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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

CardiovascularPart of the Glaser Archive

EFFECTS OF 2450 MHZ MICROWAVE RADIATION ON HUMAN BLOOD COAGULATION PROCESSES

No Effects Found

Richard F. Boggs, Albert P. Sheppard, Alma Jeanne Clark · 1972

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Blood clotting remained normal after 24-hour exposure to high-intensity 2450 MHz microwave radiation in laboratory conditions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed human blood plasma to 2450 MHz microwave radiation (the same frequency used in microwave ovens) for up to 24 hours at power levels up to 280 mW/cm². They found no significant changes in blood clotting time, platelet count, or clot strength when temperatures stayed below normal body temperature.

Why This Matters

This 1972 study provides early evidence that microwave radiation at 2450 MHz doesn't directly interfere with blood coagulation processes, at least in laboratory conditions. What's particularly interesting is that microwave heating produced different effects than conventional heating at the same temperatures, suggesting the electromagnetic field itself may have distinct biological interactions beyond simple thermal effects. The power densities tested (up to 280 mW/cm²) are significantly higher than what you'd encounter from modern wireless devices, which typically emit at much lower levels. However, this research focused solely on blood clotting mechanisms and doesn't address other potential biological effects of microwave exposure that subsequent decades of research have explored.

Finding

Investigation of the non-thermal effects, with temperatures remaining below normal body temperature of 37°C, shows that no significant changes occur to platelet count, coagulation time or clot strength at power densities up to 280 mW/cm² for exposure times as high as 24 hr.

In their words

“Investigation of the non-thermal effects, with temperatures remaining below normal body temperature of 37°C, shows that no significant changes occur to platelet count, coagulation time or clot strength at power densities up to 280 mW/cm² for exposure times as high as 24 hr.”

Figures from the Original Paper

Diagrams extracted from the original research document.

diagramPage 3 - AI-described figure: Figure 1. Diagram of a normal thrombelastogram showing coagulation time (r value), rate at which elasticity increases (k value) and clot strength (ma value).
p. 3 of the original PDF
chartPage 4 - Relative platelet count vs. incident power density and absorbed power for 5.5 hr exposures and temperatures remaining below 37°C.
p. 4 of the original PDF
graphPage 5 - Figure 3. Relative coagulation time vs. incident power density and absorbed power for 5.5 hr exposures and temperature remaining below 37°C.
p. 5 of the original PDF
graphPage 6 - AI-described figure: Figure 5 and Figure 6 show relative platelet count vs. exposure time at different power densities and temperatures.
p. 6 of the original PDF
graphPage 7 - AI-described figure: Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show relative coagulation time vs. maximum temperature rise for exposure times of 5.5 hr with varying power densities, highlighting the effect of heating method on clot strength.
p. 7 of the original PDF
Cite This Study
Richard F. Boggs, Albert P. Sheppard, Alma Jeanne Clark (1972). EFFECTS OF 2450 MHZ MICROWAVE RADIATION ON HUMAN BLOOD COAGULATION PROCESSES.
Show BibTeX
@article{effects_of_2450_mhz_microwave_radiation_on_human_blood_coagulation_processes_g4574,
  author = {Richard F. Boggs and Albert P. Sheppard and Alma Jeanne Clark},
  title = {EFFECTS OF 2450 MHZ MICROWAVE RADIATION ON HUMAN BLOOD COAGULATION PROCESSES},
  year = {1972},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

No, this study found no significant changes in blood clotting time, platelet count, or clot strength after exposing human blood plasma to 2450 MHz radiation for up to 24 hours at power densities up to 280 mW/cm².
Researchers exposed human blood plasma to 2450 MHz microwave radiation for up to 24 hours continuously without observing significant changes in coagulation processes, suggesting blood clotting mechanisms are relatively resistant to this frequency.
The study tested power densities up to 280 mW/cm² of 2450 MHz microwave radiation. This is significantly higher than typical exposure levels from consumer wireless devices, which are usually measured in microwatts per square centimeter.
Yes, the study found that microwave heating to 37-42°C produced little change in blood clotting, while conventional heating to the same temperatures increased clotting time and decreased clot strength as expected from thermal effects alone.
No non-thermal effects on blood coagulation were detected. When temperatures remained below normal body temperature (37°C), the 2450 MHz microwave radiation produced no significant changes in platelet count, coagulation time, or clot strength.