Umudike Journal of Engineering and Technology

This paper investigates the interaction between electromagnetic (EM) radiations from telecom infrastructures and the human body, focusing on emissions from Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) base stations, as well as commercial Frequency Modulation (FM) and Television (TV) stations. The study utilizes Maxwell's equations to derive a formula describing how these waves propagate in human skin, examining wave penetration depth, specific absorption rate (SAR), and safety assessments based on body mass indices. Measurements of radiated electric field intensities were conducted using an SMP2 meter (EM field meter) across various sources. The results indicate that GSM RF radiation is considered safe and does not pose significant risks to human tissue, with SAR values remaining well below the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) USA safety limit of 1.6 W/kg. The findings also show that penetration percentage decreases with frequency; while waves can penetrate the epidermis, they are absorbed by the underlying dermis. The absorbed energy is converted into heat, which is ultimately used to calculate SAR.