ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the various components of the entire subject including interaction mechanisms, safety standards and protection guidelines, sources and exposure scenarios, description of large-scale epidemiological studies involving humans and research on exposure of cells and animals relevant to adverse health effects. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) have become a driving force of our civilization through their numerous applications. However, there are concerns about the hazards that might exist due to exposure to such fields. There are two types of EMFs classified according to the frequency range: extremely low frequency fields and very low frequency fields. There are several proposed mechanisms for the interaction of EMF with living systems. These include induced electric currents, direct effect on magnetic biological materials, effects on free radicals, and excitation of cell membranes. One must understand the relationship between electric and magnetic fields outside and inside biological systems, which varies greatly with frequency.
