Comparative analysis of electromagnetic field exposure in a higher educational institution: a study before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

The advancement and improvement of telecommunication technology has created worries about the effects of electromagnetic (EM) radiation on biotic systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has made extensive use of smartphones and other technologies that were both essential and unavoidable. In addition, this has resulted in humans being exposed to excessive microwave radiation from smartphones, particularly youngsters who have early access to these devices. In higher educational institutes, such as the Dayalbagh Educational Institute, the dependency on wireless communication has increased during the pandemic. In this work, we used SRM-3006 to evaluate the electric field, magnetic field, and power density for broad public exposure and compared the results to ICNIRP and FCC safety standards. Results of the measurements taken in the year 2023 have been compared with those of the pre-COVID measurements recorded in 2019, and their analysis has been performed. The findings indicate a significant increase in radiation levels in the post-COVID-19 scenario.