People are concerned about the safety of mobile base stations

The project, the first of its kind, will look at the impact of masts on our physiological and psychological well-being.

It will look at electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by masts.

Researchers will also investigate people who claim they are particularly sensitive to EMF.

Some of these people are said to suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome (EHS).

There is widespread public concern regarding exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones and their base stations Professor Elaine Fox

The two-year project will study more than 200 people across East Anglia and will involve Essex University's departments of psychology, electronic systems engineering and computer science, as well as its health centre.

Professor Elaine Fox, leader of the research team at Essex, said: "There is widespread public concern regarding exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) from mobile phones and their base stations.

Particularly sensitive

"Although several scientific studies have found little relationship between exposure to these fields and adverse health effects, this has not allayed the fears of the general public.

"There have been a number of cases where people claim they are particularly sensitive to RF-EMF and have experienced severe health effects from mobile phones and base stations, known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome (EHS).

"However, one of the key problems is that there are no guidelines on what the symptoms of this syndrome are."

In the first phase of the project, the team will identify the symptoms of EHS.

Public concerns

An experiment will then be conducted to assess whether exposure, generated by a standard mobile mast, will bring out symptoms of the syndrome for those people identified as suffering from EHS.

A double-blind experiment will see two groups told they are being exposed to electromagnetic fields, but only one group will actually be exposed.

A wide range of physiological, psychological, and cognitive effects will be measured.

Each participant in the experiments will be asked to associate their symptoms with the different exposure conditions.

Professor Fox said: "This study will help to address public concern about a range of symptoms experienced by some people when near base stations.

"It will be the largest of its kind and should consequently be capable of delivering more definitive answers than previous studies in this area."