Primary DNA damage in welders occupationally exposed to extremely-low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF)

Abstract

Background: Electric arc welding is known to involve considerable exposure to extremely-low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF; 50 Hz). The aim of the present study was to evaluate individual exposure to ELF-MF during arc welding and to assess the eventually associated genotoxic hazard by evaluating primary DNA damage.

Methods: The study group comprised 21 electric arc welders (exposed) and 21 non-exposed control subjects (healthy blood donors). Occupational exposure to ELF-MF was measured using personal dosimeters worn during one complete work-shift (7 am to 5 pm). The extent of primary DNA damage was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes with the standard procedure of the alkaline comet assay.

Results: Tail length showed to have similar values in welders and controls. Whereas, the data showed a significant decrease for tail intensity (p = 0.01) and tail moment (p = 0.02) counts in exposed subjects compared to controls.

Conclusions: The different results of our present study and published investigations from other research groups reporting positive results in the comet assay might be a result of different chromium and/or nickel (or other metals) exposure levels, which lead to DNA-protein cross-links at lower concentrations and DNA single-strand breakages at higher concentrations. Since these results are derived from a small-scale pilot study, a larger scale study should be undertaken.

Keywords: Comet assay; ELF-MF; Electric arc welders; Extremely-low-frequency magnetic fields; Occupational exposure.