The effect of increase in dielectric values on specific absorption rate (SAR) in eye and head tissues following 900, 1800 and 2450 MHz radio frequency (RF) exposure.
Keshvari J, Keshvari R, Lang S. · 2006
View Original AbstractChildren's higher tissue water content increases RF absorption by only 5% on average, but other developmental factors may create greater vulnerability.
Plain English Summary
Researchers used computer modeling to examine how radiofrequency energy from cell phones is absorbed by children's heads compared to adults, accounting for the fact that children's tissues have higher water content. They tested common cell phone frequencies (900, 1800, and 2450 MHz) and found that even when tissue water content was increased by 5-20% to simulate children's physiology, energy absorption (SAR) varied by only about 5% on average. The study suggests that tissue composition differences between children and adults may have less impact on RF absorption than previously thought.
Why This Matters
This Nokia-funded study addresses a critical question in EMF safety: whether children absorb more radiofrequency energy than adults due to their different tissue composition. The research is technically sound but comes with important caveats. While the authors found relatively modest changes in SAR when accounting for children's higher water content, this doesn't address other factors that make children more vulnerable to RF exposure, including their thinner skulls, developing nervous systems, and longer lifetime exposure. The science demonstrates that children face unique risks from wireless radiation that extend far beyond simple absorption rates. What this means for you is that SAR measurements, while useful, don't tell the complete story about children's EMF vulnerability. The reality is that multiple independent studies continue to show children may be at greater risk, making precautionary measures for young wireless device users particularly important.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900, 1800 and 2450 MHz
Study Details
The objective of this study was to investigate possible variation in specific absorption rate (SAR) in the head region of children and adults by applying the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and using anatomically correct child and adult head models.
In the calculations, the conductivity and permittivity of all tissues were increased from 5 to 20% b...
The analyses suggest that increasing the value of dielectric parameters does not necessarily mean th...
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2006_the_effect_of_increase_2276,
author = {Keshvari J and Keshvari R and Lang S.},
title = {The effect of increase in dielectric values on specific absorption rate (SAR) in eye and head tissues following 900, 1800 and 2450 MHz radio frequency (RF) exposure.},
year = {2006},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16510956/},
}