Biological effects of electromagnetic fields and radiation

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Abstract
Many of the effects of exposure to non-optical, non-ionising electromagnetic radiation are well understood. Acute exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields of sufficient field strength or flux density will result in the perception of surface charge (electric fields only) and in the induction of electrical potentials and currents in the body which will affect electrically excitable tissue such as nerves and muscles. Acute exposure to sufficiently intense radiofrequency (RF) or microwave radiation will induce heating, resulting either in detectable rises in tissue or body temperature or in responses for minimising the total heat load. Thresholds for the effects of heating are likely to be a minimum around frequencies at which the body (or parts of it) act as resonant absorbers. Except for the perception of surface charge, fields of the magnitude necessary to induce these responses are unlikely to be encountered except in a few occupational situations.