Extremely-low-frequency magnetic field exposure of children at schools near high voltage transmission lines.

Many epidemiological studies have investigated residential exposure to extremely-low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) for children, but exposure at schools where children may stay up to 8 h every weekday was rarely considered. Between March and June 2004, we carried out a field study in Taipei City and County of northern Taiwan to explore ELF-MF exposure pattern among children at schools with high voltage transmission lines (HVTL) running through the campuses. One hundred and one children attending 14 schools with nearby HVTL (exposed group) and 123 children of 18 schools at least 100 m away from HVTL (unexposed group) were monitored for 24-hour personal ELF-MF exposure. Selected classrooms and playgrounds within the buffer regions (i.e., within 30 m of HVTL) and those away from the buffer regions were also assessed, using spot measurements, to determine the extent to which HVTL may contribute to the environmental exposure on campuses. Results show that the two groups didn't differ significantly for both mean exposure and proportion of exposure greater than 0.4 micro-Tesla (microT) estimated for 24 h. However, we noted that 17.8% of the exposed children had a personal mean exposure greater than 0.4 microT during school hours, significantly (p=0.011) higher than that (6.5%) estimated for the unexposed children. An even higher percentage (27.3%) was observed for 11 students with their classrooms intersecting the buffer regions. Playgrounds near buffer regions showed a significantly higher ELF-MF than the other areas of the exposed schools (0.70 vs 0.18 microT, p=0.043). The study demonstrates a wide range of exposures to ELF-MF among school children at campuses adjacent to HVTL. Children attending the exposed schools may have a higher chance of experiencing a mean exposure greater than 0.4 microT during school hours.