Effects of Exposure to GSM Mobile Phone Base Station Signals on Salivary Cortisol,Alpha-Amylase,and Immunoglobulin A

Key words: 
• GSM base stations /
• Mobile phone /
• Salivary IgA /
• Alpha amylase /
• Cortisol /
• Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF)

Abstract: Objective The present study aimed to test whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phone base stations may have effects on salivary alpha-amylase,immunoglobulin A (IgA),and cortisol levels.Methods Fifty seven participants were randomly allocated to one of three different experimental scenarios (22 participants to scenario 1,26 to scenario 2,and 9 to scenario 3).Each participant went through five 50-minute exposure sessions.The main RF-EMF source was a GSM-900-MHz antenna located at the outer wall of the building.In scenarios 1 and 2,the first,third,and fifth sessions were "low" (median power flux density 5.2 μW/m2) exposure.The second session was "high" (2126.8 μW/m2),and the fourth session was "medium" (153.6 μW/m2) in scenario 1,and vice versa in scenario 2.Scenario 3 had four "low"exposure conditions,followed by a "high" exposure condition.Biomedical parameters were collected by saliva samples three times a session.Exposure levels were created by shielding curtains.Results In scenario 3 from session 4 to session 5 (from "low" to "high" exposure),an increase of cortisol was detected,while in scenarios 1 and 2,a higher concentration of alpha-amylase related to the baseline was identified as compared to that in scenario 3.IgA concentration was not significantly related to the exposure.ConclusionsRF-EMF in considerably lower field densities than ICNIRP-guidelines may influence certain psychobiological stress markers.