Conduct of a personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field measurement study: proposed study protocol

Environmental Health

Methodology

Roger C Parslow¹  Simon Mann²  Elisabeth Cardis³  Martine Vrijheid³  Evelyn Mohler⁴  Martin Röösli⁴  Patrizia Frei⁴  Luc Martens⁵  Wout Joseph⁵  György Thuroczy⁶  Katja Radon⁷  Sabine Heinrich⁷  Joachim Schüz⁸  Aslak Harbo Poulsen⁸  Maria Feychting⁹  Peter Gajsek^1,10  Jean-François Viel^1,11  John Bolte^1,12  Georg Neubauer^1,13 

[1] Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics (LIGHT), University of Leeds, Clarendon Way, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK;Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards. Health Protection Agency, Didcot, UK;Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM), Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain;Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland;University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland;Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/IBBT Gaston Crommenlaan 8, B-9050, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Non-ionising Radiation, National "Fréderic Joliot-Curie" Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Anna. str.5, 1221, Budapest, Hungary;French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), Parc ALATA Bp2, 60550, Verneuil en Halatte, France;Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Ziemssenstr. 1, 80335, Munich, Germany;Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark;Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden;Institute of Non-ionizing Radiation (INIS), Pohorskega bataljona 215, 1000, Ljubljajna, Slovenia;Laboratoire Chrono-Environment (UMR N° 6249), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Faculty of Medicine, 2, place Saint Jacques, 25030, Besançon, France;Laboratory for Radiation Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands;Safety & Security Department, Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria;

关键词: Mobile Phone;    Wireless Local Area Network;    Measurement Study;    Personal Exposure;    Near Field Communication;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1476-069X-9-23

 received in 2009-12-09, accepted in 2010-05-20,  发布年份 2010

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe development of new wireless communication technologies that emit radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is ongoing, but little is known about the RF-EMF exposure distribution in the general population. Previous attempts to measure personal exposure to RF-EMF have used different measurement protocols and analysis methods making comparisons between exposure situations across different study populations very difficult. As a result, observed differences in exposure levels between study populations may not reflect real exposure differences but may be in part, or wholly due to methodological differences.MethodsThe aim of this paper is to develop a study protocol for future personal RF-EMF exposure studies based on experience drawn from previous research. Using the current knowledge base, we propose procedures for the measurement of personal exposure to RF-EMF, data collection, data management and analysis, and methods for the selection and instruction of study participants.ResultsWe have identified two basic types of personal RF-EMF measurement studies: population surveys and microenvironmental measurements. In the case of a population survey, the unit of observation is the individual and a randomly selected representative sample of the population is needed to obtain reliable results. For microenvironmental measurements, study participants are selected in order to represent typical behaviours in different microenvironments. These two study types require different methods and procedures.ConclusionApplying our proposed common core procedures in future personal measurement studies will allow direct comparisons of personal RF-EMF exposures in different populations and study areas.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Röösli et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010