Thermal Impact of Chronic Exposure to High-Frequency Non-ionizing EM Radiation on Avian Skin: A Theoretical Approach

Abstract

The manuscript reveals that the high-frequency electromagnetic radiations emitted from transmission towers affect birds' health. As the number of mobile phones is increasing rapidly, this radiation is present almost everywhere in the environment. This study uses a theoretical model based on Maxwell's equations to evaluate the thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of 3.5 GHz to 5.5 GHz frequency on avian skin. When birds fly from 1 to 10 m around a mobile phone tower, the electric field intensity is decreased by 90%. The results of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) inside the skin of avian show that its value is directly proportional to the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave. The change in temperature in the skin tissue is calculated for the electromagnetic wave exposure duration of 1 to 15 min. At a frequency of 5.5 GHz and 1 m from a transmission source, the SAR reached 27.65 W/kg, and the skin temperature increased by up to 7.11°C after 15 min of exposure, indicating significant bioeffects. This study aids in the protection of birds by evaluating the thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation exposure and contributes to establishing safer exposure limits.