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Environmental Health Criteria 16: Radiofrequency and Microwaves

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Sol M. Michaelson · 1982

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This 1981 WHO review shaped RF safety standards that persist today, despite decades of research showing biological effects below thermal thresholds.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1981 book review by Sol M. Michaelson examined the World Health Organization's Environmental Health Criteria document on radiofrequency and microwave electromagnetic fields. The review assessed WHO's evaluation of biological effects and health criteria for RF/microwave exposure. This represents an early critical analysis of international health standards for electromagnetic field exposure.

Why This Matters

This 1981 review marks a pivotal moment in EMF health policy development. The WHO's Environmental Health Criteria documents established the foundation for international RF exposure standards that persist today - standards that many scientists now consider inadequate based on decades of subsequent research. Michaelson's review came at a time when the scientific community was just beginning to grapple with the biological effects of the radiofrequency radiation that now surrounds us constantly through cell phones, WiFi, and wireless devices.

What makes this historical document particularly relevant is how it captures the early institutional approach to EMF health assessment. The WHO's criteria from this era focused primarily on thermal effects (tissue heating), largely dismissing non-thermal biological effects that hundreds of peer-reviewed studies have since documented. This review provides insight into how regulatory frameworks were shaped by limited understanding, setting precedents that continue to influence exposure guidelines despite mounting evidence of biological effects at levels far below current safety thresholds.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Sol M. Michaelson (1982). Environmental Health Criteria 16: Radiofrequency and Microwaves.
Show BibTeX
@article{environmental_health_criteria_16_radiofrequency_and_microwaves_g4350,
  author = {Sol M. Michaelson},
  title = {Environmental Health Criteria 16: Radiofrequency and Microwaves},
  year = {1982},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Michaelson reviewed the World Health Organization's Environmental Health Criteria document specifically focused on radiofrequency and microwave electromagnetic fields. This WHO publication established early international guidelines for RF exposure assessment and safety standards.
This review examined foundational WHO criteria that shaped international RF exposure standards still used today. It represents early institutional assessment of electromagnetic field health effects, influencing decades of regulatory policy despite subsequent research revealing biological effects below thermal thresholds.
The WHO criteria covered radiofrequency and microwave electromagnetic fields from various sources. This included early wireless communication technologies, industrial RF equipment, and microwave applications that were emerging in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The 1981 WHO criteria primarily focused on thermal effects from RF exposure, largely dismissing non-thermal biological effects. Decades of subsequent peer-reviewed research have documented biological effects at exposure levels far below the thermal thresholds emphasized in these early guidelines.
Sol M. Michaelson was a prominent researcher in electromagnetic field bioeffects, making him qualified to critically assess WHO's RF health criteria. His review provided expert analysis of the scientific basis underlying international electromagnetic field exposure standards and guidelines.