Hygienic assessment of electromagnetic fields generated by promising models of power plants

Abstract

Introduction. The analyses of staff occupationally connected with maintenance and operation of plants included in the Federal Project “Development of technologies for Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion (CTF) and innovative plasma technologies” electromagnetic safety problems required full-scale measurements of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) and hygienic assessment in personnel workplaces. Materials and methods. Measurements of EMF frequency and intensity-time parameters and preliminary hygienic assessment in workplaces of Tokamaks MEFIST-0, T-11M, TUMAN-3M, FT-2, magnetic trap MK-200M were carried out. Results. The studies showed very high levels of pulsed magnetic fields (MF) (up to 433 mT), despite of official regulatory values absence, according to magnetic component effects mechanisms can be assessed as human health risk factor. Radio frequency EMF levels, despite the short-term exposure, can have the adverse effect on human health, because in all points of possible employees’ location there were exceeding the maximum permissible values (up to 170 fold). 1 Hz-1 kHz frequency range EMF electric and magnetic components amplitude-frequency characteristics peaks may be risk factor for human health too (despite the lack of this frequency range hygienic standards in Russia). Limitations. The limitations of the study are determined by the lack of generated by new CTF samples EMF frequency and intensity-time parameters objective data. Conclusion. EMF assessment in examined CTF staff work places pilot study showed that pulsed MF, radio frequency EMF, 1 Hz-1 kHz frequency range EMF both components levels reach very high values and, despite the absence of officially valid regulatory values, according to factor action mechanisms, can be risk factor for personnel health.