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Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields in an urban area

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Abstract

Magnetic field levels were studied in an urban area—the city of Cáceres (Spain). The study included systematic spot measurements throughout the city, an analysis of the temporal variation of the magnetic field, and the incorporation of the data into a geographic information system. The levels detected were at most 7.3% of the ICNIRP reference levels, and the highest fields were found in the oldest neighborhoods. Considered overall, the ELF magnetic flux density levels determined in the present study were between those found in residential and in working environments. Knowledge of the levels of such fields in urban areas is therefore fundamental in evaluating the population’s overall exposure, especially for people who work outdoors.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Mr. José Luis Sánchez, for his collaboration in this paper, and to the Consejería de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología of the Junta de Extremadura for financing the present study within the framework of the research project “Map of Electromagnetic Contamination of the City of Cáceres. Integration in a geographic information system. IPR00B003”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Física Aplicada, Escuela Politécnica, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10071, Caceres, Spain

    Jesús M. Paniagua, Antonio Jiménez & Montaña Rufo

  2. Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Centro Universitario, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. Santa Teresa de Jornet 38, 06800, Mérida, Spain

    José A. Gutiérrez & Francisco J. Gómez

  3. Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela Politécnica, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10071, Caceres, Spain

    Alicia Antolín

Authors
  1. Jesús M. Paniagua
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  2. Antonio Jiménez
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  3. Montaña Rufo
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  4. José A. Gutiérrez
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  5. Francisco J. Gómez
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  6. Alicia Antolín
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Correspondence to Jesús M. Paniagua.

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Paniagua, J.M., Jiménez, A., Rufo, M. et al. Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields in an urban area. Radiat Environ Biophys 46, 69–76 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-006-0081-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-006-0081-0

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