Vol 64, No 3 (2024)

We analyzed the key stages in the scientific history for electromagnetic field bio-medical effects researches in Russia over 130 years. Has been proven the continuity of scientific knowledge about EMF biological effects and it transmission from one generation of scientists to the next because to exist of scientific schools, the systematic research and national scientific coordination. The main attention is paid to the period of formation of planned EMF health research, when the basic methodological principles were found and so as fundamental scientific basics for understanding the nature of EMF biological effects and their influence for health. The Russian scientists fundamental conceptions about the mechanism of the electromagnetic field biological action and the principles of its hygienic regulation are summarized.

Morphological changes in the cerebral cortex were studied in model experiments on three types of laboratory animals (mice, rats, dogs) exposed to both acute and chronic electromagnetic radiation. It has been established that neurons are highly reactive and at the same time plasticity to the electromagnetic factor. Changes in neurons are more pronounced with general than with partial irradiation. The greatest response was found from the structures of the protein-synthesizing system of neurons, as well as their interneuronal contacts. After 3 days of the recovery period, changes were detected only at the ultrastructural level in the form of residues, decayed organelles, clusters of lysosomes and local foci of brain edema. With chronic exposure to microwaves with exposure at the “zero effect” level, the sensitivity of neurons to electromagnetic radiation was characterized by species differences and was inversely dependent on the animal’s body weight: mice were the most sensitive, the structures of the rat nervous system were more resistant, and the nervous structures of dogs had the least sensitivity.

In experiments on Wistar rats, males and females, the effect of 3-fold (1 hour a day with an interval of three days) and multiple (8 weeks, 5 days a week, 2 hours a day) pulsed-modulated electromagnetic radiation on the tentative research reactions was studied, tested by the “open field” method. The animals were irradiated in an anechoic chamber in the zone of the formed wave of the microwave source (a block of 10 generators carrying frequencies from 1 to 4 GHz, the total pulse power density 300 microW/cm², pulse duration 25 ms, sweep cycles 1–6 Hz, cycle turn-around time 30s). It has been showed that exposure to such parameters can cause a stress reaction and an impairment of long-term memory in some irradiated animals, and female rats were more sensitive to the action of microwaves, than males. This reaction was transient and 1.5–2 months after cessation of irradiation, the behavior of the animals was restored. However, there is a danger that with constant exposure to microwaves, which, for example, occurs in mobile users, such behavior deviations may become fixed and clinically significant.

The technique of integral assessment of the radio frequency electromagnetic background (EMB) intensity created by wireless information services is presented, based on the forecast of the average electromagnetic loading on area created by radiations of spatially distributed base stations and mobile terminal devices. This loading can be determined both on the basis of a direct estimate of the average total irradiation power of the Earth’s surface by base stations or the average total radiation power of terminal devices per unit of its area, and on the basis of an estimate of the average area traffic capacity and known parameters of equipment and topology of mobile communication networks. Expressions to estimate the conditional average levels of EMB generated by stationary and mobile components of mobile communication systems, and the results of calculations illustrating the processes of its generation by these systems in different frequency ranges with different average area traffic capacity and different sizes of service areas of base stations are given. These calculations confirm the real danger of an unacceptable decrease in the level of electromagnetic safety of the population and deterioration of the ecology of the habitat without the implementation of scientifically based restrictions on the characteristics of mobile communication systems and services.