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Investigation of Electromagnetic Pollution

Radiated due to Wi-Fi Equipment on Samsun
Light Rail System

Conference Paper · September 2015

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 Investigation of Electromagnetic Pollution
Radiated due to Wi-Fi Equipment on Samsun
Light Rail System

Kübra Eraydın, Çetin Kurnaz, Begüm Korunur Engiz


Abstract— With the development of wireless technologies, Wi- Wi-Fi which is an acronym for “wireless fidelity” uses radio
Fi has become more popular in the world today. Wi-Fi frequency signals to communicate, and Wi-Fi equipment
equipments have been used in different places such as home, radiates electromagnetic radiation like any other electronic
work, shopping center, airport, cafe and massive transport devices. Depending on the increase in use of smartphones, Wi-
systems intensively. Like other electronics devices Wi-Fi Fi usage also increase and grows up each day. The wide and
equipment emit electromagnetic wave and causes electromagnetic
pollution. To measure and assessment of electromagnetic
rapid diffusion of Wi-Fi technologies makes the
pollution radiated Wi-Fi equipment is very crucial for human electromagnetic pollution important topic for today society [9-
health. For this reason, in this study we measured the 11]. According to Google Research survey in 2013 in Turkey,
electromagnetic radiation (EMR) levels emitted from Wi-Fi 78% of smartphone users prefer Wi-Fi to access internet.
equipments on Samsun Light Rail System on during five Because of that much use of Wi-Fi, light rail system operators
different days. Approximately 1300 measurement results show try to equip their trams with Wi-Fi networks in order to permit
that EMR levels are lower than ICNIRP’s reference level. to their customers’ access to multimedia services. For this
Additionally the number of users which use Wi-Fi band does not reason, in this study measuring the levels of EMR exposure
effect EMR value meaningfully. radiated by a public transport vehicle that is frequently used in
daily life is aimed. EMR levels radiated by Wi-Fi (radiating a
Index Terms—Electromagnetic radiation, Electromagnetic
pollution, PMM-8053, SRM-3006, Wi-Fi.
2.4GHz band) equipments on Samsun Light Rail System are
measured and decided if these values within limits, and also
the effect of user number on EMR level is investigated.
I. INTRODUCTION

E lectromagnetic waves are radiated from many sources

both natural and man-made such as radio and TV
transmitters, base stations, power line transmission,
II. MEASUREMENT OF EM POLLUTION
There are international standards and limits on effects of EMR
transformers, and all electrical and medical devices that cause on human health. The limits are recommended by an
electromagnetic pollution [1]. As a consequence of the wide international commission International Commission on Non-
and rapid growth in wireless technologies; human are over Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) which is recognized
exposure with external electromagnetic radiation (EMR). by World Health Organization (WHO). The limits of electrical
Since the external EMR sources and exposure levels are going field are shown in Fig.1 based on ICNIRP Guidelines on
up day by day, and we can’t eliminate our exposure to Exposure Limits [12]. According to guideline [13] prepared by
electromagnetic radiation, determining the detrimental effects Information and Communication Technologies Authority of
of EMR on human health become more crucial. There are a Turkey (BTK), based on ICINRP, the limits are 41 (V/m) for
large number of studies on whether exposed EMR levels are 900 MHz base station, 57 (V/m) for 1800 MHz base station,
below international limits, increase in EMR sources due to 61 (V/m) for 3G systems which is 2100 MHz, and also 61
rapidly growing communication technologies [2-8]. (V/m) for Wi-Fi equipments operating at 2.45 GHz. These
values are the total limit values for a medium, the 1/4 of the
limit values for a single device for injunctive relief taking
environment and human health into account. Each country has
Manuscript received May 31, 2015; accepted June 30, 2015.
K. Eraydın, is with the Department of Electrical and Electronics
its own limits determined. USA and some European countries
Engineering, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey, (e-mail: use the limits determined by ICNIRP, while some European
[email protected]). countries like Switzerland, Italy use 1/10 of ICNIRP values as
Ç. Kurnaz is with the with the Department of Electrical and Electronics a limit.
Engineering, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey, (e-mail:
[email protected]).
B. K. Engiz is with the Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ordu University,
Fatsa, Ordu, Turkey, (e-mail: [email protected]).
 Fig. 3. A picture of GlobeSurfer III+ modem with antenna

Fig. 1. The ICNIRP Guideline for public exposures as a

function of carrier frequency

This study aims to measure and evaluate electromagnetic

radiation levels emitted from Wi-Fi equipments on Samsun
Light Rail System. The route length of the Samsun Light Rail
System is 15.695m, and number of stations are 21. There are
three GlobeSurfer III+ modems (access points) on trams and
their approximate positions are as indicated in Fig.2. Each
modem radiates 2.45 GHz band, and a picture of them is
shown in Fig3. The transmitting power of each modem is
equal to 24dBm, and modem supports up to 254 users. The
modem uses 3G mobile network to communicate with base
station. EMR measurements are campaigned on 5 different Fig. 4. Detailed examination of the signal in the frequency
days as twice a day using PMM–8053 and Narda SRM–3006 domain between 100 kHz-3GHz
radiation meter and collected on the journey with intervals of
15 sec. during approx. 35 min. Total number of EMR
measurements is roughly 1300. III. MEASUREMENT RESULTS
One of PMM–8053 measurement that gives the highest EMR
(3.47 V/m) is given in Fig.5. The number of user varies
between two and five during measurements, and
increase/decrease in number of users does not effect EMR
significantly.

Fig. 2. Trams and Wi-Fi modem positions at Samsun Light

Rail System

Total EMR in the band between 100kHz - 3GHz is measured

with PMM–8053 while band selectives are done with SRM–
3006. An example of a measurement in the band between
100kHz-3GHz is shown in Fig.4. The number of simultaneous
user is determined with “Fing” Android application. Fig. 5. An example of PMM–8053 EMR measurement
In order to measure EMR which is radiated due to Wi-Fi, System for current situation. Moreover, results indicated that
SRM–3006 is used and an example of collected data is the number of users which use Wi-Fi band does not effect
illustrated in Fig.6. The maximum EMR is obtained as 0.8882 EMR values significantly.
V/m for Wi-Fi band for the number of users between two and
seven.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank L. Namık AŞILA from BTK
Samsun Regional Office, and Samsun Light Rail System
(SAMULAŞ) personnel for their support and assistance during
measurements.

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Samsun Light Rail System is far below the limit (61 V/m) of
ICNIRP and BTK. Therefore, considering these values, one
cannot say electromagnetic pollution on Samsun Light Rail

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