Mobile radiation: Phones with low and high SAR

Get Ahead reader Rohit Sane lists out mobile phones with low and high specific absorption rate (SAR) values in response to our reader invite (bleow) and also offers tips on how you can protect yourself from radiations. Usually, phones with low SAR are considered good to use as they emit less radiations compared to phones with high SAR values.

Rohit studies information technology at Atharva Institute of Information Technology and runs his own web site www.techfreakstuff.com.

Life without mobile phones is not very happening. Mobiles have become a necessity! But, in spite of all that, a recent study by the World health Organisation suggests that mobile phones can be injurious to the health of the person using it.

There has been research that has concluded that the radiations from cell phones can possibly be carcinogenic, while some others prove that they are not carcinogenic at all. Some prove that heavy usage of mobile phones can lead to brain tumours while some assert that they affect (reduce) the sperm count in males.

To make a point, all the reports prove that mobile phone usage affect the human tissues for sure! Now the magnitude of the effect may be different in different cases as per the usage.

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Mobile phones use electromagnetic tadiation (radio frequency (RF) waves) to make and receive calls and data. These radiations can he harmful to our body if it is exposed to it in large amounts.

Even in small amounts, these radiations are absorbed by human body which is the main cause of concern amongst researchers. The rate of radiation absorbed by the body when exposed to radiation is determined by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). It is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg).

The higher the SAR value, more is the radiation absorbed in the body.

According to rules, highest level of SAR is allowed in Europe, which is 2 W/kg.

In USA, Canada, India and most of the other countries, the permitted value of SAR is 1.6 W/kg. Mobile phones having SAR values above these are legally not allowed on sale in these countries.

Phones with low SAR:

LG Optimus 2X

SAR value: 0.545

Samsung Nexus S

SAR value: 0.58

Huawei Ideos X5

SAR value: 0.34

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

SAR value: 0.66

LG Quantum

SAR value: 0.35

Nokia E5

SAR value: 0.88

Samsung I9000 Galaxy S

SAR value: 0.24

HTC Desire S

SAR value: 0.35

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

SAR value: 0.36

Samsung Infuse 4G

SAR value: 0.2

Mobile phones with relatively high SAR values but still within the range acceptable in US, Canada and India:

Motorola Droid 2 Global

SAR value: 1.58

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro

SAR value: 1.55

Motorola Defy

SAR value: 1.52

HTC Desire

SAR value: 1.48

Motorola Droid X

SAR value: 1.43

Nokia C5

SAR value: 1.34

Nokia E72

SAR value: 1.31

BlackBerry Bold 9700

SAR value: 1.36

Motorola Atrix 4G

SAR value: 1.47

iPhone 4 and Nokia N8 rank in the middle of this SAR scale with 1.17 and 1.02 W/kg respectively.

It has been proved that keeping the phone very close to the body affects the tissues near it. So it is recommended that one keep the phone at a distance when not in use.

Also, use the loudspeaker option when you don't need to talk anything private. Always keeping the phone near your ears may cause problems for the ears as well as your brain.

If you plan to have long calls, then use the headset, as it reduces the radiation reaching your ears and brains by a considerable amount.