Exposure assessment of arc welders to extremely low frequency magnetic field: its relationship with the secretion of paratormone hormone and mood states

Nowadays, exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field has been interested in many studies due to possible effects on human physical-mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to assess arc welders’ exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field and to determine its relationship with the secretion of paratormone (PTH) hormone and mood states.
Material and The present study has been conducted among 35 healthy production workers (as exposed group) and 35 healthy administrative personnel (as unexposed group). After checking the work activities of participants according to the guide recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), ELF magnetic fields were measured using an ELF measurement device in the regions including trunk, head, and neck. The plasma levels of PTH hormone of both groups were evaluated by the Electrochemiluminescence method. Stress-Arousal Checklist (SACL) was used to assess the mode states of subjects in both groups. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16.
There was a significant difference between the exposed and unexposed groups with respect to the exposure level to ELF magnetic fields (P-value The results of this study showed that continuous welding can be considered as an exposure source to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. More accurate and comprehensive laboratory and field studies are needed to prove the hypothesis of the potential impact of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on people’s psychological states and mood through changes of parathyroid hormone level.