Biological Tissue Interaction

Abstract

This chapter intends to provide a comprehensive summary of the present knowledge about health effects of EM field exposure. When turning to the existing literature, a vast amount of studies is encountered, covering diverse aspects of the subject. Theoretical, laboratory and epidemiological studies exist about all types of fields and effects. Often, it takes electrical, biological, medical and statistical experts to correctly interpret them. Independent bodies of specialists have put a lot of effort, and continue doing so, in evaluating the whole of the existing literature on this topic. Their findings, and more specifically the ones of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), serve as a basis for this chapter rather than the research studies itself. The treated frequency range is limited to the non-ionising frequencies (i.e. up to 300 GHz). The energy quantum of the incident field thus remains below the level where ionisation may take place.