Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Does short-term exposure to mobile phone base station signals increase symptoms in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields? A double-blind randomized provocation study med./bio.

By: Eltiti S, Wallace D, Ridgewell A, Zougkou K, Russo R, Sepulveda F, Mirshekar-Syahkal D, Rasor P, Deeble R, Fox E

Published in: Environ Health Perspect 2007; 115 (11): 1603-1608

Aim of study (acc. to author)

This in vivo study was performed to determine whether the short-term exposure to base station-like signals causes negative health effects in humans.

Background/further details

56 participants in the so called "electrosensitive group" (self-reported experience of negative health effects from electromagnetic field exposure) and 120 participants in the control group were tested in the open provocation study (both participants and experimenters knew the base station status). Of these, 44 electrosensitive and 115 controls completed also the double-blind study.
The study was carried out in four sessions: first session both open and double-blind, second to fourth session only double-blind.

Endpoint

hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: well-being

Exposure

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

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 886.8–1,879 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 5, 15, and 50 min	power density: 10 mW/m² (combined signal (2x 5 mW/m²))
Exposure 2: 2,020 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 5, 15, and 50 min	power density: 10 mW/m²

General information

Each participant attended four testing sessions at least one week apart. Sessions 2, 3, and 4 each used a single exposure condition (GSM, UMTS, or sham) double-blind, random, and counterbalanced. Session 1 took about 3 hours to complete while sessions 2, 3, and 4 each took about 1.5 hours.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	886.8–1,879 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 5, 15, and 50 min
Additional info	combined signal of both 900 and 1800 MHz bands containing both broadcast and traffic channels at 886.8, 888.8, 1877, and 1879 MHz

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Additional info	GSM signal consisting of 8 timeslots, each with a duration of 576.875 µs resulting in a total frame duration of 4.615 ms, and interslot guard intervals of 32 µs duration with a drop in power level of around 50 dB. The 8 time slots on the broadcast channels were always occupied, while changes in the power level of the traffic channels were simulated using two first order, two state Markov processes, assuming a blockage rate of 1% and call activity of 40%.

Modulation type

pulsed

Additional info

GSM signal consisting of 8 timeslots, each with a duration of 576.875 µs resulting in a total frame duration of 4.615 ms, and interslot guard intervals of 32 µs duration with a drop in power level of around 50 dB. The 8 time slots on the broadcast channels were always occupied, while changes in the power level of the traffic channels were simulated using two first order, two state Markov processes, assuming a blockage rate of 1% and call activity of 40%.

Exposure setup

Exposure source	base transceiver station simulated
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	5 m
Chamber	The testing room was 7 m x 4 m x 2.4 m and had a shielding effectiveness > 60 dB at the tested frequency range.
Setup	Participants were seated 5 m from the base station antenna, which was hidden by a screen at 2.8 m, upon which instructions were projected from outside the testing room through a screened window.
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	In session 1, wash-out periods of 2 min were inserted between exposures.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	10 mW/m²	-	-	-	combined signal (2x 5 mW/m²)

Additional parameter details

A PC controlled all the exposures, thus making the tests repeatable.

Measurement and calculation details

All base station signals and field uniformity were independently tested and verified by the National Physical Laboratory. The stability of the exposure system was checked and calibrated every 6 months and was found to remain within ± 3 dB at each of the three frequency bands. The power into the antenna was continuously checked using a through line power meter.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	2,020 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 5, 15, and 50 min

Modulation

Modulation type	cf. additional info
Additional info	UMTS signal with traffic modelling using Test Model 1, as defined by the 3GPP standard, with high peak to average ratio power changes.

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	10 mW/m²	-	-	-	-

Exposed system:

human
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the cardiovascular system: blood volume pulse, heart rate
hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: subjective well-being (visual analogue scale and symptom scale consisting 57 symptoms), electrosensibility (estimation of the base station status)
stress response (skin conductance)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

During the open provocation, electrosensitive individuals reported lower levels of well-being in both the GSM and UMTS exposures compared to sham exposure, while the control group reported more symptoms during the UMTS exposure.
During double-blind tests the GSM exposure did not have any effect on either group. The electrosensitive group reported elevated levels of arousal during the UMTS exposure, while the number or the severity of symptoms experienced did not increase.
The short-term exposure to a GSM base station-like signal did not affect well-being or physiological functions in electrosensitive or normal individuals.

Study character:

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

Study funded by

Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR), UK

Comments on this article

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Does short-term exposure to mobile phone base station signals increase symptoms in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields? A double-blind randomized provocation study 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

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

Comments on this article

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