UMTS base station-like exposure, well-being, and cognitive performance.

BACKGROUND: Radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) of mobile communication systems are widespread in the living environment, yet their effects on humans are uncertain despite a growing body of literature. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the influence of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) base station-like signal on well-being and cognitive performance in subjects with and without self-reported sensitivity to RF EMF. METHODS: We performed a controlled exposure experiment (45 min at an electric field strength of 0, 1, or 10 V/m, incident with a polarization of 45 degrees from the left back side of the subject, weekly intervals) in a randomized, double-blind crossover design. A total of 117 healthy subjects (33 self-reported sensitive, 84 nonsensitive subjects) participated in the study. We assessed well-being, perceived field strength, and cognitive performance with questionnaires and cognitive tasks and conducted statistical analyses using linear mixed models. Organ-specific and brain tissue-specific dosimetry including uncertainty and variation analysis was performed. RESULTS: In both groups, well-being and perceived field strength were not associated with actual exposure levels. We observed no consistent condition-induced changes in cognitive performance except for two marginal effects. At 10 V/m we observed a slight effect on speed in one of six tasks in the sensitive subjects and an effect on accuracy in another task in nonsensitive subjects. Both effects disappeared after multiple end point adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to a recent Dutch study, we could not confirm a short-term effect of UMTS base station-like exposure on well-being. The reported effects on brain functioning were marginal and may have occurred by chance. Peak spatial absorption in brain tissue was considerably smaller than during use of a mobile phone. No conclusions can be drawn regarding short-term effects of cell phone exposure or the effects of long-term base station-like exposure on human health.

Electro-optic fiber sensor for amplitude and phase detection of radio frequency electromagnetic fields.

We present a miniature fiber-optic electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor that is capable of simultaneously detecting the amplitude and phase of an EMF in the range of 0.1-6 GHz. We focus on magnetic field measurements, since the H-field is more significant in our target applications due its direct relation to the current. The sensor is based on an open optical platform to which various antennas can be attached and contains a radio-frequency amplifier for signal conditioning and a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser as an electro-optic converter. The millimeter size and the full electrical isolation of the sensor allow EMF detection with minimal disturbance. We have characterized the sensor in the near field of a lambda/2 dipole, a rectangular waveguide, and a microstrip line, and we explain the experimental results with a simple theoretical model confirming the mapped near-field distribution of the investigated field source.