Mobile phones have transformed the culture of communication among people worldwide, spanning vast distances. However, with use increasing on mobile networks, RF radiation has risen majorly from the base stations and antennas. This exposes harmful radiation and thus brings about the additional phenomenon called “electro pollution.” RF could interact with biological molecules like DNA, leading to both genetic and genotoxic damage. Those adverse effects are not only for humans, however; they also cause adverse effects in wildlife. Some of these changes are the ones in behavior, destruction of neurons, and mobility problems in a wide range of animals, including birds. For some birds, locomotory defects make them unable to fly properly, while others have diminished reproductive capabilities. Insects were not left out as well. Electromagnetic radiation has even been shown to disturb the normal behavior of insects.
Furthermore, it interferes with human lives as it affects reproductive health and is thus a growing concern. Therefore, against the backdrop of far-reaching impacts on nature and human health, the detriments of mobile phone radiations call for close concern in the fight against electro pollution and the protection of the environment.
Introduction
Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, perhaps never wished he’d evolve his product to such an extent that even toddlers of today find ‘smart’ phones very easy to operate. Mobile phones were invented at a staggering rate of growth, and use has multiplied manifold, with alarming dependence on these communication devices. It is against this backdrop that the advancement of wireless technology drove the mobile phone industry into the era of 3G, 4G, and beyond, thus effectively shrinking the world into a global village.
But here again, the untold story remains with it a level of health effects of RF radiation. Mobile phones, base stations, and satellite antennas expose the entire biosphere, including humans, to increasing levels of RF radiation. The rising exposure with this also throws light on the biological impact of such radiation, which can have both thermal as well as non-thermal effects on human health. Their long-term consequences are still under study, but they have, nonetheless, raised serious questions over the safety of constant RF radiation in our daily lives.
Prolonged proximity of the body to a mobile phone handset will induce thermal effects, which are an effect of the heat produced from RF radiation. The longer the exposure time, the more thermal effects these will generate, especially in the case of long conversations. In addition to the thermal effects, non-thermal effects from both mobile phones and nearby base stations may also be induced, and the impact could build up over time.
People who live close to the mobile phone base stations or have mobile antennae installed on the rooftops are reported to be at higher risk. They are exposed to increased levels of RF daily. Several health concerns have been associated with RF radiation. These may include childhood leukemia and brain tumors, which could be life-threatening, along with genotoxic effects that may damage genetic materials and cause neurological problems leading to neurodegenerative diseases. RF can also compromise the immune system by triggering allergic or inflammatory responses, causing infertility, and eventually relating to some cardiovascular problems.
Even though the research on these effects is still under way, the awareness of potential health risks that arise from long-term RF exposure is very important to those who use their mobile phones frequently or are residing near base stations.
Impact on Humans
A cross-sectional case-control study of genetic damage in people dwelling nearby mobile base stations exhibited power density within 300 meters of these stations to exceed permissible limits with remarkable levels exceeding those in control areas. The genetic damage markers are DNA migration length, DF, and damage index; the sample group revealed an increase in all of these parameters compared to healthy controls. This study suggested that microwave devices such as mobile phones and microwave ovens could affect biological systems negatively, especially the brain, if they are used regularly and for a long time.
The study also mentions that high levels of reactive species of oxygen can increase the impact of microwave radiation, which can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Disturbances of the nervous system can be caused by exposures of radiofrequency radiation. Behavioral changes that may prove to become the first symptoms of regulatory failures in different systems are among the side effects. Exposure to RFR may also result in some electrophysiological changes within the nervous system, including calcium ion efflux from the brain tissue, which may lead to neurological impacts. These results therefore point to the possible dangers of long-term exposure to microwave radiation and RFR, such as neural and genetic damage to humans.
Neurotransmitting would be affected too by sudden and irregular calcium efflux, since calcium ions are implicated in the whole mechanism of neurotransmitter release in nervous control. Such imbalance may cause several irregularities in neuronal control. RFR from mobile base stations, for example, can activate endogenous opioids in the brain. Activation of endogenous opioids leads to reduced cholinergic activity, which would normally account for short-term memory deficits.
Apart from EMFs, “corticotropin-releasing factor” (CRF), which is a stress hormone, is also part of these disorders. Inhabitants of the districts around mobile base station antennas report experiences such as headache, memory problems, trembling, dizziness, depressive symptoms, and sleep disorders. From above symptoms, those who stay closer to the antennas experience the above symptoms more frequently than control groups.
The disturbance in calcium ions, changes in brain chemistry brought about by RFR, and the presence of stress hormones such as CRF may act together to impair cognitive functions and overall well-being. Such persistent exposure to RFR may exacerbate health concerns that have been identified, and therefore it brings out the dangers of living near mobile base stations, necessitating further investigation into the issue as it relates to public health.
Adverse Effects on Animals
Due to immense growth in telecommunication infrastructure, exposure of animals to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) has become considerably high. RF-EMF is emitted by a variety of contemporary technologies. These include mobile phone towers, wireless networks, and other wireless communication devices. The exposure of animals depends on several factors:. These include distance between the animals and the source of the RF-EMF, such as a mobile phone mast. Reflective or obstructive structures, such as buildings and metallic objects, would further determine exposure levels. The density of the phone masts in the area also serves as another key determinant. There has been an increasing concern over the past few years about the chronic exposure to microwaves and RF radiation from GSM, UMTS/3G wireless phones, and their affiliated base stations. The exposures have caused agitation on possible health effects on animals and the ecosystem. Continuous exposure for such time remains under active research and concern in relation to long-term impact from electromagnetic fields.
Along with this, the rapidly increasing adoption of technologies such as WLAN (Wireless Local Area Networks), WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Networks such as Bluetooth), and DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) has increased exposure to RF-EMF. Moreover, these devices are mainly installed with a lesser consideration for their potential effects on the environment and wildlife. It has brought into limelight possible impacts on animals. In this regard, such studies suggest that prolonged exposure to RF-EMF is harmful to wildlife as it can alter behavior and reduce the reproductive capabilities of an individual and change the immune system. Till now, the environmental impact of RF-EMF is not known. Further research is needed to understand the effects produced by exposure to RF-EMFs and guidelines to be developed that protect wildlife from chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields. This research is very important because it should ascertain that technological sophistication in no way translates to increased environmental and wildlife death tolls.
Protracted exposure of mobile phones to the body tissues generates thermal effects due to heating by radiofrequency (RF) radiation. If a person holds a telephone by the ear for relatively protracted periods, the thermal effect can be marked as RF energy is transferred from the telephone into the body tissue and results in localized heating. The direct cause of the local heating is due to the radiator emission of the phone. Apart from thermal effects, it has also been argued that non-thermal effects from RF exposure can occur and may be cumulative in nature. The non-thermal effects are less understood, and it is generally assumed that they result from long-term exposure at lower levels. The risk factors for people living near mobile phone base stations or having antennas installed on their rooftops might be substantially higher because of exposure to more intensively level RF radiation. Extra continuous exposures to stronger RF fields, mainly in areas that have many antennas and high traffic density, may pose greater health risks. Such risks should be appreciated and precautions taken, starting from reduction of phone use duration and keeping safe distances from high-intensity RF sources.
Increasingly, there are concerns about the harmful health effects of RF (radiofrequency) radiation, particularly from mobile phones and base stations. Most disturbingly associated have been serious diseases, such as childhood leukemia and brain tumors, severe and potentially lethal diseases. Moreover, RF radiation is believed to induce genotoxic effects, a damaging impact on genetic material that could result in mutations in the genome. There are also fears over neuronal diseases where some studies claimed that exposure for extended periods of time to RF could be responsible for neurodegenerative diseases.
RF exposure is also said to affect the immune system, causing it to weaken. Such susceptibility can enable infections or other diseases to take hold. There are also seen allergic or inflammatory reactions. There are also fears over infertility and many cardiovascular diseases. Despite these concerns, research is still ongoing, and there is yet to be any conclusive evidence of a link between RF radiation and such severe health problems. Still, whatever has been discovered, people who use mobile phones over-extended or over long periods spend time near base stations need to be informed of the potential risks and updated as newer research is done.
Adverse Effects of Radiation on Birds
The increased use of mobile phones has meant concerns about the impact this might be having on human health but very little attention is given on their effect on wildlife, particularly birds in view of cell towers around. Birds have larger surface areas compared to a very small body volume, which means they would absorb more radiation than humans. This can lead to the rapid heating of body fluids and can disrupt their natural ability to navigate.
Electromagnetic fields produced by mobile phone base stations cause confusion in birds, which fly in wild patterns and increase the probability of hitting the telecommunications masts. Millions of migratory birds die every year because of such accidents. Birds are supposed to be navigating with the Earth’s magnetic field and the microwave radiation emitted by cell towers disrupt this ability. Consequently, their navigation systems become dazed and confused, and there is an increased degree of disorientation and collision incidents. This warrants further research into the long-term effects of electromagnetic fields on avian species and thought be given to whether these birds need protection in the design and positioning of telecommunications infrastructure.
House sparrow population declined dramatically in recent decades and decreased 75 percent in London since 1994. In cities such as Glasgow, Hamburg, Dublin, and Belgium, the same reductions have also been reported with some areas showing extinction levels for the species. Behavioral changes among birds near phone antennas have also been recorded. These birds fight frequently, have high young mortality, and their nests are abandoned. Experimental research indicates that exposure to GSM mobile phones during incubation is disastrous for the birds’ embryos. 75% of chicken embryos exposed to GSM mobile phones die compared to only 16% in the unexposed embryos. Moreover, eggs laid in close proximity to mobile towers rarely hatch. This decline has spread beyond house sparrows and involves other species of birds, such as kestrels, white storks, rock doves, pigeons, and magpies, all within a close proximity of mobile telecommunication base stations. The conclusion reached by this evidence points to a relationship between mobile phone radiation and the decline of birds, with respect to which much further research and possible mitigations are needed with the urgency required.
Such a bird, the House Sparrow, so closely related to human habitation, does pose many problems, from locomotion disabilities to those of reproduction, and from spending long periods in the lower portions of trees to time spent on the ground. In either case, the problems identified do provide value as an indicator species within urban ecosystems. Such an increase in the population is symptomatic of a stable House Sparrow unless it reflects dramatic changes in the urban environment, including poor air and water quality, unsuitable vegetation, and habitat degradation. At present, the record for House Sparrow reflects a plummeting trend that seems to trigger some form of environmental change negatively impacting human health. This decline serves as a red flag to the dangers that lie within the ecosystem: factors such as pollution, destruction of habitat, or human disturbances in making the environment inappropriate for both House Sparrows and man. The decline in population shows how environmental problems need to be addressed so that wildlife and humankind can be well taken care of.
Effects on Insects
Insects play an important role in the ecosystem, but they are very sensitive to the changes of their environment, particularly electromagnetic radiation. There was one South African study indicating a huge decline in the ant and beetle diversity that was associated with electromagnetic radiation exposure. Engineers as well as those who maintain antennas have noticed a decrease in insect populations, mainly around the antennas, though fewer flies were even seen during the summer near the antennae. Studies report that electromagnetic radiation affects the reproductive processes of insects by a non-thermal effect which is believed to disrupt the gonadal development of insects. The decrease of insect populations can produce significant cascading effects in ecosystems, such as increased susceptibility of birds to predators due to a reduction in food resources-thus seriously impacting the more susceptible young birds in their early life stages. In addition, study done on fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to mobile radiation further support the said increased stress proteins (Hsp70). This means that the radiation induces cellular stress, much like negative environmental conditions. Such evidence can therefore be used to indicate possible damaging effects of electromagnetic radiation on insects and thus, by extension, ecological systems at large.
House Sparrows are known to suffer from locomotive disorders, breeding problems, and an inability to linger on long time cycles in the lower reaches of trees and on the ground. Being small in size, these birds make up an important constituent of human habitation and thus are highly sensitive to any changes in the environment, which in fact marks them as useful indicator species of urban ecosystems. A stable population of House Sparrows often points to good-quality environment in that urban area by having good air and water quality, adequate vegetation, and in general, good habitat quality. Lately, however, there has been a high decline in House Sparrow numbers, which could show changes in the urban environment that are not healthy for human health. The decline suggests that the ecosystem may be under environmental stressors which could lead to a reduction of living standards of those people dwelling in those areas. Declining populations of House Sparrows thus should serve as an early warning signal regarding possible problems in urban ecosystems and may thus require efforts at improving environmental conditions to enhance the living standards of both wildlife and human dwellers.
As such, insects act as pollinators, decomposers, and as a source of food for other animals within ecosystems. Present research studies in South Africa have documented the existence of an even significant relationship between electromagnetic radiation and a loss in diversity of ants and beetles. Tests have been conducted that show exposure to the radiation from base stations that attribute lowered insect populations. There are even reported absences of the presence of common insects like flies around antennas, even during summer months. The cause for this decline is associated with the adverse non-thermal effects on the development of insect gonads, which may further interfere with the reproductive processes.
Impacts of decreased insect populations may extend to birds, whose young specifically are the most vulnerable, since these young birds would have fewer or reduced food sources. Fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster that were exposed to mobile phone radiation showed increases in the levels of stress proteins (Hsp70), which are interpreted as responses to harmful environmental influences. This suggests that electromagnetic radiation might be a risk to insect health, and, consequently to the ecology in general.
The World Health Organization has classified radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation as probably carcinogenic, putting it in class 2B with lead, chloroform, and automobile fumes. There are more than 6 billion cell phone subscriptions, achieving a penetration level of 93.1% by the end of 2013; therefore, one can see that a great part of the Earth’s population is being exposed to RF radiation. There are questions concerning potential health risk factors and environmental hazards associated with the wider use of mobile phones and other forms of wireless technology.
With these statistics, it is already obvious that the biosphere is being exposed increasingly to RF radiation. If unchecked, major electrochemical pollution could affect the entire planet. To ensure mitigating these risks, precautionary measures would be in order. The installation of such phone masts should be preceded by environmental impact assessments, mainly in sensitive areas. Also, there should be total prohibitions on installing such structures in protected natural areas and regions where endangered species live. This will act as a step towards the prevention of further destruction caused by the harmful effects of RF radiation both on human health and on the environment.
Conclusion
In fact, to what extent exposure to the electromagnetic fields, particularly from radiofrequency radiation, could pose health problems is still a controversial topic. However, there is indication that it has some serious impacts on the biosphere. The World Health Organization has categorized radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation as a probable carcinogen, similar to lead and chloroform. It implies that the clear message is how hazardous widespread exposure to radiofrequency could be. According to reports from 2013, more than 6 billion cell phone subscriptions exist, which means a 93.1% global penetration rate. Thus, it can be said that an enormous proportion of the biosphere is perpetually exposed to augmented RF radiation.
The increase of RF pollution can pose an electrochemical risk for the environment and even the whole universe. Precautionary measures are necessary here. It is better if environmental impact assessments are done before installing new phone masts. Installing these masts in protected natural areas and the habitats of endangered species should be prohibited. This mentioned approach could decrease the menacing risks that climb with growing threats as a result of increasing risks of RF radiation for vulnerable ecosystems.
Read Also:
- Introduction To Mobile Phones
- Concept and History of Mobile Phones
- Adverse Effects and Probable Solutions of Mobile Phones
- 37 Positive and Negative Sides of Mobile Phones
- 24 Effects Of Mobile Phones On Children
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