Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Determination of a thermal equivalent of millimeter microwaves in living cells med./bio.

By: Dardalhon M, Averbeck D, Berteaud AJ
Published in: J Microw Power 1979; 14 (4): 307-312
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To determine whether microwaves are able to affect growth or to induce lesions in DNA of yeast cells, and in particular whether the effects are related to rise of temperature.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 70–75 GHz
Modulation type: CW
Exposure duration: 3 h

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 70–75 GHz
Type
Waveform
Charakteristic
Polarization
  • elliptical
Exposure duration 3 h
Additional info and far field
Modulation
Modulation type CW
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup cells on millipore filter discs placed on agar plates in open Petri dishes
Additional info distance between exposure source and object: 2 or 10 mm
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power density 600 W/m² maximum cf. remarks - 6; 15; 60 mW/cm²

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The results obtained on survival, induction of mitotic recombination, and on the induction of cytoplasmic "petite" mutations indicate that millimeter waves (under these conditions) do not induce lesions and genetic effects in DNA. Conventional heating had no deleterious effects until temperatures of specimens exceeded 50°C. Measurement of zygote formation permitted to determine effects of smaller changes in temperature on events at the cellular level. There was evidence of increased formation of zygotes as a function of power level. The ratio of the number of zygotes obtained in samples treated at different temperatures over the number of zygotes in the control sample increase as a function of the temperature.

Study character:

Study funded by

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