Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Retinal damage experimentally induced by microwave radiation at 55 mW/cm2 med./bio.

By: Paulsson LE, Hamnerius Y, Hansson HA, Sjostrand J
Published in: Acta Ophthalmol 1979; 57 (2): 183-197
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the effects of pulsed 3.1 GHz radiation on the rabbit retina in vivo.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 3.1 GHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: 1 h
Exposure 2: 3.1 GHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: 1.5 h
Exposure 3: 3.1 GHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: 1 h/d, 3 d/week upto about 50 h.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 3.1 GHz
Type
Charakteristic
Polarization
Exposure duration 1 h
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 1.4 µs
Packets per second 300
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 55 cm
Setup Rabbits kept in a polystyrene lattrice box where they were irradiated from the right side with the head in the center of the beam.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 100 W mean calibration - -
power density 550 W/m² mean calculated - +/- 20% with peak intensity of 1.3e+6 W/m².

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 3.1 GHz
Type
Charakteristic
Polarization
Exposure duration 1.5 h
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 1.4 µs
Packets per second 300
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 55 cm
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 100 W mean calibration - -
power density 550 W/m² mean calculated - +/- 20% with peak intensity of 1.3e+6 W/m².

Exposure 3

Main characteristics
Frequency 3.1 GHz
Type
Charakteristic
Polarization
Exposure duration 1 h/d, 3 d/week upto about 50 h.
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 1.4 µs
Packets per second 300
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 55 cm
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 100 W mean calibration - -
power density 550 W/m² mean calculated - +/- 20% with peak intensity of 1.3e+6 W/m².

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The investigation of retinal morphology in vivo as well as retinal histology examined by light microscopy revealed no changes after repaeated microwave exposure.
Investigation of the blood-brain and blood-retina barrier revealed no statistically significant difference between irradiated and control animals.
However, the electron microscopic examination of the repeatedly exposed animals showed degenerativ changes in the retinal neurons.

Study character:

Study funded by

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