Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GOLIAT (5G expOsure, causaL effects, and rIsk perception through citizen engAgemenT)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-11-30
Much research has taken place in recent decades concerning exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and assessment of its potential effects on health in the general population and in occupational settings. The number of RF-EMF sources and their use in our general environment and workplaces continues to grow as RF-EMF in digital technologies and electronic communication services enable many sectors to meet the sustainability goals of the European Green Deal. Thus the introduction of new generation communication technologies such as 5G, both in industry and in our everyday life, greatly increase the urgency of research to evaluate the potential risks to human health. While no detrimental effect of the low levels of RF-EMF commonly used in telecommunications has been demonstrated, epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested that RF-EMF may have neuropsychological effects including cognitive function, mental health and sleep particularly in children, and biological effects including brain function, radical stress, and thermoregulation. Therefore, such research requires the development of novel tools to monitor the evolution of exposure levels and patterns in different populations, and the engagement of appropriate stakeholders to improve perception, communication and management of any attendant risks. Special attention should be paid to the most vulnerable populations (i.e. children, adolescents, and young adults up to 25 years old) and those people most highly exposed (i.e. workers). Therefore, the main aim of GOLIAT is to characterize and monitor RF-EMF exposure, in particular 5G, provide new insights into potential neuropsychological and biological effects, and understand risk perception and communication through citizen engagement using an integrative and transdisciplinary pan-European approach. The main objectives of GOLIAT: focusing on the most vulnerable and most exposed populations; implementing novel and robust methodologies including next-generation exposure assessment, causal inference, experimental work, health impact assessment, mental models, and ethical values assessment; placing a strong emphasis on translation of knowledge and citizen engagement; and developing an accessible data infrastructure for use during and beyond the project. The expected results will serve to deliver robust evidence on the potential effects of (5G) RF-EMF exposure in young people and workers, and contribute to developing guidelines for exposure prevention/reduction from new generation radio-communication networks including Internet of Things.
1. RF-EMF exposure patterns and levels in young people and workers: A huge amount of work has been initiated to characterize and monitor patterns and levels of RF-EMF exposure in young people and workers. A survey of 4,000 subjects aged 16-25 years in 4 European countries has been performed to understand their use of communication/connected devices and technologies. Also, the implementation and development of next generation exposure assessment methods has started, including a spatial and temporal monitoring of RF-EMF exposure in 10 European countries, a stochastic and machine learning modelling, the calculation of RF-EMF in-body absorption to a large number of frequencies, and an expert and a public RF-EMF dose model. Regarding workers, a scoping exercise to identify new and emerging occupational RF-EMF exposure sources and scenarios has been performed and a protocol for measurements in occupational settings to identify maximum exposure scenarios has been developed.
2. Neuropsychological effects of RF-EMF in young people and workers: We have intensively worked in initiating a large data collection in the 6 groups of young people, preparing all questionnaires and protocols, applying for the ethics approvals, training the fieldworkers, contacting the participants, and starting the assessments. Regarding the occupational work, a protocol of data collection in workers has been finalized and four companies interested in participate have been identified in the UK.
3. Exposure setups and dosimetry: The work during the first reporting period has been dedicated to the setups for laboratory and for human experiments. In order to compact the schedule of the different exposures, setups have been optimized to expose simultaneously at 2 different absorption levels. Furthermore, dosimetry has started using numerical and experimental methods. Also, microdosimetry using 2D and 3D models for single and group of cells has been implemented.
4. Brain function - biological and neuropsychological effects of 5G: The first exposure setups have been installed. The differentiation of human neurons has started and primary rat brain cells are being tested with chemicals. The protocol of the experiments in rats has been finalized. Human experiments have been completed, one paper has been published on brain activity measured using EEG, and statistical analysis on secondary outcomes related to the autonomous nervous system are ongoing.
5. Thermoregulation and radical stress - biological effects of 5G: The first exposure setups have been installed. Molecular probes and an automated thermoregulation system for monitoring TRP activity under RF-EMF exposure have been built and characterized. Human experiments have been completed and statistical analysis on temperature of brown fat cells and of skin areas are ongoing.
6. Understanding health impacts, risk perception, and exposure reduction: We took a “systems thinking” approach to explicitly describe the complex interrelationships governing associations between the many exposures associated with 5G technologies—focusing on RF-EMF, but also incorporating other forms of radiation (e.g. visible light), modes of use, content, and user behaviours—and their various direct and indirect impacts on different aspects of population health. Also, in-depth interviews were conducted among the general public and experts. The results of these interviews informed the design of an online survey which is currently being administered in ten European countries.
7. Co-design and citizen engagement interventions: The stakeholder mapping and citizen engagement strategies of the project have been designed and implemented. Moreover, we have started the strategy to actively involve workers in co-creation workshops to evaluate their awareness of 5G presence in their working environments and its potential health effects.
2. Neuropsychological effects of RF-EMF in young people and workers: We have intensively worked in initiating a large data collection in the 6 groups of young people, preparing all questionnaires and protocols, applying for the ethics approvals, training the fieldworkers, contacting the participants, and starting the assessments. Regarding the occupational work, a protocol of data collection in workers has been finalized and four companies interested in participate have been identified in the UK.
3. Exposure setups and dosimetry: The work during the first reporting period has been dedicated to the setups for laboratory and for human experiments. In order to compact the schedule of the different exposures, setups have been optimized to expose simultaneously at 2 different absorption levels. Furthermore, dosimetry has started using numerical and experimental methods. Also, microdosimetry using 2D and 3D models for single and group of cells has been implemented.
4. Brain function - biological and neuropsychological effects of 5G: The first exposure setups have been installed. The differentiation of human neurons has started and primary rat brain cells are being tested with chemicals. The protocol of the experiments in rats has been finalized. Human experiments have been completed, one paper has been published on brain activity measured using EEG, and statistical analysis on secondary outcomes related to the autonomous nervous system are ongoing.
5. Thermoregulation and radical stress - biological effects of 5G: The first exposure setups have been installed. Molecular probes and an automated thermoregulation system for monitoring TRP activity under RF-EMF exposure have been built and characterized. Human experiments have been completed and statistical analysis on temperature of brown fat cells and of skin areas are ongoing.
6. Understanding health impacts, risk perception, and exposure reduction: We took a “systems thinking” approach to explicitly describe the complex interrelationships governing associations between the many exposures associated with 5G technologies—focusing on RF-EMF, but also incorporating other forms of radiation (e.g. visible light), modes of use, content, and user behaviours—and their various direct and indirect impacts on different aspects of population health. Also, in-depth interviews were conducted among the general public and experts. The results of these interviews informed the design of an online survey which is currently being administered in ten European countries.
7. Co-design and citizen engagement interventions: The stakeholder mapping and citizen engagement strategies of the project have been designed and implemented. Moreover, we have started the strategy to actively involve workers in co-creation workshops to evaluate their awareness of 5G presence in their working environments and its potential health effects.
We have already made great progress regarding the scientific and technological results, as detailed in the previous section about the work performed and the main achievements, which are the basis for the improvements in the economic and societal impacts. The data to be collected on RF-EMF exposure can potentially be used for further interdisciplinary research and can also shape the business practices of key industry players (e.g. in the telecommunication sector).