Temporal change of outdoor RF-EMF levels in four European countries: a microenvironmental measurement study

Abstract

Category: Environmental Health / Exposure Assessment Tags: RF-EMF, exposure assessment, temporal trends, Europe, outdoor measurement, microenvironment, mobile base stations DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122315 URL: sciencedirect.com Introduction Over the past two decades, the amount of transmitted mobile data has increased rapidly. It remains unknown whether the implementation of new technologies enabling this increase has led to changes in outdoor radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure. This study utilizes microenvironmental measurements to investigate temporal trends in RF-EMF exposure between 2016 and 2023 in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain, following a harmonized protocol across campaigns. Microenvironmental measurements specify exposure data collected in predefined small areas categorized by their specific functions, allowing comparison of exposure trends between countries and years. Methods Data collection was performed as part of the ACCEDERA (2016-2018), ETAIN (2023), and GOLIAT (2023) projects, with researchers walking identical routes equipped with RF-EMF exposimeters. Consistent microenvironments were identified in each country, and the exposure from mobile base stations, mobile phones, and the total exposure were compared across different years. Findings - Measurements between 6 and 14 unique microenvironments per country were compared. - No significant changes were found in exposure from mobile base station origins (total downlink exposure) between baseline (2016) and follow-up (2023) in the four countries studied. - Median values of mobile base station exposure ranged from 0.11 mW/m2 (Switzerland, 2023) to 0.62 mW/m2 (Netherlands, 2018). - No consistent trend in RF-EMF exposure was observed across individual microenvironments or countries. Conclusion Despite an eightfold increase in mobile data traffic across Western Europe, RF-EMF outdoor exposure levels measured in included microenvironments did not show a change between 2016 and 2023. It is important to note that exposures to electromagnetic fields are linked by many studies to potential health risks, so ongoing monitoring and research are crucial to inform EMF safety and risk assessment.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Across 6–14 unique outdoor microenvironments per country in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain, no significant changes were found in mobile base station-origin (total downlink) exposure between baseline (2016) and follow-up (2023). Median mobile base station exposure ranged from 0.11 mW/m² (Switzerland, 2023) to 0.62 mW/m² (Netherlands, 2018), and no consistent trend was observed across microenvironments or countries.

Outcomes measured

• Outdoor RF-EMF exposure levels (microenvironmental measurements)
• Mobile base station-origin exposure (total downlink)
• Mobile phone-origin exposure
• Total RF-EMF exposure

Limitations

• Frequency bands/technology generations (e.g., 4G/5G) not specified in the abstract
• Sample size (number of measurements/route lengths/days) not reported in the abstract
• Only outdoor, predefined microenvironments along identical walking routes; may not represent other settings
• Statistical methods and power to detect changes not described in the abstract

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.15)
  Researchers conducted walking-route measurements with exposimeters; however, the study focus is environmental outdoor exposure rather than occupational health.

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    "study_type": "exposure_assessment",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "outdoor; mobile base stations; mobile phones",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "2016–2023 (measurement campaigns; baseline 2016, follow-up 2023; includes 2018 in Netherlands)"
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Outdoor RF-EMF exposure levels (microenvironmental measurements)",
        "Mobile base station-origin exposure (total downlink)",
        "Mobile phone-origin exposure",
        "Total RF-EMF exposure"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Across 6–14 unique outdoor microenvironments per country in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain, no significant changes were found in mobile base station-origin (total downlink) exposure between baseline (2016) and follow-up (2023). Median mobile base station exposure ranged from 0.11 mW/m² (Switzerland, 2023) to 0.62 mW/m² (Netherlands, 2018), and no consistent trend was observed across microenvironments or countries.",
    "effect_direction": "no_effect",
    "limitations": [
        "Frequency bands/technology generations (e.g., 4G/5G) not specified in the abstract",
        "Sample size (number of measurements/route lengths/days) not reported in the abstract",
        "Only outdoor, predefined microenvironments along identical walking routes; may not represent other settings",
        "Statistical methods and power to detect changes not described in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "moderate",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "RF-EMF",
        "radio-frequency electromagnetic fields",
        "exposure assessment",
        "temporal trends",
        "outdoor measurement",
        "microenvironment",
        "Europe",
        "exposimeter",
        "mobile base stations",
        "downlink exposure"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.1499999999999999944488848768742172978818416595458984375,
            "reason": "Researchers conducted walking-route measurements with exposimeters; however, the study focus is environmental outdoor exposure rather than occupational health."
        }
    ]
}

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