Interaction of environmental ELF electromagnetic fields with living bodies

The subject of potential environmental hazard due to the exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields produced by electric power installations is receiving worldwide attention. This paper is a contribution to the assessment of that hazard by evaluating the induced electric fields and currents due to the nonuniform magnetic fields distribution along the height of a human. The effect of magnetic field orientation relative to the body posture is examined and the subsequent variation of the induced electric field in the human body is evaluated. Also, the paper accounts for the electric field coupling of a human in contact with the ground. A comparative study of induced magnetic and electric fields within a grounded human beneath different power lines is made and its results are discussed.