8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Whole Body / General

An Analysis Of Radiofrequency And Microwave Absorption Data With Consideration Of Thermal Safety Standards

Bioeffects Seen

Richard A. Tell · 1978

Share:

This foundational 1978 EPA analysis established thermal-based RF safety standards that remain largely unchanged despite decades of non-thermal research.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1978 EPA technical report analyzed radiofrequency and microwave absorption data to evaluate thermal safety standards for human exposure. The study examined how RF and microwave energy is absorbed by biological tissue and assessed whether existing safety guidelines adequately protect against heating effects. This represents early government recognition that RF/microwave exposure needed systematic safety evaluation.

Why This Matters

This EPA report from 1978 marks a pivotal moment when federal agencies first began systematically analyzing RF and microwave absorption data for safety purposes. The reality is that this early work focused exclusively on thermal effects - the heating of tissue - which became the foundation for our current safety standards. What this means for you is that today's exposure limits are still based on this nearly 50-year-old thermal-only approach, despite decades of research showing biological effects occur well below heating thresholds.

The science demonstrates that our bodies absorb RF and microwave energy from sources like cell phones, WiFi routers, and smart meters at levels that don't cause heating but may still trigger cellular responses. This 1978 analysis helped establish the specific absorption rate (SAR) concept that regulators still use today, yet it ignored the growing evidence of non-thermal biological effects that we now know occur at much lower exposure levels.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Richard A. Tell (1978). An Analysis Of Radiofrequency And Microwave Absorption Data With Consideration Of Thermal Safety Standards.
Show BibTeX
@article{an_analysis_of_radiofrequency_and_microwave_absorption_data_with_consideration_o_g4421,
  author = {Richard A. Tell},
  title = {An Analysis Of Radiofrequency And Microwave Absorption Data With Consideration Of Thermal Safety Standards},
  year = {1978},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

The EPA analyzed how radiofrequency and microwave energy heats biological tissue, establishing absorption rate measurements that became the foundation for current safety standards focused exclusively on preventing tissue heating rather than other biological effects.
Current RF safety limits are still based on this nearly 50-year-old thermal-only approach, despite extensive research showing biological effects occur at exposure levels well below those that cause tissue heating.
This analysis helped develop the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) concept, which measures how much RF energy tissue absorbs per kilogram. SAR limits based on thermal effects remain the primary safety standard today.
No, this analysis focused exclusively on thermal effects and tissue heating. The EPA did not consider biological responses that might occur at lower, non-heating exposure levels that research has since documented.
Today's ubiquitous wireless devices expose us to RF levels unimaginable in 1978, yet safety standards remain based on this era's thermal-only analysis rather than current understanding of biological effects.