Methodology
Conduct of a personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field measurement study: proposed study protocol
-
* Corresponding author: Martin Röösli martin.roosli@unibas.ch
1 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, Basel, 4051, Switzerland
2 University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
3 Laboratory for Radiation Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, 3720 BA, the Netherlands
4 Safety & Security Department, Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
5 Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM), Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), Doctor Aiguader, 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
6 Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
7 Institute of Non-ionizing Radiation (INIS), Pohorskega bataljona 215, Ljubljajna, 1000, Slovenia
8 Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Ziemssenstr. 1, Munich, 80335, Germany
9 Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/IBBT Gaston Crommenlaan 8, B-9050 Ghent, Belgium
10 Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards. Health Protection Agency, Didcot, UK
11 Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics (LIGHT), University of Leeds, Clarendon Way, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
12 Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
13 Department of Non-ionising Radiation, National "Fréderic Joliot-Curie" Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, Anna. str.5, Budapest, 1221, Hungary
14 French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), Parc ALATA Bp2, Verneuil en Halatte, 60550, France
15 Laboratoire Chrono-Environment (UMR N° 6249), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Faculty of Medicine, 2, place Saint Jacques, Besançon, 25030, France
Environmental Health 2010, 9:23 doi:10.1186/1476-069X-9-23
Published: 20 May 2010Abstract
Background
The 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.
Methods
The 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.
Results
We 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.
Conclusion
Applying 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.