Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ETAIN (Exposure To electromAgnetic fIelds and plaNetary health)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-11-30
The ongoing introduction of new telecommunication technologies (5G now, 6G next) comes with changes in exposure patterns and of biological interaction with humans and ecosystems. E.g. the coming mm-wave technology will lead to higher dose in human skin and eyes and higher absorption in small bodies, like insects. It is unclear if these changes are accompanied by adverse effects and what it means for current exposure limit regulation. ETAIN aims to develop and validate approaches to assess the impact of existing and novel communication technology from a planetary health perspective, while exploring options for exposure reduction and interacting with the public and stakeholders about exposure levels and possible associated risks. Following a citizen science paradigm, we will develop an app able to quantify personal absorbed RF-EMF. The app data allows to calculate realistic personal and population dose distributions including RF-EMF maps; and it will ensure a communication strategy matching knowledge needs of citizens and stakeholders. Insights into own exposure and its major contributors will empower citizens to manage their RF-EMF exposure. Also, ETAIN will develop and validate network architecture approaches for an “ALARA by design” approach. ETAIN will elucidate underlying mechanisms of biological effects in humans and the environment. We will focus on human skin and eyes as relevant biological targets of 5G and beyond, and a systems biology approach to evaluate possible effects. Additional efforts focus on insect biodiversity and fitness, especially pollinators at risk of peak exposures close to strong antennas, such as bees. From a planetary health perspective, RF-EMF effects on insects may also have indirect effects on human health and the economy (e.g. via pollination). ETAIN is expected to generate scientific evidence of RF-EMF exposure effects on human, ecosystem and planetary health, feeding into policies and current regulatory frameworks.
The project is ongoing and, in July 2024, will begin of its second year of activity. Most activities are thus still at a preliminary phase.
To fulfill Objective 1 (Design, develop and validate an open-access RF-EMF exposure app and portal), the app has been co-designed with the public and its development is in progress. Its release is expected for Q1 of 2024. The app collects exposure-relevant parameters on usage of the mobile phone or other user equipment, parameters representing environmental exposure and location data. Data for testing and validating the app features has been collected, data safety and privacy measures are being implemented. The public RF-EMF exposure portal is also under construction and will be available early 2024 to provide information about personal, environmental and population RF-EMF.
To fulfill Objective 2 (Develop and validate an Integrated Dose Model), a series of numerical simulations is currently ongoing, linking exposure quantities to absorption quantities, in different exposure scenarios. In terms of predicting dose in future exposure scenarios, some simulations are also undergoing, to study so-called focused exposure, near-field and far-field exposure at frequencies that are foreseen to be used in future networks also using simulations; channel measurements are executed performed at the same frequencies. The simulations and channel measurements will continue and will be combined to estimate realistic future exposure.
To fulfill Objective 3 (Develop and validate novel exposure reduction techniques), an extensive channel sounding campaign has been performed, focusing on a set of fixed antenna beams to study the possibilities of providing one user with a high signal strength, while targeting minimum exposure of another user. UGent's GRAND tool to 5G has been adapted for the city of Utrecht to run a first set of 5G simulations for this city after gathering all relevant input. Current work is focused on the use of machine learning techniques to make the simulations more efficient for large cities.
To fulfill Objective 4 (Determine the effects of RF-EMF exposure on biodiversity, development & fitness of insects), dozens of digital insect models (twenty-five of which self-scanned) were elaborated and imported into electromagnetic solvers to perform a first set of EM simulations. Moreover, studies on the effects of RF-EMF exposure on three model organisms are ongoing both in the laboratory and in the field. Laboratory studies are focusing on the development of an improved protocol for thermal effect experiments. For the field studies, preliminary studies are conducted to measure the differences in biodiversity due to the variable composition of plant species in the sections of the field to define a baseline prior to the start of the field trials. A base station antenna for deployment in the field was designed and licenses for its operation were obtained.
For Objective 5 (Determine the long-term effects of RF-EMF exposure on human health), work is ongoing to set up reverberation chambers to study skin and eye models. This will provide a calibrated field intensity distribution at the location of the different biological samples, at both 3.5 and 26 GHz. Characterising RF-EMF exposure at the level of 3D cellular models is ongoing. BRET probes have been built and characterised to detect the presence of DNA damage, in real-time and in live human skin cells.
For Objective 6 (Describe the planetary health impact of 5G and subsequent recommendations for regulatory frameworks), protocols for systematic reviews on RF-EMF exposure patterns, drivers, and effects of RF-EMF have been developed. Work is ongoing on developing a methodology for the planetary health impact assessment framework.
For WP7 (Engage with stakeholders to integrate their inputs into the project activities in support of realizing the expected outcomes and impacts of ETAIN), the Dissemination and Communication Plan has been established, as well as the project’s visual identity, the social media channels in use, and ETAIN’s website.
Recent ETAIN’s updates can be found on the website https://www.etainproject.eu/(opens in new window) .
To fulfill Objective 1 (Design, develop and validate an open-access RF-EMF exposure app and portal), the app has been co-designed with the public and its development is in progress. Its release is expected for Q1 of 2024. The app collects exposure-relevant parameters on usage of the mobile phone or other user equipment, parameters representing environmental exposure and location data. Data for testing and validating the app features has been collected, data safety and privacy measures are being implemented. The public RF-EMF exposure portal is also under construction and will be available early 2024 to provide information about personal, environmental and population RF-EMF.
To fulfill Objective 2 (Develop and validate an Integrated Dose Model), a series of numerical simulations is currently ongoing, linking exposure quantities to absorption quantities, in different exposure scenarios. In terms of predicting dose in future exposure scenarios, some simulations are also undergoing, to study so-called focused exposure, near-field and far-field exposure at frequencies that are foreseen to be used in future networks also using simulations; channel measurements are executed performed at the same frequencies. The simulations and channel measurements will continue and will be combined to estimate realistic future exposure.
To fulfill Objective 3 (Develop and validate novel exposure reduction techniques), an extensive channel sounding campaign has been performed, focusing on a set of fixed antenna beams to study the possibilities of providing one user with a high signal strength, while targeting minimum exposure of another user. UGent's GRAND tool to 5G has been adapted for the city of Utrecht to run a first set of 5G simulations for this city after gathering all relevant input. Current work is focused on the use of machine learning techniques to make the simulations more efficient for large cities.
To fulfill Objective 4 (Determine the effects of RF-EMF exposure on biodiversity, development & fitness of insects), dozens of digital insect models (twenty-five of which self-scanned) were elaborated and imported into electromagnetic solvers to perform a first set of EM simulations. Moreover, studies on the effects of RF-EMF exposure on three model organisms are ongoing both in the laboratory and in the field. Laboratory studies are focusing on the development of an improved protocol for thermal effect experiments. For the field studies, preliminary studies are conducted to measure the differences in biodiversity due to the variable composition of plant species in the sections of the field to define a baseline prior to the start of the field trials. A base station antenna for deployment in the field was designed and licenses for its operation were obtained.
For Objective 5 (Determine the long-term effects of RF-EMF exposure on human health), work is ongoing to set up reverberation chambers to study skin and eye models. This will provide a calibrated field intensity distribution at the location of the different biological samples, at both 3.5 and 26 GHz. Characterising RF-EMF exposure at the level of 3D cellular models is ongoing. BRET probes have been built and characterised to detect the presence of DNA damage, in real-time and in live human skin cells.
For Objective 6 (Describe the planetary health impact of 5G and subsequent recommendations for regulatory frameworks), protocols for systematic reviews on RF-EMF exposure patterns, drivers, and effects of RF-EMF have been developed. Work is ongoing on developing a methodology for the planetary health impact assessment framework.
For WP7 (Engage with stakeholders to integrate their inputs into the project activities in support of realizing the expected outcomes and impacts of ETAIN), the Dissemination and Communication Plan has been established, as well as the project’s visual identity, the social media channels in use, and ETAIN’s website.
Recent ETAIN’s updates can be found on the website https://www.etainproject.eu/(opens in new window) .
Considering the initial state of the project, current results are limited to the definition of procedures and protocols to employ for the planned studies. Recent updates can be found on the website https://www.etainproject.eu/(opens in new window) .