A study of SAR pattern in biological tissues due to RF exposure

Abstract

Due to the frequent usage of mobile phones these days, its harmful effects on biological systems has become a rising concern. Various international organizations like International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) have set safety guidelines on portable devices to limit the harmful effects of Radio Frequency (RF) radiations. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is a quantity that has been used by researchers to evaluate these safety limits on mobile phones. Exceeding these limits, leads to detrimental effects in biological systems. This paper discusses effects of RF radiations emitted by mobile phones on human body in terms of their SAR values. The SAR values are computed on human models to evaluate their effect on various body organs. Parameters affecting SAR values like age-related differences in RF absorption in human head models, mobile antenna tilt angle with respect to head and effect of using mobile phones inside elevators have been discussed. Moreover, methods for SAR reduction to limit RF exposure have also been analyzed.