title: Development of an RF-EMF Exposure Surrogate for Epidemiologic Research.
abstract: Exposure assessment is a crucial part in studying potential effects of RF-EMF. Using data from the HERMES study on adolescents, we developed an integrative exposure surrogate combining near-field and far-field RF-EMF exposure in a single brain and whole-body exposure measure. Contributions from far-field sources were modelled by propagation modelling and multivariable regression modelling using personal measurements. Contributions from near-field sources were assessed from both, questionnaires and mobile phone operator records. Mean cumulative brain and whole-body doses were 1559.7 mJ/kg and 339.9 mJ/kg per day, respectively. 98.4% of the brain dose originated from near-field sources, mainly from GSM mobile phone calls (93.1%) and from DECT phone calls (4.8%). Main contributors to the whole-body dose were GSM mobile phone calls (69.0%), use of computer, laptop and tablet connected to WLAN (12.2%) and data traffic on the mobile phone via WLAN (6.5%). The exposure from mobile phone base stations contributed 1.8% to the whole-body dose, while uplink exposure from other people's mobile phones contributed 3.6%. In conclusion, the proposed approach is considered useful to combine near-field and far-field exposure to an integrative exposure surrogate for exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies. However, substantial uncertainties remain about exposure contributions from various near-field and far-field sources.
authors.affiliation: University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.|ARIAS umwelt.forschung.beratung, Gutenbergstrasse 40B, CH-3011 Bern, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roser
authors.affiliation: University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.|ARIAS umwelt.forschung.beratung, Gutenbergstrasse 40B, CH-3011 Bern, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schoeni
authors.affiliation: . alfred.buergi@arias.ch.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bürgi
authors.affiliation: University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.|ARIAS umwelt.forschung.beratung, Gutenbergstrasse 40B, CH-3011 Bern, Switzerland. alfred.buergi@arias.ch.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Röösli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects*; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
keywords: RF-EMF; adolescents; dose calculation; exposure assessment; mobile phone