Evaluation of Electromagnetic Field Exposure 250 m around a Base Transceiver Station in Owa-Eke Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

The increasing deployment of mobile communication infrastructure has raised public concern regarding exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields around base transceiver stations (BTSs). This study evaluated electromagnetic field exposure around a BTS in Owa-Eke, Delta State, Nigeria, using field measurements collected over a 90-day monitoring period. Electric field strength, magnetic field strength and power density were measured with a Tenmars RF meter at the study location, and the recorded values were analysed using descriptive statistics. The tabulated measurements showed electric field strength values ranging from 45.74 to 100.64 V/m. Magnetic field strength values ranged from 128.63 to 389.75 mA/m, while power density values ranged from 9.24 to 27.57 W/m², although the highest value appears as an isolated entry in the dataset and requires verification. Based on the 90 daily values presented in Table 1, the recalculated mean values were approximately 72.81 V/m for electric field strength, 235.70 mA/m for magnetic field strength and 17.89 W/m² for power density. The results indicate measurable temporal variation during the monitoring period. Comparison with public exposure reference levels showed that some recorded values were above the stated limits. These findings suggest that exposure assessment around the studied BTS should be interpreted cautiously and supported by verification of measurement units, instrument calibration, averaging procedures and possible data-entry errors. Periodic monitoring is recommended to provide more reliable evidence on exposure patterns around telecommunication infrastructure in the study area.