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Dielectric Properties of Biological Substances — Tabulated

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M.A. Stuchly, S.S. Stuchly · 1980

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This 1980 study provided essential data showing how electromagnetic fields penetrate biological tissues across all common exposure frequencies.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1980 reference study compiled dielectric properties (how materials interact with electromagnetic fields) for biological tissues across frequencies from 10 kHz to 10 GHz. The research created comprehensive tables showing how different body tissues absorb and conduct electromagnetic energy. This foundational data helps scientists understand how EMF penetrates and affects living tissue.

Why This Matters

While this appears to be purely technical reference material, Stuchly's dielectric property tables represent crucial foundational science for understanding EMF health effects. The dielectric constant and loss factor data tell us exactly how electromagnetic energy penetrates different tissues - information that's essential for calculating specific absorption rates (SAR) and predicting biological effects. What makes this particularly significant is the frequency range: 10 kHz to 10 GHz covers everything from power lines to early cell phones to microwave ovens. This means the data spans the entire spectrum of everyday EMF exposures we face today. The reality is that without accurate dielectric properties, we can't properly model how EMF interacts with the human body, making studies like this the invisible foundation underlying decades of EMF health research.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
M.A. Stuchly, S.S. Stuchly (1980). Dielectric Properties of Biological Substances — Tabulated.
Show BibTeX
@article{dielectric_properties_of_biological_substances_tabulated_g6403,
  author = {M.A. Stuchly and S.S. Stuchly},
  title = {Dielectric Properties of Biological Substances — Tabulated},
  year = {1980},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Dielectric properties measure how biological materials interact with electromagnetic fields - specifically how they conduct, absorb, and store electromagnetic energy. These properties determine how deeply EMF penetrates into body tissues and organs.
This frequency range covers virtually all common EMF exposures: power lines (60 Hz), AM/FM radio, cell phones, WiFi, and microwave ovens. Understanding tissue properties across this spectrum is essential for predicting health effects.
Tissue phantom materials are synthetic substances designed to mimic the dielectric properties of real human tissues. Researchers use them to safely test EMF absorption and heating effects without using actual biological samples.
Higher dielectric constants mean tissues absorb more electromagnetic energy, while loss factors determine how much gets converted to heat. Different tissues have vastly different properties, affecting where EMF concentrates in the body.
This comprehensive tabulation provided the first systematic database of how electromagnetic fields interact with biological tissues. It became the foundation for calculating SAR values and modeling EMF exposure effects in humans.