Electromagnetic Biointeraction: Mechanisms, Safety Standards, Protection Guides

This book collects the revised lectures held at Capri (Italy) in the period 2-6 May, 1988 in occasion of the International Course on "Worldwide Nonionizing Radiation Safety Standards: Their Rationales and Problems". The Course was organized by IRECE (Institute for Research in Electromagnetism and Electronic Components) of CNR (Italian National Council for Research) and was directed by professors Giorgio Franceschetti and Om P. Gandhi. The idea for this course arose from the continuing wide disparity in the electromagnetic (EM) radiation safety standards worldwide, and the confusion that this has caused in the public mind. The safety guidelines in the western countries have been nearly three orders of magnitude greater than the safety levels in the Eastern European countries. Even though the former have been slightly reduced and the latter have been increased somewhat in recent years, there is still a wide gap in the EM safety standards that are used. With the ever increasing use of EM energy the public is becoming increasingly aware of and concerned about the potential biohazards of EM fields. This problem is compounded by inadequate knowledge of nonthermal mechanisms of interaction of EM fields with biological systems. The lecturers for the Course were the recognized leaders in their respective areas within the discipline of Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields.