Impact of one's own mobile phone in stand-by mode on personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure.

Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2013 · Mixed · Moderate evidence

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MixedModerate evidencePaper 4496

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2013

Study typerandomized_trial

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingModerate

Abstract

When moving around, mobile phones in stand-by mode periodically send data about their positions. The aim of this paper is to evaluate how personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) measurements are affected by such location updates. Exposure from a mobile phone handset (uplink) was measured during commuting by using a randomized cross-over study with three different scenarios: disabled mobile phone (reference), an activated dual-band phone and a quad-band phone. In the reference scenario, uplink exposure was highest during train rides (1.19 mW/m(2)) and lowest during car rides in rural areas (0.001 mW/m(2)). In public transports, the impact of one's own mobile phone on personal RF-EMF measurements was not observable because of high background uplink radiation from other people's mobile phone. In a car, uplink exposure with an activated phone was orders of magnitude higher compared with the reference scenario. This study demonstrates that personal RF-EMF exposure is affected by one's own mobile phone in stand-by mode because of its regular location update. Further dosimetric studies should quantify the contribution of location updates to the total RF-EMF exposure in order to clarify whether the duration of mobile phone use, the most common exposure surrogate in the epidemiological RF-EMF research, is actually an adequate exposure proxy.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typerandomized_trial

Effect directionmixed

PopulationNot supplied

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · during commuting (train/public transport and car; stand-by mode with periodic location updates)

Evidence strengthModerateConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a randomized cross-over commuting measurement study, uplink exposure in the reference (disabled phone) scenario was highest during train rides (1.19 mW/m^2) and lowest during rural car rides (0.001 mW/m^2). In public transport, the impact of the participant’s own phone in stand-by mode was not observable due to high background uplink from other people’s phones, whereas in a car an activated phone produced uplink exposure orders of magnitude higher than the reference scenario. The authors conclude that personal RF-EMF exposure measurements are affected by one’s own phone in stand-by mode because of regular location updates.

Outcomes measured

Personal RF-EMF exposure measurements (uplink) during commuting
Uplink power density (mW/m^2) under different phone stand-by scenarios

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Frequencies/bands not quantified beyond dual-band vs quad-band
Exposure metric limited to uplink/power density during commuting; generalizability to other settings not stated
Background exposure from others may mask own-phone contribution in some environments

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "randomized_trial",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "during commuting (train/public transport and car; stand-by mode with periodic location updates)"
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Personal RF-EMF exposure measurements (uplink) during commuting",
    "Uplink power density (mW/m^2) under different phone stand-by scenarios"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In a randomized cross-over commuting measurement study, uplink exposure in the reference (disabled phone) scenario was highest during train rides (1.19 mW/m^2) and lowest during rural car rides (0.001 mW/m^2). In public transport, the impact of the participant’s own phone in stand-by mode was not observable due to high background uplink from other people’s phones, whereas in a car an activated phone produced uplink exposure orders of magnitude higher than the reference scenario. The authors conclude that personal RF-EMF exposure measurements are affected by one’s own phone in stand-by mode because of regular location updates.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Frequencies/bands not quantified beyond dual-band vs quad-band",
    "Exposure metric limited to uplink/power density during commuting; generalizability to other settings not stated",
    "Background exposure from others may mask own-phone contribution in some environments"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "moderate",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "RF-EMF",
    "personal exposure measurement",
    "mobile phone",
    "stand-by mode",
    "location update",
    "uplink",
    "commuting",
    "randomized cross-over",
    "power density"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1038/jes.2012.97
PubMed: 23093102

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