Insight Into the biological effects of non-ionizing Radiation through the properties of the electromagnetic waves

Abstract

The widespread wireless technology initiated several decades ago, has been gradually occupying nearly all daily activities of the modern society. The major sources of this non-ionizing radiation (NIR) include cell phones (6 billion users worldwide), mobile phone base stations (thousands in a crowded city), FM and TV broadcast stations, wireless phones, Wi-Fi routers and units in iphones, i-pads, notebooks, laptops. All these sources comprise a frequency spectrum from 87 MHz (FM stations) to 2.5 GHz (Wi-Fi, blue-tooth, Microwave oven). We consider that in order to study the biological/human effects of NIR, it is necessary to know exactly the radiation source properties (single frequency or multiple frequencies, repetitive or discontinuous emission and precise knowledge of the peak and average values of the electromagnetic wave in each case). Given the controversy of the existing so far published data, we intend to explore the issue of different biological effectiveness from simple exposure (CW emission) to the more complex pulsed radiation using two major model systems; mice and insects. So far, we have shown, in mice, memory impairment, stress induction and brain protein expression changes and in insects, fecundity decrease and apoptotic cell death increase following microwave (MW) radiation. In addition, by using the NARDA SRM 3000 spectrum analyzer we have performed a mapping of frequencies and E field intensities near base stations and other radiation sources. In this study, we initially attempted to study biological effects on flies from environmental exposure, in Athens University campus region (Dept. of Biology building), to non ionizing radiation in the range of 87 MHz to 2.5 GHz containing FM stations, TV broadcast stations, GSM 900, GSM 1800 MHz and UMTS 2100 MHz. A control group of flies was present in the same area inside a custom made Faraday type cage.Our results under these conditions indicate: a) decrease on Drosophila melanogaster reproduction and b) increase in apoptotic cell death during oogenesis, although at a lower degree compared to mobile phone signals. The work shall be continued with more frequencies and modulation schemes in insects and afterwards in mice where other parameters shall be examined