Health and Safety Information 401replicated. The majority of studies published have failed to show anassociation between exposure to radio frequency from a cell phoneand health problems.The low levels of RF cell phones emit while in use are in themicrowave frequency range. They also emit RF at substantiallyreduced time intervals when in the stand-by mode. Whereas highlevels of RF can produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposureto low level RF that does not produce heating effects causes noknown adverse health effects.The biological effects of radio frequency energy should not beconfused with the effects from other types of electromagneticenergy.Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as is found inX-rays and gamma rays, can ionize biological tissues. Ionization is aprocess where electrons are stripped away from their normallocations in atoms and molecules. It can permanently damagebiological tissues including DNA, the genetic material.The energy levels associated with radio frequency energy, includingboth radio waves and microwaves, are not great enough to causeionization of atoms and molecules. Therefore, RF energy is a type ofnon-ionizing radiation. Other types of non-ionizing radiation includevisible light, infrared radiation (heat), and other forms ofelectromagnetic radiation with relatively low frequencies.While RF energy does not ionize particles, large amounts canincrease body temperatures and cause tissue damage. Two areas ofthe body, the eyes and the testes, are particularly vulnerable to RFheating because there is relatively little blood flow in them to carryaway excess heat.
