Dose rate and oxygen consumption rate in mice confined in a small holder during exposure to 2450 MHz microwave radiation

Summary The average dose rate and oxygen consumption rate of an individual mouse in a small holder during exposure to 2450 MHz CW microwave radiation are determined. The environmental conditions are 24° C temperature, 55% relative humidity, and 78 ml/min airflow. A forward power of 1.7 W resulted in the average dose rates of 31.0 mW/g, and 23.6 mW/g respectively, for the animals irradiated in the small, and the large holders. The results support the hypothesis that previously observed reduction in microwave energy absorption during irradiation is due to the orientation and positioning of the animal's body with respect to the microwave field. Relatively higher rate of oxygen consumption of the tightly confined sham-irradiated animals in comparison to that of the animals in the large holder is observed. Although a decrease in oxygen consumption rate is observed during exposure for the microwave irradiated animals in the small holder, the magnitude of this decrease is not more than that of the animals irradiated in the large holder. Thus the lack of reduction in the absorption of microwave energy is not compensated by a correspondingly large decrease in oxygen consumption, resulting in a larger heat load and perhaps larger stress to animals confined in the small holder.