Personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure of adolescents in the Greater London area and the association with restrictions on permitted use of mobile communication technologies at school and at home

Authors: Claudia Schmutz, Alexandra Bürgler, Narain Ashta, Jana Soenksen, Yasmin Bou Karim, Chen Shen, Rachel B. Smith, Rosemary H. Jenkins, Michael O. Mireku, Julian Mutz, Mikaël J.A. Maes, Rosi Hirst, Irene Chang, Charlotte Fleming, Aamirah Mussa, Daphna Kesary, Darren Addison, Myron Maslanyj, Mireille B. Toledano, Martin Röösli, Marloes Eeftens

Year: 2022

Category: Environmental Research

Journal: Environmental Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113252

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935122005795

Abstract

Overview

Personal radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) monitoring in adolescents across Greater London reveals critical findings. Despite various restrictions at schools and homes regarding mobile technology usage, such measures appear insufficient in significantly reducing RF-EMF exposure among adolescents.

Methodology

  • Measurements were conducted on a cohort from the Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP), focusing on 16 frequency bands ranging from 87.5 MHz to 3.5 GHz.
  • Portable devices (ExpoM-RF) recorded data from 148 adolescents attending 29 different schools, with a median recording duration of 47 hours.

Findings

Adolescents displayed a median exposure of:

  • 40 μW/m2 at home,
  • 94 μW/m2 at school,
  • 100 μW/m2 overall.
Restrictions at school and home showed minimal impact on overall exposure levels, with the notable exception of uplink exposure from mobile phones at schools prohibiting their use, which was significantly lower.

Conclusion

This analysis underscores the challenge of mitigating RF-EMF exposure through policy alone. Despite regional policy efforts, exposure levels in adolescents from Greater London are notably higher compared to other parts of Europe. This indicates a pressing need for more effective protective measures against RF-EMF exposure in daily settings such as schools and homes.

adolescents RF-EMF mobile technology usage school policies parental restrictions exposure analysis London
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