"Dirty electricity": What, where, and should we care

Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology

Volumn 20, Issue 5, 2010, Pages 399-405

  De Vocht, Frank ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

dirty electricity; electromagnetic fields; EMF; health effects; High frequency voltage transients; RF

Indexed keywords

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; HEALTH STATUS; HUMAN; METHODOLOGY; NEOPLASM; REVIEW; RISK ASSESSMENT;

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; HEALTH STATUS; HUMANS; NEOPLASMS; RESEARCH DESIGN; RISK ASSESSMENT;

EID: 77953870736     PISSN: 15590631     EISSN: 1559064X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1038/jes.2010.8     Document Type: Review

References (59)

1. Ahlbom A., and Feychting M. Electromagnetic radiation. Br Med Bull 2003: 68: 157-165.
2. Ahlbom A., Green A., Kheifets L., Savitz D., and Swerdlow A. Epidemiology of health effects of radiofrequency exposure. Environ Health Perspect 2004: 112(17): 1741-1754.
3. Aldrich T.E., and Easterly C.E. Electromagnetic fields and public health. Environ Health Perspect 1987: 75: 159-171.
4. Bauer J., Stamm A., Virnich K., Wissing K., Muller U., Wirsching M., and Schaarschmidt U. Correlation between burnout syndrome and psychological and psychosomatic symptoms among teachers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2006: 79(3): 199-204.
5. Binhi V.N., and Savin A.V. Molecular gyroscopes and biological effects of weak extremely low-frequency magnetic fields. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlinear Soft Matter Phys 2002: 65(5 Part 1): 051912.
6. BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) Online. 2009 May (cited 2009 August 6). Available from: http://www.bioinitiative.org/.
7. Breckenkamp J., Neitzke H.P., Bornkessel C., and Berg-Beckhoff G. Applicability of an exposure model for the determination of emissions from mobile phone base stations. Radiat Prot Dosimetry 2008: 131(4): 474-481.
8. Cardis E., Richardson L., Deltour I., Armstrong B., Feychting M., Johansen C., Kilkenny M., McKinney P., Modan B., Sadetzki S., Schuz J., Swerdlow A., Vrijheid M., Auvinen A., Berg G., BlettnerM., Bowman J., Brown J., Chetrit A., Christensen H.C., Cook A., Hepworth S., Giles G., Hours M., Iavarone I., Jarus-Hakak A., Klaeboe L., Krewski D., Lagorio S., Lonn S., Mann S., McBride M., Muir K., Nadon L., Parent M.E., Pearce N., Salminen T., Schoemaker M., Schlehofer B., Siemiatycki J., Taki M., Takebayashi T., Tynes T., van T.M., Vecchia P., Wiart J., Woodward A., and Yamaguchi N. The INTERPHONE study: design, epidemiological methods, and description of the study population. Eur J Epidemiol 2007: 22(9): 647-664.
9. Carpenter D.O., and Sage C. Setting prudent public health policy for electromagnetic field exposures. Rev Environ Health 2008: 23(2): 91-117.
10. Dahmen N., Ghezel-Ahmadi D., and Engel A. Blood laboratory findings in patients suffering from self-perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Bioelectromagnetics 2009: 30(4): 299-306.
11. Day S.J., and Altman D.G. Statistics notes: blinding in clinical trials and other studies. BMJ 2000: 321(7259): 504.
12. Duyan G., Xu G., Yu H., Yang S., Yang Q., and Yan W. Modeling of electromagnetic environment of transmission lines for studying effect of ELFEMF. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2008: 2008: 1331-1334.
13. Enck P., Benedetti F., and Schedlowski M. New insights into the placebo and nocebo responses. Neuron 2008: 59(2): 195-206.
14. Feychting M., Ahlbom A., and Kheifets L. EMF and health. Annu Rev Public Health 2005: 26: 165-189.
15. Frei P., Mohler E., Neubauer G., Theis G., Burgi A., Frohlich J., Braun- Fahrlander C., Bolte J., Egger M., and Roosli M. Temporal and spatial variability of personal exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields. Environ Res 2009: 109(6): 779-785.
16. Genuis S.J. Fielding a current idea: exploring the public health impact of electromagnetic radiation. Public Health 2008: 122(2): 113-124.
17. Graham M. A Ubiquitous Pollutant. Electronics Research Laboratory, College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Memorandum No. UCB/ ERL M00/55. 2000.
18. Graham M. Mitigation of Electrical Pollution in the Home. Electronics Research Laboratory, College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Memorandum No. ECB/ERL M02/18. 2002.
19. Graham M. A Microsurge Meter for Electrical Pollution Research. Electronics Research Laboratory, College Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Memorandum No. UCB/ERL M03/03. 2003.
20. Hardell L., and Sage C. Biological effects from electromagnetic field exposure and public exposure standards. Biomed Pharmacother 2008: 62(2): 104-109.
21. Havas M Intensity of electric and magnetic fields from power lines within the business district of 60 Ontario communities. Sci Total Environ 2002: 298(1-3): 183-206.
22. Havas M Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: biological effects of dirty electricity with emphasis on diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Electromagn Biol Med 2006: 25(4): 259-268.
23. Havas M Dirty electricity elevates blood sugar among electrically sensitive diabetics and may explain brittle diabetes. Electromagn Biol Med 2008: 27(2): 135-146.
24. Havas M., Illiatovitch M., and Proctor C. Teacher and student response to the removal of dirty electricity by the Graham/Stetzer filter at Willow Wood School in Toronto, Canada. In Biological Effects of EMF's Third International Workshop Kos, Greece, 2004, 311-317.
25. Havas M., and Olstad A. Power quality affects teacher wellbeing and student behavior in three Minnesota Schools. Sci Total Environ 2008: 402(2-3): 157-162.
26. Hjern A., Alfven G., and Ostberg V. School stressors, psychological complaints and psychosomatic pain. Acta Paediatr 2008: 97(1): 112-117.
27. Hutter H.P., Moshammer H., Wallner P., and Kundi M. Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occup Environ Med 2006: 63(5): 307-313.
28. IARC. Non-Ionizing Radiation, Part 1: Static and Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) Electric and Magnetic Fields. IARC Press, Lyon, 2009.
29. IEC. IEC 479-481, Effects of Current on Human Beings and Livestock. Part 1: General Aspects. International Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva, Switzerland, 1994.
30. Irvine N. Definition, Epidemiology and Management of Electrical Sensitivity. Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, HPA-RPD-010, 2005.
31. Ivancsits S., Diem E., Pilger A., Rudiger H.W., and Jahn O. Induction of DNA strand breaks by intermittent exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields in human diploid fibroblasts. Mutat Res 2002: 519(1-2): 1-13.
32. Johansson O Electrohypersensitivity: state-of-the-art of a functional impairment. Electromagn Biol Med 2006: 25(4): 245-258.
33. Kheifets L., Bowman J.D., Checkoway H., Feychting M., Harrington J.M., Kavet R., Marsh G., Mezei G., Renew D.C., and van W.E. Future needs of occupational epidemiology of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields: review and recommendations. Occup Environ Med 2009: 66(2): 72-80.
34. Kundi M The controversy about a possible relationship between mobile phone use and cancer. Environ Health Perspect 2009: 117(3): 316-324.
35. Kundi M., and Hutter H.P. Mobile phone base stations-effects on wellbeing and health. Pathophysiology 2009: 16(2-3): 123-135.
36. Leitgeb N., and Schroettner J. Electric current perception study challenges electric safety limits. J Med Eng Technol 2002: 26(4): 168-172.
37. Leitgeb N., and Schrottner J. Electrosensibility and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Bioelectromagnetics 2003: 24(6): 387-394.
38. Levallois P Hypersensitivity of human subjects to environmental electric and magnetic field exposure: a review of the literature. Environ Health Perspect 2002: 110(Suppl 4): 613-618.
39. Malherbe C., De G.M., De H.R., and Hoet J.J. Circadian variations of blood sugar and plasma insulin levels in man. Diabetologia 1969: 5(6): 397-404.
40. Maslanyj M., Simpson J., Roman E., and Schuz J. Power frequency magnetic fields and risk of childhood leukaemia: misclassification of exposure from the use of the "distance from power line" exposure surrogate. Bioelectromagnetics 2009: 30(3): 183-188.
41. Mathur R Effect of chronic intermittent exposure to AM radiofrequency field on responses to various types of noxious stimuli in growing rats. Electromagn Biol Med 2008: 27(3): 266-276.
42. Milham S., and Morgan L.L. A new electromagnetic exposure metric: high frequency voltage transients associated with increased cancer incidence in teachers in a California school. Am J Ind Med 2008: 51(8): 579-586.
43. Molnar G.D., Taylor W.F., and Ho M.M. Day-to-day variation of continuously monitored glycaemia: a further measure of diabetic instability. Diabetologia 1972: 8(5): 342-348.
44. Morgan J.W. RE: A new electromagnetic exposure metric: high frequency voltage transients associated with increased cancer incidence in teachers in a California school, May 28, 2008; 51:579-586. Am J Ind Med 2009: 52(4): 350-351.
45. Park P., Simmons R.K., Prevost A.T., and Griffin S.J. Screening for type 2 diabetes is feasible, acceptable, but associated with increased short-term anxiety: a randomised controlled trial in British general practice. BMC Public Health 2008: 8: 350.
46. Roosli M Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure and non-specific symptoms of ill health: a systematic review. Environ Res 2008: 107(2): 277-287.
47. Roy C.R., and Martin L.J. A comparison of important international and national standards for limiting exposure to EMF including the scientific rationale. Health Phys 2007: 92(6): 635-641.
48. Rubin G.J., Das M.J., and Wessely S. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: a systematic review of provocation studies. Psychosom Med 2005: 67(2): 224-232.
49. Rubin G.J., Das M.J., and Wessely S. A systematic review of treatments for electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Psychother Psychosom 2006: 75(1): 12-18.
50. Sakurai T., Satake A., Sumi S., Inoue K., and Miyakoshi J. An extremely low frequency magnetic field attenuates insulin secretion from the insulinoma cell line RIN-m. Bioelectromagnetics 2004: 25(3): 160-166.
51. Schulz K.F., Chalmers I., Hayes R.J., and Altman D.G. Empirical evidence of bias. Dimensions of methodological quality associated with estimates of treatment effects in controlled trials. JAMA 1995: 273(5): 408-412.
52. Schuz J., Lagorio S., and Bersani F. Electromagnetic fields and epidemiology: an overview inspired by the fourth course at the International School of Bioelectromagnetics. Bioelectromagnetics 2009: 30(7): 511-524.
53. Surwit R.S., and Schneider M.S. Role of stress in the etiology and treatment of diabetes mellitus. Psychosom Med 1993: 55(4): 380-393.
54. Surwit R.S., Schneider M.S., and Feinglos M.N. Stress and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 1992: 15(10): 1413-1422.
55. The International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety. Benevento Resolution. In: The Precautionary EMF Approach: Rationale, Legislation and Implementation. International Conference 2006.
56. Ward A.C. The role of causal criteria in causal inferences: Bradford Hill's "aspects of association". Epidemiol Perspect Innov 2009: 6: 2.
57. Wood A.W. Possible health effects of 50/60 Hz electric and magnetic fields: review of proposed mechanisms. Australas Phys Eng Sci Med 1993: 16(1): 1-21.
58. Zhadin M.N. Review of Russian literature on biological action of DC and low-frequency AC magnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics 2001: 22(1): 27-45.
59. Zubieta J.K., and Stohler C.S. Neurobiological mechanisms of placebo responses. Ann NY Acad Sci 2009: 1156: 198-210.