Behavioral effects of chronic exposure to 0. 5 mW/cm/sup 2/ of 2450-MHz microwaves. Interim report for period ending 1987

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6070463

DeWitt, J R; D'Andrea, J A; Emmerson, R Y; Gandhi, O P

Adult male, Long-Evans rats were exposed 7 h a day for 90 days to continuous-wave (CW) 2,450-MHz microwaves at an average power density of 0.5 mW/sq cm. Exposures were in a monopole-above-ground radiation chamber with rats in Plexiglas cages. The resulting specific absorption rate (SAR) was 0.14 W/kg (+ or - 0.01 SEM). Additional rats served as sham-exposed and home-caged controls. All were evaluated daily for body mass and food and water intakes. Once each 30 days, throughout baseline and exposure phases of the experiment, rats in the sham- and microwave-exposed groups were tested for their sensitivity to footshock. After 90-days of exposure, the rats were evaluated on an open field, and active avoidance task and an operant task for food reinforcement. Performance of sham- and microwave-irradiated rats were reliably different on only one measure, the lever-pressing task. The general conclusion reached was that exposure to CW 2,450-MHz microwave radiation at 0.5 mW/sq cm was below the threshold for behavioral effects over a wide range of variables, but did have an effect on a time-related operant task, although the direction of the effect was unpredictable.

• Research Organization: Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6070463
• Report Number(s): AD-A-201388/6/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADULTS
AGE GROUPS
ANIMALS
AVOIDANCE
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FOOD
MALES
MAMMALS
MASS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RATS
RODENTS
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES