By Reiner Geiling
Phones are part of everyday life. We are sucked into them everywhere we go. Alongside their effect on a human’s mental state (such as cyberbullying and mood changes), the chemical makeup of phones also poses detrimental physical effects on your body. Phones harbor an abundance of harmful chemicals, increase exposure to radiation, and transmit toxic waves into the body.
Mercury is a toxic element that has harmful effects on various parts of the body. Up to two grams of mercury is found in each “smart” phone, and this element can cause injury to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes upon absorption by the body. Furthermore, mercury can cause reproductive issues such as birth defects and infertility. Some other chemicals found in electronics include Bromine, Lead, Tin, Silicon, and Arsenic. For instance, Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) contain bromine and have been linked to endocrine and thyroid disfunction.
The health risks of these everyday devices don’t stop here. In order for a phone to derive service for calls and texts, it needs reception from a cell tower. When you’re talking on your phone, it converts your voice into a signal that is transmitted via radio waves to the nearest cell tower. Signals are transmitted back and forth from these towers in order to carry out communication with others. Small doses of radiation emit from the phone into your body because of the cell tower, and this is problematic as radiation is a carcinogen. A carcinogen is a substance that is capable of causing cancer, increasing an individual’s risk for it over time. Additionally, electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a term for a range of symptoms that sufferers feel when they are exposed to electromagnetic fields, including acute headaches, skin irritation and chronic pain. As new phone models arise, wireless charging and bluetooth headphones/airpods emit EMF (Electromotive Force) waves into your body, heating up tissue. This especially occurs near the brain when using earbuds or during a phone call. Your home internet box, which provides WiFi, can also cause headaches, pain, and dizziness, since you are exposed to its EMF waves day and night. EMF waves are a form of ionizing radiation, and they can travel unseen and damage the body’s cells.
Radiation emission and harmful chemicals are found in computers, phones, and tablets. While it is not likely you will swap to a flip phone or get rid of your phone altogether, take some precautions to limit exposure– such as shutting off wireless network connections when your device is not in use, and keeping the device away from the body as much as possible. While we may think we are safe, radiation is everywhere. Unfortunately, most of the public is unaware of all of these downsides to having a smartphone. The next time you purchase an electronic device, be sure to take into account radiation levels and concentrations of harmful elements!
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