Bio-Dosimetric Relationalship of Mobile
Phone frequency Exposure and the
Safety Criteria
Jitendra Behari
School of Environmental Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology Safety
and Management
Amity University, Noida (U.P).
Introduction To
Electromagnetic Radiation
 Electromagnetic
radiation
is
all
around us. We are being bombarded
with unseen waves of electric and
magnetic charges that may be
physically harmful to our bodies.
 Waves of energy propagated through
space as a result of electric charges.
These charges are emitted from
devices that produce, transmit, or
use electric power.
 Mobile phones operate at a variety of
frequencies between about 800 and
2200 MHz.
 Mobile Phones base station antennas
emit EMR in the range 1800 – 2000
MHz
 Computer monitors emit a broad
range of EMR from 30 Hz up to 300
KHz.
Problems in Dosimetry
To analyze the possible range of variations of the induced field
strengths in the various tissues requires an extensive effort, since
the local field strengths strongly depend on a large number of
parameters, such as:
Ratio of length of the body to the wavelength (L/λ)
Operational frequency and antenna input power
Position of the device with respect to the head/body
Design of the device
The outer shape of the head
The distribution of the different tissues within the head and
The location of the body with respect to the surroundings
The electric properties of the tissues.
The last four factors are different for various individuals and
can even change with time.
The induced field data are used for computation
of SAR is carried out using the expression:
SAR = σ *E2/ρ-------(1)
σ = Conductivity (S/m)
E = Induced field (V/M)
ρ= Density of the material (Kg/m3)
SAR can be related to increase in temperature
SAR= c* ∆T/∆t-------(2)
∆T= Change in temperature (°C)
∆t= Duration of exposure (S)
c= Specific heat capacity ( J/Kg°C)
σ
2
*E /ρ
≠ c* ∆T/∆t
SAR is also dependent upon if the wave
type, that is, square, sine or triangular.
The power of the square is larger than
the other two.
The local SAR refers to the value
within a defined unit volume or unit
mass, which can be arbitrarily chosen.
Measurement of field distribution:
Experimental set up
Anechoic
chamber
Rat
restrainer
Rat cage
Calibration methodology of power emitted from mobile
phone during exposure in animal exposure box
Figure 1. (A) sketch diagram of anechoic chamber with animal cage indicating individual
animal’s position. (B) Exposure chamber indicating microwave oven connected with
probe and releasing power through horn antenna (1369.8 cm). (C) An internal image of
exposure chamber at the side of horn antenna. The internal area of chamber is lined with
absorbing material.
Exposure set up of 3G mobile phone in
Perspex box made of Plexiglass
0→ Reference point
0→ 1 = 25mm
0→2 = 50 mm
0→3 = 75 mm
0→4 = 100 mm
0→5 = 125 mm
0→6 = 150 mm
Fiber Optic
Probe
Temperature
Logger
(Fotemp1)
c
Reference
point(0)
1
2
3
4
5
d
6
b
e
a
Nokia Mobile Phone 2730
Glass Wool
Box
M
O
T
O
R
Angular Probe
Posi
Mo
b
Angle (0° to 20 ° )
c
1
Ref(0)
d
2
3
4 5
6
b
e
a
Monopole
Probe
SPECTRUM
ANALYZER
Model- N9912A
1- Monopole Probe 1718 MHz
2- Mobile Phone (Nokia 2730
Classic)
3- Angular Probe Positioner
4- Spectrum Analyzer Agilent
N9912A
5- R.F Cable (Low loss)
6- Small Size Rodent Box
a = 120 mm
b= 45 mm
c= 25 mm
d= 20 mm
e= 25 mm
f= 50 mm
0→ Reference point
0→ 1 = 25mm
0→2 = 50 mm
0→3 = 75 mm
0→4 = 100 mm
0→5 = 125 mm
0→6 = 150 mm
SAR in 10 gm phantom
Animal Size Box
10 gm box
SAR in brain phantom contained in a
Perspex box at various mobile phone
locations
0.25
SAR (w/kg)
0.2
0.15
Angle of Mobile (0°)
Angle of Mobile (0° - 10° )
0.1
Angle of Mobile (0° - 20° )
0.05
0
25mm
50mm
75mm
100mm
Horizontal Distance(mm)
125mm
150mm
SAR Measurement (induced field )in
Brain Phantom Contained in a box
SAR Measurement in 10 gm Brain
Phantom
0.8
2.5
2.25
0.6
2
0.5
1.75
1.5
0.4
SAR (w/Kg)
0.3
SAR (w/kg)
SAR (w/kg)
0.7
1.25
SAR (w/Kg)
1
0.2
0.75
0.1
0.5
0.25
0
0
5
10 15 20 25 30
Exposure time (Minute)
0
0
10
20
Time(Minutes)
30
40
Exposure Procedure









Frequency – 10 GHz/2-35 GHz
Exposure time – 2 hours/day
Duration – 45 days
Animal age – 70 days old
Animal sex – male rats
Animal weight - 190 ± 10 grams
Group – exposed and sham exposed
Power density - 0.21mW/cm2
SAR - 0.014W/kg
RESULTS
Comparative analysis of animal
weight
Significant decrease (P < 0.006)
Flow Cytometry analysis of mobile phone
exposed and sham exposed Sperm Cells
70
Sperm Conc. (2x106)
60
Control
50
Exposed
40
*
30
20
*
10
0
Sperm count
1 Apoptosis
Significant decrease in exposed group, (p<0.02)
RF/Cell Phone Effect: GPx, SOD, CAT Activity
in Brain
GPx,
SOD,
CAT
Control Exposed Control Exposed Control Exposed
Mean 
SD
P value
(1 way
ANOVA)
15.82
 2.86
11.66
 0.77
P=0.0003
275.56
32.22
225.48
23.27
P=0.0008
GPx, SOD  in exposed rats, while CAT 
8.37
0.32
12.12
0.75
P=0.0002
Comparative study of Micronuclei
and Histone Kinase
Micronuclei
(PCE/NCE)
Histone kinase (H1)
Control
(Mean±SD)
(1.36 ± 0.07)
(5374.91 ± 1366.91 p32counts/mg
protein)
Exposed
(Mean±SD)
(0.67 ± 0.15)
(3659.08 ± 1399.40 p32counts/mg
protein)
P Value
(Student t-test)
(P < 0.002)
(P = 0.006)
Comparative statistical analysis of mobile phone exposure effect on
micronuclei formation in peripheral blood and histone kinase activity in rat
sperm showing significant changes in the exposed group as compared to
the sham-exposed group (P<0.05)
Caspase-3 activity
Apoptosis
7
40
*
35
6
Testosterone (ng/ml)
Caspase Activity (µmol pN A/min/ml)
Testosterone
Activity
30
25
20
15
10
5
4
3
2
5
1
0
0
Sham Exposed Exposed
*
Sham Exposed Exposed
Antioxidant activity: Glutathione
Peroxidase and Catalase
Significant change in GPx and CAT (P < 0.05)
Antioxidant activity: Superoxide
dismutase
Significant decrease (P < 0.05)
Reactive Oxygen Species
Significant increase (P < 0.05
Melatonin activity in pineal gland
Significant decrease in exposed group (P < 0.05)
Creatine kinase activity
Significant increase in exposed group (P < 0.05)
Caspase-3 activity: Apoptosis
Significant increase in exposed group (P < 0.05)
Sperm Protein Kinase C
*
Significant decline (P < 0.05)
Sperm counts from male Wistar rats
exposed to mobile phone radiation
Significant set at P<0.005
Significant set at P<0.05
The effects of mobile phone on
the MDA production in sperm
Significantly different form the
control (P < 0.05).
Significance set at p < 0.05.
It can be concluded that there are various indicators of
tumour promotion, due to electromagnetic field exposure ,but
not limited to the following and can be summarised thus:
1.Increase in ODC and PKC activity.
2.Increase in Ca2+ efflux.
3.Altered anti oxidant enzyme activity(GX,GSH,Catalase)
4.DNA strand break (single and double)
5.Na+/k+ Phosphatase activity
6.Decreased melatonin levels
7.Histone kinase activity
Cancer promotion (Stress Development/RF/MW
Syndorme)/Effecting reproduction parameters
EMF
50GHz
Free Radical Formation
Reactive oxygen
species
(O2-, H2O2, OH-)
Gene activation/inactivation
(free-radicals play active role in gene activation)
Stress
Antioxidant Enzyme
Histone Kinase
Apoptosis
GPx
SOD
CAT
Cell Cycle Estimation
G2-M phase
Spermatogenesis
Infertility
G0-G1 Phase
S Phase
Effect of ELF-EMF: Signal transduction
Plasma
membra
ne
Nucleu
s,
DNA
Cell
membran
e
Biochemic
al
messenger
Signal
transduction
& amplification
Enzymes,
Genes,
Proteins
Co-operativism +
Non linearity +
Non-equilibrium thermodynamic behavior
Amplifying effect of ELF-EMF
Transmembrane coupling of signal to cytoplasm
(By soliton waves?)
DNA chain bending
B
F
I
I
F
After
time
I
I
 A direct result of equation (7) is the relationship between
flowing charge (current), magnetic field, and induced force
shown in equation (8) below
F  Iflow
 dl is
B
 Direction of current
opposite in(8)
2 wires, applied MF
causes repulsion
 If DNA helix is considered 2 “wires” carrying charge
through electron transport in opposing directions MF
 may
exposure
bend chain in some instances
Radio Frequency Radiation
Brain cells
Neurons
Bone
Osteoblast
Positive effect
Single strand DNA break
Double strand DNA break
Fracture
healing
Ostoep
orosis
Control
Control
Health hazard ?
Tumor promoter ?
Mobile phone radiation effect: Head
Typical diagram of antenna system for
measurement of emissions from mobile
towers
SUMMARY OF EMF MECHANISMS
 Chronic exposure to EMF creates free
radicals which damage DNA, etc.
 EMF depress melatonin synthesis and
deprive the body fluids of needed antioxidative status.
 EMF interfere with evolutionarily
developed vital life processes (heart
beat, brain signals, wound healing etc)
Thank You