Effects of Exposure to Microwaves: Problems and Perspectives
Sol M. Michaelson · 1974
This 1974 review concluded that the most important effect of microwave absorption in mammals is the conversion of absorbed energy into heat.
Plain English Summary
Most experimental data supported the concept that the effects of microwave exposure are primarily, if not only, a response to hyperthermia or altered thermal gradients in the body. Extensive investigations showed that for frequencies between 200 and 24,500 MHz, exposure to power density greater than 100 mW/cm? for 1 hr or more could have pathophysiologic manifestations of a thermal nature. At power densities less than 100 mW/cm?, evidence of pathologic change was described as nonexistent or equivocal.
Why This Matters
The review noted that considerable confusion and misinformation had spread not only through the public press but also through some scientific and technical publications. The review described how at frequencies lower than 1000 MHz most energy reaches deeply situated tissues, while for frequencies above 3000 MHz most radiant energy is absorbed by the skin. Smaller animals were noted to show a greater temperature response than larger animals at equivalent exposures. On the ocular lens, the review noted that lens opacity has consistently been produced in only one species, namely the rabbit, and questioned whether the rabbit is the most appropriate animal model. Researchers noted that a critical intraocular temperature ranging from 45 to 55°C must be reached before opacities develop.
Figures from the Original Paper
Diagram extracted from the original research document.
Show BibTeX
@article{effects_of_exposure_to_microwaves_problems_and_perspectives_g3683,
author = {Sol M. Michaelson},
title = {Effects of Exposure to Microwaves: Problems and Perspectives},
year = {1974},
}