Ascorbic acid changes in cultured rabbit lenses after microwave irradiation.

Whole body exposure of rabbits to microwave radiation causes a decrease in ascorbic acid in the lens. In our study, rabbit lenses maintained in culture medium (37 degrees C) were exposed to either pulsed or continuous wave S-band radiation for 10-15 min at power densities between 0 and 200 mW/cm-2. Total ascorbic acid was measured in selected lenses 1-3 days after irradiation. The temperature of the culture medium was measured during irradiation. Matched control lenses were exposed to similar time-temperature environments, but without microwave irradiation. Ascorbic acid decreased significantly in lenses exposed to microwave radiation. No differences were found, however, between irradiated and control lenses subjected to identical time-temperature conditions. At a given average power density, the time-temperature variation was independent of modulation. A decrease in ascorbic acid is apparently a direct thermal effect of microwave radiation in rabbit lens culture.