Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields - Essay Example

The exposure of a person to a mobile phone is usually measured in terms of Specific Absorption Rate. Mobile phones use radio frequency signals whose exposures to body issues have adverse health effects. Even though the exposures to these signals from phones are low and within EU limits, they could have long term effects on humans. The RF fields normally penetrate the tissues of the body to varying depths depending on their frequency. When energy from RF is absorbed into the body, it is changed into heat which is then carried away by body tissues.

It is this heat that has health effects. Recent research has shown that the exposure of RF to body tissues do not cause cancerous infections because of their low levels. Issues that raise concerns over the safety of mobile phones on health are whether continued exposure to these signals could cause infectious diseases. Mobile phones have not been embraced for a period long enough to ascertain their long term effects. For this reason, it is still unclear the extent of long term use of these forms of technology in relation to the occurrence of the disease acoustic neuroma.

(Burgess 188)On the other hand, those who live around power lines are at risk of contracting cancerous infections though the probability is extremely low. These lines provide Extremely Low-Frequency fields. Recent research conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer there is a possibility that these magnetic fields are a human carcinogen. However, it was stated categorically that this is not a direct insinuation that the magnetic fields are actually carcinogenic but was classified as a possibility.

(McCall 120)