As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

  Assist. Prof. Dr. Sahar A. Amin-lecturer in the Department of Environmental Technology-ERC presented a lecture on Tuesday, 18/2/2020 at 12:00 entitled “Electromagnetic Spectrum and its Uses”. The lecturer stated that the electromagnetic spectrum is a general term that includes all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation starting from low frequencies such as radio, then medium frequencies such as visible light rays, to high frequencies such as X-rays, and ending with gamma rays. The electromagnetic spectrum consists of seven bands that include radio waves, microwave waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and gamma rays. Each of these bands has different characteristics in terms of how they are formed, how they interact with matter and their practical applications. Gamma rays, X-rays and high-frequency ultraviolet rays are classified as “ionizing radiation” since their photons have enough energy to ionize the atoms, and thus affecting seriously the living organisms when exposed to more than the permissible limits according to the approved standards.

Despite the fact that the huge applications and uses of electromagnetic waves in various fields such as radar, satellites, radio, television, mobile phones, microwave ovens, thermo-detectors, treatment and diagnostics in the medical fields, optical fibers, sterilization of surgical instruments and operating theaters and etc. It has not been scientifically and practically proven in terms of the presence of the direct impact on human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). However, there is still a public concern about the potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.