title: Reduction of exposure of newborns and caregivers to very high electromagnetic fields produced by incubators.
abstract: The aims of this paper is to measure whether ferromagnetic panels sufficiently reduce the high electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which newborns are exposed in incubators and to which caregivers are exposed when working near the incubators. We measured EMF at mattress level in three neonatal incubators with and without ferromagnetic panels between the electric motor and the mattress. We then measured the EMF at the level of the maximum emission point for caregivers, i.e., near the display panel. The ferromagnetic panels were (a) 5 mm thick iron, (b), (c), (d) respectively, one, two, and three sheets of 0.3 mm thick mu-metal. The weight of iron sheet was 4 g/cm2, and mu-metal 0.2 g/cm2. The use of the ferromagnetic panels significantly reduced the EMF. No significant difference in attenuation was recorded using one, two, or, three sheets of mu-metal, or a single sheet of iron. One, two, and three sheets of mu-metal reduced EMFs by 77%, 82%, and 84.3%, respectively; the reduction with iron was 80%. EMF values measured in incubators were higher than those to which the general population is exposed. The use of ferromagnetic panels significantly reduces the level of EMFs to which neonates and caregivers are exposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproduction Medicine, NICU, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Siena 53100, Italy. bellieni@iol.it
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Bellieni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bagnoli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stacchini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonocore
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D007185:Incubators; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008280:Magnetics; D017283:Neonatal Nursing; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011835:Radiation Protection