6,503 Studies Reviewed. 86.5% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body

Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Radio Frequency

Assessment of Public Exposure From WLANs in the West Bank-Palestine.

No Effects Found

Lahham A, Sharabati A, ALMasri H. · 2017

View Original Abstract
Share:

WiFi networks in real-world settings produce power densities averaging 0.12 μW/cm², staying well below current safety limits but still representing measurable RF exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers measured WiFi radiation exposure from wireless networks at 69 locations across homes, hospitals, schools, and universities in Palestine. They found power density levels averaging 0.12 μW/cm², with the highest exposures near university access points and the lowest in schools. All measured levels were well below international safety guidelines, staying at least 221 times below recommended limits even in worst-case scenarios.

Why This Matters

This study provides valuable real-world data on WiFi exposure levels in everyday environments, showing that typical exposures remain far below current safety standards. What's particularly useful is the comprehensive measurement approach across different settings and distances, revealing that university environments produce the highest WiFi exposures while schools show the lowest. The finding that laptop users experience SAR levels of 0.1-2 mW/kg offers perspective on personal device exposure. However, it's important to remember that current safety guidelines are based primarily on heating effects and don't account for the growing body of research suggesting biological effects at much lower exposure levels. The fact that these measurements stayed within official limits doesn't necessarily mean the exposures are without biological consequence, particularly given emerging research on non-thermal effects from chronic low-level RF exposure.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.0001 - 0.002 W/kg
Power Density
0.000001 - 0.0019, ~0.0045 mW/cm²

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.0001 - 0.002 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects documented below the Building Biology "No Concern" threshold (0.001 W/kg)FCC limit is 16,000 times higher than this level

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Assessment of Public Exposure From WLANs in the West Bank-Palestine.

A total of 271 measurements were conducted at 69 different sites including homes, hospitals, educati...

Power density levels from WLAN systems were found to vary from 0.001 to ~1.9 μW cm-2 with an average...

Cite This Study
Lahham A, Sharabati A, ALMasri H. (2017). Assessment of Public Exposure From WLANs in the West Bank-Palestine. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2017 Mar 3:1-5. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncx028.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2017_assessment_of_public_exposure_3173,
  author = {Lahham A and Sharabati A and ALMasri H.},
  title = {Assessment of Public Exposure From WLANs in the West Bank-Palestine.},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28338865/},
}
PubMed: 28338865

Cited By (6 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2017 study in Palestine found WiFi radiation levels averaged 0.12 μW/cm² across 69 locations, with universities showing the highest exposures. Even at maximum levels near access points, radiation stayed 221 times below international safety guidelines, indicating minimal health risk for students.
Research measuring WiFi exposure across Palestine found hospitals had higher radiation levels than schools, which showed the minimum exposures. However, all measured levels remained well below safety limits, with power densities ranging from 0.001 to 1.9 μW/cm² across different building types.
Palestine researchers found laptop WiFi radiation produces less exposure than wireless access points, even during file transmission. The estimated specific absorption rate for laptop users' heads ranged from 0.1 to 2 mW/kg, staying well within international safety recommendations.
When measured just 20 cm from a transmitting WiFi access point during large file transfers, researchers recorded power density levels of approximately 4.5 μW/cm². This represented the study's highest measurement but remained 221 times below recommended safety limits.
The Palestine study found WiFi radiation exposure follows a log-normal distribution pattern, which researchers noted is typical for radiofrequency emissions. Power density levels varied significantly by location type, from 0.001 μW/cm² minimum in schools to 1.9 μW/cm² maximum at universities.