MOBILE-PHONE RADIOFREQUENCY EXPOSURE: UNDERSTANDING SPECIFIC ABSORPTION RATE (SAR), HEALTH EVIDENCE AND PRACTICAL RISK REDUCTION

Radiation is integral to modern medicine, communication, industry, and pharmaceutical processing, yet public discussion often fails to distinguish ionizing radiation from non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. Mobile phones emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF), a form of non-ionizing radiation used for wireless communication. This review article critically reviews radiation types and beneficial applications, with emphasis on mobile-phone RF exposure, specific absorption rate (SAR), health implications, and practical exposure-reduction strategies. SAR, expressed as watts per kilogram (W/kg), quantifies the rate of RF-energy absorption by biological tissue under defined conditions. In India, mobile handsets are required to comply with a localized SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 g of tissue, and the handset’s worst-case SAR can generally be accessed through the *#07# regulatory display or manufacturer documentation. Certified SAR is a compliance-test value rather than a direct measure of a user’s everyday dose, because actual emissions vary with signal quality, network technology, data transfer, phone position, distance, and duration of use. Recent systematic reviews of human evidence are broadly reassuring for the most studied cancers, acute symptoms, and short-term cognitive performance, whereas evidence for male fertility and several less-studied outcomes remains uncertain. Selected animal studies have reported tumour signals, but their relevance to typical human exposure is unresolved. Sensible precautionary measures, especially increasing distance, using speaker mode or headsets, shortening unnecessary calls, and avoiding prolonged calls under weak signal conditions, can reduce exposure without compromising the benefits of mobile communication. Continued research using real-world dosimetry and modern 4G/5G exposure patterns remains warranted.