Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones.
Calderón C, Addison D, Mee T, Findlay R, Maslanyj M, Conil E, Kromhout H, Lee AK, Sim MR, Taki M, Varsier N, Wiart J, Cardis E. · 2013
View Original AbstractCell phones emit significant ELF magnetic fields that vary two-fold between models, representing an overlooked daily exposure source.
Plain English Summary
Researchers tested 47 cell phones and found they emit extremely low frequency magnetic fields averaging 221 nanoteslas during typical use. Phone manufacturer and design created a two-fold difference in exposure levels, suggesting mobile phones contribute substantially to magnetic field exposure.
Why This Matters
This research fills a critical gap in our understanding of mobile phone EMF emissions. While most attention focuses on radiofrequency radiation from phones, this study demonstrates that the ELF magnetic fields generated by phone circuitry represent another significant exposure pathway. The finding that exposure varies by a factor of two between different phone models is particularly important because it shows consumers have some control over their ELF exposure through device selection. What makes this research especially valuable is that it was conducted as part of the MOBI-KIDS epidemiological study, meaning these exposure measurements will be used to assess potential health relationships in real-world populations. The reality is that we carry these ELF-emitting devices against our bodies for hours each day, making this a relevant exposure source that deserves the same scrutiny we give to RF emissions.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.000221 mG
- Source/Device
- 217 Hz
Exposure Context
This study used 0.000221 mG for magnetic fields:
- 11x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 2.2x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
This paper summarises ELF magnetic flux density measurements on global system for mobile communications (GSM) mobile phones, conducted as part of the MOBI-KIDS epidemiological study.
The main challenge is to identify a small number of generic phone models that can be used to classif...
Taking into account harmonic data, measurements suggest that mobile phones could make a substantial ...
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2013_assessment_of_extremely_low_884,
author = {Calderón C and Addison D and Mee T and Findlay R and Maslanyj M and Conil E and Kromhout H and Lee AK and Sim MR and Taki M and Varsier N and Wiart J and Cardis E.},
title = {Assessment of extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure from GSM mobile phones.},
year = {2013},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24203762/},
}