„Al.

Ioan Cuza” University

Faculty of Physics
„Biophysics and Medical Physics” Master Program
“Electromagnetic field action on complex systems” Course

Effects of electromagnetic fields on

humans

MA: Oana Sălăvăstru

Academic Year 2020-2021

 1. Introduction

Electromagnetic waves are produced by the motion of electrically charged particles.

These waves are also called electromagnetic radiation because they radiate from the
electrically charged particles. They travel through empty space as well as through air and
other substances. Electromagnetic waves at low frequencies are referred to as
electromagnetic fields and those at very high frequencies are called electromagnetic
radiations.

2. The electromagnetic waves and field [1]

According to their frequency and energy, electromagnetic waves can be classified as

either ionizing radiations or non-ionizing radiations (NIR).
Ionizing radiations are extremely high frequency electromagnetic waves (X-rays and
gamma rays), which have enough photon energy to produce ionization by breaking the
atomic bonds that hold molecules in cells together.
Non-ionizing (NIR) is a term for that part of the electromagnetic spectrum which has
photon energies too weak to break atomic bonds. They include ultraviolet radiation, infrared
radiation, radiofrequency, and microwave fields.
NIR can not cause ionization however have been shown to produce other biological
effects, for instance by heating, altering chemical reactions or inducing electrical currents in
tissues and cells. There are four subgroups of electromagnetic radiation fields with frequency
and intensity. This electromagnetic spectrum begins at a frequency of 1 Hertz ( Hz), which is
1 wave per second.
The four types of electromagnetic fields and radiations are: Static, Extremely Low
Frequency (ELF), Intermediate Frequency (IF), Radio Frequency (RF).
The classification of electromagnetic fields and their frequency range and sources can
be visualized in table 1.

Table 1. Classification and sources of electromagnetic radiation fields [2]

Type Frequency Source Example of maximal intensities
range (Hz)
Static 0 Hz  Natural  70 μT
 VDU (video displays)
 MRI and other diagnostic /  1 T in the tunnel; 200 mT at
scientific instrumentation the gate; < 0.5 mT outside
the device room 10-30 mT
at the level of the feet

 Industrial electrolysis
ELF 0-300 Hz  Powerlines  10-20 μT under the line, or
10 kV/m
 Domestic distribution  < 0.1-0.2 μT (microteslas)
in the room

 50 μT and 300 V/m

 Electric engines in cars,
train and tramway
IF 300 Hz – 100  VDU  30 to max 700 nT
kHz  anti theft devices in  10 V/m
shops
 hands free access
control systems
 card readers
 metal detectors
RF 100 kHz –  Broadcasting and TV  0.1W/m²
300 GHz  mobile telephony
 0.5 W/m²
 microwave oven
 Radar  0.2 W/m²
 portable and stationary
radio transceivers
 personal mobile radio.

2.1 Static electromagnetic field

Stationary electric charge that is built up on the surfaces and materials. Electric fields
are associated with the presence of electric charge, magnetic fields result from the physical
movement of electric charge. Human body cannot feel less than 2000 volts of static
discharge. Magnetic fields can exert physical forces on electric charges when charges are in
motion. The magnetic flux density measured in teslas (T), is accepted as the most relevant
quantity for relating to magnetic field effects.

2.2 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF)

Extremely low frequency is a term used to describe radiation frequencies below 300
Hertz (Hz). ELF fields are oscillating fields and especially important for public health
because of the widespread use of electrical power at 50-60 Hz in most countries.

2.3 Intermediate Frequency (IF)

Intermediate Frequency is a term to describe radiation frequency between 300 Hz and
100 kHz. There are experimental and epidemiological data from the IF range. Therefore,
assessment of acute health risks in the IF range is currently based on known hazards at lower
frequencies and higher frequencies. Proper evaluation and assessment of possible health
effects from long term exposure to IF fields are important because human exposure to such
fields is increasing due to new and emerging technologies. Typical examples are: computer
and tv screens with use cathode ray tubes, compact fluorescent lamps, as well as radio
transmitters, anti theft devices in shops, hands free access control systems, card readers and
metal detectors. It is also used in electrosurgery.

2.4 Radio Frequency (RF)

RF is includes the frequencies between 100 kHz and 300 GHz of the electromagnetic
spectrum. RF sources is widespread used in whole world. Majority examples are mobile
phones, broadcasting, medical and industrial applications. The RF sources are used in
different frequency bands and subdivided in different categories:
 Sources operated close to the human body. Main examples of this type are mobile RF
transmitters. One of the examples is mobile phones; more than 1.5 billion people are
using mobile phones worldwide. In addition to mobile phones, other wireless
applications like cordless phones, e.g. DECT, or WLAN systems are very common.
The maximum peak power level of a DECT system is 250 mW, of a WLAN system
200 mW.
 Sources operated far away from the human body. Such sources are fixed installed RF
transmitters. An example is base stations that are an essential part of mobile
communication networks.
 Medical applications. Some medical applications use electromagnetic fields in the RF
range. Therapeutic applications such as soft tissue healing appliances, hyperthermia
for cancer treatment, or diathermy expose the patient well above the recommended
limit values to achieve the intended biological effects.

3. The EM field effects on biological systems

Individuals should be aware and informed that an EM field is present at all times
around himself. Certainly, it could vary in intensity according to its “emitter”, so for example
he should know that his personal mobile phone generates radio frequencies which are mostly
harmful, however if he is in proximity of a radiation source such an imaging X-ray device or
a radiation source for cancer treatment, the amount (dose) of received and absorbed energy
could be too much and lead to health problems.
In the following subchapters some examples of electromagnetic field types will be
discussed in order to analyze and conclude if the presence of this physical phenomena affects
the human body, if so, how it’s done and, that goes without saying, if these effects have an
negative impact upon our lives or not.

3.1. Static magnetic field

 a) Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The interactions of static magnetic fields (SMFs) with the body are at molecular,
cellular, tissue and organ level. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a widely used
important diagnostic imaging method. MRI has been known as a safe diagnostic imaging
procedure, the advantages of using it overcoming the risks. Although, there have been
conducted some studies that highlighted the downside of MRI exposure, especially for
medical staff.
MRI workers are occupationally exposed to static and time-varying gradient magnetic
fields. While the 24-hour time-averaged exposure to static magnetic fields is about a few mT,
the maximum static field strength can be as high as 500 mT during patient set up.
An observational study conducted by Kristel et. al. [3] for 361 employees of 14
clinical and research MRI facilities in The Netherlands. Each participant completed a diary
during one or more work shifts inside and/or outside the MRI facility, reporting work
activities and symptoms (from a list of potentially MRI-related symptoms, complemented
with unrelated symptoms) experienced during a working day. He analyzed 633 diaries.
Exposure categories were defined by strength and type of MRI scanner, using non-MRI shifts
as the reference category for statistical analysis. Non-MRI shifts originated from MRI staff
who also participated on MRI days, as well as CT radiographers who never worked with
MRI.
For those employees who did report symptoms, this study indicated an increased
incidence of experiencing specific transient ‘MRI-related’ symptoms among healthcare and
research staff working with closed-bore MRI scanners of 1.5–7 Tesla. Incidence of symptoms
was positively associated with scanner magnet strength. This positive association was mainly
driven by reporting of vertigo and metallic taste. There was no suggestion of increased
symptom reporting among subjects working with low-field scanners of various types up to
1.5 Tesla (including closed-bore, open, upright and extremity scanners) or small-bore animal
scanners (4.7–11.7 Tesla).
Most used MRI devices operate with a magnetic field strength of 1.5 T or less so we
can conclude that MRI is a safe medical imaging procedure for patient and for medical staff
as well.

b) Natural (Earth’s) magnetic fields

Static magnetic fields are naturally present everywhere as the earth is surrounded
by fields varying between 25 and 65 μT. The natural magnetic field is a sum of an
internal filed due to the Earth acting as a permanent magnet and an external field
generated in the environment from such factors as solar activity and atmospheric process.
Although, most of cosmic EM radiation is blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, making it
harmless for human’s health.
 3.2. Extremely low frequency

a) Power lines

Generating, transmitting, distributing, and using electricity all expose people to ELF
radiation. Power lines, household wiring, and any device that uses electricity can generate
ELF radiation. Thus, any electric device, from refrigerators and vacuum cleaners to
televisions and computer monitors (when they are on) are sources of ELF radiation.

How much electromagnetic radiation is exposed to a subject to depends on the

strength of the electromagnetic field, distance from the source of the field, and the length of
exposure time. The highest exposure occurs when the person is close to a source putting out a
strong field and stays there for a long period. 

The intensity of any exposure goes down significantly as a person get farther away
from the source. On the ground, the strength of the electromagnetic field is highest directly
under the power line. As he gets farther away, the exposure is lower and lower, with the level
eventually matching normal home background levels. The electromagnetic field directly
under a power line is typically in the range of what you could be exposed to when using
certain household appliances.

Some studies have been conducted to assess the effects of powerlines fields on human
health. For example, Sermage et al. [4] assessed if the High-voltage overhead power lines
(HVOLs) are classified as possible risk factors for childhood acute leukaemia (AL). The
study was carried out to test the hypothesis of an increased AL incidence in children living
close to HVOL of 225–400 kV (VHV-HVOL) and 63–150 kV (HV-HVOL). The nationwide
Geocap study included all the 2779 cases of childhood AL diagnosed in France over 2002–
2007 and 30 000 contemporaneous population controls. The addresses at the time of inclusion
were geocoded and precisely located around the whole HVOL network. Increased odds ratios
(ORs) were observed for AL occurrence and living within 50 m of a VHV-HVOL (OR=1.7
(0.9–3.6)). In contrast, there was no association with living beyond that distance from a
VHV-HVOL or within 50 m of a HV-HVOL. The present study, free from any participation
bias, supports the previous international findings of an increase in AL incidence close to
VHV-HVOL. In order to investigate for a potential role of ELF-MF in the results, ELF-MF at
the residences close to HVOL are to be estimated, using models based on the annual current
loads and local characteristics of the lines.

3.3. Intermediate frequencies [5]

Below, there are given two examples of intermediate frequency electromagnetic field
evaluation pertaining to induction heating (IH) cooking device and wireless power transfer
(WPT).
1. IH cooking device.
Magnetic fields produced around IH cooking devices have a complex waveform with
intermediate frequency magnetic field of 20 kHz to 100kHz used for heating superposed on
magnetic field of power source frequency. Thus, results of assessing compliance with human
protection guidelines depend heavily on the assumed operator’s position. According to a
report that calculates internal electric field using measured distribution of ambient magnetic
field distribution, the internal field is far below basic restrictions of International Comission
on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guideline even assuming a distance (between
the cooking device edge and human body edge, 5 cm) much closer than the normal distance.
On the other hand, the IEC 62233 (International Electrotechnical Comission) standard
stipulating magnetic field measurement methods for household appliances determines
operator’s position at 30 cm, while validity of such determination is in.
2.WPT system.
Dramatic progress has been achieved recently in WPT, and many techniques have
been developed including RF-based methods, magnetic field coupling, and electric field
coupling. Especially, WPT systems used for charging electric vehicles feature high output
and large capacity transmitted via airgaps, and therefore leakage of electromagnetic field to
environment has to be considered. Many WPT systems are based on electromagnetic
induction schemes (including magnetic resonance coupling) using frequencies below 100kHz
(e.g., 85 kHz), and there are reports on evaluation of ambient magnetic field [49] and induced
electric field using real machine of WPT. According to these reports, basic restrictions are not
violated even though ambient magnetic field of WPT exceeds reference levels.

3.4. Radio frequencies

a) Mobile phones

Mobile phones are low-powered radiofrequency transmitters, operating at frequencies

between 450 and 2700 MHz with peak powers in the range of 0.1 to 2 watts. The handset
only transmits power when it is turned on. The power (and hence the radiofrequency
exposure to a user) falls off rapidly with increasing distance from the handset. A person using
a mobile phone 30–40 cm away from their body – for example when text messaging,
accessing the Internet, or using a “hands free” device – will therefore have a much lower
exposure to radiofrequency fields than someone holding the handset against their head.

In addition to using "hands-free" devices, which keep mobile phones away from the
head and body during phone calls, exposure is also reduced by limiting the number and
length of calls. Using the phone in areas of good reception also decreases exposure as it
allows the phone to transmit at reduced power. The use of commercial devices for reducing
radiofrequency field exposure has not been shown to be effective.

Mobile phones are often prohibited in hospitals and on airplanes, as the

radiofrequency signals may interfere with certain electro-medical devices and navigation
systems.

A large number of studies have been performed over the last two decades to assess
whether mobile phones pose a potential health risk. To date, no adverse health effects have
been established as being caused by mobile phone use.
 Short term effects

Tissue heating is the principal mechanism of interaction between radiofrequency

energy and the human body. At the frequencies used by mobile phones, most of the energy is
absorbed by the skin and other superficial tissues, resulting in negligible temperature rise in
the brain or any other organs of the body.

A number of studies have investigated the effects of radiofrequency fields on brain

electrical activity, cognitive function, sleep, heart rate and blood pressure in volunteers. To
date, research does not suggest any consistent evidence of adverse health effects from
exposure to radiofrequency fields at levels below those that cause tissue heating. Further,
research has not been able to provide support for a causal relationship between exposure to
electromagnetic fields and self-reported symptoms, or “electromagnetic hypersensitivity”.

Long term effects

Epidemiological research examining potential long-term risks from radiofrequency

exposure has mostly looked for an association between brain tumors and mobile phone use.
However, because many cancers are not detectable until many years after the interactions that
led to the tumor, and since mobile phones were not widely used until the early 1990s,
epidemiological studies at present can only assess those cancers that become evident within
shorter time periods. However, results of animal studies consistently show no increased
cancer risk for long-term exposure to radiofrequency fields.

Several large multinational epidemiological studies have been completed or are

ongoing, including case-control studies and prospective cohort studies examining a number
of health endpoints in adults. The largest retrospective case-control study to date on adults,
Interphone, coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), was
designed to determine whether there are links between use of mobile phones and head and
neck cancers in adults.

The international pooled analysis of data gathered from 13 participating countries

found no increased risk of glioma or meningioma with mobile phone use of more than 10
years. There are some indications of an increased risk of glioma for those who reported the
highest 10% of cumulative hours of cell phone use, although there was no consistent trend of
increasing risk with greater duration of use. The researchers concluded that biases and errors
limit the strength of these conclusions and prevent a causal interpretation.

Based largely on these data, IARC has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic

fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans, a category used when a causal association is
considered credible, but when chance, bias or confounding cannot be ruled out with
reasonable confidence.

While an increased risk of brain tumors is not established, the increasing use of
mobile phones and the lack of data for mobile phone use over time periods longer than 15
years warrant further research of mobile phone use and brain cancer risk. In particular, with
the recent popularity of mobile phone use among younger people, and therefore a potentially
longer lifetime of exposure, WHO has promoted further research on this group. Several
studies investigating potential health effects in children and adolescents are underway. [6]
 4. Conclusions
While electronic devices and advancements in communications make life easier, they
may sometimes have negative consequences. The electromagnetic fields in the
Radiofrequency (RF) zone, which are employed in communications, radio and television
broadcasting, cellular networks, and interior wireless systems, have particularly severe
impacts. The health impacts of electromagnetic waves have become more frequently explored
as a result of the increased usage of electronic devices in daily life.
According to this study, negative health effects of electromagnetic fields were sown to
affect peoples lives, not instantly but in a chronic way. Although the results were not
concluding and definitive and more research is needed in the electromagnetic field effects
area.
In my opinion, most day-to-day devices are relatively safe, but the dose of received
EM energy and the dosage are the key elements that make the difference between a healthy
individual and a potential patient.

5. Bibliography

[1] Vitaly Zhurneko (2011), “Electromagnetic Waves”, Biological Effects and Medical
Imaging, pg. 473- 487, Aviable at: https://www.intechopen.com/
[2] Possible effects of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Human Health. Scientific Committee
On Emerging And Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) 19 July 2006 MRI: Magnetic
Resonance Imaging
[3] Kristel Schaap et. al. (2014), “Occupational exposure of healthcare and research staff to
static magnetic stray fields from 1.5–7 Tesla MRI scanners is associated with reporting of
transient symptoms”, Open Access, 71:423–429, Available at doi:10.1136/oemed-2013-
101890

[4] C. Sermage-Faure et al. (2013), “Childhood leukaemia close to high-voltage power lines –
the Geocap study, 2002–2007”, British Journal of Cancer volume 108, pages 1899–1906

[5] Kenichi Yamazaki, Masao Taki, Chiyoji Ohkubo (2016), “Safety Assessment of Human
Exposure to Intermediate FrequencyElectromagnetic Fields”, Electrical Engineering in Japan,
Vol. 197, No. 4, pp. 500-506
[6] World Health organization (2014), “Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health: mobile
phones”