Environmental Pollution of Cell-Phone Towers: Detection and Analysis Using Geographic Information System

Recent studies on environmental pollution from cell-phone towers have prompted a serious concern about their radiation hazards. Investigations in the present project are based on mapping the Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation levels in various locations in the north Jordan, which was shown to be highly radiated due to large number of cell-phone towers distributed throughout the region. Radiations comiung out of these towers were measured using spectrum analyzer, power strength meter and Geographic Position System (GPS). The present study focused on EMF radiation intensity measurement in crowded residential areas and public buildings and facilitated using far-field equation. The data of EMF radiation in the selected regions were processed and represented by digital map (2D and 3D) with interpolated using ArcGIS 9.3 software. Modeling and statistical analysis of the obtained results was compared with the international standards. In addition, this study demonstrated that both spatial and temporal factors contribute to residential EMF exposure and GIS technologies can be used to improve EMF exposure assessment and to guide the decision makers in Jordan to take serious and solid steps toward reducing radiation exposure limits and thus reducing health risks as much as possible.