Exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields, biological effects and health consequences (100 kHz-300 GHz) Exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields, biological effects and health consequences (100 kHz-300 GHz) Review of the scientific evidence on dosimetry, biological effects, epidemiological observations, and health consequences concerning exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz) Editors: Paolo Vecchia, Rüdiger Matthes, Gunde Ziegelberger James Lin, Richard Saunders, Anthony Swerdlow ICNIRP 16/2009 International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection ICNIRP Cataloguing in Publication Data Review of the scientific evidence on dosimetry, biological effects, epidemiological observations, and health consequences concerning exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz). ICNIRP 16/2009 1. Electromagnetic fields 2. Biological effects 3. Non-Ionizing Radiation 4. RF I. Review ISBN 978-3-934994-10-2 The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection welcomes requests for permission to reproduce or translate its publications, in part or full. Applications and enquiries should be addressed to the Scientific Secretariat, which will be glad to provide the latest information on any changes made to the text, plans for new editions, and reprints and translations already available. © International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection 2009 Publications of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection enjoy copyright protection in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. All rights reserved. ICNIRP Scientific Secretary Dr. G. Ziegelberger Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz Ingolstädter Landstraße 1 85764 Oberschleißheim Germany Tel: (+ 49) 3018 333 2156 Fax: (+49) 3018 333 2155 E-mail: [email protected] www.icnirp.org Preface International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) is an independent scientific organization whose aims are to provide guidance and advice on the health hazards of non-ionizing radiation exposure. ICNIRP was established to advance non-ionizing radiation protection for the benefit of people and the environment. It develops international guidelines on limits of exposure to non-ionizing radiations which are independent and science based; provides science based guidance and recommendations on protection from non-ionizing radiation exposure; establishes principles of non-ionizing radiation protection for formulating international and national protection programs. ICNIRP is a non-governmental organization in non-ionizing radiation in formal relations with the World Health Organization and the International Labour Office. It maintains a close liaison and working relationship with all international bodies engaged in the field of non-ionizing radiation protection, and interacts with radiation protection professionals worldwide through its close collaboration with the International Radiation Protection Association and its national societies. Work is conducted in four standing committees - on Epidemiology, Biology, Physics and Optical Radiation - and in conjunction with appropriate international and national health and research organizations as well as universities and other academic institutions. Preface During the preparation of this document, the composition of the ICNIRP was as follows: 2004-2008 Since 2008 Vecchia P, Chairperson (Italy) Vecchia P, Chairman (Italy) Hietanen M, Vice-Chairperson (Finland) Matthes R, Vice-Chairman (Germany) Ahlbom A (Sweden) Feychting M (Sweden) Breitbart E (Germany) Green A (Australia) De Gruijl F (Netherlands) Jokela K (Finland) Lin J (USA) Lin J (USA) Matthes R (Germany) Peralta A (Philippines) Peralta A (Philippines) Saunders R (United Kingdom) Saunders R (United Kingdom) Schulmeister K (Austria) Söderberg P (Sweden) Söderberg P (Sweden) Stuck B (USA) Stuck B (USA) Swerdlow A (UK) Swerdlow A (UK) Taki M (Japan) Veyret B (France) Veyret B (France) Ziegelberger G, Scientific Secretary (Germany) Ziegelberger G, Scientific Secretary (Germany) Preface FOREWORD This document addresses the current scientific evidence concerning exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) and the resulting consequences for health. The following review was conducted by the ICNIRP Standing Committees in cooperation with its Consulting Members. It covers all scientific aspects relevant in this area which include numerical dosimetry, measurements, biological laboratory investigations in vitro and in vivo, as well as epidemiological findings. This review was motivated by the needs of the World Health Organization’s International EMF Project and ICNIRP’s own agenda of reviewing its guidance and advice on the health hazards of EMF exposure. Since the 1998 publication of the ICNIRP guidelines on limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields, there have been important studies published, that need detailed analysis and discussion to determine their implications for health. This review only addresses high frequency EMFs from 100 kHz to 300 GHz. It aims at providing input to the respective health risk assessment currently undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO). A similar review of the scientific evidence in the static and low frequency fields was published by ICNIRP in 2003. Both reviews will form the basis for a thorough reevaluation of ICNIRP’s science-based guidance on limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields. The effort put into this review by the ICNIRP Standing Committees was supported by many external experts who provided very helpful comments. ICNIRP wishes to thank these scientists sincerely for their support. The Editors Preface ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The support received from the World Health Organization for the development and production of this review “Exposure to High Frequency Fields, Biological Effects and Health Consequences (100 kHz -300 GHz)” is gratefully acknowledged. The comments received during the review process by the following experts are gratefully acknowledged: Jørgen Bach-Andersen, Aalborg University, Denmark; Jürgen H Bernhardt, ICNIRP Consulting Expert; Simon Bouffler, HPA, United Kingdom; Jutta Brix, Bavarian Ministry for Environment, Germany; Lawrie Challis, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom; Rodney Croft, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia; Peter Dimbylow, HPA, United Kingdom; Patrick Haggard, University College London, United Kingdom; Päivi Heikkinen, National Public Health Institute, Finland; Wolfgang Kainz, Food and Drug Administration, United States of America; Dariusz Leszczynski, STUK, Finland; Maria Lönn, Karolinska Institute, Sweden; Carmela Marino, ENEA, Italy; Kenneth McLeod, Binghamton University (SUNY), United States of America, Georg Neubauer, Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria; Maria Rosaria Scarfi, CNR-IREA, Italy; Gernot Schmid, Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria; Murielle Taxille, IMS Laboratory, France; Evi Vogel, Bavarian Ministry for Environment, Germany; Joe Wiart, France Telecom Orange Labs RD, France; Zenon Sienkiewicz, HPA, United Kingdom. The support received from Mona Bittar, Karolinska Institute, Sweden is gratefully acknowledged. Content PREFACE ICNIRP Foreword Acknowledgement I. Dosimetry of high frequency electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz) ..................................... 1 Allen S, Bassen H, D´Inzeo G, Hirata A, Jokela K, Lin J, Mann S, Matthes R, Roy C, Taki M, Wang J, and Watanabe S ........................................................................................................................... 1 I.1. SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................................................3 I.1.1. Sources...........................................................................................................................................................3 I.1.2. Measurement..................................................................................................................................................3 I.1.3. Interaction mechanisms .................................................................................................................................5 I.1.4. Dosimetry.......................................................................................................................................................6 I.2. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS .....................................................................................................................8 I.2.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................................8 I.2.2. Quantities and units .......................................................................................................................................8 I.3. SOURCES AND EXPOSURES...........................................................................................................................9 I.3.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................................9 I.3.2. Natural high frequency fields ........................................................................................................................9 I.3.3. Man-made fields ..........................................................................................................................................11