Non-ionizing radiation
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Non-ionizing radiation are those electromagnetic waves whose energy is insufficient to ionize other atoms , since the amount of energy of the photons is below most binding energies . These include, in particular, technically used frequencies in the area of radio waves and microwaves, as well as most of the visible light.
The effects on biological and highly water-containing substances are of a thermal nature; the effect of non-ionizing radiation is comparable to that of heating in a microwave oven . In the case of structures with good electrical conductivity, for example a printed circuit board , high voltages can arise between individual conductor paths at high radiation values and electronic devices can be disturbed in their function or fail. This fact must be taken into account especially with vital electronic devices such as pacemakers .
Demarcation
Photons with an energy below around 3 eV are considered non-ionizing, since these energies are lower than the typical binding energies, which are in the range from 3 eV to 7 eV. Molecules that are destroyed by radiation below 3 eV cannot exist at room temperature. They are destroyed by the thermal stimulation .
Electromagnetic waves in the frequency range below 750 THz or a wavelength of more than 400 nm are counted as non-ionizing radiation . The relationship between energy and frequency results from Planck's quantum of action .
Non-ionizing radiation includes infrared radiation in the upper range and visible light with wavelengths from 400 nm to 780 nm in the border area to ionizing radiation . Wavelengths below 400 nm, which are referred to as UV radiation , are generally counted as ionizing radiation .
Legal situation
Germany
On July 29, 2009, the German Bundestag passed the “Law on Protection from Non-Ionizing Radiation in Use on Humans” (NiSG), which first came into force on March 1, 2010 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 2433, last amended by Article 4 of the law of April 8, 2013 (Federal Law Gazette I No. 17, p. 734)). A concrete consequence of this is u. a. that since August 4, 2009, minors have been prohibited from using solariums in accordance with Section 4 NiSG. A constitutional complaint directed against this was rejected by decision of the Federal Constitutional Court of December 21, 2011, Az. 1 BvR 2007/10, pursuant to Section 93a (2 ) BVerfGG .
Austria
The Austrian regulation on the protection of employees from exposure to optical radiation covers employee protection against optical radiation in Austria and represents the Austrian implementation of EU Directive 2006/25 / EC.
References / individual evidence
- ↑ Law on protection against non-ionizing radiation when used on humans (NiSG) (PDF; 42 kB)
- ↑ Decision of the BVerfG of December 21, 2011, Az. 1 BvR 2007/10.
- ↑ Discussion of the decision by Stefan Jablonski in the Zeitschrift für das Juristische Studium (ZJS) 02/2012, 273 (PDF; 60 kB)
- ↑ On the impact of the NiSG on the healing sector, cf. Hahn, E./Sendowski, M .: The NiSG from a medical law perspective - presentation of the law and explanation of selected problem areas , Medical Law (MedR) 2011, 491–497.
