Radiation from popular
cellular phones
The cellular phone
has to emit radiofrequency energy at levels high enough to
reach base stations (antenna towers) tens of kilometers away.
Since the energy is emitted as a microwave in the direct
vicinity of the users head there are concerns about the safety
of this technology.
There are reports from cell studies as well as animal studies
that are most worrying. Among other effects the double DNA
breakage is among the fundamental och disturbing findings.
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This may indicate that there may be a significant risk of developing
cancer tumours, foremost brain tumours in the user of cellular (mobile)
phones.
The design of the cellular phones casing, electronic and foremost
the antenna construction gives widely different near and far fields
around the phone. It is at present time not completely clear what
parameters of the field gives biological effects, however as an
intermediate cautionary step one can use the simple measure of absorbed
radiated energy into the tissue of the head. This is given as a
SAR - Specific Absorption Ratio and is measured in watts per kilogram.
This may not be a true measure of the biological hazard from the
phone but may be used as an indication of the energy recieved into
the head. See it as prudent avoidance.
Niels Kuster, a radiation expert at the Swiss Federal Institute
of Technology, has developed a new measurement technique to measure
cell-phone EMR towards the user's head. He measured 16 popular cell
phone models, and published the results in the Swiss Consumer Report
magazine. The table below was initiated based upon data from his
study:
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Manufacturer
Motorola
Nokia
Hagenuk
Motorola
Motorola
Mitsubishi
Motorola
Sony
Ericsson
Sony
Ericsson
Nokia
Motorola
Siemens
Nokia
Audiovox
Ericsson
Motorola
Nokia
Ericsson
Sony
Ericsson
Ericsson
Trium
Motorola
Panasonic
Ericsson
Audiovox
Panasonic
Audiovox
Motorola
Sharp
Philips
Nokia
Philips
Philips
Bosch
Nokia
Sanyo
Trium
Motorola
Nokia
Ascom
Motorola
Motorola
Philips
Nokia
Samsung
LG
Mitsubishi
Audiovox
Bosch
Ericsson
Ascom
Denso
Siemens
Nokia
Qualcomm
Ericsson
Motorola
Denso
Sanyo
Neopoint
Samsung
Sanyo
Nokia
Sony
Ericsson
Ericsson
Philips
Qualcomm
Nokia
Nokia
Sanyo
Audivox
Nokia
Mitsubishi
Samsung
Ericsson
Motorola
Philips
Ericsson
Motorola
Bosch
Philips |
Model
Star Tac 130
Nokia 8810
Global
StarTac
i1000plus
Trium Galaxy G-130
Star Tac 130 (fixed antenna)
CM-DX 1000
SH888
CMD-C1
I8888 World
6150
CD 930
C25
8110i
HGP2000E
S828
d160
6110
A1018s
CMD-Z1
SH888
GF788
Galaxy
cd 930
EB-G520
GH688
PCX-1000XL
EB G500
CDM 4000
GSM 1900
TQ G700
Genie
1611
Diga
Savy
GSM 909
3210
SCP-400
Galaxy (fixed antenna)
cd 920
3110
Axento
Startac (TDMA)
I500
Genie 1800
6161
SCH6100
Info & Com
T250
9000
M-Com 906
DH-668
Elisto
TP 2200
C25
7160
QCP-2760
A1228D
Startac dualmode
Touchpoint
SCP-310
NP-1000
SCH3500
SCP-4500
8860
CMB-1200,2200,3200
T18
R280
Genie 1800 (fixed antenna)
1960
6162
6185
SCP4000
3300
5160
T200
SCH8500
LX-588
SC-3160
Genie 900
KF788
v3688
GSM908
Genie 900 (fixed antenna) |
SAR (W/kg)
0.10
0.22
0.28
0.33
0.35
0.37
0.38
0.41
0.42
0.55
0.60
0.69
0.70
0.72
0.73
0.75
0.77
0.81
0.87
0.88
0.88
0.90
0.91
0.93
0.94
0.95
0.95
0.98
0.98
1.00
1.00
1.01
1.05
1.06
1.06
1.11
1.13
1.14
1.16
1.16
1.17
1.24
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.27
1.29
1.29
1.30
1.32
1.32
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.37
1.38
1.38
1.38
1.39
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.41
1.41
1.42
1.42
1.44
1.45
1.45
1.47
1.49
1.51
1.52
1.52
1.56
1.58
1.59
2.67
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SAR is given as Cenelec value for average EMR exposure of user's
head, measured in Watt per kg of user's body weight. (A low number
means less radiated energy into the users head).
The fact that Ericsson SH888 is given two different SAR values
reflects the uncertainty how SAR should be measured. The same radiation
will give different SAR values depending on calculation or measurement
method, whether the ear is a lossy one or just a distancer, and
if the SAR is calculated over 1 g, 10 g or 1 kg of tissue (and also
the shape that region is given, eg. a cube).
Note that Star Tac exists in various models, some have low SAR
and some don´t. Also note that despite the low SAR for Star
Tac many people complain of headaches or other sympthoms when using
those (just another indication that SAR may NOT be the best way
of describing health effects from cellular phones).
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