The Health Effects of 72 Hours of Simulated Wind Turbine Infrasound: A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover Study in Noise-Sensitive, Healthy Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Large electricity-generating wind turbines emit both audible sound and inaudible infrasound at very low frequencies that are outside of the normal human range of hearing. Sufferers of wind turbine syndrome (WTS) have attributed their ill-health and particularly their sleep disturbance to the signature pattern of infrasound. Critics have argued that these symptoms are psychological in origin and are attributable to nocebo effects.

Objectives

We aimed to test the effects of 72 h of infrasound (1.6-20 Hz at a sound level of ∼90 dB pk re 20μPa, simulating a wind turbine infrasound signature) exposure on human physiology, particularly sleep.

Methods

We conducted a randomized double-blind triple-arm crossover laboratory-based study of 72 h exposure with a >10-d w

SUBMITTER: Marshall NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10032045 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature