The effect of frequency and grounding on whole‐body absorption of humans in E‐polarized radiofrequency fields

The radiofrequency absorption rates of five male human volunteers have been measured from 3 to 41 MHz. The subjects were exposed at about 10 μW/cm 2 inside a very large transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell and never absorbed more than 1 W. Both the EKH and EHK orientations were employed under both free‐space and grounded conditions. Absorption rates for the EKH orientation exceed those of the EHK orientation by 40% in free space, but only by 6% when grounded. The absorption rates for the grounded men vary with frequency, f, as f 1.9 from 3 to 25 MHz and then level off at the peak. The freespace absorption rates vary as f 1.7 from 3 to 18 MHz and as f 2.9 from 18 to 41 MHz. The average measured absorption rates at 10 MHz exceed the average of the standard model calculations by a factor of three (for free space) or four (grounded). The average man, when exposed grounded in an EKH orientation to the maximum permitted exposure levels under ANSI standard C95.1‐1982, will absorb 0.58 ± 0.14 W/kg over most of the 3 to 41‐MHz frequency range. This slightly exceeds the whole‐body maximum of 0.40 W/kg underlying the standard.