streckert J, Menzel K, Eicher B. 2000. Proposal for generic GSM test signal. Abstract Book of the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society. Munich, Germany; 11-16 June 2000. 122-123.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	0.9 GHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for about 30 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Duty cycle	87.5 %
Additional info	GMSK (Gaussian minimum shift keying) signal modulated with a pseudo GSM test signal including all pulse frequencies of 2, 8, 217, and 1736 Hz typical for handsets and base stations, as described by Schuller et al. [2000] and used by Borbely et al. [1999]

Exposure setup

Exposure source	small broadband antenna
Setup	Subjects were exposed by a small broadband antenna placed like a mobile phone directly over the left ear.
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	The RF or sham exposure period was preceded by 4 min and followed by 6 min of recording under sham exposure.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	1 W/kg	maximum	measured	10 g	spatial peak in the head

Additional parameter details

The experimental room provided effective shielding from environmental electromagnetic fields. The background EMF from 5 Hz to 30 kHz was lower than 50 nT and from 30 kHz to 3 GHz less than 1.6 mV/m.

Measurement and calculation details

The incoming and reflected signals were monitored using a power meter. Maximum power deviations of 2.3% were measured throughout the experiments. SAR efficiency was measured using a dosimetric assessment system (DASY4) and the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM) phantom standardised by CENELEC in EN50361 (2001). The expanded measurement uncertainty (2 σ) was ±20%. The SAR distribution in the SAM phantom was also simulated using the FDTD method. SAR values did not exceed one half of the limit proposed by ICNIRP (1998) for localized exposure. Therefore, no critical increase of temperature was reached.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	1.95 GHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for about 30 min
Additional info	UMTS

Modulation

Modulation type	cf. additional info
Additional info	generic UMTS handset-like W-CDMA test signal with 45-s fast power control of 1500 Hz and 15-s fading characteristics [Ndoumbe Mbonjo et al., 2004]

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	0.1 W/kg	maximum	measured	10 g	spatial peak in the head (UMTS weak)
SAR	1 W/kg	maximum	measured	10 g	spatial peak in the head (GSM and UMTS high)

Reference articles

Ndoumbe Mbonjo Mbonjo H et al. (2004): Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studies
Borbely AA et al. (1999): Pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field affects human sleep and sleep electroencephalogram

Exposed system:

human
partial body: left ear

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: EEG (vigilance-controlled resting EEG)
hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: well-being (discomfort-list; scale of current disposition; questionnaires)

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)

Neither the UMTS nor the GSM electromagnetic fields produced any significant changes in the measured parameters compared to sham exposure. The data do not give any evidence for a deleterious effect of the electromagnetic fields on healthy mobile phone users.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
double-blind study, crossover study

Study funded by

Swisscom

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Kleinlogel H et al. (2008): Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on event related potentials and cognitive functions
Unterlechner M et al. (2008): No effect of an UMTS mobile phone-like electromagnetic field of 1.97 GHz on human attention and reaction time
Croft RJ et al. (2008): The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the alpha rhythm of human electroencephalogram
Bardasano JL et al. (2007): EEG bioeffects on cochlear deaf from cellular phones
Heinrich S et al. (2007): [Electromagnetic fields of a UMTS mobile phone base station and possible effects on health - results from an experimental field study]
Regel SJ et al. (2007): Pulsed radio frequency radiation affects cognitive performance and the waking electroencephalogram
Vecchio F et al. (2007): Mobile phone emission modulates interhemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms
Krause CM et al. (2007): Effects of pulsed and continuous wave 902 MHz mobile phone exposure on brain oscillatory activity during cognitive processing
Hinrichs H et al. (2006): High Frequency GSM-1800 Fields with Various Modulations and Field Strengths: No Short Term Effect on Human Awake EEG
Regel SJ et al. (2006): UMTS base station-like exposure, well-being, and cognitive performance
Rubin GJ et al. (2006): Are some people sensitive to mobile phone signals? Within participants double blind randomised provocation study
Zwamborn APM et al. (2003): Effects of Global Communication system radio-frequency fields on Well Being and Cognitive Functions of human subjects with and without subjective complaints
Koivisto M et al. (2001): GSM phone signal does not produce subjective symptoms

Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on well-being and resting EEG 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

Reference articles

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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