JNACSISSN:2582-3817

Measurement of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) from Mobile Phone Base Stations and Health Effect in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

The general public is concerned about the potentially dangerous health effects of human exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) released by Phone base stations. Concerns about the purported detrimental effects of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiations emitted by Phone base transceivers prompted protests against the construction of phone base stations (BTS). As a result, measuring levels of EMF exposure to the population and potential hazards is critical. In this paper, a wideband TES-90 Electro smog meter is used to measure public exposure to electromagnetic radiation from the BTS at several places in Abeokuta. After surveying using a Global Positioning System (GPS) meter, measurements are taken from 62 base stations in Abeokuta. The maximum and average power density from all of the investigated base station antennas was compared with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation for public exposure (ICNIRP) to get accurate results. From the given input, the greatest power density for the system of mobile telecommunication signal at BTS is 9.02 10-4 mWcm-2 at a 2m radius, while the mean value of power densities collected from all base stations is 3.61 10-4 mWcm-2 at 2m radius which is significantly lower than the 1 mWcm-2 limit imposed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation for public exposure (ICNIRP). The measurement is within the ICNIRP-recommended limiting standard (1mWcm-2). In this study, it was found that radiation exposure from BTS poses no health risk and does not appear to have any known harmful effect on human health.

References

  • Khurana, V.G., Hardell, L., Everaert, J., Bortkiewicz, A., Carlberg, M. and Ahonen, M., “Epidemiological evidence for a health risk from mobile phone base stations”, International journal of occupational and environmental health, Vol. 16. No. 3, pp. 263-267, 2010.
  • Martin, S., De Giudici, P., Genier, J.C., Cassagne, E., Doré, J.F., Ducimetière, P., Evrard, A.S., Letertre, T. and Ségala, C., “Health disturbances and exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile-phone base stations in French urban areas”, Environmental Research, Vol. 193, pp.110583, 2021.
  • De Giudici, P., Genier, J.C., Martin, S., Doré, J.F., Ducimetiere, P., Evrard, A.S., Letertre, T. and Ségala, C., “Radiofrequency exposure of people living near mobile-phone base stations in France”, Environmental Research, Vol. 194, pp.110500, 2021.
  • Pesaresi, C. and Pavia, D., “Radio Base Stations and Electromagnetic Fields: GIS Applications and Models for Identifying Possible Risk Factors and Areas Exposed. Some Exemplifications in Rome”, ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, Vol. 10, No. 1. pp. 3, 2020.
  • Olorunsola, A.B., Ikumapayi, O.M., Oladapo, B.I., Alimi, A.O. and Adeoye, A.O., “Temporal variation of exposure from radio-frequency electromagnetic fields around mobile communication base stations”, Scientific African, Vol. 12, pp. e00724, 2021.
  • Ayugi, G., Kisolo, A., Ireeta, T.W. and Opio, P., “Temporal variation of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure from mobile phone base stations in sensitive environments”, IOSR Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 9, No. 5, pp.9-15, 2020.
  • Nahuku, A.M., Tembo, K., Ngwira, F., Katengeza, E. and Nahuku, D.M., “Measurement And Analysis of Radiation Levels From Mobile Phone Base Station in Lilongwe Urban”, Adv. in Ecol. & Env. Res, Vol. 5(04), pp.121-134, 2020.
  • Karunarathna, M.A.A., Fernando, C.A.N. and Samarasekara, P.R.F., “Radiation distribution & corresponding exposure levels due to Mobile Base stations in Sri Lanka”, Int. J. Adv. Res. Sci. Eng. Technol., Vol. 6, pp.7909- 7916, 2019.
  • Levitt, B.B., Lai, H.C. and Manville, A.M., “Effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields on flora and fauna, part 2 impacts: how species interact with natural and man-made EMF”, Reviews on Environmental Health, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp.327-406, 2022.
  • Berg-Beckhoff, G., Blettner, M., Kowall, B., Breckenkamp, J., Schlehofer, B., Schmiedel, S., Bornkessel, C., Reis, U., Potthoff, P. and Schüz, J., “Mobile phone base stations and adverse health effects: phase 2 of a cross- sectional study with measured radio frequency electromagnetic fields”, Occupational and environmental medicine, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp.124-130, 2009.
  • Rumeng, T., Ying, S., Tong, W. and Wentao, Z., “Electromagnetic field safety compliance assessments for 5G wireless networks”, In 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility & Signal/Power Integrity (EMCSI), pp. 659-662, 2020.
  • Ramirez-Vazquez, R., Escobar, I., Martinez-Plaza, A. and Arribas, E., “Comparison of personal exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields from Wi-Fi in a Spanish university over three years”, Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 858, pp.160008, 2023.
  • Ayinmode B.O, Farai I.P., “Review of Variation EMF with distance from mobile phone base station”, Radial pros Dosimetry Vol. 154, No. 4, pp. 424-428, 2017.
  • Johansson.O.,“Disturbance of the immune system by electromagnetic field”, Pathophysiology, Vol. 16, No. (2-3), pp. 157-177, 2009.
  • Ahlbom, A., Bergqvist, U., Bernhardt, J.H., Cesarini, J.P., Grandolfo, M., Hietanen, M., Mckinlay, A.F., Repacholi, M.H., Sliney, D.H., Stolwijk, J.A. and Swicord, M.L., “Guidelines for limiting exposure to time- varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz)”. Health physics, Vol. 74, No. 4, pp. 494- 521, 1998.
  • Kıvrak, E.G., Yurt, K.K., Kaplan, A.A., Alkan, I. and Altun, G., “Effects of electromagnetic fields exposure on the antioxidant defense system. Journal of microscopy and ultrastructure”, Vol. 5(4), pp.167-176, 2017.
  • Dasdag, S., Akdag, M.Z., Kizil, G., Kizil, M., Cakir, D.U. and Yokus, B., “Effect of 900 MHz radio frequency radiation on beta amyloid protein, protein carbonyl, and malondialdehyde in the brain”, Electromagnetic biology and medicine, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp.67-74, 2012.
  • NPRB, “Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields: Report of an Independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionizing Radiation”, Doc, NRRPB14(2), 2003.
  • Renke, A. and Chavan, M., “An estimation of electromagnetic field exposure from cellular mobile base station towers in densely populated residential areas”, Communications on Applied Electronics, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.5-9, 2016.
  • Singh, K., Nagaraj, A., Yousuf, A., Ganta, S., Pareek, S. and Vishnani, P., “Effect of electromagnetic radiations from mobile phone base stations on general health and salivary function”, Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp.54, 2016.