Biological effects of electromagnetic field exposure: The issues of threshold and credibility

Abstract

Research into the effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on living systems is certainly not new. The literature abounds with studies detailing EMF-induced effects on whole animals, isolated tissues, cultured cells, and even subcellular systems. Nonetheless, there are those scientists who doubt the existence of many EMF-induced effects, citing, for instance, the belief of many physicists and engineers that the EMF signal intensities employed lie below the threshold at which biological systems should be able to sense and respond to exogenously applied fields. The bioelectromagnetics literature has also been criticized, largely by non-biological scientists, as replete with conflicting and inconsistent studies relating to various specific endpoints (eg., calcium movement across membranes). However, when viewed within the context of reported biological phenomena in general, the bioelectromagnetics literature assumes a greater credibility. Moreover, it is crucial to understand that biological systems are not the uniform, static systems they are presumed to be for modeling. Indeed, biological systems are dynamic, exhibiting time-varying alterations in structure and function. Although insufficient information is available to determine an absolute threshold below which no EMF-induced effects occur, there are sufficient studies of high quality to appreciate the biological and physical conditions of EMF exposure inducing specific biological responses. Hence, this presentation will focus on two areas: (i) describing specific EMF-induced effects and the conditions under which they are observed; and (ii) viewing EMF-induced effects within the context of reported biological science.