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Acute childhood leukemias and exposure to magnetic fields generated by high voltage overhead power lines

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Authors not listed · 2007

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Children living within 500 meters of high-voltage power lines showed nearly 9 times higher leukemia risk in Iranian study.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Iranian researchers studied 60 children with acute leukemia and 59 healthy children, examining their proximity to high-voltage power lines (123-400 kilovolts). Children living within 500 meters of these lines showed 8.67 times higher odds of developing leukemia. The study found 23.5% of leukemia patients lived near high-voltage lines compared to only 3.3% of healthy children.

Why This Matters

This Iranian study adds crucial evidence to the power line-childhood leukemia connection, particularly for high-voltage transmission lines that generate stronger magnetic fields than typical residential power lines. What makes this research especially significant is its focus on very high voltage lines (up to 400 kilovolts) in a developing country where children often live closer to such infrastructure. The 8.67-fold increased leukemia risk within 500 meters represents one of the strongest associations documented in the scientific literature. The magnetic field exposures measured (0.6 microTeslas) are well above the 0.3-0.4 microTesla threshold where many studies begin detecting increased childhood leukemia rates. This research underscores a troubling reality: children in developing nations may face disproportionate EMF health risks due to inadequate safety buffers around high-voltage infrastructure.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50-60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50-60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2007). Acute childhood leukemias and exposure to magnetic fields generated by high voltage overhead power lines.
Show BibTeX
@article{acute_childhood_leukemias_and_exposure_to_magnetic_fields_generated_by_high_voltage_overhead_power_lines_ce1440,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Acute childhood leukemias and exposure to magnetic fields generated by high voltage overhead power lines},
  year = {2007},
  
  
}
PubMed: 17477775

Quick Questions About This Study

The Iranian study examined very high voltage lines of 123, 230, and 400 kilovolts. These transmission lines carry much more electrical current than typical neighborhood power lines, generating stronger magnetic fields that may pose greater health risks to nearby children.
The study found significantly increased leukemia risk within 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) of high-voltage lines. Children living at this distance or closer showed 8.67 times higher odds of developing acute leukemia compared to children living farther away.
Children exposed to magnetic fields above 0.45 microTeslas showed 3.6 times higher leukemia risk. The leukemia patients near power lines experienced average magnetic field exposures of 0.6 microTeslas, well above typical residential background levels of 0.1-0.2 microTeslas.
Yes, according to this Iranian research. The authors noted that children in developing countries often live much closer to high-voltage power lines due to less stringent zoning regulations and safety buffers, potentially exposing them to stronger magnetic fields than children in developed nations.
In the Iranian study, 23.5% of children with acute leukemia lived within 500 meters of high-voltage power lines, compared to only 3.3% of healthy children. This dramatic difference suggests proximity to these power lines significantly increases leukemia risk.