Assessing radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in multiple microenvironments across ten European countries with a focus on 5G

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• dc.contributor.author Fernandes Veludo, Adriana
• dc.contributor.author Stamets, Matthew
• dc.contributor.author Llobet, Patricia de
• dc.contributor.author Castaño Vinyals, Gemma
• dc.contributor.author Guxens Junyent, Mònica
• dc.contributor.author Röösli, Martin
• dc.date.accessioned 2025-06-25T06:12:50Z
• dc.date.available 2025-06-25T06:12:50Z
• dc.date.issued 2025
• dc.description.abstract To evaluate the implementation of 5G in Europe, we have systematically measured environmental, auto-induced downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure in more than 800 microenvironments in ten European countries. Outdoor, indoor, and public transport microenvironments were measured in two cities and three villages in each country. Exposure was measured during three mobile-phone user scenarios: flight mode (non-user), inducing maximum DL traffic (max DL) or maximum UL traffic (max UL). The mobile phone was carried in a backpack, placed 30 cm from an ExpoM-RF 4 that continuously measured 35 frequency bands (87.5 MHz-6 GHz). For each user scenario, mean exposure levels were calculated. In the non-user scenario, mean exposure levels ranged from 0.33 to 1.72 mW/m2 per country and were lower in Switzerland, Belgium and Italy. RF-EMF levels were, on average, 80 % lower in villages compared to cities, with DL bands contributing the most in this scenario. During max DL, exposure increased mainly due to the 5G band at 3.5 GHz (mean exposure per country 2.61-11.12 mW/m2). However, the time-division nature of this band prevents distinguishing between DL and UL signals with the ExpoM-RF4. Exposure levels were the highest during max UL, particularly in the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium, with 50 % of the mean levels per country above 16 mW/m2. Exposure was, on average, 35 % higher in villages compared to cities. Environmental exposure levels were below international guideline values. Countries with precautionary limits had lower environmental exposure levels but higher auto-induced uplink exposure during data upload.
• dc.description.sponsorship This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101057262. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. We acknowledge support from the grant CEX2023-0001290-S funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. Lea Belácková is part of the ETAIN project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101057216. Frank de Vocht is partly supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West).
• dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
• dc.identifier.citation Veludo AF, Stroobandt B, Van Bladel H, Sandoval-Diez N, Deprez K, Aerts S, et al. Assessing radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in multiple microenvironments across ten European countries with a focus on 5G. Environ Int. 2025 Jun;200:109540. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109540
• dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109540
• dc.identifier.issn 0160-4120
• dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/70751
• dc.language.iso eng
• dc.publisher Elsevier
• dc.relation.ispartof Environ Int. 2025 Jun;200:109540
• dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/HE/101057262
• dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/HE/101057216
• dc.rights © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
• dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
• dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• dc.subject.keyword 5G New Radio
• dc.subject.keyword Europe
• dc.subject.keyword Exposure assessment
• dc.subject.keyword Mobile phone
• dc.subject.keyword Radiofrequency
• dc.subject.keyword Technology
• dc.subject.keyword Telecommunication
• dc.title Assessing radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in multiple microenvironments across ten European countries with a focus on 5G
• dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
• dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion