Introduction
The rapid development of mobile phones in India started around 1980s. At that time it was popularly known as first generation mobile phones that allowed transmitting sound only using analogue technology. Digital transmission i.e. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) started around 1990s. This is known as second generation (2G) mobile communication. Apart from voice transmission GSM facilitates internet accessing such as email, fax etc. For both analogue and digital mobile phones, the signal transmitted and received are in the form of waves in radio frequency (RF) and microwave parts of electromagnetic spectrum.
In the year 2000, several reports have reviewed relevant studies and summarized current knowledge about mobile phones and health. The aim of this article is to combine the available epidemiological evidence to learn whether exposure to RF and microwave radiation from mobile phones and their base station can affect health.
Communication Technologies and Radiation
GSM phones transmit around 900 MHz frequency are now-a-days replaced by UMTS phones that transmit around 2.1 GHz = 2.1 billion cycles per second. Health and behavior studies conducted on 3G (third generation) UMTS frequencies likely to be outdated 4G and 5G became widely available.
Radiation is a combination of electric and magnetic energy that travel through space at speed of light. It is also referred to as electromagnetic radiation. Basically radiation is categorized into two basic types.
(i) Ionizing radiation (IR) : This radiation is capable of causing changes in atoms or molecules in the body that can result in tissue damage such as cancer. Example of IR includes X-rays and gamma rays.
(ii) Non-ionizing radiation (NIR): This radiation doesn’t cause any changes in human body, rather it can prompt molecules to vibrate. This can raise the temperature in the body as well as other effects. Example of NIR includes ultraviolet radiation like sunlight, visible light, light bulbs, microwave energy, GSM UMTS transmission and radio frequency energy.
Radiation Effects from Mobile Phone:
The mobile phone system is just like a two-way radio system where one side is individual handset and other side is a base station. The mobile device has a radio receiver and a transmitter and that base station antenna are mounted high off the ground. Mobile phone base station emits relatively constant level of RF radiation. When you make a call the phone uses RF radiation via its antenna to talk to nearby base station. The emission of RF by cellphone at that time depends on three things:
· How long we use the phone
· How close we hold the phone to our body
· How close we are to the base station
According to World Health Organization (WHO) radiations by mobile phones and base stations can break chemical bonds or cause ionization in human body. Federal Communication Commission (FCC) also suggests cell phone users to keep a minimum of 20 cm distance between your mobile phone and your body to significantly reduce radiation effects.
Risks that can Occur:
Evidence so far suggests that mobile phones aren’t harmful still then constant use of cellphones can cause following risks.
1. Generate negative emotions: While two or more persons are talking face to face and in between that if anyone gets a call and get busy talking over phone; this creates negative feelings towards the person who has his or her device visible.
2. Negative effects on stress level: The constant ringing, vibrating alert and reminders can put cellphone user can have negative effects on stress level.
3. Increase risk of illness in your immune system: The constant touching of your cellphone can harbor germs on your handset.
4. Increase risk of chronic pain: While replaying to any message, cellphones require constant use of hands. This can cause pain and inflammation our joints in hand.
5. Increase risk of eye vision problem: Generally cellphone screens are smaller than computer or laptop screens; therefore it needs more stress and strain on your eyes while reading messages.
Precautions to be taken:
Cellphones are the integral part of our day-to-day life. Therefore different scientific reasons are there to treatas precautions while using it so that we can reduce exposes to RF radiation.
· While purchasing a cellphone check out how much radiation your phone emits by looking at its SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) which is a measure of amount of radiation absorbed by your body. SAR is defined as the power absorbed per mass of tissue, measured in watts per kilogram (W/Kg).
· Limit the number of calls you make.
· Restrict the length of your call.
· Use hand-free devices such as wired cellphone devices such as headsets or wireless ones like Bluetooth. Bluetooth and wired headsets are classified as low-power, no licensed radio frequency devices by FCC.
· If you are not using a hands-free device, put the loud speaker on and hold the phone away from your ear.
· Avoid carrying your phone in switch on mode in your pocket, on your belt or anywhere closer to your body since cellphones emit radiation.
· Use alternate side of cellphone while speaking.
· Text message instead of talking.
