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SAR / Device Absorption

Between-country comparison of whole-body SAR from personal exposure data in urban areas.

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Joseph W, Frei P, Röösli M, Vermeeren G, Bolte J, Thuróczy G, Gajšek P, Trček T, Mohler E, Juhász P, Finta V, Martens L. · 2012

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Children absorb up to 65% more electromagnetic energy than adults from the same environmental sources, revealing age-related vulnerabilities not reflected in current safety standards.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers measured how much radiofrequency energy people absorb from TV and radio signals in five European countries. One-year-old children absorbed nearly twice as much energy as adults from the same environmental exposures, revealing important age-related differences in electromagnetic energy absorption.

Why This Matters

This research provides crucial real-world data on how much electromagnetic energy our bodies actually absorb from the wireless infrastructure surrounding us daily. The finding that children absorb 65% more energy than adults from TV and radio signals highlights a critical gap in current safety standards, which don't adequately account for age-related differences in electromagnetic absorption. What makes this study particularly valuable is its focus on ambient environmental exposure rather than direct device use. The science demonstrates that our bodies are constantly absorbing electromagnetic energy from broadcast towers, WiFi networks, and other infrastructure, with children's smaller bodies acting like more efficient antennas for certain frequencies. While the measured levels fell below current guidelines, these guidelines were established decades ago and don't reflect the cumulative nature of constant low-level exposure or the heightened vulnerability of developing bodies.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.0000034, 0.0000018, 0.08 W/kg

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.0000034, 0.0000018, 0.08 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 888,889x higher than this level

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Between-country comparison of whole-body SAR from personal exposure data in urban areas.

In five countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Netherlands), personal radio fre...

All mean absorptions (maximal total absorption of 3.4 µW/kg for the child and 1.8 µW/kg for the adul...

Cite This Study
Joseph W, Frei P, Röösli M, Vermeeren G, Bolte J, Thuróczy G, Gajšek P, Trček T, Mohler E, Juhász P, Finta V, Martens L. (2012). Between-country comparison of whole-body SAR from personal exposure data in urban areas. Bioelectromagnetics. 33(8):682-694, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{w_2012_betweencountry_comparison_of_wholebody_1055,
  author = {Joseph W and Frei P and Röösli M and Vermeeren G and Bolte J and Thuróczy G and Gajšek P and Trček T and Mohler E and Juhász P and Finta V and Martens L.},
  title = {Between-country comparison of whole-body SAR from personal exposure data in urban areas.},
  year = {2012},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22674152/},
}
PubMed: 22674152

Cited By (32 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, children absorb significantly more electromagnetic radiation than adults from the same environmental sources. A 2012 European study found one-year-old children absorbed nearly twice as much radiofrequency energy as adults when exposed to identical TV and radio signals in urban areas.
TV signals cause higher absorption rates in young children compared to adults, but measured levels remain well below safety limits. Research shows children absorb up to 65% more energy from television broadcasts than from higher frequency signals due to their smaller body size.
Yes, babies and young children absorb radiofrequency energy at much higher rates than adults. A multi-country study found one-year-olds absorbed 3.4 microwatts per kilogram compared to 1.8 microwatts per kilogram in adults from identical environmental RF exposures.
Children's whole-body SAR (specific absorption rate) reaches 3.4 microwatts per kilogram from environmental radio signals, nearly double the 1.8 microwatts per kilogram measured in adults. These levels remain thousands of times below international safety limits of 80,000 microwatts per kilogram.
Smaller body size increases radiation absorption rates, particularly at lower frequencies. Research demonstrates that one-year-old children absorb significantly more energy from TV and radio broadcasts than adults due to body size-dependent absorption characteristics at these frequencies.