Developing and Validating of Predictive Model for Radiofrequency Radiation Emission Within the Vicinity of Fm Stations in Ghana.

ABSTRACT

 The rapid growing number of FM stations with their corresponding antennas have led to an increase in the concern of the potential health risks that may arise as a result of exposure to RF radiations. The main objective of this research was to develop and validate a predictive model with real time measured data for FM antennas in Ghana. Theoretical and experimental assessment of radiofrequency emission due to FM antennas has been analysed. The maximum and minimum electric field spatial average recorded was 7.17E-01 ± 6.97E01V/m at Kasapa FM and 6.39E-02 ± 5.39E-02V/m at Asempa FM respectively. At a transmission frequency range of 88 -108 MHz, the average power density of the real time measured data ranged between 3.92E-05W/m2 and 1.37E-03W/m2 whiles that of the FM model varied from 9.72E-03W/m2 to 5.35E-01W/m2 respectively. Results obtained showed a variation between measured power density levels and the FM model. The FM model overestimates the power density levels as compared to that of the measured data. The impact predictions were based on the maximum values estimated by the FM model, hence these results validates the credibility of the impact analysis for the FM stations. The general public exposure quotient ranged between 9.00E-03 and 2.68E-01 whilst that of the occupational exposure quotient varied from 9.72E-04 to 5.35E-02. The results obtained were found to be in compliance with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) RF exposure limit.