HEALTH EFFECTS OF
ELCTROMAGNETIC FIELD
(EMF)
BY
ABUBAKAR UMAR MUNGADI

OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION
 1.0INTRODUCTION
 2.0WHAT IS EMF
 3.0CATEGORIES OF EMF AND THEIR
SOURCES
 3.1ELECTRIC FIELD
 3.2 MAGNETIC FIELD
 3.3 WIRELESS
 3.4 IONIZING RADIATION
 4.0 HEALTH EFFECT OF EMF
RADAITION
 5.0 WAY FORWARD

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Electromagnetic fields, similar to those
found in overhead power lines, can
have a biological effect on human
cells, an effect that could contribute to
the complex cellular process that
leads to cancer.

2.0 WHAT IS EMF
Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are
invisible areas of energy, often referred to
as radiation, that are associated with the
use of electrical power and various forms
of natural and man-made lighting. EMFs
are typically characterized by wavelength
or frequency.

2.0 WHAT IS EMF
EMF emissions, also known as
electromagnetic radiation, cause health
problems with excessive exposure. The
problem is, the emissions are everywhere
and who is monitoring ‘safe levels’ – no
one. It’s up to you to find out where they are
and to test to see how much radiation is in
your regular environment. You can’t know
for sure where these EMF emissions fields
are and how strong they are unless you
measure them with EMF meter.

3.0 CATEGORIES OF EMF AND
THEIR SOURCES
The two main broad categories for EMF
emissions are ionizing and non- ionizing.
The non-ionizing can further be
categorised in to Electric, Magnetic and
Wireless. Here is a list of many sources
for each category:

3.1 ELECTRIC FEILD
Anything powered by electricity including
electric power lines, transformers,
electrical boxes and wiring, kitchen
appliances such as blenders, toasters,
food processors, coffee makers,
microwaves, lamps, fans, electric heaters,
furnaces, air conditioners and electric
blankets, hair dryers, electronic devices
such as computers, laptops, printers, cell
phone chargers, stereos, telephones,
televisions and much more – anything you
plug in to electricity.

3.2 MAGNETIC FIELD
Magnetic fields can come from two
sources: 1) from moving electric currents
or 2) from electron motion (orbital or
spin). So, all electrical sources above will
also have a magnetic field and
additionally, devices which have spinning
electrons such as gas powered engines
– riding mowers, weed eaters, four
wheelers, motorcycles, cars,
jackhammers, A/C unit, etc.

3.3 WIRELESS
Includes Wi-Fi , RF, micro wave, cellular
EMF Emissions distributed by devices
such as computer, video, mobile phone,
wireless house phones, printers, laptops,
palm computers, MP3, business and
public service communication systems;
cell phones, cell towers, broadband towers
and routers, GPS, service providers such
as military, baby monitors, wireless
internet connections, etc. Includes all
wireless technology that communicates
without being hardwired to the device it is
communicating with.

3.4 IONIZING RADIATION
The most powerful at low doses with
shorter wave lengths, ionizing EMF
emissions destroys DNA in living cells at
the fastest rate of all radiation. It is
cumulative and very difficult to disperse
from the body. Three types of ionizing
radiation are UV rays, X-rays and
gamma rays.

3.4 IONIZING RADIATION
Here are some of the sources found in our
environment: medical therapy such as
radiation therapy, radioactive iodine, white
blood cell scans, X-rays, airport X-rays, those
who fly frequently at high altitudes, irradiated
food, emissions from burning fossil fuels such
as coal fired power plants, emissions from
nuclear power plants, emissions from
combustible fuel such as gas and coal,
nuclear weapon test sites, building material
such as some granite, smoke detectors and
hoses for floor heating, cathode ray tubes in
televisions and computer screens, integrated
circuits, luminous watches and dials,
fluorescent lights and lantern mantels etc.

4.0 HEALTH EFFECT OF EMF
RADIATION
Non-ionizing radiation is unlikely to cause
cancer. However, if there is excessive
exposure it poses a risk for the eyes and
skin. Acute effects are sunburn and cornea
inflammation. There may be other effects on
human health.
Even low dose exposure of ionizing radiation
causes damage to living tissue including
cancer, tumours and genetic (DNA) damage.
Radon (vapour from uranium decay that
comes up out of the ground) in homes is the
second leading cause of lung cancer after
smoking. This category is harder to measure
but usually more obvious without a meter and

4.0 HEALTH EFFECT OF EMF
RADIATION
Radioactive materials that decay
spontaneously produce ionizing radiation,
which has sufficient energy to strip away
electrons from atoms (creating two
charged ions) or to break some chemical
bonds. Any living tissue in the human body
can be damaged by ionizing radiation. The
body attempts to repair the cellular
damage, but sometimes the damage is of
a nature that cannot be repaired or it is too
severe or widespread to be repaired.

5.0 WAY FORWARD
If you want to be completely safe from EMF
radiation, distance is the only sure way. The
only problem with that is virtually impossible
to get away from all EMF emissions today
unless you live at the North Pole with no cell
phone and no electricity. The wise solution is
to know where your sources are and reduce
all levels in your daily environment to safe
levels.
According to the International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICCR), the
recommended annual dose limit for the
general public is 1 msv (mille sievert).