Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

Specific absorption rate is the measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to a radio frequency (RF) in electromagnetic field. The term is not restricted to the absorption of Electromagnetic Feild (EMF) and can be used in terms of absorption of other forms of energy by tissue, including ultrasound. In short SAR is the power absorbed per mass of tissue and its unit is Watts per kilogram (W/kg).

• An Inter-ministerial committee was set up by the government under Ministry of Communications & Information Technology to examine the effect of EMF Radiation from base stations and mobile phones on human health and environment and to suggest safety limits for exposure to radio frequency energy produced by mobile hand-sets i.e. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) levels of exposure from a mobile hand-set and disclosure of information for the hand-sets.
  
• The committee has suggested SAR limit for mobile handsets of 1.6 watt/kg averaged over a 6 minutes period and taken over a volume containing a mass of 1 gram of human tissue.
  

In the current context, with the boom in communication technology and expanse of mobile network the exposure of humans to the EM field has increased drastically. Quite a number of law suits and writ petitions have been filed by individuals / groups alleging health effect of radiation.