|
built-up areas and 2400 µW/m2 in urban areas(Hardell et al.,2018).Total exposure varies not only
<br /> between urban and rural areas but also, depending on housing types, between different floors of a
<br /> building,with a tendency for exposure in buildings to increase at higher floors (Breckenkamp et al.,
<br /> 2012).
<br /> Research
<br /> Over the last five decades,and more intensively since the beginning of this century, many studies
<br /> and numerous surveys have been published on the effects of man-made electromagnetic radiation
<br /> on people living around antennas.The first studies were carried out with radio and television
<br /> antennas, investigating increases in cancer and leukaemia (Milham, 1988; Maskarinec et al., 1994;
<br /> Hocking et al., 1996; Dolk et al., 1997a, 1997b; Michelozzi et al. 1998;Altpeter et al., 2000), as well
<br /> as around radars(Kolodynski and Kolodynska, 1996; Goldsmith, 1997).
<br /> Regarding mobile masts,there are scientific inconsistencies in their effects: some studies concluded
<br /> that there are no health-related effects (e.g.Augner and Hacker, 2009; Blettner et al., 2009; Roosli et
<br /> al., 2010; Baliatsas et al., 2016),whereas others found increases in cancer and other health
<br /> problems in people living around the antennae (e.g. Santini et al., 2002; Navarro et al., 2003;
<br /> Bortkiewicz et al, 2004; Eger et al., 2004; Wolf and Wolf, 2004; Abdel-Rassoul et al., 2007; Khurana
<br /> et al., 2010; Dode et al., 2011; Shinjyo and Shinjyo, 2014; Gandhi et al., 2015; Lopez et al., 2021;
<br /> Rodrigues et al. ., 2021).
<br /> Symptoms
<br /> There is a specific symptomatology associated with radar and RF exposure at low levels,
<br /> characterized by functional disturbances of the central nervous system (headache,sleep
<br /> disturbances, malaise, irritability, depression, memory loss, dizziness,fatigue, nausea, loss of
<br /> appetite, difficulty concentrating,vertigo,etc.), symptoms that have been termed 'RF disease'
<br /> (hypersensitivity) (Lilienfeld et al, 1978;Johnson Lyakouris, 1998; Navarro et al., 2003).
<br /> Section excerpt
<br /> Methods:
<br /> Only studies conducted in real urban environments,with mobile masts placed close to apartments,
<br /> were selected. Studies conducted in larger regions with numerous antennas, based on surveys and
<br /> geographical data,were also included.
<br /> Results:
<br /> The studies that met the selected criteria are presented in chronological order in Table 1,catalogued
<br /> as Y/N depending on whether they found effects or not.The selected studies cover three types of
<br /> effects: radiofrequency sickness (RS) (according to Lilienfeld et al., 1978;Johnson Lyakouris, 1998),
<br /> cancer(C) and changes in biochemical parameters (CBP).Table 1 also includes the authors,year and
<br /> country, antenna type, study design, diseases and symptoms found/not found and the main
<br /> conclusions from each study.
<br /> Discussion:
<br /> The results of this review show three types of effects from mobile masts on human health:
<br /> radiofrequency disease,cancer and changes in biochemical parameters(Fig. 1).Among all these
<br /> studies, most of them found effects(73.6%).Thus, despite some limitations and differences in study
<br /> design,statistical measures, risk estimates and exposure categories (Khurana et al., 2010),together
<br /> they provide a consistent picture of the effects on the health of people living near mobile phone
<br /> masts.
<br /> The precautionary principle
<br />
|