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A Project
On

“EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNECTIC WAVES ON

HUMAN HEALTH”

Submitted To

PG Department of Physics
Government College (Autonomous), Angul

Submitted By
RAMAJI KUMAR SAHOO
B. Sc. Physics Hons, Exam Roll No: 19PHY-029
Government College (Autonomous), Angul, Odisha - 759143

Guided By
CHIRANJIBI SAHU
Lecturer of physics
Government College (Autonomous), Angul, Odisha - 759143
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GOVT. COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS),

ANGUL

Certificate
This is to certify that the project work entitled “EFFECTS OF

ELECTROMAGNECTIC WAVES ON HUMAN HEALTH"

submitted to the Post Graduate Department of Physics,

Government College (Autonomous), Angul in partial fulfilment of

requirements for the Course Bachelor of Science in Physics, is a

work done by

Mr. Ramaji kumar sahoo under my supervision and guidance

and that this work has not been submitted elsewhere for the award of

any degree.

(Signature)

Chiranjibi Sahu

Place: ANGUL Lecturer of Physics

3Date:
|Page Govt. College (Autonomous), Angul
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Acknowledgement
I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to all the people who
have helped and inspired me during my project Work. This project
would not have been possible without the support from all.

First of all, I would like to thank my project guide Guide’s Name, for
his endless guidance and instruction during the project.

I am grateful to Dr. B. K. Sahoo, the head of the department for the

encouragement and support. I further thank all other staff member of
PG Department of Physics, Govt. College (Autonomous), Angul for
all their help and support in completing the project successfully.

My deepest gratitude goes to my family for their love and support all
the way till now. I also thank my friends here for their constant
encouragement and the joyous time we spent together. All the
references I used during the project work including the definitions,
texts, formulae etc. are mentioned separately in the reference section. I
personally thank all the authors and the contributors.

Ramaji kumar sahoo

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Government College (Autonomous), Angul

PG Department of Physics

Declaration

I, RAMAJI KUMAR SAHOO, do hereby declare that my project

“EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNECTIC WAVES ON HUMAN
HEALTH” is my original work. It is not submitted by any other
institution or published any time before the purpose what so ever. This
declaration has compiled for fulfilling requirement for the award of
B.Sc. Physics Hons of Government College (Autonomous), Angul.

Date: RAMAJI KUMAR SAHOO

Place: Angul 3rd Year B.Sc. Physics

Exam Roll No: 19PHY-029

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Contents
• INTRODUCTION

• THEORY

• SOURC OF ELECTOMAGNEIC WAVE

• EFFECT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE ON

HUMAN HEALTH

• CURRENT STATE OF REASERCH

• CONCLUSION FROM SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

• REFERENCE
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ABSTRACT

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) have been implicated to influence a

range of bodily functions. Given their ubiquitous nature, widespread
applications, and capability to produce deleterious effects, conclusive
investigations of the health risks are critical. Accordingly, this paper
has been constructed to weigh the bio effects, possible bio
interaction mechanisms, and research areas in bio electromagnetics
seeking immediate attention. The several gaps in the existing
knowledge do not permit one to reach a concrete conclusion but
possibility for harmful effects cannot be underestimated in absence
of consistent findings and causal mechanisms. Several studies with
appropriate methodologies reflect the capacity of electromagnetic
radiations to cause adverse health effects and there are several
credible mechanisms that can account for the observed effects.
Hence, need of the hour is to activate comprehensive well-
coordinated blind scientific investigations, overcoming all limitations
and demerits of previous investigations especially replication studies
to concretize the earlier findings. Furthermore, appropriate exposure
assessment is crucial for identification of dose-response relation if
any, and the elucidation of biological interaction mechanism. For the
time being, the public should follow the precautionary principle and
limit their exposure as much as possible. Medical aspects have been
studied for the effect of the EM waves along with the latest
inventions on shielding these waves. A future idea has been added
for the use of stray microwaves in the atmosphere with the help of a
receiver that could convert them into current and subsequently be
used for saving power.
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INTRODUCTION

Electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths other than those of visible light were

discovered in the early 19th century. The discovery of infrared radiation is
ascribed to astronomer William Herschel, who published his results in 1800
before the Royal Society of London. Herschel used a glass prism to refract light
from the Sun and detected invisible rays that caused heating beyond the red
part of the spectrum, through an increase in the temperature recorded with a
thermometer. These "calorific rays" were later termed infrared.
In 1801, German physicist Johann Wilhelm Ritter discovered ultraviolet in an
experiment similar to Herschel's, using sunlight and a glass prism. Ritter noted
that invisible rays near the violet edge of a solar spectrum dispersed by a
triangular prism darkened silver chloride preparation more quickly than did the
nearby violet light. Ritter's experiments were an early precursor to what would
become photography. Ritter noted that the ultraviolet rays (which at first were
called "chemical rays") were capable of causing chemical reactions.
James Clerk Maxwell
In 1862–64 James Clerk Maxwell developed equations for the electromagnetic
field which suggested that waves in the field would travel with a speed that was
very close to the known speed of light. Maxwell therefore suggested that visible
light (as well as invisible infrared and ultraviolet rays by inference) all consisted
of propagating disturbances (or radiation) in the electromagnetic field. Radio
waves were first produced deliberately by Heinrich Hertz in 1887, using
electrical circuits calculated to produce oscillations at a much lower frequency
than that of visible light, following recipes for producing oscillating charges and
currents suggested by Maxwell's equations.
Hertz also developed ways to detect these waves, and produced and
characterized what were later termed radio waves and microwaves. Wilhelm
Röntgen discovered and named X-rays.
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THEORY
Maxwell's equations
Maxwell realized that since a lot of physics is symmetrical and mathematically artistic in a
way, that there must also be a symmetry between electricity and magnetism. He realized
that light is a combination of electricity and magnetism and thus that the two must be tied
together. According to Maxwell's equations, a spatially varying electric field is always
associated with a magnetic field that changes over time.Likewise, a spatially varying
magnetic field is associated with specific changes over time in the electric field. In an
electromagnetic wave, the changes in the electric field are always accompanied by a wave in
the magnetic field in one direction, and vice versa. This relationship between the two occurs
without either type of field causing the other; rather, they occur together in the same way
that time and space changes occur together and are interlinked in special relativity. In fact,
magnetic fields can be viewed as electric fields in another frame of reference, and electric
fields can be viewed as magnetic fields in another frame of reference, but they have equal
significance as physics is the same in all frames of reference, so the close relationship
between space and time changes here is more than an analogy. Together, these fields form a
propagating electromagnetic wave, which moves out into space and need never again
interact with the source. The distant EM field formed in this way by the acceleration of a
charge carries energy with it that "radiates" away through space, hence the term.

Maxwell’s equation
Maxwell's equations are a set of coupled partial differential
equations that,together with the Lorentz force law, form the
foundation of classical electromagnetism.These four equations are
fundamental laws of electromagnetism.

James Clerk Maxwell derived a wave form of the electric and

magnetic equations, thus uncovering the wave-like nature of
electric
and magnetic fields and their symmetry. Because the speed of EM waves predicted by the
wave equation coincided with the measured speed of light, Maxwell concluded that light
itself is an EM wave.Maxwell's equations were confirmed by Heinrich Hertz through
experiments with radio waves.
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Propagation of EMW

In electromagnetic wave electric field and magnetic field varying sinusoidally by

orthogonal to each other and transferring energy orthogonal to both electric and
magnetic field.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
EM radiation (the designation 'radiation' excludes static electric and magnetic and near
fields) is classified by wavelength into radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X- rays
and gamma rays. Arbitrary electromagnetic waves can be expressed by Fourier analysis in
terms of sinusoidal monochromatic waves, which in turn can each be classified into these
regions of the EMR spectrum.

Radio and microwave

When radio waves impinge upon a conductor, they couple to the conductor, travel along it
and induce an electric current on the conductor surface by moving the electrons of the
conducting material in correlated bunches of charge. Such effects can cover macroscopic
distances in conductors (such as radio antennas), since the wavelength of radiowaves is long.
Electromagnetic radiation phenomena with wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter
to as short as one millimeter are called microwaves; with frequencies between 300 MHz (0.3
GHz) and 300 GHz.

Infrared
Like radio and microwave, infrared (IR) also is reflected by metals (and also most EMR, well
into the ultraviolet range). However, unlike lower-frequency radio and microwave radiation,
Infrared EMR commonly interacts with dipoles present in single molecules, which change as
atoms vibrate at the ends of a single chemical bond. It is consequently absorbed by a wide
range of substances, causing them to increase in temperature as the vibrations dissipate as
heat. The same process, run in reverse, causes bulk substances to radiate in the infrared
spontaneously (see thermal radiation section below).Infrared radiation is divided into
spectral subregions. While different subdivision schemes exist,[44][45] the spectrum is\
commonly divided as near-infrared (0.75–1.4 μm), short-wavelength infrared (1.4–3 μm),
medium.
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Visible light

Natural sources produce EM radiation across the spectrum. EM radiation with a wavelength
between approximately 400 nm and 700 nm is directly detected by the human eye and
perceived as visible light. Other wavelengths, especially nearby infrared (longer than 700
nm) and ultraviolet (shorter than 400 nm) are also sometimes referred to as light.As
frequency increases into the visible range, photons have enough energy to change the bond
structure of some individual molecules. It is not a coincidence that this happens in the visible
range, as the mechanism of vision involves the change in bonding of a single molecule,
retinal, which absorbs a single photon. The change in retinal causes a change in the shape of
the rhodopsin protein it is contained in, which starts the biochemical process that causes the
retina of the human eye to sense the light.

Ultraviolet

As frequency increases into the ultraviolet, photons now carry enough energy (about three
electron volts or more) to excite certain doubly bonded molecules into permanent chemical
rearrangement. In DNA, this causes lasting damage. DNA is also indirectly damaged by
reactive oxygen species produced by ultraviolet A (UVA), which has energy too low to
damage DNA directly. This is why ultraviolet at all wavelengths can damage DNA, and is
capable of causing cancer, and (for UVB) skin burns (sunburn) that are far worse than would
be produced by simple heating (temperature increase) effects. This property of causing
molecular damage that is out of proportion to heating effects, is characteristic of all EMR
with frequencies at the visible light range and above. These properties of high-frequency
EMR are due to quantum effects that permanently damage materials and tissues at the
molecular level.

X-rays and gamma rays

Electromagnetic radiation composed of photons that carry minimum-ionization energy, or

more, (which includes the entire spectrum with shorter wavelengths), is therefore termed
ionizing radiation. (Many other kinds of ionizing radiation are made of non-EM particles).
Electromagnetic-type ionizing radiation extends from the extreme ultraviolet to all higher
frequencies and shorter wavelengths, which means that all X-rays and gamma rays qualify.
These are capable of the most severe types of molecular damage, which can happen in
biology to any type of biomolecule, including mutation and cancer, and often at great depths
below the skin, since the higher end of the X-ray spectrum, and all of the gamma ray
spectrum, penetrate matter.
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SOURCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE

The growing need of modernization in the late twentieth century posed a severe danger of
higher rate of EM waves being absorbed by the human body. The invention and increasing
use of latest electronic devices such as televisions, microwaves, power lines, hair dryers,
digital watches and most importantly cellular phones has created even worse conditions.
These devices emit high frequency electromagnetic radiations. These devices are designed in
such a way that alternating current is converted into direct current to minimize the power
but in doing so the frequency of the EM waves being emitted increases. These EM waves are
even more dangerous when at a distance of 20 meters. Not only this, these can cause.

Electromagnetic fields at home

Background electromagnetic field levels from electricity transmission and distribution
facilities

Electromagnetic fields in the environment

Radars are used for navigation, weather forecasting, and military applications, as well as a
variety of other functions. They emit pulsed microwave signals. The peak power in the pulse
can be high even though the average power may be low. Many radars rotate or move up and
down; this reduces the mean power density to which the public is exposed in the vicinity of
radars. Even high power, non-rotating military radars limit exposures to below guideline
levels at locations of public access.

Security systems .Anti-theft systems in shops use tags that are detected by electrical coils at
the exits. When a purchase is made the tags are removed or permanently deactivated. The
key ring or identity card. Library o 100 µT that is disturbed by the presence of a metal object.
Close to the frame of the detector, magnetic field strengths may approach and occasionally
exceed guideline levels. However, this does not constitute a health hazard, as will be discus
guidelines.
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Electric trains and trams

Long-distance trains have one or more engine cars that are separate from the passenger
cars. Thus passenger exposure comes mainly from the electricity supply to the train.
Magnetic fields in the passenger cars of long-distance trains can be several hundred µT near
the floor, with lower values (tens of µT) elsewhere in the compartment. Electric field
strengths may reach 300 V/m. People living in the vicinity of railway lines may encounter
magnetic fields from the overhead supply which, depending on the country, may be
comparable to the fields produced by high-voltage power lines.
Motors and traction equipment of trains and trams are normally located underneath the
floors of passenger cars. At floor level, magnetic field intensities may amount to tens of µT in
regions of the floor just above the motor. The fields fall off quickly with distance from the
floor, and exposure of the upper bodies of passengers is much lower.
TV and radio

When choosing a radio station on your stereo at home, have you ever wondered what the
familiar abbreviations AM and FM stand for? Radio signals are described as amplitude-
modulated (AM) or frequencymodulated (FM) depending on the way in which they carry
information. AM radio signals can be used for broadcasting over very long distances whereas
FM waves cover more localized areas but can give a better sound quality.AM radio signals
are transmitted via large arrays of antennas, which can be tens of metres high, on sites which
are off-limits to the public. Exposures very close to antennas and feed cables can be high, but
these would affect maintenance workers rather than the general public.TV and FM radio
antennas are much smaller than AM radio antennas and are mounted in arrays at the top of
high towers. The towers themselves serve only as supporting structures. As exposures near
the foot of these towers are below guideline limits, public access to these areas may be
possible. Small local TV and radio antennas are sometimes mounted on the top of buildings;
if this is the case it may be necessary to control access to the roof.
Mobile phones and their base stations
Mobile phones allow people to be within reach at all times. These lowpower radiowave
devices transmit and receive signals from a network of fixed low power base stations. Each
base station provides coverage to a given area. Depending on the number of calls being
handled, base stations may be from only a few hundred metres apart in major cities to
several kilometres apart in rural areas. Mobile phone base stations are usually mounted on
the tops of buildings or on towers at heights of between 15 and 50 metres. The levels of
transmissions from any particular base station are variable and depend on the number of
calls and the callers' distance from the base station. Antennas emit a very narrow beam of
radiowaves which spreads out almost parallel tothe ground. Therefore, radiofrequency fields
at ground level and in regions normally accessible to the public are many times below hazard
levels. Guidelines would only be exceeded if a person were to approach to within a metre or
two directly in front of the antennas. Until mobile phones became widely used, members of
the public were mainly exposed to radiofrequency emissions from radio and TV stations.
Even today, the phone towers themselves add little to our total exposure, as signal
strengths in
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places of public access are normally similar to or lower than those from distant radio and TV
stations.
However, the user of a mobile phone is exposed to radiofrequency fields much higher than
those found in the general environment. Mobile phones are operated very close to the head.
Therefore, rather than looking at the heating effect across the whole body, the distribution
of absorbed energy in the head of the user must be determined. From sophisticated
computer modeling and measurements using models of heads, it appears that the energy
absorbed from a mobile phone is not in excess of current guidelines.Concerns about other
so-called non-thermal effects arising from exposure to mobile phone frequencies have also
been raised. These include suggestions of subtle effects on cells that could have an effect on
cancer development. Effects on electrically excitable tissues that may influence the function
of the brain and nervous tissue have also been hypothesized. However, the overall evidence
available to date does not suggest that the use of mobile phones has any detrimental effect
on human health.
Magnetic fields in everyday life: are they really that high?

In recent years, national authorities in different countries have conducted many

measurements to investigate electromagnetic field levels in the living environment. None of
these surveys has concluded that field levels could bring about adverse health effects.

The Federal Office for Radiation Safety in Germany recently measured the daily exposure to
magnetic fields of about 2000 individuals across a range of occupations and public
exposures. All of them were equipped with personal dosimeters for 24 hours. The measured
exposure varied widely but gave an average daily exposure of
0.10 µT. This value is a thousand times lower that the standard limit of 100 µT for the public
and five thousand times lower than the 500 µT exposure limit for workers. Furthermore, the
exposure of people living in the centres of cities showed that there are no drastic differences
in exposure between life in rural areas and life in the city. Even the exposure of people living
in the vicinity of high voltage power lines differs very little from the average exposure in the
population.
Key points
• Background electromagnetic field levels in the home are mainly caused by the
transmission and distribution facilities for electricity or by electrical appliances.
• Electrical appliances differ greatly in the strength of fields they generate. Both
electric and magnetic field levels decrease rapidly with distance .
• appliances. In any event, fields surrounding household appliances usually are far
below guideline limits.
• At operator positions the electric and magnetic fields of television sets and
computer screens are hundreds of thousands times below guideline levels.

• As long as close public access to radar facilities, broadcasting antennas and mobile
phone base stations is restricted, exposure guideline limits for radiofrequency
fields will not be exceeded.
• The user of a mobile phone encounters field levels that are much higher than any
levels in the normal living environment. However, even these increased levels do
not appear to generate harmful effects.
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• Many surveys have demonstrated that exposure to electromagnetic field

levels in the living environment is extremely low.

EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE ON HUMAN BODY

1.What happens when you are exposed to electromagnetic field

Exposure to electromagnetic fields is not a new phenomenon. However, during the 20th
century, environmental exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields has been steadily
increasing as growing electricity demand, ever-advancing technologies and changes in social
behaviour have created more and more artificial sources. Everyone is exposed to a complex
mix of weak electric and magnetic fields, both at home and at work, from the generation
and transmission of electricity, domestic appliances and industrial equipment, to
telecommunications and broadcasting.

Tiny electrical currents exist in the human body due to the chemical reactions that occur as
part of the normal bodily functions, even in the absence of external electric fields. For
example, nerves relay signals by transmitting electric impulses. Most biochemical reactions
from digestion to brain activities go along with the rearrangement of charged particles. Even
the heart is electrically active - an activity that your doctor can trace with the help of an
electrocardiogram.

Low-frequency electric fields influence the human body just as they influence any other
material made up of charged particles. When electric fields act on conductive materials, they
influence the distribution of electric charges at their surface. They cause current to flow
through the body to the ground. Low-frequency magnetic fields induce circulating currents
within the human body. The strength of these currents depends on the intensity of the
outside magnetic field. If sufficiently large, these currents could cause stimulation of nerves
and muscles or affect other biological processes.

Both electric and magnetic fields induce voltages and currents in the body but even directly
beneath a high voltage transmission line, the induced currents are very small compared to
thresholds for producing shock and other electrical effects.
Heating is the main biological effect of the electromagnetic fields of radiofrequency fields.
In microwave ovens this fact is employed to warm up food. The levels of
radiofrequency fields to which people are normally exposed are very much lower than those
needed to produce significant heating. The heating effect of radiowaves forms the
underlying basis for current guidelines. Scientists are also investigating the possibility that
effects below the threshold level for body heating occur as a result of long-term exposure.
To date, no adverse health effects from low level, long-term exposure to
radiofrequency or power frequency fields have been confirmed, but scientists are
actively continuing to research this area
Human studies
In humans, transitory minor effects (both positive and negative) have been observed on EEG
patterns, sleep structure, and cognitive processes (D’Costa et al. 2003, Cook et al. 2002,
Hossmann and Hermann 2003, Sienkiewicz et al. 2005). Also studies where no effects were
documented have been published, even after a repeated exposure (Besset et al. 2005).
Since
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the ear is very close to the exposure source, some studies have checked the auditory system
under or after exposure, and even after repeated cumulative exposure. No effect has been
observed (Ozturan et al. 2002, Arai et al. 2003, Bak et al. 2003, Parazzini et al. 2005, Uloziene
et al. 2005). Animal studies Slight changes in EEG activity and neurotransmitters have been
observed in animals at low SARs (reviewed by Sienkiewicz et al. 2005). Regarding cognitive
functions, a recent report showed that a disturbance of learning and memory in rats
exposed at 2.45 GHz CW could be inhibited by a magnetic field (incoherent noise) (Lai
2004a). Results from earlier studies on learning and memory at non-thermal RF levels have
not been corroborated (Dubreuil et al. 2003, Yamaguchi et al. 2003, Cobb et al. 2004,
Cassel et al. 2004). No morphological effects have been observed below thermal thresholds
(D’Andrea et al. 2003). Salford and co-workers published another work showing changes in
BBB permeability at low SAR (Salford et al. 2003), whereas others did not find any such
alteration (Finnie et al. 2001), even with repeated exposures up to 2 years (Finnie et al.
2002). No effects have been seen on auditory system function (Aran et al. 2004) or on
development of multiple sclerosis in rats (Anane et al. 2003b).
Miscellaneous human Initial observations of a blood pressure decrease after mobile phone
exposure have not been replicated (Braune et al. 1998, Braune et al. 2002). The only effects
on cardiovascular functions that have been replicated are increased blood-flow in the
external ear (Monfrecola et al. 2003, Roelandts 2003). Local temperature increases during
exposure have been reported (Paredi et al. 2001, Curcio et al. 2004), possibly related to
vasodilation caused by heating of mobile phone electronics and battery.

Reproduction and development

Epidemiological studies of adverse pregnancy outcomes following exposure to
RF fields have been reviewed by Verschaeve and Maes (1998), Heynick and Merrit (2003)
and Feychting (2005a). The evidence on possible effects of RF fields on pregnancy outcomes
is virtually limited to occupational exposures among physiotherapists. The endpoints
studied include spontaneous abortions, birth weight, gender ratio, and congenital
malformations. Although some positive findings have been reported, no specific type of
malformation or other adverse outcome has been consistently reported. Several of the
studies have limited statistical power, especially for rare outcomes such as malformation,
and there is a potential for recall bias. The available results do not allow any definite
conclusions. Numerous studies have evaluated developmental effects of RF fields on
mammals, birds, and other nonmammalian species. These studies, reviewed recently by
Heynick and Merritt (2003) and Juutilainen (2005), have clearly shown that RF fields are

teratogenic at exposure levels that are sufficiently high to cause significant increase of
temperature and exceed reference levels from exposure guidelines. There is no consistent
evidence of effects at nonthermal exposure levels. However, only a few studies have
evaluated possible effects on postnatal development using sensitive endpoints, such as
behavioural effects.
Sensitivity of children Concerns about the potential vulnerability of children to RF fields have
system; in addition, their brain tissue is more conductive than that of adults since it has a
higher water content and ion concentration, RF penetration is greater relative to head size,
and they have a greater absorption of RF energy in the tissues of the head at mobile
telephone frequencies. Finally, they will have a longer lifetime exposure. Few relevant
epidemiological
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or laboratory studies have addressed the possible effects of RF field exposure on children.
Owing to widespread use of mobile phones among children and adolescents and relatively
high exposures to the brain, investigation of the potential effect of RF fields in the
development of childhood brain tumour is warranted. The characteristics of mobile phone use
among children, their potential biological vulnerability and longer lifetime exposure make
extrapolation from adult studies problematic. There is an ongoing debate on possible
differences in RF absorption between children and adults during mobile phone usage, e.g. due
to differences in anatomy.

2.Biological effect and health hazards

Biological effects are measurable responses to a stimulus or to a change in the environment.

These changes are not necessarily harmful to your health. For example, listening to music,
reading a book, eating an apple or playing tennis will produce a range of biological effects.
Nevertheless, none of these activities is expected to cause health effects. The body
has sophisticated mechanisms to adjust to the many and varied influences we encounter in
our environment. Ongoing change forms a normal part of our lives. But, of course, the body
does not possess adequate compensation mechanisms for all biological effects. Changes
that are irreversible and stress the system for long periods of time may constitute a health
hazard.

An adverse health effect causes detectable impairment of the health of the exposed
individual or of his or her offspring; a biological effect, on the other hand, may or may not
result in an adverse health effect.

It is not disputed that electromagnetic fields above certain levels can trigger biological
effects. Experiments with healthy volunteers indicate that short-term exposure at the levels
present in the environment or in the home do not cause any apparent detrimental effects.
Exposures to higher levels that might be harmful are restricted by national and international
guidelines. The current debate is centred on whether longterm low level exposure can evoke
biological responses and influence people's well being.
Widespread concerns for health

A look at the news headlines of recent years allows some insight into the various areas of
public concern. Over the course of the past decade, numerous electromagnetic field sources
have become the focus of health concerns, including power lines, microwave ovens,
computer and TV screens, security devices, radars

and most recently mobile phones and their base stations. The
International EMF Project

In response to growing public health concerns over possible health effects from
exposure to an ever increasing number and diversity of electromagnetic field
sources, in 1996 the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a large,
multidisciplinary research effort. The International EMF Project brings together current
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knowledge and available resources of key international and national agencies and scientific
institutions.

CONCLUSION FROM SCINTIFIC RESEARCH

In the area of biological effects and medical applications of non-ionizing radiation

approximately 25,000 articles have been published over the past 30 years. Despite the
feeling of some people that more research needs to be done, scientific knowledge in this
area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. Based on a recent in- depth review of
the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the
existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields.
However, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research.
Effects on general health

Some members of the public have attributed a diffuse collection of symptoms to low levels
of exposure to electromagnetic fields at home. Reported symptoms include headaches,
anxiety, suicide and depression, nausea, fatigue and loss of libido. To date, scientific
evidence does not support a link between these symptoms and exposure to electromagnetic
fields. At least some of these health problems may be caused by noise or other factors in the
environment, or by anxiety related to the presence of new technologies.
Effects on pregnancy outcome

Many different sources and exposures to electromagnetic fields in the living and working
environment, including computer screens, water beds and electric blankets, radiofrequency
welding machines, diathermy equipment and radar, have been evaluated by the WHO and
other organizations. The overall weight of evidence shows that exposure to fields at typical
environmental levels does not increase the risk of any adverse outcome such as spontaneous
abortions, malformations, low birth weight, and congenital diseases. There have been
occasional reports of associations between health problems and presumed exposure to
electromagnetic fields, such as reports of prematurity and low birth weight in children of
workers in the electronics industry, but these have not been regarded by the scientific
community as being necessarily caused by the field exposures (as opposed to factors such as
exposure to solvents).

Cataracts

General eye irritation and cataracts have sometimes been reported in workers exposed to
high levels of radiofrequency and microwave radiation, but animal studies do not support
the idea that such forms of eye damage can be produced at levels that are not thermally
hazardous. There is no evidence that these effects occur at levels experienced by the general
public.

Electromagnetic fields and cancer

Despite many studies, the evidence for any effect remains highly controversial. However, it is
electromagnetic fields do have an effect on cancer, then any increase in risk will be
extremely small. The results to date contain many inconsistencies.
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A number of epidemiological studies suggest small increases in risk of childhood leukemia

with exposure to low frequency magnetic fields in the home. However,
scientists have not generally concluded that these results indicate a cause-effect relation
between exposure to the fields and disease (as opposed to artifacts in the study or effects
unrelated to field exposure). In part, this conclusion has been reached because animal and
laboratory studies fail to demonstrate any reproducible effects that are consistent with the
hypothesis that fields cause or promote cancer. Large- scale studies are currently underway
in several countries and may help resolve these issues.
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity and depression

Some individuals report "hypersensitivity" to electric or magnetic fields. They ask whether
aches and pains, headaches, depression, lethargy, sleeping disorders, and even convulsions
and epileptic seizures could be associated with electromagnetic field exposure.

There is little scientific evidence to support the idea of electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Recent Scandinavian studies found that individuals do not show consistent reactions under
properly controlled conditions of electromagnetic field exposure. Nor is there any accepted
biological mechanism to explain hypersensitivity. Research on this subject is difficult because
many other subjective responses may be involved, apart from direct effects of fields
themselves. More studies are continuing on the subject.
The focus of current and future research

Much effort is currently being directed towards the study of electromagnetic fields in
relation to cancer. Studies in search for possible carcinogenic (cancer-producing) effects of
power frequency fields is continuing, although at a reduced level compared to that of the
late 1990's.

The long-term health effects of mobile telephone use is another topic of much current
research. No obvious adverse effect of exposure to low level radiofrequency fields has been
discovered. However, given public concerns regarding the safety of cellular telephones,
further research aims to determine whether any less obvious effects.

Key points
• A wide range of environmental influences causes biological effects. 'Biological effect'
does not equal 'health hazard'. Special research is needed to identify and measure
health hazards.
• At low frequencies, external electric and magnetic fields induce small circulating
currents within the body. In virtually all ordinary environments, the levels of induced
currents inside the body are too small to produce effect.
• The main effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields is heating of body tissues.
• There is no doubt that short-term exposure to very high levels .
Electromagnetic fields can be harmful to health. Current public concern focuses at
levels below those required to trigger acute biological responses.
20 | P a g e

• WHO's International EMF Project was launched to provide scientifically sound and
objective answers to public concerns about possible hazards of low level
electromagnetic fields.
• Despite extensive research, to date there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to
low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health.
• The focus of international research is the investigation of possible links between
cancer and electromagnetic fields, at power line and radiofrequencies.

Discussion

Scientific studies have failed to provide support for a relationship between RF

exposure and self-reported symptoms sometimes referred to as EHS. Present
knowledge suggests that symptoms are not correlated to RF field exposure, but few
studies have addressed this issue directly. The exposure levels from base stations are
very low compared to the exposure during the use of a mobile phone. Research
regarding health effects from base stations where exposure is significantly lower than
for mobile phone users is mainly driven by concern in the general population The
symptoms attributed to ELF and RF fields are similar and in many cases the afflicted
subjects report both ELF and RF fields to trigger symptoms. There are more studies
on self-reported symptoms and exposure to ELF fields, but also in this case the
scientific studies have failed to confirm a causal relationship (see also the section on
ELF fields.

CURRENT STATE OF RESEARCH

• Laboratory studies on cells aim to determine if there is a mechanism by which
electromagnetic field exposure could cause harmful biological effects. Animal studies
are essential for establishing effects in higher organisms whose physiology resembles
that of humans to a degree. Epidemiological studies look for statistical associations
between field exposure and the incidence of specific adverse health outcomes in
humans.
• Finding a statistical association between some agent and a specific disease does not
mean that the agent caused the disease.
• The absence of health effects could mean that there really are none; however, it
could also signify that an existing effect is undetectable with present methods.
• Results of diverse studies (cellular, animal, and epidemiology) must be considered
together before drawing conclusions about possible health risks of a suspected
environmental hazard. Consistent evidence from these very different types of studies
increases the degree of certainty about a true effect.
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REFERENCE

• Introduction to Electrodynamics by David J Griffiths.

• Classical electrodynamics by J.D Jackson

• Optics by Ajoy Ghatak.

• https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-
andanswers/item/radiationelectromagneticfields#:~:text=Reported%20sympto ms
%20include%20headaches%2C %2 0anxiety,and%20exposure%20to
%20electromagnetic%20fields.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation#:~:text=The%2
0effects%20of%20electromagnetic%20radiation,heating%20when%20ra diation
%20is%20absorbed.

• https://www.google.com/search?q=effect+of+electro+magnetic+radiati
on+on+humans&rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN985IN985&sxsrf=ALiCzsZDkSCAizFnb
u1MVCdXuQkpUYY0ag:1651498794164&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&
ved=2ahUKEwj7iOS3-
MD3AhXul1YBHX4ZD8oQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1366&bih=625&dpr=
1#imgrc=mUf48oyz_sISxM

• https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/sceni
hr_o_007.pdf