Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in everyday microenvironments in Europe: A systematic literature review.
Sagar S, Dongus S, Schoeni A, Roser K, Eeftens M, Struchen B, Foerster M, Meier N , Adem S, Röösli M. · 2017
View Original AbstractEuropean EMF exposure varies dramatically by location and measurement method, with train travel showing the highest levels at nearly 2 V/m.
Plain English Summary
European researchers reviewed 21 studies measuring radiofrequency exposure from cell towers, WiFi, and phones in everyday locations. They found exposure levels ranging from 0.16 to 1.96 volts per meter, with trains showing highest levels. Inconsistent measurement methods make tracking exposure trends difficult.
Why This Matters
This comprehensive review provides crucial baseline data for understanding our everyday RF-EMF exposure across Europe, but it also reveals a troubling gap in how we monitor this exposure. The science demonstrates that measurement methodology dramatically affects results - volunteer studies showed exposures of 0.16-0.20 V/m while trained researcher studies found 0.24-0.76 V/m in the same environments. What this means for you is that our current understanding of population-wide EMF exposure may be incomplete or inconsistent. The reality is that without standardized measurement protocols, we cannot accurately assess whether EMF exposure is increasing as wireless technology expands, nor can we properly evaluate health risks. The finding that train travel produces the highest exposures (1.96 V/m, primarily from mobile phone uplink) highlights how our daily choices about transportation and device use directly impact our EMF exposure levels.
Exposure Details
- Electric Field
- 0.29, 0.54, 0.24, 0.76, 0.16, 0.20, 1.96 V/m
Study Details
The main aim of this study is to systematically review literature on the distribution of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure in the everyday environment in Europe and summarize key characteristics of various types of RF-EMF studies conducted in the European countries.
We systematically searched the ISI Web of Science for relevant literature published between 1 Januar...
The mean total RF-EMF exposure for spot measurements in European "Homes" and "Outdoor" microenvironm...
A comparable RF-EMF monitoring concept is needed to accurately identify typical RF-EMF exposure levels in the everyday environment.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2017_radiofrequency_electromagnetic_field_exposure_1485,
author = {Sagar S and Dongus S and Schoeni A and Roser K and Eeftens M and Struchen B and Foerster M and Meier N and Adem S and Röösli M.},
title = {Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in everyday microenvironments in Europe: A systematic literature review.},
year = {2017},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28766560/},
}