title: Pulsed microwave induced light, sound, and electrical discharge enhanced by a biopolymer.
abstract: Intense flashes of light were observed in sodium bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide solutions when they were exposed to pulsed microwave radiation, and the response was greatly enhanced by a microwave-absorbing, biosynthesized polymer, diazoluminomelanin. A FPS-7B radar transmitter, operating at 1.25 GHz provided pulses of 5.73 +/- 0.09 micros in duration at 10.00 +/- 0.03 pulses/s with 2.07 +/- 0.08 MW forward power (mean +/- standard deviation), induced the effect but only when the appropriate chemical interaction was present. This phenomenon involves acoustic wave generation, bubble formation, pulsed luminescence, ionized gas ejection, and electrical discharge. The use of pulsed microwave radiation to generate highly focused energy deposition opens up the possibility of a variety of biomedical applications, including targeting killing of microbes or eukaryotic cells. The full range of microwave intensities and frequencies that induce these effects has yet to be explored and, therefore, the health and safety implications of generating the phenomena in living tissues remain an open question.
authors.affiliation: Directed Energy Bioeffects Division, Air Force Research Laboratory, Brooks AFB, Texas 78235-5102, USA. johnathan.kiel@aloer.brooks.af.mil
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kiel
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Seaman
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alls
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morales
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000162:Acoustics; D000388:Air; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004560:Electricity; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008165:Luminol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008543:Melanins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008872:Microwaves / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011825:Radar; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D013016:Sound; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D005740:Gases; D008543:Melanins; C063567:diazoluminolmelanin; D008165:Luminol; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide