Effects of microwaves (900 MHz) on the cochlear receptor: exposure systemsand preliminary results

The purpose of this paper is to present the experimental device and the wor k in progress performed in search for objective organic correlation of dama ge to hearing, examining possible acoustic otofunctional effects on the coc hlear epithelium of the rat due to exposure to microwaves (900 MHz). Two ex periments using male Sprague-Dawley rats were carried out with a farfield e xposure in a cubic chamber. No statistically significant evidence was obtai ned at both specific absorption rate (SAR) values. The exposure system and the diagnostic apparatus are extremely useful to investigate a potential ef fect on the auditory system: however, with the parameters applied in these experiments, no evidence was observed.