Magnetic Fields

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Magnetic Fields

This page presents information about magnetic fields, also known as electromagnetism. Magnetic fields are one of two electromagnetic radiation elements, the other being non-ionizing radiation frequencies (RF) for wireless products or electric non-ionizing frequency fields for wired products. It should be noted the health effects attributed to power transmission lines, cell phones and other wireless product radiation have been linked to non-ionizing radiation frequencies and not magnetic fields. Click here for information about non-ionizing radiation frequencies generated by cellular phones.

Publicly available magnetic field information addresses the health effects of 50 or 60 Hz. (cycles per second) alternating (reversing) current (AC) from power transmission lines, transformers and common household electronic products. The information consistently states direct current (DC) magnetic fields are not considered a health risk because they remain static (non-alternating), while AC magnetic fields are hazardous because several epidemiological studies reported increased cancer risks associated with being exposed to them.

Some scientists, however, believe the health effects are caused by alternating frequencies and not by magnetic fields. This is a logical conclusion when one considers the health effects attributed to cell phone and other non-ionizing radiation sources are identical to those associated with 50 - 60 Hz. electric and magnetic fields.

AegisGuard^™L (Life) Series Radiation Shields protect users from EMF/RF and the fields they carry generated by wired and wireless products and networks, regardless of the source.

Magnetic field measurements are expressed as gauss, milligauss, tesla, microtesla and millitesla. The following table presents the relationship between these measurements.

1 gauss	=	0.0001 tesla 0.1 millitesla 100 microtesla
1 tesla	=	10,000 gauss 10,000,000 milligauss 10,000,000,000 microgauss

Man has evolved naturally in the earth’s 500 milligauss magnetic field without experiencing adverse or negative health effects from these fields. In modern society, it has been proven countless times there are no health risks when man is exposed to magnetic energy sixty thousand times more powerful than that of the earth, such as during a 3.0 Tesla MRI test.

The magnetic fields for several common electronic products found in the home are presented in the following table:

Magnetic Fields (milligauss)
Product	At The Head**	4 inches From The Body*
Cellular Phone	1.2 to 2	N/A
Coffee Maker	N/A	2.3 to 3
Alarm Clock	N/A	5 to 15
Toaster	N/A	10 to 60
Iron	N/A	12 to 45
Vacuum Cleaner	N/A	230 to 1300
Hair Dryer	N/A	3 to 1400
Television	N/A	4.8 to 100
* Source: Gauger, Jr., Household Appliance Magnetic Field Survey. IEEE transactions on power apparatus and systems. PA-104 ** Source: Medical College of Wisconsin

Although there have been studies suggesting long term power transmission line and transformer magnetic field exposure causes leukemia, it has never been determined if these occurrences are due to magnetic fields, or radiation frequencies that carry them. The following table presents the magnetic fields measured from different voltage levels at various distances from transmission lines:

Magnetic Fields (milligauss)
Voltage*	Under Wires	Edge Of Right-Of-Way	At 100 Feet
69 kilovolts	20 to 25	5 to 10	0.5 to 12
138 kilovolts	35 to 40	15 to 20	0.5 to 12
345 kilovolts	85 to 100	50 to 60	0.5 to 12
* Assumes Normal Current Flow