A Method to Investigate Non-Thermal Effects of Radio Frequency Radiation on Pharmaceuticals with Relevance to RFID Technology

A method is reported to accurately and precisely control temperature of a solution sample to investigate non-thermal effects of radio frequency radiation (RFR) on pharmaceuticals. This method utilizes a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell connected in series with a radiation source. The temperature of a sample under study, within the TEM cell, is regulated using a combination of a fiber-optic thermometer and thermo-electric cooler. It is shown that the sample temperature can be accurately controlled and maintained even under conditions where the RFR can increase the sample temperature via thermal mode. This methodology provides a well-controlled approach to investigate the non-thermal effects of RFR for a range of incident power intensities and frequencies and initial sample temperatures