Analysis of the relationship between electromagnetic radiation characteristics and urban functions in highly populated urban areas

Chao Tang; Chuanjun Yang; Regan Siqiang Cai; Hong Ye; Linlin Duan; Ziyan Zhang; Zhenhua Shi; Kangwei Lin; Jinchao Song; Xiaomei Huang; Hongying Zhang; Jianbo Yang; Peng Cai

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.143

Analysis of the relationship between electromagnetic radiation characteristics and urban functions in highly populated urban areas

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Mar 1:654:535-540. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.143. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Physical Environment Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Physical Environment, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China.
² Rhode Island School of Design, Two College Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
³ Physical Environment Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China. Electronic address: hye@iue.ac.cn.
⁴ Physical Environment Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China.
⁵ Physical Environment Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Physical Environment, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, PR China. Electronic address: pcai@iue.ac.cn.

PMID: 30447592
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.143

Abstract

The electromagnetic environment (EME) in cities is becoming increasingly complex, and the resulting potential health hazards have attracted widespread attention. Large-scale field observations and monitoring of electromagnetic fields were performed in Xiamen Island over the past six years. The results show that the integrated electric field intensity in Xiamen Island ranged from 0.32 V/m to 1.70 V/m, while the integrated magnetic flux density ranged from 0.11 μT to 0.50 μT; where more electric power facilities and electronic equipment are present in the island, the electric and magnetic field strengths are higher; the radiation power of 2nd Generation mobile communication (2G) is higher than that of 3rd Generation mobile communication (3G) and 4th Generation mobile communication (4G), the coverage of the 3G signal was more uniform than the others and the 4G communication signal's coverage is still developing. The relationship between the EME characteristics and urban functions has been analyzed in this study. Results showed that electric field intensity had no correlation with urban functional areas, magnetic flux density had a positive correlation with residential area (q = 0.29); 2G and 4G radiation power are positively related to the educational (Edu) function area (960 MHz q = 0.22, 1.8 GHz q = 0.47, 2.61 GHz q = 0.28); there was a positive relationship between 2G (1.8 GHz) radiation power and residential area (q = 0.2). We concluded that there is a strong link between the Xiamen Island's EME and the distribution of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) sources, the denser and wider distributed EMR sources lead to a more complicated urban EME.

Keywords: Electromagnetic field; Field test; Geographical detector; Mobile communication radiation power; Urban functional areas.