IN SITU EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT OF INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY FIELDS OF DIVERSE DEVICES.
Van Den Bossche M, Verloock L, Aerts S, Joseph W, Martens L. · 2014
View Original AbstractCommon devices like touchscreens and energy-saving bulbs exceed international safety limits for electric fields at typical usage distances.
Plain English Summary
Belgian researchers tested electromagnetic fields from touchscreens, energy-saving bulbs, and fluorescent lamps. They found these common devices exceed international safety limits when used within arm's reach, with touchscreens surpassing limits by 56% at close range. Users should maintain 15-25 centimeters distance for safety.
Why This Matters
This research exposes a troubling gap between the devices we use daily and the safety standards designed to protect us. The science demonstrates that touchscreens, energy-saving bulbs, and fluorescent lamps routinely exceed ICNIRP reference levels for electric field exposure - not at extreme distances, but at the ranges where we actually interact with these technologies. What this means for you is that the 'safe' distances aren't being communicated to consumers, and manufacturers aren't required to design products that comply with exposure limits at normal usage distances. The reality is that intermediate frequency fields occupy a regulatory blind spot, receiving less attention than either power line frequencies or cell phone radiation, despite our increasing exposure through modern electronics and lighting.
Exposure Details
- Electric Field
- 155.7 V/m
- Source/Device
- 44 kHz
Exposure Context
This study used 155.7 V/m for electric fields:
- 519x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m
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.
Study Details
In this study, in situ exposure assessment of both electric and magnetic fields of different intermediate frequency (IF) sources is investigated.
The authors investigated smart boards and touchscreens, energy-saving bulbs, fluorescent lamps, a po...
or most of these sources, the electric field is the dominating quantity. International Commission on...
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2014_in_situ_exposure_assessment_1398,
author = {Van Den Bossche M and Verloock L and Aerts S and Joseph W and Martens L.},
title = {IN SITU EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT OF INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY FIELDS OF DIVERSE DEVICES.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25125596/},
}