Safety Assessment of Human Exposure to Intermediate Frequency Electromagnetic Fields

Abstract

The "intermediate frequency" electromagnetic fields in the context of protecting human exposure have received public concerns in recent years. This is mainly due to the growing emergence of technology or products using those fields, such as induction heating (IH) cookers and wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. This paper reviews the trend of studies and guidelines for human protection related to safety assessment of human exposure to such fields. C⃝ 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 197(4): 3-11, 2016; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).

The Hyperfine Coupling Radical Pair Mechanism of Biological Effects on Weak Magnetic Fields

“…The intermediate frequency magnetic fields in the context of protecting human exposure have received public concerns in recent years because of the growing emergence of technology or products using those fields and a number of studies have been carried out Yamazaki, et al [64]. Kumari, et al [35] findings suggest that exposure to a 7.5 kHz, 120 μT MF may lead to mild learning and memory impairment possibly through an inflammatory reaction in the hippocampus.…”

“…Because IMF-MFs is 300 Hz through 100KHz or10 MHz [2]; [64] ELF-MFs is 0Hz through 300Hz and the author thinks ELF-MFs may be regarded as static and corresponding effects can be explained through Equation 2 in part 3.4, and one band of IMF-MFs (near ELF-Mfs) may be regarded as static and can be explained through Equation 2 just like the case of ELF-MFs.…”

“…The radical pair mechanism of biological effects of RF-MFs are outlined [1]; [62,63]. Because magnetic fields in the band of 300 Hz through 10 MHz between ELF-MFs and RF-MFs have not been sufficiently explored so far [64] the mechanisms of biological effects of an intermediate frequency magnetic fields(IMF-MFs) have not been reported to the author's known. From the mechanisms of different biological effects of different magnetic fields, one can see the mechanisms are different too.…”

Bioelectromagnetics researches in Japan for human protection from electromagnetic field exposures

“…Many studies have been conducted. The IF studies in Japan are found in the review papers published previously . More recently, further studies have been conducted and reported.…”

Assessment methods for electric and magnetic fields in low and intermediate frequencies related to human exposures and the status of their standardization

“…This review article deals with electromagnetic measurement techniques related to human safety assessment and fast‐advancing calculation methods (dosimetry) as well as the trends in standardization of assessment methods. The article focuses mainly on low frequencies below 100 kHz including so called intermediate frequency range around 10‐100 kHz 15,16 used in such applications as induction heating (IH) and wireless power transfer (WPT) for electric vehicle (EV) charging. By the way, WHO defines intermediate frequency as a range of 300 Hz‐10 MHz‐300 GHz.…”