USE AND REGULATION OF EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCIES - ELF

Abstract

Human exposure to electromagnetic fields generates a constant concern about the possible effects on health. Scientific studies have been careful to investigate whether chronic exposure to such frequencies can have adverse health effects, such as carcinogenic, neurobehavioral, and immune system effects. That said, in many countries, there are guidelines and regulations in place to control human exposure to electromagnetic fields. The question is whether extremely low frequencies are also subject to regulations and whether they can cause any harm to health. There is no consensus on the nomenclature of the frequency ranges from 0 to 300 Hz. There are documents that treat this entire range as Extremely Low Frequency (ELF). However, there are also references that classify Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) in the range of 0 to 30 Hz and Super Low Frequencies (SLF) in the range of 30 to 300 Hz. The use of extremely low frequencies (ELF) in various applications has been the subject of debate regarding the need for regulation. Many countries implement general regulations to control exposure and ensure safety, including ELFs. The need for regulation depends on the health and safety concerns associated with these frequencies of use, as well as the policies and standards protected in each country. In Brazil, the entity responsible for regulation is ANATEL. The limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) were adopted.