Effect of Radiation Power from Towers and Transmission Lines on Safe Healthy Distance in Khartoum State

Abstract

The aim of this work is to determine the exposure to radiation from communication towers and transmission lines and the safe distance from these sources. It also aimed to determine the relation between radiation power beside safe distance and communication towers density beside high voltage power lines. Measurements have been taken from 150 towers at distances of up to 100 m from the towers, at Khartoum, Khartoum North, and Omdurman. The measurements have been taken at frequencies of 1800 and 900 M Hz. Using the Active Log Per measurement, Aaronia Hyper LOG 4040 X, device the magnetic field strength was measured. The maximum power density found in Khartoum and the minimum in Omdurman. This could be due to the fact that the population of communication towers is maximum in Khartoum. The radiation power become negligible at 100m. It has been noticed that this distance is much smaller than that in other countries. This could be due to the relatively small density of communication towers in Khartoum compared to other countries. It is observed that the safe distance in this study is 100 m, compared to 120 m in Tanzania, 300 m in France, 400 m in Germany and 500 m in Brazil. This may be attributed to the fact that the intensity of towers is higher in these countries compared to the study area, where the high intensity towers accumulated power and dose at any point, as the comparison between towers density and accumulated power shows in this study. This makes the dose in other countries at 100 m exceeds the permissible safe dose (4.5-5- 50w/nm2). Apart from the maximum power the radiation power in Omdurman was larger in the tower vicinity compared to the ones in Khartoum. This is related to the geometry of the tower‘s sources. The towers sources in Omdurman are in the form of complete Circle sources, thus radiates more photons compared to that of Khartoum which subtends 60 degrees only (1/6 circle). However, the situation is different for the maximum power which travels far from the source thus affected by the nearby towers. This means that it is affected by the intensity of the towers, which is observed, where the maximum power in Khartoum where the intensity of the towers is maximum, was higher compared to Omdurman, where the towers intensity was lower. Which are surrounding by a relatively high tower and high lines density where the number of towers in residential areas are at least two times that the Markets (AL- Souq) and school s in all Khartoum state cities as record in and figure s in this work. The statistical data of Radiation & Istopes Central-Khartoum (RICK)Hospital demonstrates that the percentage of cancer disease was higher for women‘s (56%) compared to men‘s (44%) This is since women‘s take a very long time in homes which are surrounded by a relatively high towers and voltage lines density. This make them exposed to high radiation doses due to the increase of exposure time and towers density which increases cancer percentage, for older men (60-90) who take very long time in homes the cancer percentage (57.5%) is relatively high compared to younger ones (30-60) with preparental (42.5%) since they go to schools and markets where doses are relatively low. However, forewomen‘s the situation is different. The cancer is considerably low (37%) for older women‘s (60-90) compared to younger ones (30-59) with percentage (63%). This may be attributed to the fact that younger women‘s who uses cosmetics intensively and take relatively long time in homes compared to older ones who spend long time in social activities taking long time along the roads and rural areas where the doses are low. Electromagnetic radiation has been measured from 150 high voltage lines sites at Khartoum State. At a distance of 10 m the values have been ranging from 45 to 30 n T. The values have been decreasing fast with distance to become very small at a distance of 70 m. A distance of 100 m from the lines could be considered as a safe distance. It has been noticed that there are many buildings at a distance less than 100 m from the power lines. The occupant of these houses could require regular medical checkup. The field study made in Khartoum state for the relation of cancer with towers and high-tension voltage electric lines may be conform with that obtained from the data of Radiation & Istopes Central-Khartoum (RICK)Hospital demonstrate. Cancer percentage of urban areas, where radiation is intensive, is 65. 9%, about two times of that of rural areas, which is 34.1%. This results from the fact that the number of towers in urban areas are considerably large compared to rural areas. The cancer percentage for women and older men in rural areas is 86.7%, compared to workers and students, which are 13.3 %. This is related to the fact that towers are concentrated near houses rather than farms and schools which are temporarily and less populated, thus only few towers are needed for them. Recently strong evidence indicated that the appearance and wide spread of covid19 beside the increase of mortality rate, is associated with the suppression effect of G5 towers radiation on the immunity system. This suppression effect will of course increase cancer spread rate, which conforms with the results of this study.