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Measurements of Radiofrequency Radiation with a Body-Borne Exposimeter in Swedish Schools with Wi-Fi. Front.

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Hedendahl LK, Carlberg M, Koppel T, Hardell L. · 2017

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School Wi-Fi and mobile devices create RF exposure levels up to 400 times higher during streaming activities than baseline levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swedish researchers had teachers wear radiation monitors in Wi-Fi equipped schools. They found radiofrequency exposure ranged from 1.1 to 66.1 µW/m² during normal activities, but spiked to 396.6 µW/m² when students streamed YouTube videos, showing how device usage dramatically increases classroom radiation levels.

Why This Matters

This research fills a critical gap in our understanding of actual RF exposure in schools, moving beyond theoretical calculations to measure what teachers and students really encounter. The dramatic spike in exposure during video streaming - jumping from typical levels under 70 µW/m² to nearly 400 µW/m² - demonstrates how modern classroom technology significantly increases RF radiation exposure. The peak mobile phone readings of over 82,000 µW/m² are particularly concerning, as these represent the levels students experience when using phones in school. What makes this study especially valuable is its real-world approach using body-worn monitors over multiple days, providing a more accurate picture than laboratory measurements. The findings underscore that our children's daily school environment now includes substantial RF exposure that simply didn't exist a generation ago.

Exposure Details

Power Density
0.00000011 - 0.00000661, 0.00003966, 0.0082857 µW/m²
Source/Device
87 to 5,850 MHz

Exposure Context

This study used 0.00000011 - 0.00000661, 0.00003966, 0.0082857 µW/m² for radio frequency:

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 Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.00000011 - 0.00000661, 0.00003966, 0.0082857 µW/m²Extreme Concern - 1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit - 10M uW/m2Effects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 90,909,090,909,091x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 5.85 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 5.85 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Measurements of Radiofrequency Radiation with a Body-Borne Exposimeter in Swedish Schools with Wi-Fi. Front.

This study conducted exposimetric measurements in schools to assess RF emissions in the classroom by...

Eighteen teachers from seven schools participated. The mean exposure to RF radiation ranged from 1.1...

Cite This Study
Hedendahl LK, Carlberg M, Koppel T, Hardell L. (2017). Measurements of Radiofrequency Radiation with a Body-Borne Exposimeter in Swedish Schools with Wi-Fi. Front. Public Health, 20 November 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00279.
Show BibTeX
@article{lk_2017_measurements_of_radiofrequency_radiation_1020,
  author = {Hedendahl LK and Carlberg M and Koppel T and Hardell L.},
  title = {Measurements of Radiofrequency Radiation with a Body-Borne Exposimeter in Swedish Schools with Wi-Fi. Front.},
  year = {2017},
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2017.00279},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00279/full},
}
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00279

Cited By (35 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Swedish researchers found Wi-Fi radiation in schools ranges from very low to moderate levels during normal activities. However, when students stream videos, radiation levels spike dramatically - increasing up to 36 times higher than baseline classroom exposure.
A 2017 study measured teachers wearing radiation monitors in Wi-Fi schools and found exposure levels varied widely based on student device usage. Normal classroom activities produced low exposure, but video streaming created significant radiation spikes.
Swedish researchers measured Wi-Fi radiation in schools and found it depends heavily on device usage. During regular lessons, exposure stayed relatively low, but spiked to 396.6 µW/m² when students watched YouTube videos simultaneously.
This Swedish study measured actual Wi-Fi radiation levels in classrooms but didn't assess health effects directly. The research showed radiation exposure varies dramatically based on how students use devices during lessons.
Swedish researchers found video streaming creates the highest Wi-Fi radiation levels in schools. When students watched YouTube videos, classroom radiation spiked to 396.6 µW/m² compared to much lower levels during normal teaching activities.