Personal Exposure Assessment toWi-Fi Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields in Mexican Microenvironments

In recent years, personal exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMF) has substantially increased, and most studies about RF-EMF with volunteers have been developed in Europe. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study carried out in Mexico with personal exposimeters. The m...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ramírez Vázquez, Raquel, González Rubio, Jesús, Escobar García, Isabel María, Suárez Rodríguez, Carmen del Pilar, Arribas Garde, Enrique
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/27686
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10578/27686
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Microenvironments
Personal exposure
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
Wi-fi band
Risk perception
Descripción
Sumario:In recent years, personal exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMF) has substantially increased, and most studies about RF-EMF with volunteers have been developed in Europe. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study carried out in Mexico with personal exposimeters. The main objective was to measure personal exposure to RF-EMF from Wireless Fidelity or wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi) frequency bands in Tamazunchale, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, to compare results with maximum levels permitted by international recommendations and to find if there are differences in the microenvironments subject to measurements. The study was conducted with 63 volunteers in different microenvironments: home, workplace, outside, schools, travel, and shopping. The mean minimum values registered were 146.5 W/m2 in travel from theWi-Fi 2G band and 116.8 W/m2 at home from the Wi-Fi 5G band, and the maximum values registered were 499.7 W/m2 and 264.9 W/m2 at the workplace for the Wi-Fi 2G band and the Wi-Fi 5G band, respectively. In addition, by time period and type of day, minimum values were registered at nighttime, these values being 129.4 W/m2 and 93.9 W/m2, and maximum values were registered in the daytime, these values being 303.1 W/m2 and 168.3 W/m2 for theWi-Fi 2G andWi-Fi 5G bands, respectively. In no case, values exceeded limits established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Of the study participants (n = 63), a subgroup (n = 35) answered a survey on risk perception. According to these results, the Tamazunchale (Mexico) population is worried about this situation in comparison with several European cities; however, the risk perception changes when they are informed about the results for the study.