Exposure of children to ELF magnetic fields in France: Results of the EXPERS study

Abstract

Overview

The assessment of magnetic field exposure in children holds significant implications for epidemiological studies, and the EXPERS study represents a pioneering effort in measuring personal exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields across France. The study involved 977 children, each subjected to a 24-hour personal ELF magnetic field measurement.

Findings

• Alarm clocks significantly influenced the exposure measurements when present.
• A total of 3.1% of all children studied showed a 24-hour arithmetic mean exposure of ≥0.4 μT. This figure dropped to 0.8% when excluding measurements influenced by alarm clocks.
• Magnetic fields exposure was higher near high voltage power lines, yet no child living close to these power lines (<125 m from a 225 kV line or <200 m from a 400 kV line) exhibited exposure greater than 0.4 μT.
• The study faced challenges in creating a predictive model for child exposure due to the varied data collected.
• Differences were found between personal exposure measurements and the exposures assessed during children's sleep, highlighting issues in current exposure assessment methodologies used in some epidemiological studies.

Conclusion

This comprehensive national scale study offers groundbreaking insights into the ELF magnetic field exposures of children in France. The results emphasize the need to consider various exposure indicators and the impact of household items like alarm clocks on exposure assessments. Future studies should extend to assessing adult exposures and refining exposure models for better predictiveness.