Protons for Breakfast Are Mobile Phones Safe?

Week 5
March 2013

In the event of of a new ice age

This evening

0. The Media! 1. How do mobile phones work? What is the hazard? 2. How do electromagnetic waves interact with matter? 3. SAR Microwave Ovens Mobile Phone 4. Are mobile phones safe?

The word radiation

The word radiation means Anything which radiates on ray-like paths Could be Sound Radio Light Infra-red light Particles or waves emitted from the nuclei of atoms Nuclear Radiation

Media

Media

Sunday, 20 January 2008

It also complements other recent research. A massive study, following 1,656 Belgian teenagers for a year, found most of them used their phones after going to bed. It concluded that those who did this once a week were more than three times and those who used them more often more than five times as likely to be "very tired".

1. How do mobile phones work?

Magic?

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic Arthur C. Clarke

Not magic
Mobile Phones are radio phones Operating at microwave frequencies Handset power minimised by having a network of local transmitters and receivers 52,500 base stations in UK

Each colour represents a base station operating at a slightly different frequency

Roughly hexagonal cells

Mast

Mobile Phones (3) Recognise the masts?

Each cell has a transmitter and receiver mast Notice the typical three way structure

3G Masts

Photo Credit Brighton and Hove Green Party

Linking to base stations

Mast power between 60 watts and 120 watts

Handset power less than 1 watt

Handset sends signals every few minutes to establish which is the nearest mast

A central computer
keeps track of all the telephones that are switched on remembers which cell they are in

Making a mobile-to-mobile call

Network Control Knows in which cell every telephone is Receiving Telephone

Its complicated!
Originating Telephone

2G or GSM phone
Global System for Mobile Communications

Sound Hello!

How

are

you?

Encoding to Radio Signal Hello! How are you?

Peak Power 2 W Maximum Average power is 0.25 W Maximum

No sound: No signal 217 pulses of encoded sound every second

2G or GSM phone

Base station Transmitter Frequencies (MHz) GSM900 GSM1800 935 - 960 1805-1880

Handset Transmitter Frequencies (MHz) 890-915 1710-1785

Peak Handset Power (Watts) 2 1

Originally licensed to
O2 (Tesco) Vodafone (Asda) Orange T Mobile (Virgin)

Anatomy of a GSM Signal

2G or GSM phone
217 Pulses per second per telephone call

Each frequency channel can carry 7 calls

217 Pulses per second

Safety

The safety issues surrounding mobile phones concern the interactions of the microwaves emitted by mobile phones base stations

with human tissue

6 degrees

50 m to 200 m

And its not just mobile phones!

WiFi Wireless Networking Bluetooth devices Wireless keyboards and mice DECT cordless phones Baby Monitors Walkie Talkie

All involve electromagnetic waves in the radio and microwave part of the spectrum

2. How do electromagnetic waves interact with matter?

Electromagnetic spectrum
Infra Red Radio & TV Ultra Violet GammaRays

Microwaves Microwaves 0.8 GHz to 1000 GHz

X-Rays

Non-ionising Radiation (generally not so bad)

Ionising Radiation (generally bad)

1 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022

Frequency (Hertz)

Waves & Matter

When an electromagnetic wave interacts with matter Some absorption Some reflection Some transmission

Summary

Electromagnetic waves interacting with matter can be Reflected, absorbed or transmitted What happens depends on the frequency of the electric field the natural frequencies of the atoms and molecules Microwaves emitted by mobile phone systems Are absorbed by human tissue

Waves
Radio & TV Infra Red Microwaves Ultra Violet X-rays Gamma Rays

What vibrates?
Atoms in solids or molecules Entire molecules or parts of molecules

Electrons in Atoms

Protons in nucleus

Lighter particles Stronger forces

1 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022

Frequency (Hertz)

Absorption demo

Near the natural frequency Absorption

Well below the natural frequency Not much absorption

Well above the natural frequency Not much absorption

Frequency

Waves & Matter

When electromagnetic waves are absorbed Atoms jiggle faster: i.e. increase their temperature.
Electricity

Atoms
Heat

Electromagnetic waves

3. How much energy gets absorbed?

S.A.R.
Specific Energy Absorption Rate

Terminology

Power watts Intensity watts per square metre Specific energy Absorption Rate (SAR) watts per kilogram

Example using light 1 cm SAR: from 20 W source 20 W absorbed in hand rather than microwaves
Intensity 8000 watts per square metre SAR 200 watts per kilogram

10 cm from 20 W source
2 W absorbed in hand Intensity 200 watts per square metre SAR 20 watts per kilogram

1 metre from 20 W source

0.02 W absorbed in hand Intensity 5 watts per square metre SAR 0.2 watts per kilogram

Microwave Hazard

The potential hazard from mobile phones and other wireless devices arises from the absorption of microwave radiation
Mobile phones only emit a watt or two so little power it makes experiments difficult

Microwave ovens emit a few hundred watts makes experiments easy

Microwave Ovens

3a. Microwave ovens

Electromagnetic spectrum
Infra Red Radio & TV Ultra Violet GammaRays

Microwaves X-Rays

Microwave Oven 2.45 GHz Conventional Oven 200 C

1 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022

Absorption of microwaves by liquid water

0.4 0.35 0.3
Near the natural frequency Absorption Well above the natural frequency Not much absorption

Absorbtion

0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1

2.45 GHz Well below the natural frequency Not much absorption

0.05 0 0.01 0.1 1 Frequency 10 100

Absorption (1) Too strong

If power were absorbed too strongly, Microwaves would only penetrate a short distance Surface would be heated Inside would remain uncooked

0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.01 0.1 1 Frequency (GHz) 10 100 Microwave ovens operate at 2.45 GHz

Absorption (2) Too weak

If power were absorbed too weakly, Microwaves would go right through No cooking

0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.01 0.1 1 Frequency (GHz) 10 100 Microwave ovens operate at 2.45 GHz

Absorption (3)

If power is absorbed just right, Microwaves penetrate about 5 cm (2 inches) Cooks the outer 5 cm of the food Good enough for most cases

0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.01 0.1 1 Frequency (GHz) 10 100 Microwave ovens operate at 2.45 GHz

Microwave Ovens Summary

A microwave oven cooks food by heating it The heating comes from intense waves at 2.45 GHz
(Instead of a wide spectrum of waves at infra red frequencies)

Frequency chosen because of absorption properties of water molecules at that frequency.

Microwave Ovens

Inside a microwave oven

Microwave Power

Power This is a 700 watt oven Think of 7 x 100 watt light bulbs

Microwave Electric field

700 watts Around 140 000 volts per metre Look what happens to a CD

Microwave Intensity

Between 104 to 105 watts per square metre

(Most intense sunlight around 103 watts per square metre)

Very Dangerous

Could I have a stupid volunteer please?

Microwave Oven SAR inside oven

700 watts absorbed in 1 kg of water:
SAR = 700 watts per kg

Question: After 1 minute, how hot would your brain become if subject to an SAR of 700 watts per kg?

Experiment

Microwave Ovens Comparison with handsets

SAR Watts
per kilogram

Temperature Rise in 1 kg of Brain Fluid 8 C (ish)

Cant be measured directly

Microwave Mobile Phone

700 1

0.01 C (ish)

Expect 1/700 of microwave temperature rise The effects of blood flow reduce this further

Back to Mobile Phones 3b. Mobile Phone SAR

Mobile Phones (14) SAR and Safety

Old Style New Style

Mobile Phones (8) Your telephone

Look in the small print!

Typical SAR with phone near the head

Typical figures Power

Watts

Intensity
Watts per square metre

Maximum SAR
Watts per kilogram

200

SAR Averaged over 10 grams By law must be less than 2 watts per kilogram

Base Station SAR

Base Stations

Power

6 degrees

50 m to 200 m

Base Station Information http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

EIRO
How this is specified
Equivalent isotropic Radiated Output

60 W

Actual Pattern of Emitted Radiation

Mast near my childrens old school

1000 W EiRO
Power 30 dBW 1000 W Equivalent isotropic Radiated Output 60 W to 120 W in actual power

Actual Pattern of Emitted Radiation

SAR 0.001
Watts per kilogram

0.3
Watts per square metre

0.01
Watts per square metre

Comparison of handsets and base stations

Power
Watts

Intensity
Watts per square metre

Maximum SAR
Watts per kilogram

Handset Base Station

1 60

200 0.01

About 1 About 0.001

Base station SAR is extremely low but you cant choose whether you want it or not!

Wireless Networking

WiFi 802.11(b), 802.11(g), 802.11(n) Operates at 2.4 GHz Power

Watts

Intensity (at 1 metre)

Watts per square metre

SAR (at 1 metre)

Watts per kilogram

0.1

Less than 0.01

About 0.0001

Comparison of handsets and base stations and wi-fi

Power
Watts

Intensity
Watts per square metre

Maximum SAR
Watts per kilogram

Handset
Base Station Wi Fi

1
60 0.1

200
0.01 < 0.01

About 1
About 0.001 About 0.0001

4. Are Mobile Phones Safe?

SAR and Safety

Health Protection Agency Based on ICNIRP guidelines http://www.icnirp.de/documents/emfgdl.pdf International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection determines what we believe is safe

How do they do that? They determine a borderline safe level Divide by 10 for occupational exposure Divide by another factor 5 for general public exposure

What are the risks?

Basic safety assumption is that the main effect of exposure to microwaves is thermal Are there non-thermal effects? If so are they harmful? Normal thermal vibrations are much larger than vibrations induced by microwaves emitted by mobile phones. Question of safety must be resolved by experiment Experiments are very hard

Are mobile phones safe?

Stewart Report A group of non-industry related experts Gave rise to MTHR Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research ONGOING Research Program Funded 50:50 government & industry

Stewart Report

Mobile Phones and their networks are pretty safe

There may be effects

Precautionary Approach: More research please

Children

Driving

Mobile Phones

Suppose we discovered an effect: What might it look like?

Nora D. Volkow, Dardo Tomasi, Gene-Jack Wang, Paul Vaska, Joanna S. Fowler, Frank Telang, Dave Alexoff, Jean Logan, Christopher Wong, Effects of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism
Journal of the American Medical Association, February 23, 2011Vol 305, No. 8

PET Scan This device can see you think!

Glucose metabolism in this area appears to have been affected

What could we do? What should we do?

You decide!
In smaller groups
Please come up with some questions, and suggestions We will gather these together and then ask the experts

On-line Resources
www.protonsforbreakfast.org This PowerPoint presentation. Handouts as a pdf file

blog.protonsforbreakfast.org Links to other sites & resources Me going on about things

Goodnight

See you next week to discuss Nuclear Power

Mobile Phones

Unused Slides

More willing Perception of risk to take risk

Less willing to take risk

Example

Benefits

Direct Indirect

Risk is expressed mathematically, Cars/ but our judgement of risk is not mathematical Technology Familiar Unfamiliar
Exposure

Base Stations/ Mobile Phones

Mobile Phones

Voluntary Involuntary

Base Stations/ Mobile Phones

Poverty/ Wealth

Exposure

Fair Unfair

Exposure

No Personal Personal Control Control

Not Dreaded Dreaded

Driver/ Pedestrian
Cancer/ Broken bone

Consequence

How it all fits together

Electricity

Atoms Heat

Electromagnetic waves

A Cautionary Tale

August 14, 2002 I don't want to sound like I know everything in the world or even like I know quite a lot. But you had a question regarding If a microwave oven door were to open while it was still on, what would happen? Could it hurt you?- JP Well ..Having the thought process that I have, kinda how should I put it? ...Stupid? or inventive or even in-between. Well, my microwave door did happen to come off. Magic Chef 900-watt microwave. Well, I did my best to try to fix it but the hinge on one side did not attach properly, therefore having a gap Dont try this at home! between the door and the appliance. Being me (stupid) I wondered if it would burn fast or would it gradually warm up. I slid my finger between...You probably dying to hear what happened... But it didn't gradually warm up at all. It was instant heat! It didn't scar me or anything like that, but sure scared the H*** out of me to find out it got so hot so quick. I didn't get any blisters either. But it just burned like touching something hot on the tip of my finger being that is the only thing I put in. Well you know the old adage, "You learn from your mistakes", stands true. lol -

Mobile Phones

Suppose we discovered an effect: What might it look like?

Possibility#1

R Luria, I Eliyahu, R Hareuveny, M Margaliot, N, Meiran Cognitive Effects of Radiation Emitted by Cellular Phones: The influence of exposure side and time Biolectromagnetics 30: 198-204 (2009)

No Match Click with Left Hand

Match Click with Right Hand

Task Completed with Phone On LEFT On RIGHT OFF

RESULTS

1100
Response Time: milliseconds

1 hour

1100

1 hour
RIGHT HAND RESPONSE Match RESPONSE

LEFT HAND RESPONSE 'No Match' RESPONSE

1000 950 900 850 800 750 700

SHAM LEFT EXPOSURE RIGHT EXPOSURE

Response Time: milliseconds

1050

1050 1000 950 900 850 800 750 1 2

SHAM LEFT EXPOSURE RIGHT EXPOSURE

700 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Block

6 7 Block

9 10 11 12

RESULTS With Uncertainty

Only these two points have statistical significance
1100
Response Time: milliseconds

1100
LEFT HAND RESPONSE RIGHT HAND RESPONSE 'Match' RESPONSE 'No Match' RESPONSE

1000 950 900 850 800 750 700

SHAM LEFT EXPOSURE RIGHT EXPOSURE

Response Time: milliseconds

1050

1050 1000 950 900 850 800 750 1 2

SHAM LEFT EXPOSURE RIGHT EXPOSURE

700 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Block

6 7 Block

9 10 11 12

What could we do?

Ban mobile phones ? The Precautionary principle Could there be some harm caused? How many lives are saved by mobile phones? Reduce mobile phone power ? Increase the number of mobile phone masts Reduce mast power ? Increase the mobile phone handset power Increase the number of masts Ban mobile phone use while driving ? Done: has it been effective? Nothing ?