Abstract

Overview

This research performs a detailed parametric analysis of temperature increases in rat skin models exposed to millimeter wave frequencies from 6-100 GHz.

Findings

• Parametric data collection included precise measurements of skin thickness layers like epidermis, dermis, dermal white adipose tissue, and panniculus carnosus. These measurements were carried out on excised tissues from real male Sprague-Dawley rats.
• The study uses these structural insights obtained from histological analyses to solve the bioheat transfer equation, aiming to understand how different parameters affect the bio-tissue's power absorption and subsequent temperature increases.
• Especially thin dermal white adipose tissue significantly increases temperature in both the rat’s head and dorsal skin when exposed at frequencies between 6-100 GHz.

Conclusion

These results are alarming as they imply that electromagnetic fields, particularly at millimeter wave frequencies, may pose significant health risks due to their potential to cause elevated temperatures in biological tissues, which correlate with the thickness of the tissue and deep blood perfusion rates.