New Study Finds That Children Really Do Absorb More Radiation

A new Brazilian study has found that children absorb more radiation at widely used mobile phone frequencies (tested were 850 MHz and 1850 MHz). Using realistic models of the head, it was found that the SAR of a phone are typically more than 60% higher than reported when being used by a 10 year old.

This of course means that phones with SAR values close to guideline limits will be exposing these limits if used by a young child, which has interesting legal implications.

Electromagn Biol Med. 2006;25(4):349-60.

Electromagnetic absorption in the head of adults and children due to mobile phone operation close to the head.

de Salles AA, Bulla G, Rodriguez CE.

Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brasil. aasalles@ufrgs.br

The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) produced by mobile phones in the head of adults and children is simulated using an algorithm based on the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. Realistic models of the child and adult head are used. The electromagnetic parameters are fitted to these models. Comparison also are made with the SAR calculated in the children model when using adult human electromagnetic parameters values. Microstrip (or patch) antennas and quarter wavelength monopole antennas are used in the simulations. The frequencies used to feed the antennas are 1850 MHz and 850 MHz. The SAR results are compared with the available international recommendations. It is shown that under similar conditions, the 1g-SAR calculated for children is higher than that for the adults. When using the 10-year old child model, SAR values higher than 60% than those for adults are obtained.

PMID: 17178592 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

We also recommend a multi-layer approach, put additional protection on all your phones Read More