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Electromagnetic Fields: A Health Hazard ?
THE ubiquitous electromagnetic fields associated with ordinary household electric appliances and power lines have in recent years been the subject of controversy with several studies linking them with health hazards, notably cancer.
Epidemiologists in the United States about a decade ago published a study showing a statistical link between childhood cancers and the proximity of high current power lines. Researchers from the University of Colorado found that children suffering from cancer were twice as likely to live in high current homes. Another study conducted tn 1986 appeared to yield similar findings, although the correlation was less significant
A recent study conducted by two more US researchers suggests that children of fathers working In industries associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields appear tq have increased risk for cancers of the nervous system.
Researchers have had to primarily rely on epidemiological studies to evaluate the effects of electromagnetic fields on humans. Such studies are often difficult to conduct and there could be several other factors In the environment or lifestyles of people that could also be contributing to the presumed effects of the fields.
Biologists who have con ducted several laboratory-based studies on cells or anl mals have however come up with evidence that low fre-quency electromagnetic fields can indeed exert biological ef /ects.
Several studies have shown that these fields can produce changes at the cellular level. The effects observed through such studies include Interference with DNA synthesis and RNA transcription and Interaction with the biomedical kinetics of cancer cells.
A researcher with the Cancer Therapy and Research Centre in Texas placed cancer-colony stem cells taken from human victims of colon cancer in dishes of growth medium and exposed them to various combinations of electromagnetic fields for 24 hours. The exposed cancer cells proliferated anywhere from 2 to 24 times more than a control group of unexposed cells. The exposed cells also appeared to be more resistant to natural killer cells, the white blood cells that attack cancer cells.
It is possible that electromagnetic field exposures could play a rote in the genesis of mutations or tumours, although convincing evidence has yet to be reported, researchers C C Johnson and M Spitz who conducted the study linking paternal occupations with childhood nervous system tumours, said.
The two epidemiologists conducted a population based study to te*t the association between the occurrence of central nervous system tumours in children and paternal occupation at the time of birth. 1n Jobs involving exposure to low frequency electromagnetic fields
They found that there were elevated risk* for children of worker* In the computer and
electronic component manufacturing sectors. Reporting their findings in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the researchers said employment in electric repair services was also associated with Increased risk for children.
This, they however- pointed out. was not evident for the telephone, television and radio Industries.
"Any deleterious biological effect In children resulting from paternal exposure to electromagnetic fields could be a consequence of germ cell mutation or non genetic biochemical changes in the germ cells. " they said.
The Office of Technology Assessment in a background paper has said that the emerging evidence no longer allows one to categorically assert that there are no risks. However, according to OTA the overall evidence now available is too weak to allow firm conclusions either way.
A study conducted by the Office of Technology Assessment indicates that if there are effects on human health from exposure to fields ere* ated by electricity, they arise' mainly from use in the home.
Household appliances and wiring produce electric and magnetic fields that In magnitude are comparable to those near a transmission line.
— O. S Mudur
— PT! Science Service