Comparative Analysis of Electric Field Strength, Magnetic Field Strength and Power Density around the Cell Phone Towers of Varying Characteristics with a Proposed Classification Facilitating Research on Human Population

2022 · Unclear · Insufficient evidence

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UnclearInsufficient evidencePaper 645

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2022

Study typeexposure_assessment

Reported directionUnclear

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Comparative Analysis of Electric Field Strength, Magnetic Field Strength and Power Density around the Cell Phone Towers of Varying Characteristics with a Proposed Classification Facilitating Research on Human Population Baliah J, Subramanian B, Livingstone D, Kanwal B, Zaman MU, Srivastava KC, Abutayyem H, Al-Johani K, David AP, Shrivastava D, Alam MK. Comparative Analysis of Electric Field Strength, Magnetic Field Strength and Power Density around the Cell Phone Towers of Varying Characteristics with a Proposed Classification Facilitating Research on Human Population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(21):14157. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114157 Abstract The continuous exposure of electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation from cell phone towers may possibly have an influence on public health. Each cell phone tower is unique in terms of number of antennas and its associated attributes; thus, the radiation exposure varies from one tower to another. Hence, a standardized method for quantifying the exposure is beneficial while studying the effects of radiation on the human population residing around the cell phone towers. A mere collection of data or human samples without understanding the cell phone tower differences may show study results such as an increase or decrease in biological parameters. Those changes may not be due to the effects of EMF radiation from cell phone towers but could be due to any other cause. Therefore, a comparative study was designed with the aim of quantifying and comparing the electric field strength (EF), magnetic field strength (MF) and power density (PD) on four sides of cell phone towers with varying numbers of antennas at 50 m and 100 m. Further, an attempt was made to develop a PD-based classification for facilitating research involving human biological samples. Through convenience sampling, sixteen cell phone towers were selected. With the use of coordinates, the geographic mapping of selected towers was performed to measure the distance between the towers. Based on the number of antennas, the cell phone towers were categorized into four groups which are described as group I with 1–5 antennas, group II comprising of 6–10 antennas, group III consisting of 11–15 antennas and group IV comprised of towers clustered with more than 15 antennas. The study parameters, namely the EF, MF and PD, were recorded on all four sides of the cell phone towers at 50 m and 100 m. One-way ANOVA was performed to compare the study parameters among study groups and different sides using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The mean MF in Group IV was 2221.288 ± 884.885 μA/m and 1616.913 ± 745.039 μA/m at 50 m and 100 m respectively. The mean PD in Group IV at 50 m was 0.129 ± 0.094 μW/cm2 and 0.072 ± 0.061 μW/cm2 at 100 m. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in the MF and PD at 50 m compared to 100 m among cell phone tower clusters with more than 15 antennas (Group IV). On the other hand, a non-significant increase in EF was observed at 50 m compared to 100 m in Group II and IV. The EF, MF and PD on all four sides around cell phone towers are not consistent with distance at 50 m and 100 m due to variation in the number of antennas. Accordingly, a PD-based classification was developed as low, medium and high for conducting research involving any biological sample based on quantile. The low PD corresponds to 0.001–0.029, medium to 0.03–0.099 and high to 0.1–0.355 (μW/cm2). The PD-based classification is a preferred method over the sole criteria of distance for conducting human research as it measures the true effects of EMF radiation from the cell phone towers. Open access paper: mdpi.com

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeexposure_assessment

Effect directionunclear

PopulationNot supplied

Sample size16

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Sixteen cell phone towers were measured on four sides at 50 m and 100 m and grouped by number of antennas (1–5, 6–10, 11–15, >15 clustered). Group IV (>15 antennas) had mean MF 2221.288 ± 884.885 μA/m at 50 m and 1616.913 ± 745.039 μA/m at 100 m, and mean PD 0.129 ± 0.094 μW/cm2 at 50 m and 0.072 ± 0.061 μW/cm2 at 100 m; MF and PD were significantly higher at 50 m vs 100 m in Group IV (p<0.05). A PD-based classification was proposed: low 0.001–0.029, medium 0.03–0.099, high 0.1–0.355 μW/cm2.

Outcomes measured

Electric field strength (EF)
Magnetic field strength (MF)
Power density (PD)
PD-based exposure classification (low/medium/high)

Limitations

Convenience sampling of towers
Only 16 towers measured
Frequencies/bands and measurement instrumentation not specified in the abstract
Measurements limited to two distances (50 m, 100 m) and four sides; may not capture temporal variability
No human health outcomes assessed (exposure characterization only)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "exposure_assessment",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "cell phone tower / base station",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": 16,
  "outcomes": [
    "Electric field strength (EF)",
    "Magnetic field strength (MF)",
    "Power density (PD)",
    "PD-based exposure classification (low/medium/high)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Sixteen cell phone towers were measured on four sides at 50 m and 100 m and grouped by number of antennas (1–5, 6–10, 11–15, >15 clustered). Group IV (>15 antennas) had mean MF 2221.288 ± 884.885 μA/m at 50 m and 1616.913 ± 745.039 μA/m at 100 m, and mean PD 0.129 ± 0.094 μW/cm2 at 50 m and 0.072 ± 0.061 μW/cm2 at 100 m; MF and PD were significantly higher at 50 m vs 100 m in Group IV (p<0.05). A PD-based classification was proposed: low 0.001–0.029, medium 0.03–0.099, high 0.1–0.355 μW/cm2.",
  "effect_direction": "unclear",
  "limitations": [
    "Convenience sampling of towers",
    "Only 16 towers measured",
    "Frequencies/bands and measurement instrumentation not specified in the abstract",
    "Measurements limited to two distances (50 m, 100 m) and four sides; may not capture temporal variability",
    "No human health outcomes assessed (exposure characterization only)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "cell phone towers",
    "base stations",
    "electromagnetic field",
    "electric field strength",
    "magnetic field strength",
    "power density",
    "antenna count",
    "distance",
    "exposure classification"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.1,
      "reason": "Study measures EMF around infrastructure; not explicitly occupational but relates to environmental exposure assessment."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114157
PubMed: Not supplied

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