6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Cellular EffectsPart of the Glaser Archive

Effect of pulsed microwaves at X-band on skin metabolism

Bioeffects Seen

J. C. Lawrence · 1969

Share:

Pulsed 9.6 GHz microwave radiation at 6,000 mJ/cm² reduced guinea-pig skin respiration by 50%.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1969 study exposed animal skin to pulsed 9.6 GHz microwave radiation and found that 6,000 mJ/cm² reduced the skin's cellular breathing (respiratory activity) by 50%. Researchers also examined how this pulsed microwave energy affected the biosynthesis of intercellular materials and specific cell components.

Why This Matters

This early research reports that pulsed microwave radiation reduced the respiratory activity of guinea-pig skin in a dose-dependent way, with 6,000 mJ/cm² cutting skin respiration by half. The exposure used pulses with a 1000:1 peak-to-mean power ratio. Compared with an earlier continuous-source study (median effective dose 4.75 J/cm²), pulsed exposure was not more damaging, and the difference between the two was not statistically significant. The study found no specific effect of pulsed microwaves on the biosynthesis of the skin components it examined.

Figures from the Original Paper

Diagrams extracted from the original research document.

diagramPage 2 - Schematic diagram of microwave apparatus (Fig. 1)
p. 2 of the original PDF
graphPage 3 - Figure 4: Effect of pulsed microwaves at X-Band on the respiration of guinea-pig skin. Specimens were irradiated at time indicated by the arrow at the following energy levels:
p. 3 of the original PDF
graphPage 4 - Fig. 5 Dose-response relationship for effect of pulsed microwaves on guinea-pig skin respiration
p. 4 of the original PDF
Cite This Study
J. C. Lawrence (1969). Effect of pulsed microwaves at X-band on skin metabolism.
Show BibTeX
@article{effect_of_pulsed_microwaves_at_x_band_on_skin_metabolism_g4195,
  author = {J. C. Lawrence},
  title = {Effect of pulsed microwaves at X-band on skin metabolism},
  year = {1969},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

The researchers used 9.6 GHz microwave radiation, which is in the X-band frequency range.
An exposure of 6,000 mJ/cm² (millijoules per square centimeter), or 6.0 J/cm², reduced skin respiratory activity by 50%.
The study used pulsed microwaves with 0.25 microsecond pulses at a 4 kHz repetition frequency, creating a 1000:1 ratio of peak to mean power.
Skin respiratory activity was measured on guinea-pig skin slices with a differential micro-respirometer. The mean respiratory rate in the 22 to 24 hour period after exposure was expressed as a percentage of the initial control rate.
Yes, the study specifically compared their pulsed microwave findings with previous results using continuous radiation sources. This comparison helped researchers understand how the pulsing pattern might influence biological effects on skin tissue.