Abstract
Abstract. The development of exposure devices for investigating possible effects of mobile communication systems to non-restrained animals aims at a homogenous field distribution in the area the animals occupy. In the presented 900 MHz exposure device a quite good field homogeneity of 5% (including the standing wave contribution due to internal reflections) is reached in the cage region mainly by flattening the transverse field. For the standard waveguide (WR1150) without dielectric sheets this value reads 14%. The desired maximal whole body specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg in the Djungarian hamster model is achieved at an input power of only 3.7 W.
Highlights
Several experiments were performed in the last few years in order to investigate possible biological effects of radio frequency signals in the non-thermal range, i.e. with a maximum rf-induced temperature increase fairly below 1◦C
Some published results in the frequency region of mobile communication signals indicating body weight alterations might support the hypothesis that rf signals can influence the metabolic rate of rodents
This paper presents details of the engineering part of the project
Summary
Several experiments were performed in the last few years in order to investigate possible biological effects of radio frequency (rf) signals in the non-thermal range, i.e. with a maximum rf-induced temperature increase fairly below 1◦C. Some published results in the frequency region of mobile communication signals indicating body weight alterations might support the hypothesis that rf signals can influence the metabolic rate of rodents. An experiment was set up by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection within the framework of the German Mobile Telecommunication Research Programme (BfS) to confirm or disapprove this thesis. Four plastic cages (dimensions (width × height × length) in mm: 147×117×355), each housing up to three hamsters for one week, are exposed to a GSM test signal at 900 MHz. Air of defined speed (30–40 l/h) flows through the cage.
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