Potential Health Implications of Fifth Generation (5G) Wireless Communication Technology
A Review of Emerging Biological and Epidemiological Concerns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64483/jmph-53Keywords:
5G technology, RF-EMF, health effects, non-thermal health effects, carcinogenicity.Abstract
Background: The implementation of global 5G wireless technology, having revolutionized telecommunications, has led to greatly increased speed and connectivity; however, there are concerns of potential health risks associated with exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF), particularly at the new 5G frequencies (3.5–100 GHz). This has caused much discussion globally. One can see the focus on concerns regarding some public issues and also scientific concerns, which cover thermal and non-thermal effects, carcinogenicity, and other potential impacts on neurological, reproductive, and immunological systems.
Objective: To identify the research gaps around the potential health effects of 5G technology, the peer-reviewed literature was reviewed.
Methods: A systematic review of literature was undertaken from the years 2010-2024, using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Search terms for the search included and were limited to “5G technology,” “RF-EMF,” and “health effects.” The studies reviewed evaluated health effects, were performed using human or animal models, and focused on targets related to 5G-specific frequencies. Review articles that were non-peer-reviewed were excluded from the review. A thematic analysis was conducted, with specific attention to biological and epidemiological findings.
Results: Thermal effects of 5G are minimal and within safety margins, and they impact skin primarily. Non-thermal effects, such as oxidative stress, have inconsistent in vitro and in vivo findings. Epidemiological data on carcinogenicity are limited, with very few 5G-specific studies. Some reproductive and neurological impacts suggest a possibility of risk; however, the available data are not sufficient to reach a conclusion. Regulatory guidelines consider thermal impacts but may not stipulate exposure through similar non-thermal mechanisms.
Conclusions: Although 5G appears to be safe within the parameters of regulatory guidelines, other consequences of 5G exposure in the long term and potential non-thermal exposure effects remain uncertain. Standard dosimetry and longitudinal studies are necessary to establish a course of research for public health risks, if any, from 5G.
References
Adams, J. A., Galloway, T. S., Mondal, D., Esteves, S. C., & Mathews, F. (2014). Effect of mobile telephones on sperm quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environment International, 70, 106–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.04.015
Agarwal, A., Deepinder, F., Sharma, R. K., Ranga, G., & Li, J. (2018). Effect of cell phone usage on semen analysis in men attending infertility clinic. Fertility and Sterility, 89(1), 124–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.01.166
Aldad, T. S., Gan, G., Gao, X. B., & Taylor, H. S. (2012). Fetal radiofrequency radiation exposure from 800–1900 MHz-rated cellular telephones affects neurodevelopment and behavior in mice. Scientific Reports, 2, 312. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep00312
Alekseev, S. I., Ziskin, M. C., & Fesenko, E. E. (2018). Problems of using high-frequency electromagnetic fields in biological studies. Bioelectromagnetics, 39(4), 305–318. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.22114
Andrews, J. G., Buzzi, S., Choi, W., Hanly, S. V., Lozano, A., Soong, A. C., & Zhang, J. C. (2014). What will 5G be? IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, 32(6), 1065–1082. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSAC.2014.2328098
Barth, A., Ponocny, I., Gnambs, T., & Sauter, C. (2012). No effects of short-term exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields on human cognitive performance. Bioelectromagnetics, 33(2), 159–165. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.20697
Belyaev, I., Dean, A., Eger, H., Hubmann, G., Jandrisovits, R., & Kern, M. (2019). EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of EMF-related health problems. Reviews on Environmental Health, 31(4), 363–397. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2016-0011
Betzalel, N., Ben Ishai, P., & Feldman, Y. (2018). The human skin as a sub-THz receiver – Does 5G pose a danger to it or not? Environmental Research, 163, 208–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.032
Calvente, I., Fernández, M. F., Villalba, J., Olea, N., & Nuñez, M. I. (2016). Exposure to electromagnetic fields (non-ionizing radiation) and its relationship with childhood leukemia. Environmental Research, 145, 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2015.11.019
Choi, Y. J., Mosley, A. D., & Stark, A. D. (2021). Mobile phone use and risk of glioma: A case-control study. International Journal of Cancer, 148(5), 1111–1120. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.33302
Colombi, D., Thors, B., & Törnevik, C. (2020). Implications of EMF exposure limits on output power levels for 5G devices above 6 GHz. IEEE Access, 8, 45176–45185. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2978394
Divan, H. A., Kheifets, L., Obel, C., & Olsen, J. (2017). Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phone use and behavioral problems in children. Epidemiology, 19(4), 523–529. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e318175dd47
Elder, J. A., & Chou, C. K. (2020). Auditory and other non-thermal effects of mobile phone radiation: A review. Bioelectromagnetics, 41(2), 108–120. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.22249
Falcioni, L., Bua, L., Tibaldi, E., Lauriola, M., De Angelis, L., & Gnudi, F. (2018). Report of final results regarding brain and heart tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to RF radiation. Environmental Research, 165, 175–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.04.018
FCC. (2019). Human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Federal Communications Commission. https://www.fcc.gov/general/radio-frequency-safety
Foerster, M., Thielens, A., Joseph, W., Eeftens, M., & Röösli, M. (2018). A prospective cohort study of adolescents’ memory performance and individual brain dose of microwave radiation from wireless communication. Environmental Health Perspectives, 126(7), 077007. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2427
Foster, K. R., & Moulder, J. E. (2013). Wi-Fi and health: Review of current status of research. Health Physics, 105(6), 561–575. https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0b013e31829b47e3
Foster, K. R., Ziskin, M. C., & Balzano, Q. (2017). Thermal modeling for the next generation of radiofrequency exposure limits. Health Physics, 113(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000000671
Hardell, L., & Carlberg, M. (2017). Mobile phones, cordless phones, and the risk for brain tumors. International Journal of Oncology, 51(1), 18–24. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2017.3999
Hardell, L., & Carlberg, M. (2020). Health risks from radiofrequency radiation, including 5G, should be assessed by experts with no conflicts of interest. Oncology Letters, 20(4), 15. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2020.11876
Hardell, L., Carlberg, M., & Hedendahl, L. K. (2018). Radiofrequency radiation from nearby base stations gives high levels in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden: A case report. Oncology Letters, 15(5), 7871–7883. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8285
Houston, B. J., Nixon, B., King, B. V., De Iuliis, G. N., & Aitken, R. J. (2019). The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on sperm function. Reproduction, 152(6), R263–R276. https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-16-0126
IARC. (2011). IARC classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, 102. https://www.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf
ICNIRP. (2020). Guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz). Health Physics, 118(5), 483–524. https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000001210
Kostoff, R. N., Heroux, P., Aschner, M., & Tsatsakis, A. (2020). Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions. Toxicology Letters, 323, 35–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2020.01.020
Kuster, N., & Schoenborn, F. (2018). Recommended research directions for RF exposure assessment. Bioelectromagnetics, 39(2), 133–141. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.22106
Leszczynski, D. (2018). Physiological effects of millimeter-waves on skin and skin cells: An overview. Reviews on Environmental Health, 33(3), 263–267. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2018-0021
Lin, J. C. (2020). 5G communications and health: Emerging issues. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 21(2), 12–15. https://doi.org/10.1109/MMM.2019.2945322
Marino, A. A., Kim, P. Y., & Frilot, C. (2019). Trigeminal neurons detect cellphone radiation: Thermal or nonthermal mechanism? Bioelectromagnetics, 40(3), 159–168. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.22177
Megha, K., Deshmukh, P. S., Banerjee, B. D., & Tripathi, A. K. (2018). Immunological effects of low-level exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Environmental Research, 165, 219–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.04.022
Miller, A. B., Sears, M. E., Morgan, L. L., & Davis, D. L. (2019). Risks to health and well-being from radio-frequency radiation emitted by cell phones and other wireless devices. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 223. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00223
Neufeld, E., & Kuster, N. (2018). Systematic derivation of safety limits for time-varying 5G radiofrequency exposure. Bioelectromagnetics, 39(6), 423–441. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.22123
NTP. (2018). Technical report on the toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of cell phone radiofrequency radiation. National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/cellphone
Pall, M. L. (2018). 5G: Great risk for EU, U.S., and international health! Compelling evidence for eight distinct types of great harm caused by EMF exposures. Environmental Research, 164, 405–416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.036
Rappaport, T. S., Sun, S., Mayzus, R., Zhao, H., Azar, Y., Wang, K., ... & Gutierrez, F. (2013). Millimeter wave mobile communications for 5G cellular: It will work! IEEE Access, 1, 335–349. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2013.2260813
Russell, C. L. (2018). 5G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications. Environmental Research, 165, 484–495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.016
Sage, C., & Carpenter, D. O. (2019). Public health implications of wireless technologies. Pathophysiology, 16(2), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pathophys.2009.01.011
Shafi, M., Molisch, A. F., Smith, P. J., Haustein, T., Zhu, P., De Silva, P., ... & Wunder, G. (2017). 5G: A tutorial overview of standards, trials, challenges, deployment, and practice. IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, 35(6), 1201–1221. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSAC.2017.2692307
Simkó, M., & Mattsson, M. O. (2019). 5G wireless communication and health effects—A pragmatic review based on available studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(18), 3406. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183406
Thomas, S., Benke, G., Dimitriadis, C., Inyang, I., Sim, M. R., & Wolfe, R. (2020). Mobile phone use and cognitive function in young adults. Bioelectromagnetics, 31(2), 125–133. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.20534
Tseng, M. M., Lin, Y. P., & Cheng, T. J. (2020). Interaction of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields with environmental pollutants: A new perspective. Environmental Pollution, 266, 115204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115204
Vijayalaxmi, & Prihoda, T. J. (2019). Genetic damage in human cells exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields: A meta-analysis of the data from 88 publications (1990–2017). Environmental Research, 174, 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.04.001
Vrijheid, M., Armstrong, B. K., Bédard, D., Brown, J., Deltour, I., Iavarone, I., ... & Cardis, E. (2019). Recall bias in the assessment of exposure to mobile phones. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 29(2), 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-018-0059-2
WHO. (2021). Electromagnetic fields (EMF). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/electromagnetic-fields
Wiedemann, P. M., Schütz, H., & Clauberg, M. (2013). Risk communication for EMF from mobile phone base stations: Effects on risk perception. Journal of Risk Research, 16(8), 1005–1022. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2012.758304
Wood, A., Mate, R., & Karipidis, K. (2021). 5G mobile networks and health—a state-of-the-science review. Journal of Radiological Protection, 41(3), 409–424. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ac026f
Wu, T., Rappaport, T. S., & Collins, C. M. (2015). Safe for generations to come: Considerations of safety for millimeter waves in wireless communications. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 16(2), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.1109/MMM.2014.2378859
Wu, T., Rappaport, T. S., & Collins, C. M. (2019). The human body and millimeter-wave wireless communication systems: Interactions and implications. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 67(7), 2869–2882. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMTT.2019.2906377
Yakymenko, I., Tsybulin, O., Sidorik, E., Henshel, D., Kyrylenko, O., & Kyrylenko, S. (2015). Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 35(2), 186–202. https://doi.org/10.3109/15368378.2015.1043557
Ziskin, M. C. (2013). Millimeter waves: Acoustic and electromagnetic. Bioelectromagnetics, 34(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.21750

Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Athar Mohammed Madkhali, Hashima Ahmed Bouri, Fahad Omar Eid Alotaibi, ADEL MENWER MENAWER ALMUTAIRI, Thamer suliman Albalawi, Ghandourah Saud Alotaibi, Nasser Farih Abdullah Al-Anzi, Ebtisam Qaleel Hakem Alotaibi , Muneerah Obeid Abdulmohsen Al-Gharbi, Aisha Ahmed Sarhan, Imranah Marui Hassan Sharrahi, Dhuha Saud Otaywi Alshammari, Maytha saeed Almutairi, Amjad Shabeeb Alotaibi

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.