My Blogs : First Opinion ; Nuclear Issues ; My Voice

My Website : www.radsafetyinfo.com

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Exposure to EMF radiation


During use mobile phones and cord-less phones emit RF radiation. Other sources of the radiation are mobile phone base stations, Wi-Fi access points, lap tops and tablets. The exposures to RF radiation can be long-term or round-the -clock.  Cancer risks of radio-frequency radiation [RF] emitted by some devices in the frequency range of 30 kHz -300 GHz was also evaluated by the IARC for any possible risk for head and brain tumours. It was found that it is Group 2B – a possible human carcinogen. The data based on animal studies and epidemiological studies.

It is important that ambient levels of RF radiation in different locations should be measured to address the public health concern of RF radiation.  International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection [ICNIRP] standards are implemented by the industry to ensure public safety. However, as of now, the standards are based on thermal effects of RF radiation and non-thermal biological effects [stochastic] to the brain as a target organ are not considered. 

The guidelines provided by ICNIRP, the threshold level for behaviour changes in animals quoted is not a clear line between safety and hazard. It only indicates that EMF exposure below the threshold is safe. However, it is not correct to assume that above the given level the exposure is harmful. A safety factor of 10 is applied to the threshold level to obtain the occupational exposure limit. A safety factor of 50 is applied to obtain the guideline limit for the general public.

The Radio-frequency fields (measured in the units of microwatts/cm2) are generated by most of the mobile towers and modern wireless gadgets. The mobile towers catering to the upcoming 5G system for seamless connectivity will emit enhanced levels of RF fields, which will be of major public health concern. 

References

Hardell, L., WHO, Radiofrequency radiation and health – a hard nut to crack [review], Int. J. of Oncology, 51, 2017, 405-413

ICNIRP EMF Guidelines for limiting exposures to time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields-up to 300GHz, Health Physics, 74 [4], 1998, 494-522 [Being revised]

ICNIRP EMF Guidelines for limiting exposures to time-varying electric and magnetic fields, 1Hz-100kHz, Health Physics, 99[6], 2010, 818-836