Mobile phones: will they be dangerous?

2001/01/01 Agirre, Jabier - Medikua eta OEEko kidea Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

When speaking from the mobile phone, our mind absorbs part of the energy that releases or emits the antenna. This absorbed energy initially involves a warming of the tissues of the body, followed by a physiological and thermoregulating response. In the opinion of Dr. Mercedes Martínez Burdalo, who works at the Torres Quevedo Applied Physics Institute of the Superior Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), "we would notice effects similar to caloric stress, which means an increase in our body temperature, to the point of making physical or mental tasks difficult".

The interactions that can have these electromagnetic fields with human biological tissues are long subjected to scientific studies in order to measure their effect and establish certain limitations. So far it has been mentioned that exposure to these waves can cause changes in tissues, especially in tissues with high water content, in addition to causing headaches, fatigue and cataracts (or cataracts). And according to other suspicions or rumors, these electromagnetic waves would also affect male fertility.

Low doses and few conclusions

However, according to the CSIC researcher, doses of radiation in everyday life are low while scientists have "few coherent jobs" about their possible adverse effects. Therefore, there are no categorical results that allow determining whether they cause cancer directly or not, whether they are consumed at high doses (as with ionizing radiations, X-rays or nuclear).

At this point, the World Health Organization is currently collecting and studying scientific research to put an end to this lack of consensus among experts, and then initiating a serious information campaign to the public. Because, in the opinion of Dr. Martínez Burdalo, "an enormous alarm has been opened among people, despite the fact that the telephony company and governments have used security parameters correctly."

But as the antennas grow in the cities, all precautions and measures are necessary, especially in the case of children, whose tissues are more vulnerable and sensitive, whose brain is in the process of formation or recovery. And the recommendation of this expert is to be at a reasonable distance from the sources of emission, until the effect that this wave can have on the human tissues is determined.

Two centimeters of mobile to head

In the case of mobile phones, for example, it would be enough to remove the antenna about two centimeters from the head and in the case of microwave ovens, keep a distance of one meter.

However, when talking about repetitive antennas located on the terraces and roofs of public buildings, the researcher Martínez Burdalo is more demanding, and he considers that we have to be careful because we have to study these areas with greater sensitivity: they should not be the places of play used by children or the drying of clothes. On the other hand, the fact that it goes further should also involve the public authorities and increase the control measures of the radiation around the antennas, in addition to adopting specific measures to educate the entire population (information campaigns, web pages, etc. ).

And it is that, in the absence of round and indisputable data, countries around the world still move to a level of recommendation, since the required radiation limits are not met, as in the case of ionizing radiations such as nuclear.

Measures of each country

The measures vary from country to country. Thus, while Australia has gone from restrictive measures to less demanding controls, the United States has hardened in recent years. "In North America, radiation leak detectors are sold in stores to know if they move within the parameters recommended by this tool," explains the researcher, provided that precariousness or attention goes ahead of all the tests and results of scientific research. Today science follows two parallel paths: it intends to advance in the investigation of the harmful effects of these radiations (which would add the harmful effect of certain toxic substances of the body, hypothesis still unsolved). On the other hand, it treats the possible medical uses of these waves, more precise than the ultrasonic waves as a method of diagnosis by image, besides being an important tool for the treatment of the tumors.

Measures to avoid damage to health in mobile phones

The Ministry of Science and Technology will publish a royal decree that compiles the recommendations of the European Union on the safety of radio emissions from mobile phones.

Sources of the Ministry have indicated that in this decree will appear the recommendations that must fulfill the infrastructures of the network, and more specifically the emitting antennas, in addition to establishing the distances that they must keep to the public. According to these sources, the antennas currently installed in Spain comply with the European safety recommendations.

According to the minister, Anna Birulés, for the moment there is no complete investigation on the effects that mobile phones can have on health, "as it happens with all the new technological components, because until a few years ago not all the implications are known".

Mobile telephony companies (Airtel and Movistar mainly) were shown according to this initiative and announced the approval of any preventive measure to inform users of the potential risks arising from the use of these devices.