title: Characterization of extremely low frequency magnetic fields from diesel, gasoline and hybrid cars under controlled conditions.
abstract: This study characterizes extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) levels in 10 car models. Extensive measurements were conducted in three diesel, four gasoline, and three hybrid cars, under similar controlled conditions and negligible background fields. Averaged over all four seats under various driving scenarios the fields were lowest in diesel cars (0.02 μT), higher for gasoline (0.04-0.05 μT) and highest in hybrids (0.06-0.09 μT), but all were in-line with daily exposures from other sources. Hybrid cars had the highest mean and 95th percentile MF levels, and an especially large percentage of measurements above 0.2 μT. These parameters were also higher for moving conditions compared to standing while idling or revving at 2500 RPM and higher still at 80 km/h compared to 40 km/h. Fields in non-hybrid cars were higher at the front seats, while in hybrid cars they were higher at the back seats, particularly the back right seat where 16%-69% of measurements were greater than 0.2 μT. As our results do not include low frequency fields (below 30 Hz) that might be generated by tire rotation, we suggest that net currents flowing through the cars' metallic chassis may be a possible source of MF. Larger surveys in standardized and well-described settings should be conducted with different types of vehicles and with spectral analysis of fields including lower frequencies due to magnetization of tires.
authors: Radiation Protection Department, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel. ronen@soreq.gov.il.
authors: Ronen
authors: R
authors: Hareuveny
authors: Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. msudan@ucla.edu.
authors: Madhuri
authors: M
authors: Sudan
authors: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC-3010, Australia. malka.nisha@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: Malka N
authors: MN
authors: Halgamuge
authors: Radiation Protection Department, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel. yoavyaffe1@gmail.com.
authors: Yoav
authors: Y
authors: Yaffe
authors: Rehovot Center for Gifted Children, Rehovot, Israel. yuvalzabari1999@gmail.com.
authors: Yuval
authors: Y
authors: Tzabari
authors: Rehovot Center for Gifted Children, Rehovot, Israel. namir2@zahav.net.il.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Namir
authors: Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. kheifets@ucla.edu.
authors: Leeka
authors: L
authors: Kheifets
mesh_terms: D001336:Automobiles; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004560:Electricity; D005742:Gasoline; D060526:Magnetic Fields
chemical_list: D005742:Gasoline
references: Bioelectromagnetics. 2013 Feb;34(2):156-61
references: 22532300
references: Bioelectromagnetics. 1999 Oct;20(7):440-5
references: 10495309
references: Health Phys. 2010 Dec;99(6):818-36
references: 21068601
references: Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2010 Oct;141(3):255-68
references: 20554578
references: Health Phys. 2006 Feb;90(2):148-53
references: 16404172