Long-term objectives. Since there is biological evidence that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) may be related to some health effects at the cellular level, it is important to determine the current densities and EMFs induced in the human body in meaningful exposure situations. The objective is to develop a new tool for determining and understanding the currents and fields induced in biologically important organs on the macroscopic and cellular levels. This involves their dependence on the frequency, magnitude and direction of the incident electromagnetic field.
Specific Aims of the research are: a. The identification of exposure situations that permit the analytical determination of the electromagnetic field in which a body is immersed. b. The derivation of accurate formulas that resists the incident EMFs to the currents and fields induced in the exposed body and clearly display their dependence on the frequency, dimensions of the body, and magnitude and direction of the external field. c. The determination of the current density and in important organs of the body, the associated local field and its action at the cellular level. Research design and methods. a. Apply known accurate formulas for the complete EMF of horizontal and vertical electric dipoles to determine the EMFs generated by power lines, VLF transmitters, shipboard antennas, and determine the average fields and currents in the body for the various configurations. For example, at low frequencies (50 Hz to 10 MHz), the body behaves like an electrically and the axial (circulating) current is due primarily to the electric (magnetic) field. c. Selected cross sections of the body containing biologically important organs act as conductances in parallel carrying a known axial current. With the known conductivities and dimensions of the organs, determine the current density and electric field in each organ. d. Study the effects of these at the cellular level and relate to in vitro measurements.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01ES008051-03
Application #
2770778
Study Section
Radiation Study Section (RAD)
Project Start
1996-09-01
Project End
1999-08-31
Budget Start
1998-09-01
Budget End
1999-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Engineering (All Types)
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
071723621
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02138
Brennan, L M; Toussaint, M W; Kumsher, D M et al. (2005) Developmental toxicity of drinking water disinfection by-products to embryos of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 75:361-7
Toussaint, M W; Rosencrance, A B; Brennan, L M et al. (2001) Chronic toxicity of bromodichloromethane to the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Toxicol Pathol 29:662-9
Toussaint, M W; Brennan, L M; Rosencrance, A B et al. (2001) Acute toxicity of four drinking water disinfection by-products to Japanese medaka fish. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 66:255-62
Toussaint, M W; Rosencrance, A B; Brennan, L M et al. (2001) Chronic toxicity of chloroform to Japanese medaka fish. Environ Health Perspect 109:35-40
King, R W; Wu, T T (2000) Calculated electric field induced in bundles of long cells in the human body when it is exposed to low-frequency electric fields. Radiat Res 153:715-21
King, R W (1999) The electric field induced in the human body when exposed to electromagnetic fields at 1-30 MHz on shipboard. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 46:747-51
King, R W (1999) Nerves in a human body exposed to low-frequency electromagnetic fields. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 46:1426-31
Myers, J M (1999) Modeling the effect of an external electric field on the velocity of spike propagation in a nerve fiber. Phys Rev E Stat Phys Plasmas Fluids Relat Interdiscip Topics 60:5918-25
King, R W (1998) Fields and currents in the organs of the human body when exposed to power lines and VLF transmitters. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 45:520-30
King, R W (1998) An examination of underlying physical principles. The interaction of power-line electromagnetic fields with the human body. IEEE Eng Med Biol Mag 17:67-73;discussion 73-8