Abstract

As more network providers emerge, radiation exposure from Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) has become an issue of concern for public health. In this study, a Trifield EMF meter was used to measure power density (PD) at heights of 1.5 and 1.7 m above the ground level for distances ranging from 0 – 100 m from 40 masts distributed throughout the study area. The results obtained range from 0. 0.299 to 20.000 mWm-2 at 1.5 m and 1.7 m above ground level. The results indicate that the measured values are low compared to the International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) recommended values of 4500 mWm-2 for GSM900 and 9000mWm-2 for GSM1800. According to these results, there are no radiological threats associated with non-ionizing radiation (NIR) exposure in the area of the study. The study further revealed that about 87.5% of the masts in the study area may have violated the safety regulations set by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA).