Journal of Physical Chemistry & Biophysics
Open Access

Abstract

Pilot Electromagnetic Field Measurements in Certain Areas in Greece

Dimitrios Nikolopoulos, Dionysios Koulougliotis, Efstratios Vogiannis, Ermioni Petraki, Dionisios Panagiotaras, Panayiotis H Yannakopoulos and Sofia Kottou

This paper reports preliminary electromagnetic field measurements conducted indoors in selected locations in Greece. The paper focuses on the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of the extremely low-frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) frequency bands because these bands are considered as possible human carcinogens according to the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). ELF electric and magnetic fields and RF electric fields were measured indoors in several locations in urban, suburban and rural areas of the Zakynthos and Lesvos islands, suburban houses of Ileia Prefecture (Peloponnisos) and urban dwellings of Attica.

A total number of 4816 measurements were taken in Zakynthos (276), Lesvos (964), Ileia (29) and Attica (3547) in the frequency range 50 Hz–2500 MHz. Measurements were conducted with NARDA EMR-300 RF survey meter (3935), Aaronia HF and NF spectrum analyzers (795), HI 3604 Holaday ELF survey meter (48) and ANTENNESSA EME SPY (38). The maximum electric field strengths were in most cases below 5 V/m. Strength of electric fields up to 3000 V/m were addressed near high voltage power transmission lines. Stronger average electric fields were measured in urban areas. The strengths of the magnetic field were in most cases lower than 1000 nTesla (1 μTesla), but values up to 6000 nTesla (6 μTesla) were observed near high voltage power transmission lines. The results indicated that the EMR strength values varied but were all below domestic and international established limits.