Study of levels of exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones base-stations in Khartoum State

Abstract

Radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) of mobile communication systems are widespread in the living environment, yet their effects on humans are uncertain despite a growing body of literature. The Objectives of this research is to study the exposure levels of radiofrequency from mobile phones base-stations in Khartoum state taking into consideration the increasing levels of its usage in the country. The measurements for the field strength and the power density were taken in some selected locations with special focus on busy streets, squares and other public places such as bus stations, student hostels and hospitals during February 2008. Measurements were carried using the reliable and most advanced monitoring device (Spectran HF 4040). 12 Measured Power density was found to lay between a minimum of 4.90567E-07W/m² and a maximum value of 0.025753W/m², which is quite small compared to the international standard limits like those adopted by The International Commission on Non- Ionizing Radiation Protection(ICNIRP) which is 4.5W/m² for the public and 22.5W/m² for those professionals involved in telecommunications industry. . Since strict adherence to national safety standards will protect everyone in the population, further research is recommended on the subject along with setting of Sudanese standards to cover different aspects of the issue namely local climatic conditions, quality & specifications of base-stations and total exposure. It is worth mentioning that other countries have their own standards and specifications in the field.