Epidemiological Research On Effects Of High Intensity Electromagnetic Radiation Among A Military Task Population

Today, all over the world, the high-tech militarty weapons have been developed by army. In the researching and applied field, the high power radar device, electromagnetic interference equipment and vulnerating microwave weapon are the hot spots. Recently, answering the international competitive condition, some neotype electric weapons have been equipped and applied in our armed forces. During the militay task, the soldiers could inevitably expose to different frequency and intensity electromagnetic radiation. High-intensity electromagnetic radiation (HER) as a negative enviromental exposed factor is increasingly menacing to military population. Study about the effects of high intensity electromagnetic radiation in a military task population is valuable for promoting the health of armyman. Unfortunately, belonging to military secret, the related research information could not be obtained from abroad. In our country, the epidemiological research in this field had not conducted. In order to understand the status of high-intensity electromagnetic radiation pollution, health problem of our army group under exposure and the risk factors affecting the health, we carried out this investigation.1103 solidiers have been sampled from radar communication troops in Chengdu Army Area. The contamination condition, the effects of neurobehavioral function and psychological healthy bringing by HER have been observed. We also select by cluster sampling from military population. 150 solidiers who exposed to high-power electromagnetic radiation (HER) were selected as exposed group. 150 solidiers who serve in the same army but not exposed to HER were selected as control group. The plasma automatic biochemical analysis equipment, the micronucleus test, leukocytic phagocytosis test and immunoturbidimetric assay have been used to measure the changes of blood samples.The results are described as follows:1. At the spot of military task performance, the scale of frequency spectrum is limited at the band of microwave and ultrashort wave.The average electromagnetic power-density is about 1.1—21.2 mw/cm~2. The cumulative electromagnetic power-density is about 4.95 —95.4mwh/cm2 Id. These doses are much higher than national hygiene standard. The acoustical measurement result lies in normal range, is about 65.44±5.62dB2. The syndrome of neurastheria symptom > abnormality in neurobehavioral function and psychologic obstacle among investigated population have significant relation with accumulative contact dose of electromagnetic radiation.2.1 In this study, the prevalence rate of neurastheria symptom is 61.13%. The analysis of mult-factor non-condition logistic regression model has present that the prevalence rate has significant statistic correlation with exposure history to electromagnetic radiation, daily exposed time, service time, education degree and protective measure.The exposure history, longer service time, longer daily time exposed, higher education degree are risk factors. The behave of eating fruits, conducting protective measure are protective factors.2.2 Results of neurobehavioral core test battery (NCTB) have shown that the prevalence rate of abnormal neurobehavioral function is 61.13%. The distribution character appear that the scores of mood state items ( tension and anxiety) and behavioral items( Figure Coding Number and Pursuit Aiming) in the group of high school graduated are significantly higher than the group of junior school graduated(Pursuit Aiming: t=8.53 P<0.01 , Figure coding number :t=8.07 P<0.01).The scores of some mood state items(tension and anxiety, Confound and hazy) in the groups of radar communication task and electronic countermeasures task are significantly higher than common task service group(tension-anxiety: t=23.35 PO.01, Confound-hazy: t=18.94 PO.01). While the scores of some behavioral items( Figure Coding Number and Pursuit Aiming) are obviously lower than common task service group(Pursuit Aiming: t=3.54 P<0.01,Figure coding number :t=3.32 PO.01). Scores of Figure Coding Number and Pursuit Aiming also have significant correlation with accumulative contact dose(PO.Ol). But the scores of mood state items haven't significant correlation with accumulative contact dose(P > 0.05). Although there is no obvious difference between exposed and control group in mood state test, the Scores of passive mood state appeared a rising trend. The abilities of visual-memory and hand exercise have reduced obviously.2.3 Results of SCL-90 shown that, among the military task population, the rate of persons whose scores are significantly higher than the standard of health norm of SCL-90 reached to 19.22%. All factorial scores of SCL-90 of the solidiers were higher than thenorm of normal chinese(P<0.05).Some factorial scores such as somatization, obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety were significantly higher than the norm of military man(P<0.05). But the interpersonal relationship item was significantly lower than the standard of military man(P<0.05).The distribution character appeared that the scores of depress, positive item number in the group of high school graduated are significantly higher than the group of junior school graduated(P<0.01). While the psychosis trend was significantly lower(P<0.01). Scores of somatization, depression and axiety in group of radar communication task and electronic countermeasures task are significantly higher than that in common service group. These data demonstrated that exposed population have typical mental health problem. Analyzing the relationship between the SCL-90 scores and EPQ scores, it shows that the total score and all factorial scores have the positive relation with the score of N and P in EPQ. But has the negative relation with score of E in EPQ(P<0.01). So it meant that the more the instability, introversion, severity reaction emotion and psychosis trend have, the higher scores of SCL-90 will be get. The psychologic obstacle in HER task population has an obvious relation with personality characteristics.2.4 Results of comprehensive analysis with neurastheria symptonu abnormality in neurobehavioral function psychologic obstacle have shown that the positive symptom rate in one index group, two index group, and three index group among investigated population are 35.90%> 26.65% and 8.61% respectively. All of these data are benefit for research on HER comprehensive effects.3. Detection results of blood sample show that the content of HGB and PLT in the exposed group are 111.18±7.55(g/L)and 10.52±36.97(xl09/L). Which are significantly lower than that in the control group(HGB : t=10.50 PO.01, PLT: t=3.17 PO.01). HGB, PLT have significant difference among groups divided by accumulative contact dose(PO.Ol). Results of linear regression analysis show that the content of HGB, PLT have a significant negative correlation with accumulative contact dose(HGB: r=-0.98 P<0.01, PLT: r=-0.86 PO.01). The rate of micronucleus cell and leukocytic micronucleus in the exposed group are 4.95%o> 4.76%o, which are significantly higher than that in the control group(micronucleus: t=13.81 PO.01, micronucleus cell: t=12.62 PO.01). Both have significant positive correlation with accumulative contact dose(micronucleus: r=0.98 PO.01, micronucleus cell: r=0.99 PO.01); Results of leukocytic phagocytosis experimenthave shown that the rate of Leukocytic Phagocytosis in the exposed group is 13.18%, which is significantly lower than that in the control group. It has a significant positive correlation with accumulative contact dose(t=11.22, PO.01); Results of immunoturbidimetric assay have shown that the content of IgA , IgM in the exposed group are 0.64±0.16 and 0.73±0.14, which are significantly lower than that in the control group(IgA: t=2.57 PO.05, IgM: t=2.28 P<0.05).OD value of compound have a significant negative correlation with accumulative contact dose(IgA: r=-0.86 PO.01, IgM: r=-0.92 PO.01); All these results had shown that there is obvious difference in blood content, immuno-function and cell damage between the exposed and control group. And the degree of damage has a significant correlation with accumulative contact dose.4. Although high-intensity electromagnetic radiation could produce damage to sensitive systems of body. The measurment data also shown that 23 (17.16%) persons in exposure group had not presented any abnormity changes about neurastheria symptom, neurobehavioral, immunity function and blood component. Maybe the resistant ability to high-intensity electromagnetic radiation is responsible with personal characteristic. The mechanism needs to be studied deeply.