ABSTRACT
High voltage powerlines can ionise the air, emitting a stream of so-called corona ions into the atmosphere. These ions attach to aerosol-sized particles of air pollution, such as those containing potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, increasing the electric charge state on these aerosols. The resulting cloud of charged aerosols is carried by the wind up to several hundred metres from powerlines, occasionally extending to several kilometres away. When inhaled, aerosol particles with electric charge have a higher probability of lung deposition compared with uncharged aerosols. Directly under powerlines, 50 Hz oscillation of pollutant aerosols results in increased deposition on the body. One consequence of this phenomenon is an unusually high radiation dose rate to the skin from the naturally occurring radioactive radon decay product aerosols in air. Increased exposure by these mechanisms implies increased risk. A risk, analysis suggests that between 2,000 and 3,000 cases of pollution-related ill health may occur annually among the 2.7 million of the population living within 400 m of 132, 275 and 400 kV powerlines in the UK.
