High Peak Power Microwaves: A Health Hazard
Abstract
Prior research has established the ability of microwave exposure to produce a variety of biological effects including ocular changes. Investigations in our laboratory have demonstrated corneal endothelial lesions, increased vascular permeability, electroretinographic changes and structural damage. The present study was designed to verify previous results using high-peak-power pulsed microwave exposure (1.25 GHz, 1MW peak power, 1 or 16 Hz, and pulse duration of 0.5 or 10 microns) and to determine the extent of ocular damage. For this study we employed the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) whose ocular anatomy and physiology is very similar to the human eye. Each subject was given a battery of clinical diagnostic tests prior to exposure and again following completion of all exposures. Each restrained subject was exposed for 4 hours, on three consecutive days over a three week period. Although some tests such as routine slit lamp examination failed to show any changes; both ERG and histopathology documented significant microwave induced retinal alteration. These results document the ability of high-peak-power pulsed microwaves to result in clinically significant ocular changes. The effects observed in this study demonstrate that under certain exposure conditions microwaves could present a human health hazard. Microwave eye damage, Monkeys, Retinal Damage, Microwave hazard assessment, HPM, Eye, Microwave, BL2, RAD II
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA277168
Entities
People
- Henry A. Kues
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University