Health Risk Assessment of the Exposure to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Magnetic Fields in an Elementary School

• Main Authors: I-Fan Lin, 林意凡
• Other Authors: Jung-Der Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/01314806539327374779

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 職業醫學與工業衛生研究所 === 91 === International Agency for Research on Cancer evaluated the relation between extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and childhood leukemia based on epidemiological study, animal study, genotoxicity study. They concluded that more than 4 mG ELF magnetic field is 2B carcinogen in 2001. Because Taiwan has high density of population and industrialization, there are so many people in Taiwan exposure to the transmission lines. Our study evaluated health risk assessment in an elementary school of the exposure to ELF magnetic fields and helped them to reduce the exposure. Subject and Method: Six schools joined our study for environmental and 24-hour personal measurement. There are 2486 students in the school we evaluated. Result: We found significant correlation between ELF magnetic field and transmission lines (environmental measurement: p=0.001, personal measurement: p=0.011). The source of ELF magnetic fields in the school we focused is transmission lines and electric panels. The ELF magnetic fields are higher than 3 mG in half of the classrooms, and they are higher than 4 mG in 3/8 of the classrooms. The result of 24-hr personal measurement of 14 students is highly correlated with environmental measurement (p<0.001). Based on the result of two pooled analysis study, the health risk of leukemia is 0.031-0.033. We communicate with their teachers and help reduce the exposure.