Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Ghana remains one of the countries in the world with high cellular
communication subscription. The public is becoming more concerned about
any potential Radiofrequency (RF) health hazards that may exist. However,
very little studies have been conducted in Ghana on RF exposure from mobile
phones. This work researched on the influencing factors that affect GSM
mobile phone SAR. It concentrated on how distance of phone from the head,
phone position, phone orientation and transmission channel affect the Specific
Absorption Rate (SAR) of regulatory approved and unapproved Global
System for Mobile Communication (GSM) mobile phones. Even though the
approved phone recorded statistically significant higher SAR values relative to
the unapproved phone, its SAR values were more regular and predictable
compared to the unapproved phone. SAR values were below the ICNIRP and
FCC basic restrictions with the highest SAR being 25 % of the limit. SAR
values of high earn phones agreed with that of the unapproved phone but
rather lower than the approved phone. The study shows that, moving the
phone just 1 cm from the head reduces the 10 g SAR of the approved phone by
53 % whiles interestingly increasing that of the unapproved phone by 71 %. A
one-phase exponential model and an exponential decay model were derived to
predict SAR as a function of phone distance from head. A SAR calculator
application has been developed, providing mobile phone users with an
alternative, inexpensive, and easy way to estimate their RF exposure. The
work adds to base line data for regulators and government agencies to inform
policy. It also complements relevant scientific knowledge expanding the data
frontiers on mobile phone RF exposure.
