Neurobehavioral impairment caused by extremely low frequency electromagnetic field in population with occupational exposure

ObjectiveTo study the neurobehavioral impairment caused by extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) with high-intensity in population with occupational exposure and provide evidence for the prevention of occupational disease and occupational health risk assessment.

MethodsOccupational health survey was conducted in two thermal power plants, in which electromagnetic field intensity levels at 7 key working posts were detected and occupational health examination, questionnaire interview and neurobehavioral test were conducted for 88 workers with occupational exposure and 57 workers without occupational exposure.

ResultsThe average electric field intensity level was 0.001–10.363 kV/m and the average magnetic field intensity level was 0.042–143.000 μT in the thermal power plants. The scores of 5 indexes were obvious lower in exposure group than in control group, including tension-anxiety (50.9±10.8 vs. 54.3±7.6, P＜0.05), potent-active (47.9±9.8 vs. 51.8±9.9, P＜0.05), bewildered-confused (49.9±11.0 vs. 53.4±7.7, P＜0.05), digital decoding (48.3±10.0 vs. 52.7±9.6, P＜0.05), digital span (47.5±9.7 vs. 53.8±9.4, P＜0.05). After adjust for confounding factors, such as gender, smoking status, drinking, status and age, with multiple linear regression model, the scores of tension-anxiety, bewildered -confused, digital decoding and digital span were obviously lower in exposure group than in control group. A stratified analysis on gender, smoking status and drinking status showed that men were more sensitive to ELF EMF, smoking and ELF EMF exposure had synergistic effects to cause short-term memory loss and workers aged ≤30 years were more sensitive to ELF EMF.

ConclusionIn thermal power plant with an electric field intensity level of 10.363 kV/m and magnetic field intensity level of 143.000 μT, occupational ELF EMF exposure would cause changes in people’s nervous system, especially resulting in short-term memory loss, while smoking and ELF EMF exposure might have synergistic effect to cause short-term memory impairment.