Swisscom, Switzerland's leading telecom and IT company, explained the toxicity of WiFi radiation in the following document:
"The
influence of electrosmog on the human body is a known problem. The
health risk from mobile radio transmitters, handys and DECT
telephones has been an explosive subject among the general public at
least since the enormous breakthrough in mobile radio technology in
the 1990s. To meet the concerns of
science from the legislative side, the permissible limit values have
thus been lowered several times, and technology has been
increasingly focused on this problem. The risk of damage to health
through electrosmog has also become better understood as a result of
more recent and improved studies. When, for example, human
blood cells are irradiated with electromagnetic fields, clear damage
to hereditary material has been demonstrated and there have been
indications of an increased cancer risk (Mashevich M., Folkman
D., Kesar A., Barbul A., Korenstein R., Jerby E., Avivi L.,
Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine,
Tel-Aviv
University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, "Exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to electromagnetic fields associated with cellular phones leads to chromosomal instability," Bioelectromagnetics, 2003 Feb., 24(2): 82-90). In this study, for example, human peripheral lymphocytes were exposed to continuous electromagnetic fields of 830 MHz in order to examine whether this leads to losses or gains in chromosomes (aneuploidy). Bigger changes lead to instability of the genome (= the totality of all genes of a germinal cell) and thereby to cancer.
University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, "Exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to electromagnetic fields associated with cellular phones leads to chromosomal instability," Bioelectromagnetics, 2003 Feb., 24(2): 82-90). In this study, for example, human peripheral lymphocytes were exposed to continuous electromagnetic fields of 830 MHz in order to examine whether this leads to losses or gains in chromosomes (aneuploidy). Bigger changes lead to instability of the genome (= the totality of all genes of a germinal cell) and thereby to cancer.
The
human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were irradiated at different
average specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1.6 to 8.8 W/kg over a
time period of 72 hours in an exposure system based on a parallel
plate resonator in a temperature range of 34.5 to 37.5 °C. The
average absorption rate (SAR) and its distribution in the exposed
tissue culture flask were determined by combining the measurement
results with a numerical analysis based on a finite element
simulation code. A linear increase
in the chromosome No. 17 -- an aneuploidy (=numerical chromosome
aberration) - was observed as a function of the SAR, demonstrating
that this radiation has a genotoxic effect. The SAR-dependent
aneuploidy was accompanied by an
abnormal mode of replication of the chromosome 17 region engaged in
segregation (repetitive DNA arrays associated with the centromere),
suggesting that epigenetic alterations are involved in the SAR
dependent genetic toxicity. Control experiments (i.e. without
any radio frequency radiation) carried out in the temperature range
of 34.5 to 38.5 °C showed that elevated temperature is not
associated with either the genetic or epigenetic alterations observed
following RF radiation, these alterations being the increased levels
of aneuploidy and the modification in replication of the centromeric
DNA arrays. These findings indicate
that the genotoxic effect of electromagnetic radiation is elicited
via a non-thermal pathway. Moreover aneuploidy is to be considered as
a known phenomenon in the increase of cancer risk.
Thus
it has been possible to show that mobile radio radiation can cause
damage to genetic material, in particular in human white blood cells,
whereby both the DNA itself is damaged and the number of chromosomes
changed. This mutation can consequently lead to increased cancer
risk. In particular, it could also be shown that this destruction is
not dependent upon temperature increases, i.e. is non-thermal...
Despite
increasingly strict national guidelines with respect to legally
specified limits, the impact of electrosmog in WLANs on the human
body can be considerable. Moreover it is to be expected that this
impact will continue to increase in the future for many people.
Two factors in particular are playing a role in this: First, more and
more applications require additional, usually higher-energy frequency
bands in order to be able to meet the growing need with respect to
transmission rate. Second, the need for WLAN expansion in the private
sphere as well as in the public sphere, e.g. in airports, railway
stations, trains, restaurants, exhibition halls, etc., has by far not
yet reached its peak. With the state of the art as a basis, there has
been a lot of effort put into providing evidence for the detrimental
effects of electrosmog and setting corresponding limits. Limits and
guidelines alone will not suffice, however, to further contain the
electrosmog in WLANs since the development in WLANs runs in exactly
the opposite direction, as mentioned above. WLANs even represent
zones in which people usually spend longer periods of time (place of
work, Internet, network games, etc.) and are therefore to be
considered as particularly problematic with respect to radiation
impact.
WLANs
in the state of the art moreover send base stations, such as access
points, so-called beacon signals periodically so that mobile units
can recognize the network and authenticate themselves with an access
point. These beacon signals comprise recognition signals, such as
e.g. SSIDs and/or other radio frequency signals with control
parameters. Even if no mobile units are located in the WLAN, the
beacon signals continue to be transmitted periodically to the APs.
This means that even when the WLAN
is not being used at all, an underlying stress from electromagnetic
radiation remains for persons in the Basic Service Area of an access
point of the WLAN. For
example, in the case of WLANs at places of employment, such as
offices, etc., there exists
therefore permanent stress from electrosmog from the WLAN on the
employees of the company or organization. In the state of the
art there exists only the possibility of further reducing the limits
for electromagnetic radiation..."