Analysis of personal and bedroom exposure to ELF-MFs in children in Italy and Switzerland.

Abstract

Little is known about the real everyday exposure of children in Europe to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs). The aims of this study are to (i) assess personal ELF-MF exposure in children; (ii) to identify factors determining personal and bedroom ELF-MF exposure measurements in children; (iii) to evaluate the reproducibility of exposure summary measures; and (iv) to compare personal with bedroom measurements. In Switzerland and Italy, 172 children aged between 5 and 13 years were equipped with ELF-MF measurement devices (EMDEX II, measuring 40-800 Hz) during 24-72 h twice, in the warm and the cold season. In addition, 24-h measurements were taken in the bedroom of children. In our study, sample geometric mean ELF-MF exposure was 0.04 μT for personal and 0.05 μT for bedroom measurements. Living within 100 m of a highest voltage power line increased geometric mean personal exposure by a factor of 3.3, and bedroom measurements by a factor 6.8 compared to a control group. Repeated measurements within the same subject showed high reproducibility for the geometric mean (Spearman's correlation 0.78 for personal and 0.86 for bedroom measurements) but less for the 95th and 99th percentile of the personal measurements (≤0.42). Spearman's correlation between bedroom and personal exposure was 0.86 for the geometric mean but considerably lower for the 95th and 99th percentiles (≤0.60). Most previous studies on ELF-MF childhood leukaemia used mean bedroom exposure. Our study demonstrates that geometric mean bedroom measurements is well correlated with personal geometric mean exposure, and has high temporal reproducibility.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Among 172 children monitored with EMDEX II (40–800 Hz), the geometric mean exposure was 0.04 μT for personal measurements and 0.05 μT for bedroom measurements. Living within 100 m of a highest voltage power line was associated with higher geometric mean exposure (factor 3.3 personal; factor 6.8 bedroom vs control). Geometric mean measures showed high reproducibility (Spearman 0.78 personal; 0.86 bedroom) and bedroom and personal geometric means were highly correlated (Spearman 0.86), while correlations for upper percentiles were lower (≤0.42 for reproducibility of personal 95th/99th; ≤0.60 for bedroom vs personal 95th/99th).

Outcomes measured

• Personal ELF-MF exposure (geometric mean, 95th and 99th percentiles)
• Bedroom ELF-MF exposure (geometric mean, 95th and 99th percentiles)
• Determinants of exposure (e.g., distance to highest voltage power line)
• Reproducibility of exposure summary measures (Spearman correlation across repeated measures)
• Correlation between personal and bedroom measurements (Spearman correlation)

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.15)
  Includes proximity to high-voltage power lines as a determinant of ELF-MF exposure, though the setting is residential rather than occupational.

{
    "study_type": "exposure_assessment",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": "power lines / residential environment (personal and bedroom measurements)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "Personal monitoring 24–72 h twice (warm and cold season); bedroom measurement 24 h"
    },
    "population": "Children aged 5–13 years in Switzerland and Italy",
    "sample_size": 172,
    "outcomes": [
        "Personal ELF-MF exposure (geometric mean, 95th and 99th percentiles)",
        "Bedroom ELF-MF exposure (geometric mean, 95th and 99th percentiles)",
        "Determinants of exposure (e.g., distance to highest voltage power line)",
        "Reproducibility of exposure summary measures (Spearman correlation across repeated measures)",
        "Correlation between personal and bedroom measurements (Spearman correlation)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Among 172 children monitored with EMDEX II (40–800 Hz), the geometric mean exposure was 0.04 μT for personal measurements and 0.05 μT for bedroom measurements. Living within 100 m of a highest voltage power line was associated with higher geometric mean exposure (factor 3.3 personal; factor 6.8 bedroom vs control). Geometric mean measures showed high reproducibility (Spearman 0.78 personal; 0.86 bedroom) and bedroom and personal geometric means were highly correlated (Spearman 0.86), while correlations for upper percentiles were lower (≤0.42 for reproducibility of personal 95th/99th; ≤0.60 for bedroom vs personal 95th/99th).",
    "effect_direction": "unclear",
    "limitations": [],
    "evidence_strength": "moderate",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "extremely low-frequency magnetic fields",
        "ELF-MF",
        "children",
        "personal exposure",
        "bedroom exposure",
        "EMDEX II",
        "40-800 Hz",
        "power lines",
        "reproducibility",
        "Switzerland",
        "Italy"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.1499999999999999944488848768742172978818416595458984375,
            "reason": "Includes proximity to high-voltage power lines as a determinant of ELF-MF exposure, though the setting is residential rather than occupational."
        }
    ]
}

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