Modelling of daily radiofrequency electromagnetic field dose for a prospective adolescent cohort

Marloes Eeftens; Chen Shen; Jana Sönksen; Claudia Schmutz; Luuk van Wel; Ilaria Liorni; Roel Vermeulen; Elisabeth Cardis; Joe Wiart; Mireille Toledano; Martin Röösli

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2023.107737

Modelling of daily radiofrequency electromagnetic field dose for a prospective adolescent cohort

Environ Int. 2023 Feb:172:107737. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107737. Epub 2023 Jan 5.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: marloes.eeftens@swisstph.ch.
² MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Units in Environmental Exposures and Health & Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards, in partnership with UK Health Security Agency, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom.
³ Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁴ Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
⁵ Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT'IS Foundation), Zurich, Switzerland.
⁶ Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
⁷ Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
⁸ Chair C2M, LTCI Télecom ParisTech, Université Paris Saclay, 46 rue Barrault, 75013 Paris, France.
⁹ MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Units in Environmental Exposures and Health & Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards, in partnership with UK Health Security Agency, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom; Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom.

PMID: 36709672
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107737

Abstract

Introduction: Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields originate from a variety of wireless communication sources operating near and far from the body, making it challenging to quantify daily absorbed dose. In the framework of the prospective cohort SCAMP (Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones), we aimed to characterize RF-EMF dose over a 2-year period.

Methods: The SCAMP cohort included 6605 children from greater London, UK at baseline (age 12.1 years; 2014-2016) and 5194 at follow-up (age 14.2; 2016-2018). We estimated the daily dose of RF-EMF to eight tissues including the whole body and whole brain, using dosimetric algorithms for the specific absorption rate transfer into the body. We considered RF-EMF dose from 12 common usage scenarios such as mobile phone calls or data transmission. We evaluated the association between sociodemographic factors (gender, ethnicity, phone ownership and socio-economic status), and the dose change between baseline and follow-up.

Results: Whole body dose was estimated at an average of 170 mJ/kg/day at baseline and 178 mJ/kg/day at follow-up. Among the eight tissues considered, the right temporal lobe received the highest daily dose (baseline 1150 mJ/kg/day, follow-up 1520 mJ/kg/day). Estimated daily dose [mJ/kg/day] increased between baseline and follow-up for head and brain related tissues, but remained stable for the whole body and heart. Doses estimated at baseline and follow-up showed low correlation among the 3384 children who completed both assessments. Asian ethnicity (compared to white) and owning a bar phone or no phone (as opposed to a smartphone) were associated with lower estimated whole-body and whole-brain RF-EMF dose, while black ethnicity, a moderate/low socio-economic status (compared to high), and increasing age (at baseline) were associated with higher estimated RF-EMF dose.

Conclusion: This study describes the first longitudinal exposure assessment for children in a critical period of development. Dose estimations will be used in further epidemiological analyses for the SCAMP study.

Keywords: Dose modelling; Mobile phones; Personal exposure; Radiofrequency electromagnetic Fields; SCAMP; Smart Phones; WiFi.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Brain
Cell Phone*
Child
Electromagnetic Fields* / adverse effects
Environmental Exposure
Humans
Prospective Studies
Radio Waves

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding