Hazard estimation from Radiofrequency Radiation in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital from nearby GSM Base-Stations

Abstract

Increasing competition between GSM service providers and several calls for improvement of their quality of service from members of the public has led to proliferation of base station (BTS) masts in Nigeria. Consequently, there is an increase in the risk of radiation hazard due to exposure of the public to radiofrequency radiation from the BTS antennae. This study is aimed at estimating the radiation hazard due to electric field intensity from BTSs.Electric field intensity measurements due to different GSM Operators were taken at thirty sites in the 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands. The maximum instantaneous electricfield intensities of 301.05 ± 63.85í µí±ší µí±‰/í µí±š and 241.49 ± 57.00í µí±ší µí±‰/í µí±š were obtained for GSM900 and GSM1800 respectively. Estimation of the specific energy absorption rate (SAR) yield 39.00í µí¼‡í µí±Š/í µí±˜í µí±” and 34.80í µí¼‡í µí±Š/í µí±˜í µí±” for the skin, while that of the brain yield 33.90í µí¼‡í µí±Š/í µí±˜í µí±” and 32.70í µí¼‡í µí±Š/í µí±˜í µí±” for GSM 900 and GSM 1800 respectively. The skin penetration depth for the worst case of exposure was obtained as 4.16í µí±í µí±š. Exposures in the study area are below the ICNIRP reference level.