A search for nonthermal effects of 434 MHz microwave radiation on whole human blood.

Radiation research · 1983 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 5940

Study snapshot

PublicationRadiation research · 1983

Study typeother

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Whole human blood was subjected to a microwave environment at 434 MHz for 6 hr with external electric fields corresponding to free space power densities up to 598 mW cm-2 and the levels of hemoglobin, sodium, and potassium in the plasma were monitored. Under geometrical conditions in which the field strength within the samples was unknown, measurements indicated increased red cell membrane fragility following irradiation. It was not possible to exclude localized heating as an explanation of this effect. However, with a known and reasonably uniform electric field distribution within spherical specimens, increased membrane fragility was not observed. We are therefore unable to confirm previously reported results which indicate a nonthermal deleterious effect of microwave radiation on erythrocytes.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationWhole human blood (ex vivo)

Sample sizeNot supplied

Exposuremicrowave · 434 MHz · 6 hr

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Whole human blood was exposed to 434 MHz microwaves for 6 hours at external electric fields corresponding to free-space power densities up to 598 mW/cm^2. Increased red cell membrane fragility was seen only under conditions where the internal field strength in samples was unknown, and localized heating could not be excluded. With a known and reasonably uniform field distribution, increased membrane fragility was not observed, and the authors could not confirm previously reported nonthermal deleterious effects on erythrocytes.

Outcomes measured

Plasma hemoglobin
Plasma sodium
Plasma potassium
Red cell membrane fragility

Limitations

Field strength within samples was unknown under some geometrical conditions where increased fragility was observed
Localized heating could not be excluded as an explanation for observed effects
Sample size not reported

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "microwave",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 434,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "6 hr"
  },
  "population": "Whole human blood (ex vivo)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Plasma hemoglobin",
    "Plasma sodium",
    "Plasma potassium",
    "Red cell membrane fragility"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Whole human blood was exposed to 434 MHz microwaves for 6 hours at external electric fields corresponding to free-space power densities up to 598 mW/cm^2. Increased red cell membrane fragility was seen only under conditions where the internal field strength in samples was unknown, and localized heating could not be excluded. With a known and reasonably uniform field distribution, increased membrane fragility was not observed, and the authors could not confirm previously reported nonthermal deleterious effects on erythrocytes.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Field strength within samples was unknown under some geometrical conditions where increased fragility was observed",
    "Localized heating could not be excluded as an explanation for observed effects",
    "Sample size not reported"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "434 MHz",
    "microwave radiation",
    "nonthermal effects",
    "whole human blood",
    "erythrocytes",
    "red cell membrane fragility",
    "hemoglobin",
    "sodium",
    "potassium",
    "power density"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: 6647759

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