Upgrading the research capacities for safety and health effects of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Skopje Centre for Electromagnetic Compatibility (CEMC) Upgrading the research capacities for safety and health effects of hum an exposure to electrom agnetic fields SAFE EMF INCO-CT-2007-043638 http://cemc.feit.ukim.edu.mk/ Prof. Vesna Arnautovski-Tosheva

Table of contents � EC FP6 “SAFE EMF” � Motivation � Current regulations and their influence on research Nis, 11.03.2009 2

1. EC FP6 “SAFE EMF” 2007 – 2009 Nis, 11.03.2009 3

EC FP6 project “SAFE EMF” � SAFE EMF – Upgrading the research capacities for safety and health effects of human exposure to electromagnetic fields � The main objective of the SAFE EMF project is to reinforce the research capacities of the CEMC at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies in Skopje in terms of: � Equipm ent � Know ledge � Hum an potentials Nis, 11.03.2009 4

Project objectives Upgrading the CEMC capacities in terms of: � Upgrading the relevant S&T equipm ent for assessm ent and m onitoring of electromagnetic fields (EMF) in urban and rural environment; I nitiate and support legislative process: to � provide documents for implementation of required EU and national standards and regulations; Centre of expertise: initiating regional research � networking and cooperation centre; Prom oting EU and regional netw orking . � Highest quality study of EMF health effects, � especially on children; Nis, 11.03.2009 5

Project description Lately, numerous EMF sources come in focus of health concerns, including power lines, and most recently mobile phones and base stations of existing and emerging wireless technologies. The project’s general aim is to support safe integration of mobile and wireless technology in Macedonia and wider in Western Balkan Countries and to enable highest EU quality level research on possible adverse effects on brain functions due to exposure to radiofrequency EMF. Nis, 11.03.2009 6

Project description WP 1 - Recruiting young researchers WP 2 - Upgrading the relevant S&T equipment WP 3 - Initiation and support of legislative process WP 4 - Training of researchers WP 5 - Preparation for experimental studies of EMF health effects and influence on brain functions WP 6 - Dissemination of the project WP 7 - Management of the project Nis, 11.03.2009 7

Partners � Centre for Electrom agnetic Com patibility ( CEMC) , Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies Ss. Cyril & Methodius University Skopje, Macedonia Role in project : Responsible coordinator for preparation and submission of project proposal, EC contract negotiations, project administration and management of overall project performance. CEMC has m ain role in all project activities and performs supporting and promoting dissemination activities by regular communication to external parties. Nis, 11.03.2009 8

CEMC key personnel � Prof. Leonid Grcev , PhD, CEMC and project leader � Prof. Marija Kacarska , PhD � Prof. Vesna Arnautovski-Tosheva , PhD � Ass. Spase Petkoski , dipl. ing. � Prof. Snezana Cundeva, PhD � Prof. Velimir Filiposki, PhD Nis, 11.03.2009 9

Partners � Departm ent of Psychophysiology Pediatric Clinic Faculty of Medicine Ss. Cyril & Methodius University Skopje, Macedonia Role in project : Local Network partner. The key strategic partner for preparation of future research following up this project on EMF related possible health effects and changes of brain functions, as well as for providing high level experience in EEG measurements including quantitive EEG and relevant instrumentation. Nis, 11.03.2009 10

Partners � Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, The Nederland � Université Blaise Pascal in Clermont- Ferrand, France � Institute of Non-Ionizing Radiation – Ljubljana, Slovenia � École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland Nis, 11.03.2009 11

Human potentials upgrade � Spase Petkoski, dipl. el. ing. EMF measurement methodologies and result analysis � Milivoj Sim eonovski, dipl. inf. ing. Software engineering � Biljana Gjoneska, medical doctor EMF health effects analysis Nis, 11.03.2009 12

Human potentials upgrade � Spase Petkoski: � 4th International Summer School on Emerging Technologies in Biomedicine in Patras, Greece – 1 week in July 2008 � Second International Measurement Comparison in Dubrovnik, Croatia - 1 week in November 2008 � LASMEA, University Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France – 1 week in February 2009 Nis, 11.03.2009 13

Human potentials upgrade � Milivoj Sim eonovski: � Faculty of Information Technology, mathematics and electrical engineering; Department of telematics; The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway – 2 weeks in March 2009 � Biljana Gjoneska: � 15 th International Summer School of Cognitive Science in Sofia - Bulgaria - 3 weeks in July 2008 � International workshop “Open Questions in the Research on Biological and health Effects of Low- Intensity RF-EMF” in Stuttgart-Germany - 1 week in November 2008 Nis, 11.03.2009 14

2. Motivation Nis, 11.03.2009 15

Quality study of EMF exposure health effects � Motivation for project comes from: Nis, 11.03.2009 16

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) � Electrical energy emerging, that started in the second half of 19 century, today is focused in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). � 50% of the growth of productivity in EU between 2000 and 2004 is connected with ICT. � ICT market today is valued around 1.400 billions USD. � Wireless communications and Internet are the biggest part of ICT. Nis, 11.03.2009 17

Wireless Telecommunications ICT infrastructure is rapidly changing from wired to wireless. Nis, 11.03.2009 18

Wireless Telecommunications Wireless technologies will cover all aspects of ICT. Nis, 11.03.2009 19

Wireless Telecommunications International standards are already established and their fast implementation is expected in next few years. Nis, 11.03.2009 20

„Electromagnetic smog“ � The development of ICT is changing the environment, mostly with uncontrolled EM radiation, which every day becomes with higher intensity, wider frequency spectrum and more complex signals. The biggest concern comes from the fact that natural � radiation from the Sun on the same frequency band is 10 13 times lower than the radiation at few hundred meters from any GSM base station. Nis, 11.03.2009 21

Possible negative human health effects from EMF exposure First indications about � human health effects from EMF exposure dates back in 60’s of last century and are about EMF from power lines. At this time TV and Radio � antennas were far from urban areas. LF EMF influence studies. � � New ICT era – HF EMF influence studies. Nis, 11.03.2009 22

3. Current regulations and their influence on research Nis, 11.03.2009 23

International regulations � Basic of current international regulations for EMF exposure are: � inducted currents level from LF EMF exposure (0 Hz to 100 kHz), and � acute thermal effects from HF EMF exposure (100 kHz to 300 GHz) are taken into account. Nis, 11.03.2009 24

Thermal effects of EMF exposure � Thermal effects are due to tissue absorption of energy radiated from EMF and its heat transformation. � Thermal effect is described as harmless if the body’s system for thermoregulation can handle with it. � Measurable effect is increasing tissue’s temperature. � Increasing of tissue temperature of 1 ° С is in compliance with safety health regulations. Nis, 11.03.2009 25

Tissue penetration of RF radiation Near by base stations entire body is exposed on radiation, while mobile phones use exposure is localized. Nis, 11.03.2009 26

Thermal effect is very low � According to regulations, RF energy absorption limits are: � For whole body: � 0.4 W/kg � 0.08 W/kg � For local tissue: � 2 W/kg in 10 g of tissue � 0.4 W/kg would melt ice cube on 0 ° C in 10 days. Nis, 11.03.2009 27

International regulations � Current international regulations are only concerned about “overheating” which seems to be impossible. � In other words we are protected from danger that doesn’t exist. � The thermal effect is qualified as the only “scientifically based” and all others are not part of officially concerns of authorities. � This is actually standpoint of The World Health Organization. Nis, 11.03.2009 28

International regulations � Because of this standpoint many of studies about harmful effects of EMF exposure are qualified as not scientifically based. � With this the current situation is reversed: � Instead of standpoint that RF radiation is harmful until the opposite is proven, � it is said that RF radiation is not harmful until opposite is proven. Nis, 11.03.2009 29

Research of non-thermal effects � In official standpoint it is implicitly said that shown harmful effects have psycho- somatic base. � But beside this official standpoint, because of the public pressure and concerns, the hypothesis that there could also be other “non-thermal” effects which could explain some harmful effects is accepted. Nis, 11.03.2009 30