[Level of microwave radiation from mobile phone base stations built in residential districts]
Hu J, Lu Y, Zhang H, Xie H, Yang X. · 2009
View Original AbstractCell towers create radiation hotspots at residential windows that can exceed safety standards, peaking around 10 meters away.
Plain English Summary
Chinese researchers measured radiofrequency radiation levels around 18 residential areas with cell phone base stations compared to 10 areas without them. They found significantly higher radiation levels near the base stations, with peak exposure occurring about 10 meters away, and discovered that some apartment windows exceeded China's safety standards. The study also showed that aluminum security screens provided partial protection while glass windows offered no shielding.
Why This Matters
This study provides important real-world data on how cell tower placement affects residential exposure levels. What makes this research particularly valuable is that it measured actual living conditions rather than theoretical models. The finding that radiation peaks at 10 meters from base stations, rather than directly underneath them, challenges common assumptions about safe distances. The fact that some residential windows exceeded even China's relatively permissive safety standards should concern anyone living near cell towers. The practical finding about aluminum screens offering partial protection while glass provides none gives residents concrete information about their exposure levels. This adds to the growing body of evidence that current safety guidelines may not adequately protect people in their homes.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
To investigate the condition of microwave radiation pollution from mobile phone base station built in populated area.
Random selected 18 residential districts where had base station and 10 residential districts where h...
The intensities of microwave radiation in the exposure residential districts were more higher than t...
Although all the measure dates on the ground around the base station could be below the primary standard in "environment electromagnetic wave hygienic standard" (GB9175-88), there were still a minorities of windows which exposed to the base station were higher, and the outside or inside of a few window was even higher beyond the primary safe level defined standard. The aluminum alloys security net can partly shield the microwave radiation from the mobile phone base station.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2009_level_of_microwave_radiation_2209,
author = {Hu J and Lu Y and Zhang H and Xie H and Yang X.},
title = {[Level of microwave radiation from mobile phone base stations built in residential districts]},
year = {2009},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20047230/},
}