Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 37 OF 64

Main Title Observations of Rat Fetuses after Irradiation with 2450-MHz (CW) Microwaves.
Author Berman, E. ; Carter, H. B. ; House, D. ;
CORP Author Health Effects Research Lab., Research Triangle Park, NC. Experimental Biology Div.
Year Published 1980
Report Number EPA-600/J-81-520;
Stock Number PB82-154824
Additional Subjects Radiation effects ; Microwaves ; Rats ; Laboratory animals ; Absorption ; Pregnancy ; Reprints ; Fetuses
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Status
NTIS  PB82-154824 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 7p
Abstract
Female Sprague-Dawley (CD) rats were exposed to 2450-MHz(CW) microwave radiation at incident power densities of 0 or 28 mW/sq cm for 100 min daily on the 6th through 15th day of gestation. The whole-body specific absorption rate at 28 mW/sq cm is estimated to be 4.2 W/kg. These exposure conditions raised rats' average colonic temperatures to 40.3C at the end of irradiation. There were 67 sham-irradiated and 70 microwave-irradiated females. When these groups were compared, no significant differences were found in pregnancy rates; in the numbers of live, dead, or total fetuses; in the incidences of external, visceral, or skeletal anomalies or variations; or in the body weight of live fetuses. It is concluded that these conditions do not have an effect on the gross structure of the fetal rat when applied repetitively during post-implantation pregnancy. It is also strongly suspected that this lack of an effect may hold true at any exposure level less than that which will kill a significant number of the dams by hyperthermia (colonic temperature > 40C).