Absorption of microwave radiation by the anesthetized rat: Electromagnetic and thermal hotspots in body and tail

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

OSTI ID:6213453

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

Anatomic variability in the deposition of radiofrequency electromagnetic energy in mammals has been well documented. A recent study reported specific absorption rat (SAR) hotspots in the brain, rectum and tail of rat carcasses exposed to 360- and to 2,450-MHz microwave radiation. Regions of intense energy absorption are generally thought to be of little consequence when predicting thermal effects of microwave irradiation because it is presumed that heat transfer via the circulatory system promptly redistributes localized heat to equilibrate tissue temperature within the body. Experiments on anesthetized, male Long-Evans rats (200-260 g) irradiated for 10 or 16 min with 2,450, 700, or 360 MHz radiation at SARs of 2 W/kg, 6 W/kg, or 10 W/kg indicated that postirradiation localized temperatures in regions previously shown to exhibit high SARs were appreciably above temperatures at body sites with lower SARs. The postirradiation temperatures in the rectum and tail were significantly higher in rats irradiated at 360 MHz and higher in the tail at 2,450 MHz than temperatures resulting from exposure to 700 MHz. The effect was found for whole-body-averages SARs as low as 6 W/kg at 360 MHz and 10 W/g at 2,450 MHz.

• Research Organization: Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6213453
• Report Number(s): PB-91-109157/XAB; CNN: EPA-68-02-3456; R01-ES02509-01
• 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.
ABSORPTION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
BODY TEMPERATURE
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY TRANSFER
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
HEAT TRANSFER
INTESTINES
LARGE INTESTINE
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANS
RADIATIONS
RATS
RECTUM
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES