Bioeffects, Health Implication and
Safety Standards
of
Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation
Note: This is an internal Boeing document from the Robert Strom verses Boeing Company lawsuit. Washington Superior Court King County, No. 88-2-10752-1, settlement approved 8/15/1990.
B002108
2-1794-0001-050
To: H. Hendrickson 45-53
Subject: Lecture by Dr. Czerski on "Bioeffects, Health Implication and Safety Standards of Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation", February 25, 1974
Dr. Przemyslaw Czerski is a Polish scientist of international reputation, who has studied the interactions of microwave radiations with animals as well as in some cases human systems. He is currently the head of the Department of Human Genetics, National Research Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland. He has been instrumental in stimulating interest and interchange of information between Russia and the Western countries in the field of non-ionizing radiation bioeffects. He has played a lead role in the development of Polish Non-Ionizing Radiation Safety Standards. His lecture at the University of Washington was hosted by Dr. Guy as part of the national program for East/West technical interchange.
Topics of Dr. Czerski's lecture were:
Research in the microwave and radio frequency range began in the early 1950's in Poland. Although Dr. Czerski is primarily interested in the effects of hematopoietic system (blood displacement, bone marrow function, etc.) he also is concerned with affects on the nervous system and the endocrine system as well as cytologic studies and immunologic reactivity studies. His talk was centered on the more significant findings of his experimental research conducted in Eastern Europe.
The experiments which he described used a standard set of exposure conditions. Several animals restrained in microwave (opaque) cases were exposed simultaneously. The cages were placed in the far field zone in either anechoic chambers or free space. Both CW and pulsed microwave radiation were used at the same mean power density. The microwave frequencies of interest were 10.0 GHz, 3.0 GHz, 1.5 GHZ, and 0.4 GHz. However, Dr. Czerski states the overall results are valid down to 30 MHz.
Several sets of experiments were discussed which were conducted using a microwave frequency of 2.95 GHz at a power density of 1 milliwatt per cm2. Exposures were repeated daily for either two or four hours. CW was used for one group of animals and pulse (l microsecond at 1200 PPS) for another, and no exposure for a controlled group.
The exposures were continued for 14 days. A number of significant observations were made:
1. Distinct changes in the nucleus of many bone marrow cells.
2. Changes in the chromosome structure of many cells.
3. Changes in DNA synthesis and in the mitoses of cells.
4. Changes in iron utilization as observed in blood samples.
5. Changes in the mitoses of erythroblasts and stem cells.
6. Changes in the adrenaline secretion levels.
7. Changes in the 17-OHCS secretion levels.
8. Changes in the 17-KS secretion levels.
Slides were shown of deformed cells and abnormal mitosis. Results found in Poland correlated well with similar experimental results found in studies sponsored by the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. In summary, the following pessimistic results are indicated.
Nervous System
(l) Sensitivity of nervous system different between exposed and non-exposed animals. Radioactive traces used in the brain study indicate damage to the animal's brain under prolonged exposure.
(2) Adrenaline secretion higher for exposed than non-exposed animals. During rest period secretion approaches normal level.
Hematopiotic System
Peripheral blood can change blood counts. Under prolonged exposure the white blood count increases or the red blood count decreases. The extent depends on the duration ant field intensities of the exposures.
Exposure affects synthesis and mitosis of cells.
(1) Differences between CW and pulse effects on iron metabolism. (On all tests pulse effects were worse than CW for the same mean power density.) Iron utilization down for animal group subjected to pulse radiation over CW radiation group; both down from controlled group of animals. This implies white blood count increases. Daily erythrocyte production down for animal croup subjected to pulse radiation over CW radiation group; both down from controlled group of animals.
(2) Differences between effects on various hemopoietic cell lines.
(3) Easily demonstrable effects on lymphocytes.
It should be pointed out also that safety standards for microwave radiation exposure in Eastern Europe are significantly below those In the U. S. Poland and the USSR use l milliwatt per cm2 as the maximum power density for outdoors and far field and l/5th of that value for indoors and near field exposures. Eastern European safety standards are more restrictive than those in the U. S. principally because they are more concerned with the subtle interactions described above, whereas cell damage resulting from heat effects is the prime criteria in the U.S.
Dr. Czerski stated that an environment exceeding l0 mw/cm2 would be extremely hazardous to health, and should not be entered by humans without some type of protection. Also, he is not aware of any information down in the 100 KHz: range. Apparently there has been no serious work in this part of the spectrum. Furthermore, there are no studies showing the effects of peak field Intensities.
The results of his data uniformly showed more serious effects from pulse than CW with the same mean power density, which would indicate field strength is an important parameter in bioeffects.
Signed
Richard H. Bishop
Jay I. Nagle
Ronald J. Trainer
cc:
R. Bartruff 45-22
B. L. Carlson OC-O8
R. Coe 4A-41
N. Curtis 4A-41
P. Gomes 45-22
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