Wi-Fi technology and human health impact: a brief review of current knowledge

Abstract

An enormous increase in the application of wireless communication in recent decades has intensified research into consequent increase in human exposure to electromagnetic (EM) radiofrequency (RF) radiation fields and potential health effects, especially in school children and teenagers, and this paper gives a snap overview of current findings and recommendations of international expert bodies, with the emphasis on exposure from Wi-Fi technology indoor devices. Our analysis includes over 100 in vitro, animal, epidemiological, and exposure assessment studies (of which 37 in vivo and 30 covering Wi-Fi technologies). Only a small portion of published research papers refers to the "real" health impact of Wi-Fi technologies on children, because they are simply not available. Results from animal studies are rarely fully transferable to humans. As highly controlled laboratory exposure experiments do not reflect real physical interaction between RF radiation fields with biological tissue, dosimetry methods, protocols, and instrumentation need constant improvement. Several studies repeatedly confirmed thermal effect of RF field interaction with human tissue, but non-thermal effects remain dubious and unconfirmed.

Keywords: SAR; e-school; e-škola; exposure to RF fields; izloženost RF poljima; radiofrekvencija; radiofrequency.

Figure 1

Average contribution (%) of various RF signals measured as electric field strength (V/m) in Belgian and Greek schools (7)

Figure 2

How EM RF energy is absorbed by biological materials, i.e. how skin depth decreases with higher frequency. Reflection of the incident radiation is assumed negligible at each interface in this diagram. Skin depth at high frequency, δ_hi, is less than that at medium frequency, δ_med. (14, 16)