IN-SITU 5G NR BASE STATION EXPOSURE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC: COMPARISON OF ASSESSMENT METHODS. Issue 6 (3rd May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deprez, Kenneth; Verloock, Leen; Colussi, Loek; Aerts, Sam; Van den Bossche, Matthias; Kamer, Jos; Bolte, John; Martens, Luc; Plets, David; Joseph, Wout
• Is Part Of: Radiation protection dosimetry. Volume 198:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 358
• Page End: 369
• Publication Date: 2022-05-03
• Subjects: Radiation dosimetry -- Periodicals; Radiation -- Safety measures -- Periodicals; 363.1799
• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncac061
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-8420

Abstract

Abstract: New measurement methods and equipment for correct 5G New Radio (NR) electromagnetic field (EMF) in-situ exposure assessment of instantaneous time-averaged exposure ( E avg ) and maximum extrapolated field exposure ( E max ) are proposed. The different options are investigated with in-situ measurements around 5G NR base stations (FR1) in different countries. The maximum electric field values satisfy the ICNIRP 2020 limit (maximum 7.7%). The difference between E max and E avg is <3 dB for the different measurement equipment at multiple sites in case there is only self-generated traffic. However, in a more realistic scenario, E avg cannot be used to assess the exposure correctly due to influence of other users as the spatial distribution of user equipment (UE) influences E avg, while E max is not affected. However, when multiple UEs are collocated, there is no influence of the number of UEs. A broadband measurement can give a first impression of the RF-EMF exposure up to 700 m, but is not enough to assess the 5G-NR exposure.