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Space efficient system for whole‐body exposure of unrestrained rats to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields
Author(s) -
Puranen Lauri,
Toivo Tim,
Toivonen Tommi,
Pitkäaho Risto,
Turunen Asko,
Sihvonen AriPekka,
Jokela Kari,
Heikkinen Päivi,
Kumlin Timo,
Juutilainen Jukka
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.20449
Subject(s) - specific absorption rate , electromagnetic field , homogeneous , physics , biomedical engineering , medicine , telecommunications , computer science , quantum mechanics , antenna (radio) , thermodynamics
The aim of this study was to design, implement and analyze a space‐efficient setup for the whole‐body exposure of unrestrained Wistar rats to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields at 900 MHz. The setup was used for 2 years in a cocarcinogenesis study and part of it for 5 weeks in a central nervous system (CNS) study. Up to 216 rats could be placed in separate cages in nine different exposure chambers on three racks requiring only 9 m 2 of floor area (24 rats per m 2 ). Chambers were radial transmission lines (RTL), where the rats could freely move in their cages where food and drinking water was provided ad libitum except during RF exposure periods. Dosimetrical analysis was based on FDTD computations with heterogeneous rat models and was validated with calorimetrical measurements carried out with homogeneous phantoms. The estimated whole‐body average specific absorption rates (SAR) of rats were 0 (sham), 0.4, and 1.3 W/kg in the cocarcinogenesis study and 0 (sham), 0.27, and 2.7 W/kg in the CNS study with an estimated uncertainty of 3 dB ( K = 2). The instantaneous and lifetime variations of whole‐body average SAR due to the movement of rats were estimated to be 2.3 and 1.3 dB ( K = 1), respectively. Bioelectromagnetics 30:120–128, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.