EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY ON EFFECT OF EMF EMITTED BY PHOTOCOPY MACHINES GENERALLY USED IN DHAKA CITY BANGLADESH

Abstract

Significant concerns has been raised about possible health effects from exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields specially after the rapid introduction of modern amnesties specially the mobile telecommunication systems. The biological effects of low level EMF and a possible potential relation various diseases specially blood cancer causation are controversial. There are many epidemiological studies of the possible adverse health effects associated with environmental exposure to extremely low frequency (0-300 Hz) non-ionizing radiation such as that emitted by power cables and electrical substations linking such exposure to leukemia, brain cancer, male breast cancer, skin cancer and eye melanoma. Far less attention has been paid to health hazards from environmental exposure to radiation in RF range (100 kHz-300GHz) at field strengths much below to these required to produce thermal effects. Laboratory studies in this area have also been confusing and conflicting. While some animal studies suggest that RF fields accelerate the development of cancers, other studies found no carcinogenic effect. Obviously, there is an urgent need for extensive, well conducted epidemiological and laboratory studies. Photocopy machines are being used all over the world as it has made the life easy for academic, office, business. Hundreds of photocopy machines are also being used in Bangladesh. EMF is also emitted by photocopy machines. There has been no such study performed in Bangladesh. The data were collected from various places in Dhaka city, Bangladesh: Banani Super Market, Mohakhali, Farmgate Green Road, Nilkhet and Uttara. Both Electric and Magnetic fields were measured for photocopy machines. Both epidemiological survey and EMF measurements were done for these locations. These results showed that in many cases the magnetic field radiated from the different sources are greater than the threshold limit and photocopier operators suffered from various types of ailments like indigestion, vomit, insomnia, pain in hands and legs, stomach ache, mental depression, skin disease, cataract, sexual problems, hairs turning white etc. due to prolonged exposure to EMF. In many of the photocopier shops the operators were working in congested space with lots of machineries around. There are many devices and power lines around them, having a congested environment and low circulation of air. Also smoking contributed to their overall health problems.