Inter-beat intervals of cardiac-cell aggregates during exposure to 2.45 GHz CW, pulsed, and square-wave-modulated microwaves.
Seaman RL, DeHaan RL · 1993
View Original AbstractHeart cells respond to microwave radiation through non-thermal mechanisms at power levels comparable to everyday wireless device exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed chicken embryo heart cells to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (the same frequency used in microwave ovens and WiFi) and measured changes in their beating patterns. They found that the cells' rhythm changed in ways that couldn't be explained by simple heating effects alone, suggesting that microwaves can directly affect heart cells through non-thermal mechanisms at power levels as low as 1.2 watts per kilogram.
Why This Matters
This study provides compelling evidence that microwave radiation affects cardiac cells through mechanisms beyond simple heating. What makes this research particularly significant is that the researchers carefully controlled for thermal effects and still observed changes in heart cell rhythm at relatively low exposure levels. The fact that different types of modulation (continuous wave versus pulsed) produced different effects on the same cells strongly suggests that the biological response isn't just about energy absorption, but about how that energy is delivered. While this was conducted on isolated chicken embryo cells rather than whole animals or humans, it demonstrates that cardiac tissue can respond to EMF exposure in ways that current safety standards don't account for. The reality is that our wireless devices operate in similar frequency ranges, and this research adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that non-thermal biological effects deserve serious consideration in EMF safety assessments.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.2-86.9 and 1.2-12.2 and 12.0-43.5 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz CW
Exposure Context
This study used 1.2-86.9 and 1.2-12.2 and 12.0-43.5 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 3x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
Inter-beat intervals of aggregated cardiac cells from chicken embryos were studied during 190 s exposures to 2.45 GHz microwaves in an open-ended coaxial device.
Averaged specific-absorption rates (SARs) and modulation conditions were 1.2-86.9 W/kg continuous-wa...
The inter-beat interval decreased during microwave exposures at 42.0 W/kg and higher when CW or squ...
Show BibTeX
@article{rl_1993_interbeat_intervals_of_cardiaccell_1315,
author = {Seaman RL and DeHaan RL},
title = {Inter-beat intervals of cardiac-cell aggregates during exposure to 2.45 GHz CW, pulsed, and square-wave-modulated microwaves. },
year = {1993},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8442781/},
}