IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4413-d1084786.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Electromagnetic Frequency Pollution in Malawi: A Case of Electric Field and Magnetic Flux Density Pollution in Southern Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Fabiano Gibson Daud Thulu

    (Physics and Biochemical Sciences Department, Malawi University of Business and Applied Science, Chichiri, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • David Tembo

    (Physics and Biochemical Sciences Department, Malawi University of Business and Applied Science, Chichiri, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Rowland Nyirongo

    (Department of Mathematical Sciences, Malawi University of Business and Applied Science, Chichiri, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Patrick Joseph Cardinal Mzaza

    (Department of Physics, University of Malawi, Zomba 305218, Malawi)

  • Allan Kamfosi

    (Kamuzu Central Hospital, PAM Department, Lilongwe 207232, Malawi)

  • Upile Chitete Mawenda

    (Physics and Biochemical Sciences Department, Malawi University of Business and Applied Science, Chichiri, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

Abstract

In this study, electric field and magnetic flux density pollution levels were measured in southern Africa, a case of Blantyre City in Malawi, between 2020 and 2021. Sixty short-term measurements were performed using Trifield Electro Magnetic Frequency meter model TF2 in 30 different locations. Five high-population-dense sampling points were selected from school campuses, hospitals, industrial areas, markets, residential areas, and within the commercial and business center (CBC) of Blantyre. Electric field and magnetic flux density pollution monitoring was conducted between 10:00–12:00 h and 17:00–19:00 h for short-range analysis. Short-range results show that the maximum measured electric field pollution were 249.24 mV/m and 207.85 mV/m between 10:00–12:00 and 17:00–19:00 respectively, which are below the public limits of 4200.00 mV/m for public exposure. Similarly, maximum short-range results for magnetic flux density were 0.073 G and 0.057 G between 10:00–12:00 and 17:00–19:00 respectively which are below the public limits of 2 G for public exposure. Both measured electric and magnetic flux density were compared with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), World health organization (WHO), and Institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE). It was determined that all measured values for both electric and magnetic flux density were smaller than set limits for non-ionizing radiation for both public and occupation health. More importantly, these background measurements establish a baseline for future changes to be compared against public safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabiano Gibson Daud Thulu & David Tembo & Rowland Nyirongo & Patrick Joseph Cardinal Mzaza & Allan Kamfosi & Upile Chitete Mawenda, 2023. "Electromagnetic Frequency Pollution in Malawi: A Case of Electric Field and Magnetic Flux Density Pollution in Southern Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4413-:d:1084786
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4413/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4413/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alberto Modenese & Fabriziomaria Gobba, 2021. "Occupational Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields and Health Surveillance according to the European Directive 2013/35/EU," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Silvia Groiss & Roland Lammegger & Dagmar Brislinger, 2021. "Anti-Oxidative and Immune Regulatory Responses of THP-1 and PBMC to Pulsed EMF Are Field-Strength Dependent," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Kjell Hansson Mild & Mats-Olof Mattsson & Peter Jeschke & Michel Israel & Mihaela Ivanova & Tsvetelina Shalamanova, 2023. "Occupational Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields—Different from General Public Exposure and Laboratory Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Ka Po Wong & Xiangcheng Meng, 2024. "A Bibliometric and Scientometric Network Analysis of Occupational Safety and Health in the Electric Power Industry: Future Implication of Digital Pathways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-28, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4413-:d:1084786. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.