title: The effects of microwaves on airborne microorganisms.
abstract: This paper reports preliminary results of simple experiments carried out to study the effects of microwave irradiation at 2.45 GHz on fungi, yeast and bacteria of the type encountered in food processing plants or in enclosures containing individuals infected with tuberculosis mycobacterium (TB). The results are sufficiently encouraging to justify further multivariable experiments particularly with air circulation schemes in which the air can be sterilized in a circular cylindrical microwave cavity operating at a higher order mode.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of South Alabama, 307 North University Blvd., Mobile, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Saba
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stapleton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: VanLandingham
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCombs
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005658:Fungi / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008872:Microwaves; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*