Absence of acute adverse in vitro effects on aged AS-1 red blood cells and thawed plasma after prolonged exposure to 13.56-MHz radio energy.
BACKGROUND
There is growing interest in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for tracking blood products to improve productivity and safety in the transfusion medicine supply chain. We conducted a limited study to assess the temperature and biologic effects after extreme exposure to 13.56-MHz RF radiation on aged red blood cells (aRBCs) nearing their 42-day life and three types of thawed plasma (TP).


METHODS
Using a Food and Drug Administration-approved limit test protocol, test units of both aRBCs and three types of TP were subjected to high levels of RF energy for an extended duration to assess worst-case effects compared to minimally exposed control units. Three replications were performed for each product type.


RESULTS
Hemolysis after 23 to 25 hours of RF energy exposure was less than 0.3% for all test and control aRBC units and well within the 1% or less acceptance criterion. Both biologic test and temperature increase results were within acceptance criteria and consistent with earlier tests on 6- to 9-day RBCs, with no detectable acceleration in cellular degradation of aRBCs. Nine different plasma coagulation factors were evaluated and, with one explainable exception, all showed less than 20% change in their measured test versus control values, meeting the acceptance criteria. The relative temperature increase between test and control units never exceeded the 1.5°C acceptance criterion for RBCs and 4°C for plasma.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of 13.56-MHz RFID technology is unlikely to have any significant temperature or biologic effects on aRBC and plasma units under normal operating conditions.
BloodCenter of Wisconsin and UW RFID Lab, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53233, USA.
Rodeina
R
Davis
Jerome
J
Gottschall
Alfonso
A
Gutierrez
Clive
C
Hohberger
Sharon
S
Graminske
Dharmaraj
D
Veeramani
Jerry
J
Holcombe
D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors