Electromagnetic exposure safety assessment of electromagnetic security gates: a review

PAPER manual Front Public Health 2026 Review Effect: unclear Evidence: Insufficient

Read original paper → DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1935419 PMID: 42828174 Evidence Lab

Abstract

In this review, electromagnetic security gates include walk-through metal detectors (WTMDs), electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, and millimeter-wave (MMW) security screening systems. These technologies are widely used in public-security screening, theft prevention, access control, and industrial inspection, making electromagnetic-exposure safety a public-health concern. This review traces their technological development, summarizes operating principles and emission characteristics, and examines potential biological effects of electromagnetic-field exposure. It also reviews exposure-assessment methods and applies an adapted evidence-appraisal framework to synthesize experimental, numerical, and epidemiological evidence, evaluate interactions with active medical devices and passive metallic implants, and assess evidence strength and limitations. Particular attention is given to potentially susceptible populations and frequency-specific exposure metrics. Major evidence gaps and future research priorities are identified.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Review

Effect direction

unclear

Population

People exposed to electromagnetic security gates, including potentially susceptible populations and people with medical devices or metallic implants

Sample size

—

Exposure

RF and millimeter-wave, among other frequencies Electromagnetic security gates, including walk-through metal detectors, electronic article surveillance, RFID, and millimeter-wave screening systems

Evidence strength

Insufficient

Confidence: 91% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

The review synthesizes experimental, numerical, and epidemiological evidence and identifies evidence gaps and research priorities. The abstract does not report specific health-effect findings or an overall safety conclusion.

Outcomes measured

Potential biological effects
Interactions with active medical devices and passive metallic implants
Electromagnetic exposure levels and assessment methods

Limitations

Specific evidence gaps and outcome-level results are not stated in the abstract.
No quantitative exposure estimates are reported in the abstract.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "review",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF and millimeter-wave, among other frequencies",
        "source": "Electromagnetic security gates, including walk-through metal detectors, electronic article surveillance, RFID, and millimeter-wave screening systems",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "People exposed to electromagnetic security gates, including potentially susceptible populations and people with medical devices or metallic implants",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Potential biological effects",
        "Interactions with active medical devices and passive metallic implants",
        "Electromagnetic exposure levels and assessment methods"
    ],
    "main_findings": "The review synthesizes experimental, numerical, and epidemiological evidence and identifies evidence gaps and research priorities. The abstract does not report specific health-effect findings or an overall safety conclusion.",
    "effect_direction": "unclear",
    "limitations": [
        "Specific evidence gaps and outcome-level results are not stated in the abstract.",
        "No quantitative exposure estimates are reported in the abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
    "confidence": 0.91000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic security gates",
        "walk-through metal detectors",
        "electronic article surveillance",
        "RFID",
        "millimeter-wave screening",
        "exposure assessment",
        "medical devices",
        "metallic implants"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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