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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

A New Portable In Vitro Exposure Cassette for Aerosol Sampling

A New Portable In Vitro Exposure Cassette for Aerosol Sampling

Published on: February 22, 2019

Static fields: biological effects and mechanisms relevant to exposure limits.

Eric van Rongen¹, Richard D Saunders, Emilie T van Deventer

¹Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, The Netherlands. e.van.rongen@gr.nl

|May 15, 2007

Summary

Static electric and magnetic fields up to 8 T show no acute adverse health effects beyond transient symptoms like vertigo. Long-term exposure data is limited, but no chronic effects have been reported.

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Area of Science:

Environmental Health
Electromagnetism
Public Health

Background:

The World Health Organization (WHO) International EMF Project released a monograph on static electric and magnetic fields.
Understanding the biological and health impacts of static electromagnetic fields is crucial for public safety.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide an overview of the biological and health effects of static electric and magnetic fields as discussed in the WHO monograph.
To evaluate current scientific knowledge regarding static field exposure guidelines.

Main Methods:

Review of the WHO Environmental Health Criteria monograph on static electric and magnetic fields.
Analysis of reported biological and health effects from static magnetic field exposure.

Main Results:

No acute adverse health effects observed at static magnetic flux densities up to 8 T, apart from transient phenomena like vertigo and nausea.
Limited data exists on long-term or chronic effects of prolonged static magnetic field exposure.
Current scientific understanding was used to discuss the 1994 International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines.

Conclusions:

Static magnetic fields up to 8 T do not appear to cause significant acute health issues.
Further research is needed to fully assess the long-term health implications of static magnetic field exposure.
Existing guidelines for static field exposure require ongoing evaluation in light of emerging scientific evidence.