Setup and dosimetry for exposure of human skin in vivo to RF‐EMF at 900 MHz

Abstract

The aim of this study was a dosimetrical analysis of an experimental setup used in the exposure of 10 female volunteers to GSM 900 radiation. The exposure was carried out by irradiating a small region of the right forearms of the volunteers for 1 h, after which biopsies were taken from the exposed skin for protein analysis. The source of irradiation was a half-wave dipole fed with a computer controlled GSM phone. The specific absorption rate (SAR) induced in the skin biopsy was assessed by computer simulations. The numerical model of the arm consisted of a muscle tissue simulating cylinder covered with thin skin (1 mm) and fat (3 mm) layers. The simulation models were validated by measurements with a homogeneous cylindrical liquid phantom. The average SAR value in the biopsy was 1.3 W/kg and the estimated uncertainty +/-20% (K = 2). The main source of error was found to be variations in the distance of the forearm from the dipole (10 +/- 1 mm). Other significant sources of uncertainty are individual variations of the fat layer and arm thicknesses, and the uncertainty of radio frequency (RF) power measurement.

The direct use of mobile phone and the occurrence of chondrodermatitis nodularis in the antihelix: An exemplificative case

“…In addition to mechanical pressure (or friction) on the skin, the bilateral onset of two CNHs might also have been enhanced by repeated heating of the antihelix induced by microwaves (900–1800 MHz) produced by the mobile phone. [ 9 10 ] Furthermore, the patient was using a normal (soft) pillow and was not wearing hats, helmets, or headphones or other devices potentially causing friction in the auricle region.…”

Mobile phone radiation might alter protein expression in human skin

“…Ethical permit to perform this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Department of Surgery of Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Finland. A small skin area of a forearm of 10 of same sex (female) volunteers (age 27 – 65 years; mean 51 years) were irradiated for 1 hour with 900 MHz GSM signal at specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.3 W/kg, using specially designed exposure setup [ 8 ]. The mobile phone safety limit SAR is 2.0 W/kg, as recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).…”

“…Volunteers were exposed to 900 MHz GSM mobile phone radiation in an experimental setup described in detail elsewhere [ 8 ]. The source of irradiation was a half-wave dipole fed with a computer controlled GSM phone.…”