PRESENTATION ON HEALTH HAZARDS BY EM WAVES

By Rajat soni MTECHWct

Radiation

• Radiation is divided into two categories:Ionizing radiation

Alpha particles, Beta particles, X rays, cosmic rays

Non-ionizing radiation Light, including visible, Infra red and

Ultra violet Radio waves from ULF to millimeter

waves• Also of interest

50-60 Hz fields from power lines and other sources

Electromagnetic Spectrum

10-14 10-12 10-10 10-8 10-6 10-4 10-2 1 102 104 106 108

Wavelength in Meters

1010 108 106 104 102 1 10-2 10-4 10-6 10-8 10-10 10-12 10-14

Broadcast

Short waveTV

FM

RadarInfrared

Near Far

Visible

UltravioletX Rays

Gamma Rays

Cosmic Rays Power Transmission

Ionizing Radiation Nonionizing Radiation

Energy - Electron VoltsHigh Low

• Biological hazards• the most common health hazard of radiation is that it

could cause burns or even skin cancer

• biological effect of electromagnetic fields is to cause dielectric heating

• can cause severe burns.

• Electrical hazards• Very strong radiation can induce current capable of

delivering an electric shock.

• Extremely high power electromagnetic radiation can cause electric currents strong enough to create sparks.

TYPES OF HAZARDS

EMR EFFECTS ON THE HUMAN BODY BY FREQUENCY

Extremely-low-frequency • High-power extremely-low-frequency RF are known to induce

perceivable currents within the human body that create an annoying tingling sensation.

Shortwave frequency • Shortwave causes heating of human tissue only heats tissues

that are good electrical conductors, such as blood vessels and muscle.

Microwaves• Exposure to high-power microwave RF is known to create

effects ranging from a burning sensation on the skin and microwave auditory effect, to extreme pain at the mid-range, to physical microwave burns and blistering of skin and internals at high power levels.

Infrared• Infrared can produce changes in the lens of the eye.

Glassblower's cataract an example of a heat injury that damages the anterior lens capsule

Visible Light• Moderate and high-power lasers are potentially hazardous

because they can burn the retina of the eye, or even the skin.

Ultraviolet• Short-term exposure to strong ultraviolet sunlight causes

sunburn within hours of exposure.• sun can lead to melanoma and other skin malignancies.

50-60 Hz fields from power lines

• who came in contact with high voltage lines were more likely to contract Lou Gherig’s disease (ALS)

• ALS = amyotrophic lateral sclerosis condition in which some nerves cease to conduct

Population Studies

• Look for:• General decline in health• Specific conditions• E.g. cancer, digestive illnesses, sleeplessness• Results of Russian study:• People working in factories where exposure to

radio waves and radar transmissions were less healthy than general population

• Problem: What other factors might be involved?

Safety Standards

• International standards set by World Health Organization (WHO)

• National Standards set by government departments or agencies and national (independent) bodies

• CDRH in US• National Radiological Protection Board in UK• Department of Post and Telecommunications

in Japan

Thank you