MONITORING OF RADIOFREQUENCY RADIATION FROM SELECTED MOBILE TELEPHONES IN KENYA

Abstract

The intensity of radiation around various GSM phone models has been measured using broadband radiofrequency meter and spectrum analyzer and the results assessed based upon the established international safety standards on non-ionizing radiation. The results obtained in this study have shown the presence of radiation levels from all the selected mobile phone models, ranging from 0.01134 to 0.4671 mWcm-2 with the highest from Nokia Series (China) N95 and lowest from Nokia 1110. These radiation levels are within the recommended exposure limits. It has further been established that high radiation intensities from a transmitting handset appear between the dial and reception of a call. The use of different anti-radiation filters in abating mobile phone radiation has also been found effective, but with different degrees of efficiencies of which none meets the 99% efficiency asserted by the respective manufacturers. It has also been established that the radiation levels from a mobile phone are affected by the physical condition of the body. The International Mobile Equipment Identifiers (IMEIs) of the handsets under-study were also assessed for compliance to established standards.