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Safety and Electromagnetic Field Guidelines
Exposure to RF electromagnetic felds can induce heating in biological tissues. Biological efects
caused by RF electromagnetic felds ranging from 100 kHz to 300 GHz can be divided into two catego
ries: thermal efects and nonthermal efects. Termal efects are due to tissue heating and nonthermal
efects are due to unknown mechanisms. Heating is classically given by a quantity of specifc absorp
tion rate (SAR) with units of watts per kilogram (W/kg). Te SAR is derived from the square of electric
feld strength in tissue. Te SAR cannot be measured directly in humans and is usually estimated from
computer-based simulation models of the human body.
In ICNIRP’s defnition, RF electromagnetic feld is used to describe the frequency range from 100 kHz
to 300 GHz. Due to the gradual increase of the use of RF-operated devices such as radio-television
broadcasting, mobile phone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radar, smart meters, medical equipment, etc., exposure
levels of RF felds have increased gradually around us. Understanding of health, biological, and environ
mental efects of electromagnetic feld in the frequency range up to 300 GHz is now advancing rapidly.
In 2020, ICNIRP published a guideline in the frequency range from 100 kHz to 300 GHz (ICNIRP,
2020). Tis guideline protects against adverse health efects relating to exposure RF feld including from
5G technologies.
RF is emitted from both natural and artifcial sources. Te artifcial sources of RF that the public are
most familiar with include telecommunication sources such as radio and television broadcasting Wi-Fi
and mobile telephony; however, there are also medical and industrial sources of RF. Te health efects
from RF have been highly researched and the only established efect is heating of tissue, which can cause
tissue damage. Although studies have reported biological efects at low levels, there has been no indica
tion that such efects might constitute a human health hazard. In 2012, IARC classifed RF as possibly
carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) (IARC, 2013). Tis classifcation was primarily based on evidence
of an association between wireless phone use and certain brain tumors. Research performed since has
found no overall increase in the incidence of brain cancers since the introduction of mobile phones (e.g.
Karipidis et al., 2018).
7.3 Guidelines Setting Bodies
Te major bodies setting guidelines/standards are the ICNIRP and the IEEE. Te specialist committee
grouped within IEEE, the International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES), develops the RF
standard. ICNIRP is organized in Germany and IEEE is an organization based in the USA. ICNIRP and
IEEE are well-recognized organization bodies that have already published guidelines (or standards for
IEEE) to protect people from exposure to electromagnetic felds. ICNIRP has developed guidelines for
exposure to static electric and extremely low-frequency magnetic felds and to protect workers and the
public against established health efects (ICNIRP, 2009, 2010).
7.3.1 ICNIRP
ICNIRP is an independent scientifc commission which aims to protect people and the environment
against adverse efects of non-ionizing radiation and develops science-based advice on limiting expo
sure to non-ionizing radiation. Historically, ICNIRP was chartered in 1992 as an independent commis
sion to continue the work of the International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee of the International
Radiation Protection Association (IRPA), and is formally recognized as an ofcial collaborating non-
state actor by the WHO and the International Labour Organization. ICNIRP’s protection advice is for
mulated in its guidelines, and currently there are four separate ICNIRP guidelines for static magnetic
felds (ICNIRP, 2009), for magnetic felds from 0 to 1 Hz (ICNIRP, 2014), for low-frequency electric and
magnetic felds from 1 Hz to 100 kHz (ICNIRP, 2010), and for high-frequency electromagnetic felds
from 100 kHz to 300 GHz (ICNIRP, 2020). Tese guidelines cover all frequency range of non-ionizing
radiation.