Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields from Computer Monitors on the Corona Discharge from Skin
Gheorghe Cioca1, K. Korotkov2, Paolo U. Giacomoni1 and Glen Rein1 A. Korotkova2
1-New Venture Technologies, Estee Lauder Companies, Melville, NY, USA. 2-Department of Computer Science, St. Petersburg Technical University ITMO, St. Petersburg, Russia.
ABSTRACT
Experimentation in humans indicates that electromagnetic fields (EMF) have detrimental effects. EMF have been reported to induce a wide variety of adverse clinical effects which include: adverse reproductive outcomes, neuro-degenerative diseases, headaches, depression, sleep disorder and fatigue. These effects have been validated by large-scale, double blind clinical studies and clearly indicate that a variety of detrimental effects can occur in humans exposed to EMF from man-made technology.
Exposure of human skin to EMF provokes different effects with large individual variability. In order to analyze the effect of electric and magnetic fields on human skin a new technology called Gas Discharge Visualizationis is being developed.
Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) generates gas discharge images of the air gap around the skin in response to a train of triangular electrical pulses (0.1 second duration, 1000 Hz, 3kV and 106 V/s). The electric field initiates electron-ion avalanches, which result in a gas discharge along the dielectric surface. The spatial distribution of discharge channels is recorded using a charge coupled optical system, digitized using a video-blaster and mathematically analyzed for several linear and nonlinear parameters including area, fractality and entropy.
GDV images of each of ten fingers were obtained from cohorts of volunteers before and after a ten-minute exposure to EM fields generated by computer monitors. The results seem to indicate that two populations exist, one of which is prone to undergo remarkable changes of skin-surface electric properties, whereas the other seems to maintain unchanged properties in the conditions of the experiment (short exposures). Overall significance was determined using statistical analysis (t-test).
Topical application to the face of a cream specially prepared to shield EMF hemmed the modifications induced by EMF for most of the volunteers exposed to the EMF from a computer monitor irrespective of age and gender. This indicates that topical application of specific materials can protect the skin against the adverse effects of EMF.
INTRODUCTION
Laymen and scientists are becoming increasingly concerned by the effect of electro-magnetic fields [EMF] originating from man-made devices such as Video Display Units (VDU) of computers or televisions, cellular telephones, electric wires and overhead power lines [1]. EMF originating from VDU of computers have been extensively studied by the Bio-electromagnetic community. As an example, see for instance reference [2].
From epidemiological observations it can be gathered that people working with computers develop the so-called “screen dermatitis”, characterized by rosacea-like symptoms such as itch, heat sensation, pain, erythema, papules and pustules. People affected by “screen dermatitis” present with specific histological features, such as high numbers of histamine-positive mast cells and somatostatin-positive dendritic cells, even before the exposure to the radiation from the screen [3, 4]. This is to say that the general population comprises people prone to react heavily to the exposure to VDU with immune responses and with the release of histamine. Microwaves in the range of frequencies used for cellular phones have been shown to increase chromosomal aberrations in cultured V79 cells [5] and in human lymphocytes [6], and to increase the release of histamine from mast cells [7]. In rats exposed to these microwaves, there is an increase in the number of benzodiazepine receptors [8], which are responsive to anxiety and stress. Neural transmission also is affected by microwaves, since it has been shown that cholinergic activity decreases in rats exposed to microwaves, and all the three opioid receptor subtypes are involved in the phenomenon [9]. These results, extrapolated to man, could account for the headaches and other diseases found to be associated with the use of cell phones.
50-60 Hz EMFs have several biological effects. Among them one finds the capability to affect intracellular Calcium transport and induce Calcium oscillations in cultured cells [10]. It can thus be expected that these EMFs interfere with Calcium-induced differentiation of keratinocytes and also that, by modulating Calcium activity, they might provoke cellular necrosis and the consequent inflammation.
For the immediate relevance to human well being, it appears that the EMF above share as a common feature, the capability to trigger the release of histamine, and thus to provoke itch, redness, pain, papulae and pustules. There are reports, which suggest that EMF might affect the mental well being by interfering with the proper functioning of neural physiology and thus provoke headaches, migraines, anxiety and stress.
Human skin is a very complex organ and a same cause, such as the exposure to EMF, might have in different individuals, consequences of different extent. The clinical observations could in some instances be elusive and the clinical relevance of phenomena resulting upon exposure to EMF might be difficult to assess. It is therefore necessary to identify a parameter of the skin, which could be used as endpoint when exposing humans to electromagnetic fields.
This chapter describes a methodology to acquire information on the electric properties of the surface of the skin by analyzing the glow discharge generated when the skin is subjected to trains of triangular electric pulses. These properties are modified when the skin is exposed to EMF generated by computer screens.
Materials able to shield EMF from VDU and 50-60 Hz are at hand: these frequencies are the most likely to be perceived as skin damaging, and these materials are advantageously used in skin care products claiming the capability to shield these EMFs. After topical application of creams able to shield or dampen the intensity of electromagnetic radiation, the electric properties of the surface of the skin are less prone to undergo the modifications induced by the exposure to electromagnetic fields.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Principles of the experimentation
GDV Technique allows the monitoring of individual reactions to different treatments [11,12,13]. The experiments was performed with healthy volunteers from 18 to 40 years old. Control measurements (before exposure to EMF) were taken when subjects had remained in a computer-free environment for at least 20 minutes. The computer monitor used for measuring changes in GDV was a standard electron-beam tube computer monitor with 17’’ screen. Control measurements with computer turned on and off without turn on the monitor demonstrated that the GDV signal was constant for volunteers not exposed to EMF.
The Gas Discharge Visualization
Measurements of individual reaction to EMF have been performed using Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) technique[11], which generate images of the air gap around the skin during the glow discharge consequent to the stimulation of the skin with a train of triangular electrical pulses. The electric field initiates electron-ion avalanches, which result in a gas discharge along the dielectric surface. The spatial distribution of discharge channels can be recorded using a charge coupled optical system, digitized using a video-blaster and mathematically analyzed for several linear and nonlinear parameters including area, fractality and entropy. Measurements are taken from the 10 fingers of a subject. Average basic parameters of the fingers glow patterns (BEO-grams): area, density, spectrum, entropy, and fractality can be calculated as described elsewhere [11]. The values of the parameters were calculated for the ten fingers of the left and the right hands and averaged. The GDV Camera used in these experiments was produced by Kirlionics Technologies International, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, and had the following parameters: single impulse duration 10 microseconds; repetition frequency 1000 Hz; induction interval 0,5 s; electrode voltage 3 kV.
Statistical processing.
Data of all measurements were processed statistically with standard software packages STATISTICS and SPSS. Different types of group data analysis: t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Wilcoxon test demonstrated consistent results in all trials. This confirms our previous conclusion[11] that distribution of the GDV parameters for semi-uniform group of more than 20 people has quasi-Gaussian character. Parametric inter-correlations were studied with multi-parametric factor analysis.
EMF Protective Creams.
Special creams for the protection against EMF radiation have been developed by the Estee Lauder research team. The principle of protection was to prepare oil-in-water emulsions in which the water phase contains electrolyte and magnetic particles, which oscillate when submitted to electromagnetic waves and thus absorb energy and reduce the intensity of the EMF.
The creams were a simplex control emulsion (base), a simplex emulsion containing inert powders (sham) or base added with electrolytes and magnetic particles (anti-EMF cream).
Protocol of experimentation.
Three separate populations were tested by taking GDV photographs before, 10 minutes after subjects sat in front of a computer and ten minutes later after sitting in front of a computer with various creams applied to the face. Initial measurements were taken only when the subjects had remained in a computer-free environment for at least twenty minutes. Seven subjects used the simplex emulsion with no actives (control), 13 additional subjects used the simplex emulsion containing the EM SP ceramic and 13 more subjects used the simplex emulsion containing our anti-EMF technology consisting of a mixture of granatite, fuscite and salt.
Stage 1
1. The volunteer being examined is sitting in a comfortable position in front of the computer (turned off). GDV images of the 10 fingers are taken.
2. The Computer is turned on, after a 10 minutes interval the images of the 10 fingers are taken
3. The Computer is turned off, after a 10 minutes interval the images of the 10 fingers are taken
Stage 2.
1. The volunteer being examined is sitting in a comfortable position in front of the computer [turned off]. GDV images of the 10 fingers are taken.
2. The Computer is turned on; after a 10 minutes interval the images of the 10 fingers are taken
3. The Computer is turned off, The Cream is applied to the face, the Computer is turned on, after a 10 minutes interval the images of the 10 fingers are taken.
For every participant at stage 2 three sessions with different creams were performed.
RESULTS
Effect of EMF on the electric properties of skin surface.
Different GDV signals [area and Fractality] were revealed when the volunteers were exposed to computer monitor [Table 1]. No correlation was found with age or gender. No significant effects were seen when pooling the data from all subjects.
Examining before-after differences, two populations emerged, showing increases or decreases in GDV values. The magnitude of these responses varied from less than 10% to approximately 8-fold. Statistical significance was reached only in the population, which showed decreases in both GDV image area and fractality.