EVALUATION OF SPECIFIC ABSORPTION RATE IN THE FAR-FIELD, NEAR-TO-FAR FIELD AND NEAR-FIELD REGIONS FOR INTEGRATIVE RADIOFREQUENCY EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

• Published in: Radiation protection dosimetry Vol. 190; no. 4; pp. 459 - 472
• Main Authors: Liorni, Ilaria, Capstick, Myles, van Wel, Luuk, Wiart, Joe, Joseph, Wout, Cardis, Elisabeth, Guxens, Mònica, Vermeulen, Roel, Thielens, Arno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 16.10.2020
• Subjects: Environmental Engineering; Environmental Sciences
• ISSN: 0144-8420; 1742-3406; 1742-3406
• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncaa127

The specific absorption rate (SAR) induced by wireless radiofrequency (RF) systems depends on different parameters. Previously, SAR was mainly assessed under conditions of a single frequency and technology and for a limited number of localized RF sources. The current and emerging mobile systems involve a wider range of usage scenarios and are frequently used simultaneously, leading to combined exposures for which almost no exposure evaluation exists. The aim and novelty of this study is to close this gap of knowledge by developing new methods to rapidly evaluate the SAR induced by RF systems in such scenarios at frequencies from 50 MHz to 5.5 GHz. To this aim, analytical methods for SAR estimation in several usage scenarios were derived through a large-scale numerical study. These include subject-specific characteristics, properties of the RF systems and provide an estimation of the SAR in the whole body, tissues and organs, and different brain regions.