Roger Santini

Enquête sur la santé de riverains de stations relais de téléphonie mobile :: II/ Incidences de l’âge des sujets, de la durée de leur exposition et de leur position par rapport aux antennes et autres sources électromagnétiques☆

This is the 2nd part of a survey study conducted on 530 people (270 men, 260 women) living or not in vicinity of cellular phone base stations. Comparison of complaints frequencies for 16 Non Specific Health Symptoms was done with the CHI-Square test with Yates correction. Our results show significant increase (p < 0.05) in relation with age of subjects (elder subjects are more sensitive) and also, that the facing location is the worst position for some symptoms studied, especially for distances till 100 m from base stations. No significant difference is observed in the frequency of symptoms related to the duration of exposure (from < 1 year to > 5 years), excepted for irritability significantly increased after > 5 years. Other electromagnetic factors (electrical transformers, radio-television transmitters,...) have effects on the frequency of some symptoms reported by the subjects.Resume Une enquete a ete conduite au moyen d’un questionnaire aupres de 530 personnes (270 hommes, 260 femmes) vivant ou non a proximite de stations relais de telephonie mobile. Seize symptomes (Non Specific Health Symptoms – NSHS) ont ete etudies (test non parametrique du CHI-Carre avec la correction de continuite de Yates). Les resultats obtenus dans cette 2e partie montrent des augmentations significatives (p 5 ans) n’a pas d’effet significatif sur la frequence des plaintes rapportees par les riverains a l’exception du symptome irritabilite. La presence d’autres sources electromagnetiques dans l’environnement des riverains (transformateurs electriques, emetteurs de radiotelevision,...) modifie la frequence de certaines plaintes.

Enquête sur la santé de riverains de stations relais de téléphonie mobile : I/Incidences de la distance et du sexe☆

A survey study using questionnaire was conducted in 530 people (270 men, 260 women) living or not in vicinity of cellular phone base stations, on 18 Non Specific Health Symptoms. Comparisons of complaints frequencies (CHI-SQUARE test with Yates correction) in relation with distance from base station and sex, show significant (p 300 m or not exposed to base station, till 300 m for tiredness, 200 m for headache, sleep disturbance, discomfort, etc. 100 m for irritability, depression, loss of memory, dizziness, libido decrease, etc. Women significantly more often than men (p<0.05) complained of headache, nausea, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, depression, discomfort and visual perturbations. This first study on symptoms experienced by people living in vicinity of base stations shows that, in view of radioprotection, minimal distance of people from cellular phone base stations should not be < 300 m.

Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on the Immune Systems of Occupationally Exposed Humans and Mice

The authors examined immunological disorders in 6 individuals who had been exposed occupationally to environmental electromagnetic fields. Comparable effects on mice exposed in a similar environment were also investigated. The human subjects had worked 8 hr/day for 5 yr in a laboratory located above electrical transformers and high-tension cables, and in which there were low-frequency electromagnetic fields of 0.2-6.6 microtesla (μT). The 6 control subjects (matched for socioeconomic parameters, sex, and age) had worked away from the immediate vicinity of transformers and high-tension cables. The authors found statistically significantly lower total lymphocyte, CD4, and CD3 counts, and significantly increased natural killer (NK) cells, in exposed subjects vs. controls. Six months after exposure had ceased, total lymphocyte counts had increased, as had CD4, CD3, and CD19 counts (+13%, +28%, +22%, and +17%, respectively), and NK cell counts were decreased by 26% (not significant) in the same human subjects. In the second part of this study, 12 Swiss male mice housed in cages were exposed in the same room in which the human subjects had been exposed (i.e., 5-μT, 50-Hz magnetic field) for 109 days; 12 additional mice were used as unexposed controls. The total lymphocyte, leukocyte, polymor-phonuclear neutrophil, CD4, and NK counts of the exposed mice at 109 days were significantly lower than those of controls. In addition, plasma glucose levels (at 30 days) and amylase activity (at 109 days) were significantly lower, whereas plasma sodium and chloride levels were significantly elevated at 109 days. Results from this study suggest that chronic exposure to a 0.2-6.6-μT magnetic field can lead to decreased immunological parameters (total lymphocytes and CD4 counts) in both humans and mice. The increase in some values once exposure was terminated suggests a causal relationship with exposure to electromagnetic fields, as do the changes in mice, particularly the changes in total lymphocyte and CD4 counts.

Symptômes rapportés par des utilisateurs de téléphones mobiles cellulaires

A survey study, using questionnaire, was conducted in 161 students and workers in a French engineering school on symptoms experienced during use of digital cellular phones. A significant increase in concentration difficult (p < 0.05) was reported by users of 1800-MHz (DCS) cellular phones compared to 900-MHz (GSM) phone users. In users of cellular phones, women significantly (p < 0.05) complained more often of sleep disturbance than men. This sex difference for sleep complaint is not observed between women and men non-users of cellular phone. The use of both cellular phones and VDT significantly (p < 0.05) increased concentration difficulty. Digital cellular phone users also significantly (p < 0.05) more often complained of discomfort, warmth, and picking on the ear during phone conversation in relation with calling duration per day and number of calls per day. The complaint warmth on the ear might be a signal to users for stoping the call.

SYMPTOMS EXPERIENCED BY USERS OF DIGITAL CELLULAR PHONES: A STUDY OF A FRENCH ENGINEERING SCHOOL

A survey study, using a questionnaire, was conducted in 161 students and workers in a French engineering school on symptoms experienced during use of digital cellular phones. A significant increase in concentration difficulties (p<.05) was reported by users of 1800-MHz (DCS) cellular phones compared to users of 900-MHz (GSM) cellular phones. In users of cellular phones, women significantly (p<.05) complained more often of sleep disturbance than men. The use of both cellular phones and VDT significantly (p<.05) increased concentration difficulties. Digital cellular phone users also significantly (p<.05) more often complained of discomfort, warmth, and pricking of the ear during phone conversations as a function of calling duration per day and number of calls per day.

Hematologic and Cortisol Alterations Observed in Young Mice Placed in Front of a Color Television Screen

Four-week-old Swiss male mice were placed 20 cm from a color television screen switched on for 5 continuous days/week, 9 ± 2 h/Day for 106 days. The control group was nonexposed. The average magnetic field was 0.8 μT at the front of the exposed mice cage, and 0.23 μT at the back. Hematologic and cortisol values were measured on Days 0, 22, 57, and 106. Statistical analysis on weight and hematological values were performed using analysis of variance for repeated measures involving baseline values, group, time, and interaction between group and time as fixed factors. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils were significantly lower in the exposed group than control, but no interaction between time and exposure was found. On Day 22, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly higher in the exposed group. An interaction between time and group was found. Day 57 cortisol values of the exposed group were significantly higher than control, and on Day 106, values of the exposed group were significantly lower than control (Student t test). Such an observation could be explained by a feedback control following long-term irradiation exposure. In conclusion, exposure of very young mice to the electromagnetic emissions from a television screen appears to modify hematological parameters, reaching values characteristic of adult mice.