Originally used only in offices, equipment such as computers (desktop and portable), mobile phones, and printers, copying machines or scanners became equally widespread in non-office environments a long time ago. More and more often, we have such equipment at home and use it for many hours every day. Therefore, it is worth knowing how it affects our health.

The great adventure with personal computers and mobile phones began in the 80’s and 90’s of the 20th century. Relatively quickly, they became an important work tool, a means of interpersonal communication and entertainment for millions of people all over the world.

With increasing popularity of personal computers and the Internet, people of all ages became glued to their monitors and it is difficult to imagine an office or home without a desktop or laptop computer nowadays.

Once expensive, mobile phones are now widely accessible for everyone. They have become an indispensable element of everyday life, both at work and at home. After all, they accompany us all the time, and even at night they are somewhere at hand, because many of us use them as alarm clocks.

In the past, all these appliances were usually described as office equipment. Now we use them almost constantly and often without any limitations. Company computers are switched on for many hours a day and there are often a few computers in every office room. More and more people have access to the Internet at home, often cordless, and use it all afternoons or evenings.

Mobile phones are extremely comfortable and have a wide range of functions. To save time, we even use them to phone friends living round the corner or neighbours on the next floor. Few of us wonder how such widespread and prolonged use of these devices may affect our health.

Computers - a potential cause of spinal ailments and stress

Although computers facilitate our work significantly, scientists agree that they may cause health problems when used in excess.

More and more computer workers visit health centres, presenting with a variety of spinal and muscle pains, circulatory system disorders or complaining of deterioration of vision and general health.

Fatigue, stress, prolonged sitting in a constrained posture in front of a computer screen - all this has an impact on our health. At the same time, psychologist point to another important and stressogenic aspect of working at the computer - isolation.

Psychologists believe that computers render our lives more unreal and artificial, weaken close bonds between people, and intensify the feeling of loneliness. It may be felt particularly acutely by people who work in isolation (e.g. in a separate room at the office) and have contact with other people only via Internet or telephone.

When we work with computers, we are exposed to several types of radiation and a weak electromagnetic field.

• thermal radiation,
  
• broadband electromagnetic radiation with a wide frequency spectrum,
• electrostatic radiation,
• ultraviolet radiation,
• weak magnetic and roentgen field.

The monitor, computer, and other appliances connected to it produce quite a lot of heat, resulting in an increase of air temperature near the computer and a noticeable decrease in air humidity.

The electromagnetic field that causes electrostatic voltage polarization between the man and the screen is a harmful phenomenon associated with older types of monitors (kinescope screens). When we work at such a monitor, our face draws electrically charged particles of dust exactly in the same way as an electrically charged screen. It often causes allergic reactions, eye irritation, and breathing discomfort.

A strong electromagnetic field may result in unhealthy polarisation of electric charges inside human body and disrupt bioelectrical processes taking place in its tissues.

New types of computers using flat panel LCD displays no longer pose this risk, because they do not emit electromagnetic radiation.

Moreover, the level of roentgen radiation, emitted by modern monitors, has been significantly reduced in recent years. It is now many times lower than the so-called background radiation (i.e. ionizing radiation that naturally occurs in nature) and is undetectable by radiation measuring devices. It should be remembered, however, that health implications of prolonged exposure to even small doses of radiation have not been scientifically explained.

Few people realize that all computers emit (luckily only in small quantities) odourless gases - oxides and furans that have an effect on our health. These are carcinogenic compounds that belong to the most dangerous toxins of natural environment. They can be found in fire-resistant emulsion (containing many polibromides), which is used to cover the casings of monitor screens and central units.

Although renowned producers of computers declare that harmful substances have been replaced with safer alternatives, scientists commissioned by Greenpeace have established recently that even the best-known brands of laptops contain a high level of toxic chemicals, which are banned in the European Union.

In 2006, Greenpeace conducted a study to gain information on the presence of certain hazardous substances in a range of brand name laptop computers. The study revealed that such substances were present in laptops produced even by the largest computer manufacturers such as Acer, Apple, Dell, HP, and Sony (report “Toxic laptops”).

The highest level of contamination was discovered in HP and Apple laptops. Despite HP declarations that the company has given up using polibrominated diphenyl ether, a particularly toxic flame retardant, the study of Greenpeace proved that this substance is still present in its products.

Among all laptops tested by Greenpeace - Apple contained the highest level of another toxic flame retardant, tetrabromobisphenol-A (TPPBA).

Łukasz Supergan, the coordinator of the Greenpeace campaign, points out that toxic substances are present in all types of laptops, regardless of the computer brand or differences in design technologies, no matter whether it is a Mac or a PC.

This is why new equipment should be “warmed up” for a few days in a frequently ventilated room, allowing all toxic chemicals contained in its components to evaporate. Afterwards, we should also remember to frequently air the room in which we work with this computer.

How do mobile phones affect our cells?

Although mobile phones have been extensively used for a relatively short time, there is a large body of research on the safety of these phones for their users. We have already accumulated a vast knowledge on non-ionizing radiation, but most studies have failed to produce conclusive results as to the harmful effect of mobile phones.

Mobile phones are known to be the source of electromagnetic radiation. Scientists confirm that after a long telephone conversation the temperature of our head rises slightly on the side where the mobile phone is held. This effect may be associated with a short-lasting fluctuation of electrical potential on the surface of the skin.

It has been scientifically proved that talking over the phone for a long time may cause headaches, fatigue, and a general feeling of ill health. In most cases, these symptoms resolve on their own soon after finishing the conversation.

Scientist report, however, that the harmful effect of radiation emitted by mobile phones is to some extent similar to the effect of radio waves. Studies of radio waves have been conducted for a long time, proving beyond any doubt that they have a negative impact on human body, and in particular on the efficiency of the nervous system, fertility, and foetal development.

It is also noteworthy that German Ministry of Environment Protection, after receiving the results of the latest studies on health implications of mobile phones (in March 2007) urged parents not to give mobile phones to small children under 5 years and to strictly limit their use by older children.

According to Wikipedia, “microwave disease” also known as “the disease of telegraph operators” refers to pathological changes in human body induced by electromagnetic field. The causes and the actual incidence of this disease, especially in the case of weak electromagnetic fields, have become a topic of widespread debate, giving rise to divergent opinions.

An electromagnetic field of high intensity has an impact on bioelectric process that take place in different organs, as well as on hormonal reactions. It may damage organs and tissues and lead to abnormalities of the nervous system and pathological changes.

According to some sources, an electromagnetic field of very low intensity has a similar effect - even when it is below Polish limit values. A Polish physicist - Professor Stefan Manczarski attempted to explain its mechanism as far back as 1968 in his theory on the effect of weak electromagnetic fields on the free electrons in mitochondria.

One of the pioneering studies investigating this disease was also conducted by Dr. Piotr Czerski.

According to Dr. Piotr Czerski, the main symptoms of “microwave disease” include:

Subjective symptoms: general weakening, frequent and persistent headaches, excessive nervousness and irritability, susceptibility to fatigue, drowsiness, decreased life energy manifesting itself as a weakening of normal personal interests, diminished sexual drive, oversensitivity to sun exposure, and different ailments of the digestive system,

Objective symptoms (observed by doctors): reduced blood pressure, decreased heart rate, hand tremors, excessive perspiration of hands and feet (acrohyperhydrosis), slight changes in the bioelectric activity of the brain (EEG) and heart (EKG) and eye lens opacification.

Telegraph and radar operators have been known to suffer from microwave disease. Do we also expose ourselves to the risk of this disease when we use mobile phones every day?

Mobile phones manufactures are trying to convince us that there is no such risk, ecologists, on the other hand warn us that this risk cannot be entirely ruled out. Mobile phones have become so popular that it is no longer possible to escape from them. To minimize exposure, we can cut the length of calls (especially in places with a weak signal). We may also use mobile headsets and choose a phone with a lower rate of specific absorption (SAR).

The Specific Absorption Rate is a measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone.

Printers and photocopying machines

Experts claim that toners used in laser printers ad photocopying machines also have an effect on the health of people who spend many hours a day in the vicinity of these appliances (i.e. employees operating them).

According to the rules applied by some companies, no workstations (where people work for longer than 4 hours) may be places within a radius of 1.5 meters from photocopying machines and printers.

Another harmful and relatively troublesome problem associated with modern printers and photocopying machines is ozone generated when these appliances are in operation. It considerably dries mucous membranes, causing throat irritation and a feeling of ill health. In addition, ozone leads to harmful ionisation of the air (with positive ions) in the room where the printer is used.

However, researchers emphasise that equipment of this type may only cause problems when it is used for many hours a day. Printing or copying a few pages every now and then certainly is not dangerous for health.

Małgorzata Szafarz

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