MOBILES DON'T CAUSE CANCER?

In view of the exponentially increasing usage of mobile phones, there has been much apprehension worldwide about the health concerns of its prolonged use. It is reported in the media that researchers at Danish Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen concluded that “Mobiles don’t cause cancer”. The conclusion was based on their recent study on 420,095 people who had a phone at some point between 1982 and 1995, examined through until 2002. That is occasional radio-frequency (RF) exposures for a period of 13 years.

I strongly recommend that the conclusion should be taken in the proper perspective keeping in mind the following:

1. Cancer is a late-effect. The latent period (since its initiation) for a solid cancer to appear is 30-40 years.
2. The current level of mobile usage is not occasional, but can be quite high, as high as a few hours in day.

Keeping in mind the above uncertainty and the gaps in our knowledge about the health effects, it is not possible to completely rule out adverse health effects even at levels of RF exposures below the international guidelines. Hence, it advisable to have a precautionary approach, such as i) using the phones only occasionally, ii) find out its RF emission levels / SAR Value of the mobiles before it’s purchase, iii) using hand-free types to minimize the exposure to head and neck region and iv) avoid exposure of the mobile to small children.

NUCLEAR ISSUES – NEW YEAR WISHES

1. No more incidents of detection of Polonium-210 contamination in London or elsewhere. From hazard considerations, it is very mobile and easily dispersed due to its nuclear property. It is one of the daughter products of naturally occurring U-238 series. It has a half life of 138 days and the alpha particle, of energy 5.3 MeV, emission from its nucleus makes it very hazardous if taken internally.

2. Final US Legislation on the Nuclear – deal addresses the concerns of Senior Indian scientists who have been holding Indian Flag high during the harder times of SANCTIONS imposed on India from the west.

3. Full participation of US firms in civilian nuclear power plants, including thorium based reactors in India in the future. The participation shall ensure adequate liability in case of accidents in the reactors.

4. Solve the issue of safe management of spent nuclear fuel from these collaborated reactors. High-value plutonium in the spent fuel should be recovered to exclusively fuel the future Indian fast breeder reactors.

5. Early recovery of the Ash Analizer (if it recovered, it is not well known) belonging to the Central Coal Fields Limited at Hazanbagh, India. The analyzer might have been used to analyze the natural radionuclides in the coal ash. To the best of my knowledge, the natural radioactivity (uranium, thorium) in coal ash in PPM (parts per million) level. As reported in the Press, the instrument can not become radioactive just because it is used to analyze the samples. It only gets contaminated by the use and can be decontaminated easily. I feel, it is over-reaction by the media. However, it needs clarification from the concerned authorities without much delay.