Peer-reviewed journal "Gigiena i sanitariya"
Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman
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The impact of environmental factors on excess mortality in industrial centers during the period of COVID-19
Introduction. The mortality rate in the population is the most important medical and demographic indicator considered as a result of the multifactorial influence of the living environment. The aim of the study. To assess the influence of risk-modifying environmental factors on excess mortality in the adult population of industrial centers over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The studies were conducted in the industrial centers of Eastern Siberia. To estimate excess mortality, daily data on mortality from all causes during the first year of the pandemic and the ten previous years were used. Adaptive exponential smoothing models and autoregressive integrated moving average models were used. The information content of factors (I) is assessed using the Kullback measure. Results. During the first year of the pandemic, the informativeness of environmental factors for all causes of excess mortality is lower than for causes unrelated to COVID-19 (I = 0.11–0.23, versus I = 0.26–0.61). For excess mortality unrelated to COVID-19, the following factors are more significant: “accumulated” chronic diseases, inhalation exposure to irritants, and availability of healthcare resources. Limitations. The analysis of excess mortality of the population was carried out using the example of the first year of the pandemic in one region. Conclusion. Excess mortality can be reduced based on a systemic analysis of dependencies using a set of mathematical and statistical methods. The significance of environmental factors during the pandemic is different for all causes of excess mortality and for causes unrelated to coronavirus infection. Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of a biomedical ethics committee opinion or other documents. Contribution: Efimova N.V. – the concept and design of the study, processing of material, writing text, editing; Grzhibovsky A.M. – the concept and design of the study, mathematical modelling, writing text, editing; Rukavishnikov V.S. – study concept and design, editing; Mylnikova I.V. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text; Kriger E.A. – statistical analysis, mathematical modelling. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: May 22, 2025 / Accepted: June 26, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Possibility of using hydrogen peroxide for disinfection of swimming pool water
Introduction. Among the means currently used for water disinfection, hydrogen peroxide is characterised by high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and safety. However, due to extremely low established MPC values (0.1 mg/L) it is not widely used. Objective. Investigation of the chronic effects of hydrogen peroxide on the body in white rats for determination of the no-observed concentration by toxicological signs of damage. Materials and Methods. White outbred rats were injected with hydrogen peroxide solutions for six months 5 times a week in doses of 50 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg. In animals, after 1, 3, and 6 months of exposure and after the recovery period, the functions of the nervous system, liver, and kidneys were evaluated, and the peripheral blood composition was recorded. A macroscopic pathomorphological examination of the internal organs was performed. The expression of GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes related to glutathione metabolism, was determined. Results. After 6 months, a decrease in lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, and hemoglobin levels was recorded in the blood serum in rats at the maximum tested dose. The study of lipid metabolism showed a decrease in the level of low-density lipoproteins and phospholipids when exposed to hydrogen peroxide at doses of 50 and 5 mg/kg. Suppression of GSTT1 gene expression was noted, and a high level of GSTM1 gene expression was observed in the group receiving a dose of 50 mg/kg of hydrogen peroxide. Limitations. The work was carried out only on laboratory animals. Conclusion. The most informative markers of chronic toxicity of hydrogen peroxide were the cumulative indices of lipid metabolism, as well as the degree of expression of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes of the antioxidant defense system, reflecting the severity of oxidative stress. Based on the data obtained, the dose of 5 mg/kg/day can be regarded as a threshold. The estimated maximum inactive concentration of hydrogen peroxide in water, equal to 35 mg/L, can serve as a guideline for adjusting sanitary and hygienic standards related to disinfection of pool water. Compliance with ethical standards. The Ethics Commission of the Federal Research Institute for Disinfectology has approved a research program of сhronic effects of hydrogen peroxide on rats (Minutes of the meeting No. 7 of October 21, 2024). Contribution: Bidevkina M.V. – concept and design of the study, editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article; Vinogradova A.I. – statistical processing; Morozov A.S. – concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing text; Matrosenko M.V. – statistical processing; Pankratova G.P. – concept and design of the study; Latipova R.I. – statistical processing; Shaykhutdinova Z.K. – concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text; Karimov D.O. – conducting genetic research, processing results; Valova Ya.V. – preparation of equipment, validation of the method for assessing the content of hydrogen peroxide, sample preparation of biomaterial; Gizatullina A.A. – preparation for experiments; Sinitskaya T.A. – general idea and scientific supervision; Safandeev V.V. – editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 02, 2025 / Received after revision: July 02, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Effectiveness of methods of control for external environment objects of health care institutions in relation to the causative agent of tuberculosis. Part 1 – The methods for detecting (isolating) and preparation
Introduction. Improving the efficiency of the method of washouts from environmental objects and sample preparation for the primary seeding of material for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) during sanitary and bacteriological control is an urgent area of improvement of nonspecific tuberculosis prevention. Materials and Methods. The studies (n=2500) included: suspension preparation Mtb H37Rv); preparation and contamination of test-objects (tile, glass, metal, plastic, painted surface); selection of tools for washouts (fine-pore foam, cotton swab, universal tampon probe), solution for washout (Dey-Engley broth, 5.0% Na3PO4, 0.9% NaCl), solution for decontamination (10.0% Na3PO4, NALC-NaOH); comparative of the efficacy of two methods for the isolation of Mtb (known method No.1 and modified method No.2). Results. The efficiency of the method No. 2 (due to the use of: universal tampon probe; Dey-Engley broth; NALC-NaOH) significantly (p-value <0.001) exceeds the efficiency of method No. 1 (fine-pore foam, 5.0% and 10.0% Na3PO4 solutions) by 48.0 times at the concentration of Mtb in the solution of washout at 103 CFU/ml, by 22.3 times – at the concentration of 104 CFU/ml, by 8.0 times – at 105 CFU/ml and by 4.6 times – at 106 CFU/ml. Limitation. The modified method allows obtaining growth of CFU of Mtb on Levenshtein-Jensen at the concentration of Mtb in the solution of washout at 103 CFU/ml. Conclusions. High efficiency of the developed method of Mtb isolation from the objects of external environment (exceeding by 48 times the results obtained by the standard method) during sanitary and bacteriological control, reduction both of labor costs and the of time for research, standardization of the method in terms of exclusion of tools prepared by “manual” method; use of Dey-Engley broth, positively affecting the viability of Mtb; reduction of decontamination time from 18–24 hours to 40–45 min – allow considering the presented method as a promising one for inclusion in the list of methods of sanitary and bacteriological control in relation to Mtb. Compliance with ethical standards. The study did not require ethical committee approval (no studies using animals or involving humans). Contribution: Eremeeva N.I. – concept and design of the study, collection of material and data processing, writing, editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article; Trukhina G.M. – research concept and design, text writing, editing, and approval of the final version of the article. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study was carried out within the framework of research works: No. NIOCTR 121022600261-1 “Biological properties of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to antibacterial and biocidal drugs”; No. NIOCTR 1023032900360-9-1.6.2 “Development of new methodologies for assessing the effectiveness of physical, chemical and combined methods of disinfection and sterilization”. Received: April 20, 2025 / Revised: July 6, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Changes in the nosoareals of major natural focal diseases under the influence of environmental factors in the territories of the Russian Federation (literature review)
The article presents a literature review that analyzes the impact of climate change and environmental pollution on the nosoareals of major natural focal diseases in the territories of the Russian Federation. The literature was searched using Scopus, Web of Science, MedLine, CyberLeninka, and RSCI databases. Those natural focal diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, and rodents depend most on the climate. Climate warming contributes both to an increase in the number of arthropods carrying pathogens of these diseases and their feeders, and to the expansion of the habitats of these animals. In addition, conditions for the adaptation of non-endemic vectors of natural focal diseases introduced into Russia are improving. Climate change causes different trend in biological risks in different regions. Another significant factor affecting nosoareals is anthropogenic pollution and accumulation of heavy metal ions in soil, surface, and groundwater. In recent decades, under the influence of environmental pollution with heavy metals, primarily cadmium, ixodes mites with exoskeleton abnormalities have appeared, differing both in the degree of accumulation of heavy metals in their bodies and in their susceptibility to pathogenic microorganisms. The analysis of the results of scientific research aimed at studying the influence of environmental factors on the spread of major natural focal diseases in different territories of the Russian Federation allows concluding that climate warming will lead to the expansion of the corresponding nozoareals to the north and NorthEast. At the same time, a significant reduction in the area of such areas is not expected. Increased cadmium contamination of soils is a factor contributing to an increase in the potential risk of human infection in the corresponding nosoareals, as well as an increase in the proportion of the urban population infected with tick-borne diseases. Contribution: Saltykova M.M. — the concept and design of the study, writing the text; Zhernov Yu.V. — concept and design of research, editing; Saltykova E.A. — collecting material, writing text; Yudin S.M. — research concept. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment with the code “Risk indicator 25-27”, registration number EGISU 125032604484-5. Received: July 4, 2025 / Revised: August 13, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
The impact of sulfur dioxide on human health (literature review)
A current area of preventive medicine is the study of the impact of chemical air pollutants on human health. Sulfur dioxide is one of the most common air pollutants, which is widely used in industry and has numerous natural and manmade sources of origin. The aim of the study. To conduct an analysis of up-to-date literary sources devoted to the investigations of the influence of sulfur dioxide on human health for an in-depth study of its role in the development of diseases and the proposal of effective measures for their prevention. The search for literary sources was conducted among domestic and foreign scientific reports indexed in databases eLIBRARY.ru, PubMed, Google Scholar, MedLine, Web of Science, Scopus. Conclusion. The data analysis showed sulfur dioxide to be a moderately hazardous substance (hazard class III) in high concentrations. Under prolonged exposure it contributes to the development of respiratory diseases, as well as cardiovascular, digestive, immune, endocrine systems, blood diseases, and can stimulate susceptibility to carcinogens. Particular sensitivity to the effects of sulfur dioxide in children has been proven. It is one of the main pollutants of the air in the workplaces of metallurgical and gas processing enterprises, also causing workers to develop respiratory diseases and changes in the immune status. At the same time, there was shown the role of endogenous sulfur dioxide as an effective gas transmitter. To reduce the impact of sulfur dioxide on health, it is necessary to implement a set of technological, management, and medical measures. Contribution: Kislitsyna V.V. – concept and design of the study, collection and analysis of literature data, writing the text, editing; Bugaeva M.S. – collection and analysis of literature data, writing the text, editing; Surzhikov D.V. – collection and analysis of literature data; Shtaiger V.A. – collection of literature data. All co-authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: August 28, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Prevention of the impact of harmful effects of production factors in inspectors and repairmen of railway cars
Introduction. Due to the specific conditions of the work process, employees in the railway transport sector are at risk of exposure to adverse factors. This necessitates the development of effective preventive measures aimed at improving working conditions, reducing morbidity, and preserving the health of employees, particularly inspectors and repair workers in the railway transport sector. The purpose of the study. to develop a comprehensive health protection system for railway car inspectors and repairmen. Materials and methods. Studies of the working conditions of railcar inspectors and repairmen were conducted at major stations on the Moscow Railway and the South Ural Railway. A questionnaire was administered to 300 workers using a specially developed survey. Working conditions and workload were assessed based on the results of workplace assessments and timekeeping, as well as physiological studies of the cardiovascular and muscular systems. A total of 1,360 physiological studies were conducted. Results. Based on previously conducted scientific research, the work of car inspectors and repairwas found to be associated with hazardous working conditions and high levels of morbidity that significantly exceed the industry average, which led to the development of a comprehensive health protection system. Limitations. The research only concerns railway inspectors and repair workers. Conclusion. The conducted research served as the basis for the development of preventive measures, including recommendations for a comprehensive health care system to reduce morbidity and injuries, and maintain occupational performance, including managerial, technical, and sanitary-hygienic measures, recommendations for psychological support for occupational safety, recommendations for restoring the functional state of the body during and after work, and recommendations for training occupationally important functions, as well as recommendations for improving medical and preventive care. Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents. Contribution: Kaptsov V.A. – research concept, writing, editing; Ovechkina Zh.V. – research concept, writing, editing; Kotlyar L.M. – collection and processing of material, writing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: August 8, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Informative indices for risk groups working in contact with hand-arm vibration
Introduction. The nature of occupational and work-related pathology and its clinical course are determined not only by the intensity of exposure to factors in the work environment, but also by the individual characteristics. The purpose of the study is to assess the contribution of occupational factors and individual characteristics of workers and substantiate the most significant informative indices for forming risk groups for the development of vibration disease caused by exposure to local vibration. Materials and methods. The studies were conducted on the basis of an information array of indices in practically healthy workers exposed to vibration and people with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). The principal component method with varimax rotation was used to identify factors and their structure. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of bioelectrical activity of the brain, the state of the endocrine system, and the psychological parameters on the probability of HAVS formation; ROC analysis to check the quality of the model was applied. Results. Five main principal components, which together explain 62.79% and 69.84% of the variance, were identified in the group of practically healthy individuals and HAVS individuals, respectively. Emotional and personal variables dominate in the factor matrices of individuals in both groups; one-way direction of the structural unification of variables into factors is observed. A combination of factors with the maximum percentage of correctly predicted cases (93.8%) was established; the model has high sensitivity (94.9%) and specificity (92.1%). The most informative parameter is the experienced vibration dose, then in descending order – the indicators of the 1st and 2nd MMPI scales, interhemispheric asymmetry in amplitude in the T3–T4 lead of the theta rhythm, Fp1–Fp2 of the delta rhythm, the integral pituitary-adrenal index. Limitations. The study was conducted without taking into account biochemical and immunological indices. Conclusion. The basis of the complex of psychological manifestations in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration is formed by two factors that determine the general trends in the formation of the psycho-emotional state. The simultaneous combination of variables – the vibration exposure dose, the state of the functional activity of the brain, the endocrine system, and the psycho-emotional state, should be considered as risk factors for the formation of HAVS. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was performed in accordance with ethical standards and approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research (conclusion No. 6 dated November 15, 2012, conclusion No. 2 dated December 21, 2017). All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study. Contribution: Kuleshova M.V. – concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article; Pankov V.A. – concept of the study, collection of material, editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The work was performed within the funds allocated for the implementation of the State task for the East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research. Received: July 3, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Implementation of anti-epidemic measures in conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic
Introduction. Systemic prevention of communicable diseases among workers is employers’ responsibility as well as one of the most significant activities performed by the Federal Service for Surveillance over Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor). The aim of the study. To systematize and assess practical implementation of anti-epidemic measures by institutions and enterprises under mass morbidity of communicable diseases. Materials and methods. A social survey was conducted using online questioning. Goggle Forms was employed as a platform to create a data array. Approximately one thousand institutions and enterprises over the Russian Federation were invited to take part in the survey; overall, 84 of them agreed to participate. The survey was conducted during September–December, 2020. The data was statistically analyzed with SPSS 16.0 software package for Windows. Results. We systematized obstacles to exist for implementing preventive measures against communicable diseases and established basic needs of the business community within creating a reliable risk management system. The survey identified three groups of barriers: management, financial, and those related to the human factor; management barriers (impossibility to move workers to remote workplaces, difficulties in maintaining proper social distancing) turned out to be the most significant. We established a direct significant correlation between an amount of management and systematization of its approach to prevention of communicable diseases. The study also revealed information and communication demands of the business community. The former are the necessity to get access to systematized, adapted, and easy to understand information products. The latter involve overcoming the gaps between expert knowledge, data presentation, and managers’ abilities and needs by direct communication between experts and creating a system for sharing practical experience between peers working in the same branch. Limitations. The study was accomplished on a small sample. Conclusion. We conclude the creating an effective risk management system to require not only financial support but also an available information environment, which includes both digital guidelines and interactive formats for sharing experience. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies of Rospotrebnadzor (The meeting report No.1 dated February 03, 2020). Prior to taking part in the survey, a respondent was provided with information about the aim of the study and had the right to drop out of it at any stage. All survey data were depersonalized. Contribution of the authors: Lir D.N. — the study concept, editing the text; Barg А.О. — data collection and interpretation, writing the text and abstract, development of the questionnaire, data analysis; Goleva O.I. — data collection and interpretation, writing the text and abstract; Luzhetskiy К.P. — the study concept, editing the text, data collection and interpretation, writing the text and abstract; Shur P.Z. — the study concept, editing the text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: July 18, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Occupational stress, distress and emotional burnout doctors of different specialties
Introduction. More than 80% of healthcare workers experience professional burnout during their work, but there is no systematic monitoring of the risk and level of professional burnout in this professional group. To address this issue, it is necessary to regularly assess the psychoemotional state of healthcare workers, taking into account their specialty, length of service, and individual workload, and to develop targeted preventive programs. The aim of the study. To consider the features of occupational burnout among doctors of therapeutic and surgical profile in specialized hospitals. Research materials and methods. The study included doctors: group 1 – gastroenterologists (n=52 people); group 2 – cardiologists (n=58 people); group 3 – oncologists-therapists (n=48 people); group 4 – abdominal surgeons (n=71 people); group 5 – cardiac surgeons (n=30 people); group 6 – oncologists and surgeons (n=65 people); and group 7 – control group: employees of engineering, technical, and economic specialties who are not related to work in medical institutions (healthy) (n=75 people). The assessment of the level of occupational burnout among medical workers was carried out using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) methodology developed by K. Maslach, S. Jackson, adapted by N.E. Vodopyanova. Results. The professional activity of doctors of therapeutic and surgical specialties is associated with the effects of chronic occupational stress, leading to the development of occupational burnout. Emotional exhaustion was more pronounced among specialist doctors whose work was related to the treatment of oncological and cardiovascular diseases, and to a lesser extent depended on the therapeutic and surgical profile. The indicator of depersonalization was statistically significantly increased only in the group of oncological surgeons. The reduction of personal achievements significantly differed in profile and was more pronounced among surgical specialists. The mental burnout index highlights the difference between groups of surgical doctors due to the presence of high and extremely high values. Limitations. The study has regional (Samara region) and occupational (in terms of the detailed working conditions in the comparison groups studied) limitations. Conclusion. These features of burnout in groups of doctors of therapeutic and surgical profile imply the conduct of diagnostic tests in these groups with different multiplicities. Knowledge of the differences in the severity of certain indices of professional burnout for different groups of doctors of therapeutic and surgical profile, taking into account specialization can be used in the preparation of a program for the prevention of professional burnout in doctors. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted as part of the comprehensive topic of the Department of Occupational Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology named after Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Professor V.V. Kosarev of the Samara State Medical University “Problems of polymorbidity, diagnostics, prognosis, and prevention of occupational and work-related diseases in workers with isolated combined exposure to factors of the production environment and the work process” (registration number 124053000016-4, registration date 30.05.2024). The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Samara State Medical University on 23.09.2023. Each study participant gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study. Contribution: Melentyev A.V. – concept and design of the study, data collection and processing, writing the text, editing; Babanov S.A. – concept and design of the study, data collection and processing, writing the text, editing; Lysova M.V. – concept and design of the study, data collection and processing, writing the text, editing; Zhestkov A.V. – writing the text, editing; Strizhakov L.A. – writing the text, editing; Babanov A.S. – writing the text, editing; Ostryakova N.A. – writing the text, editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 2, 2025 / Revised: June 4, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Biological age and nutritional status in workers at the industrial and agricultural production
Introduction. The comparison of biological age and nutritional status and the state of health in industrial and agricultural workers is interesting, since urban and rural populations differ significantly in quality of life, work and recreation, and access to medical care. Materials and methods. The object of the study is employees of an oil refinery and tractor drivers of agricultural production. There were analyzed following data: biological age, nutritional status, and data on accumulated chronic diseases. Pairwise comparisons of independent samples were performed using the nonparametric Mann–Whitney criterion. The Pearson criterion was used to analyze the relationship of features. Results. In the group of refinery workers, there were established uniform distribution by functional classes of biological age, the relationship between the rate of aging with work experience and smoking. The group of tractor drivers was characterized by a more accelerated rate of aging, while there was no association with work experience and smoking. Workers in both groups of the survey were characterized by a high prevalence of abdominal obesity, excessive consumption of saturated fats and added sugar, and low fibers intake. Metabolic risk factors (overweight, hypercholesterolemia) are more common among agricultural workers. A significant prevalence of diseases of the circulatory system (mainly hypertensive disease), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the endocrine system among refinery workers, respiratory diseases and allergic pathology among tractor drivers has been established. Limitations. The study has regional (Saratov region) and occupational (workers of oil refining production, agricultural machine operators of agricultural production) limitations. Conclusions. The data obtained indicate to the need to develop measures to ensure safe working conditions for health, to eliminate or minimize behavioral risk factors for the development of chronic diseases. It is necessary to increase awareness about the risk factors for developing chronic non-communicable diseases and the early signs of their manifestation, motivate urban and rural working people to lead a healthy lifestyle, and improve medical care in rural areas. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local Ethical Committee of the Saratov Institute of Hygiene of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Federal Research Center for Medical and Preventive Technologies for Public Health Risk Management” (Protocol No. 15 dated 01/09/2022) in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association. The written consent of the respondents was obtained to participate in the study. Contributions: Raikova S.V. – the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing a text; Komleva N.E. – the concept and design of the study, editing; Mazilov S.I. – writing a text, statistical processing; Novikova T.A. – collection and processing of material, writing a text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: March 21, 2025 / Revised: June 24, 2025 / Accepted: September 12, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Assessment of students’ use of the internet in normal learning environments, during self-isolation during COVID-19 and after the pandemic
Introduction. Since the Internet has made fundamental changes in work, social life, leisure, and communication, it has caused both optimism and concern. It is difficult for some people to limit its use, which adversely affects their lives, especially when it comes to children, adolescents, and young people. This has sparked a wide range of research ranging from psychology, sociology, and neuroscience. Several terms have been used to describe the problem, including Internet addiction, gaming disorder, and problematic Internet use. The COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in 2019 significantly affected the quality of life and led to Internet abuse. The lifting of quarantine allowed returning to the usual rhythm of life and, accordingly, the use of the Internet for study and work, as it was before self-isolation. The purpose of the study. To compare the use of the Internet before, on time, and after COVID-19 in medical university students. Materials and methods. The study asked students to rate their feelings and behaviors regarding internet use over the past six months. The “Problematic and Risky Internet Use Survey” (PRIUSS) was administered in both paper and Google Query formats. Participants in the first survey included two hundred thirty students; a year later, during the self-isolation period, 90 students participated; and two years later, 344 students participated. Results. The first survey found that 25.2% of respondents reported risks associated with internet use. In the second survey, the proportion of respondents with problems increased to 93.3%, and in the third survey, 20.9% of students experienced problems. Limitations. The sample of students studying at Medical universities in Moscow limits the possibility of generalizing the results to other regions and types of educational institutions. Conclusion. Problematic internet use increased sharply during the lockdown and returned to baseline levels two years after the pandemic. These findings suggest that problematic internet use and addiction prevention should be an important focus for reducing the risk of health-threatening behavior in children and young people. Compliance with ethical standards. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards set forth in the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (8/19EC). All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study. Contribution: Kuchma V.R. – concept, editing the article, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article; Yamshchikova N.L., Naryshkina E.V. – study concept and design, data collection, data processing, writing the text; Makarova A.Yu. – study concept and design, data collection, data processing; Brazhnikov A.Yu. – study concept and design, data processing, writing the text; Laponova E.D., Chubarovsky V.V. – study concept and design; Leshcheva M.A. – data processing; Demina N.N. – data collection, data processing. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 3, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
The state of anti-infection protection in children with allergic rhinitis in conditions of the aerogenic exposure to technogenic chemicals
Introduction. At present, incidence of allergic rhinitis is growing steadily among children; the disease is caused by diverse factors. Materials and methods. We examined one hundred forty eight children aged of 6–16 yeass, suffered from allergic rhinitis. They lived in an area where in ambient air benzene, formaldehyde, manganese, and chromium were detected in concentrations equal to 1.0–4.8 average annual MPC (the observation group) or in a reference area where the level of the analyzed chemicals were up to 3.4 times lower. The children underwent clinical examination, laboratory tests, and chemical-analytic tests of biological media (blood). Results. Upon exposure to airborne technogenic chemicals, children with allergic rhinitis had chemical contamination of their biological media with benzene, formaldehyde, manganese, and chromium in levels up to 1.8 times higher than the same indices in the reference group. Frequent rhinitis, stuffed nose and morning cough in autumn and winter were established in 41.1–43.1% of the children in the observation group; ⅔ had pronounced allergic manifestations upon contacts with an allergen. Monocytosis was found in 21.9% of the exposed children; interleukin-4 and IgG production was elevated in 17.6% of the cases, with likelihood of the latter being 3.8 times higher against the reference group. The children from the observation group were also found to have elevated production of allergen-specific IgE antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans and sensitization to mold fungi mixtures. Upon exposure to airborne technogenic chemicals, each second child had elevated levels of IgG antibodies to simplex herpes virus, type 1 and 2. Limitations. Children aged 6–16 years were examined. Conclusion. Children with allergic rhinitis who live under exposure to airborne technogenic chemicals become more susceptible to infectious agents due to developing infection-inflammatory responses in the upper airways. This elevated susceptibility involves activated production of antibodies to bacterial and fungi allergens and persistent herpesvirus infection as well as more frequent exacerbations of the diseases with pronounced clinical manifestations. Compliance with ethical standards. The clinical examination was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies (the Meeting Report No. 2, 2021) and was accomplished in conformity with the WMA Declaration of Helsinki (amended and supplemented as of 2008), the RF National Standard GOST-R 52379-2005 Good Clinical Practice (ICH E6 GCP). All participants and their legal representatives gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study. Contributions: Maklakova О.А. — study concept and design, writing the text; Valina S.L. — study design and editing the text; Shtina I.Е. — data collection and analysis. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: July 25, 2025 / Revised: August 25, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Hygienic assessment of working conditions during seed treatment using various equipment
Introduction. Seed treatment with pesticides is one of the most important technological operations in the cultivation of agricultural crops. The main components of high-quality seed treatment are the uniform distribution of pesticides and the preservation of seed viability, both of which largely depend on the technical equipment and application methods used. In the Russian Federation, four main types of seed treatment machines are currently employed: drum, auger, chamber, and rotary. This paper presents the results of hygienic studies assessing occupational risk for operators working with different seed treatment machines using insecticidal preparations based on thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid-class compound. Neonicotinoids are synthetically produced derivatives of the alkaloid nicotine. Provided, that safety regulations and operational guidelines are followed, the risk of pesticide exposure for operators remains within hygienic standards across all treatment technologies. The purpose of this study. To perform a hygienic assessment of working conditions and the risk of exposure to thiamethoxam-based insecticides during pre-sowing seed treatment using various seed treating machines and sowing of treated seeds. Materials and methods. The study included monitoring of air quality and dermal exposure among operators and assistants working with PS-10, PS-20, PETKUS, RH-800, and SATEC machines. During the sowing of treated seeds with using agricultural machinery working conditions were also examined. Results. Under compliance with regulations and the use of personal protective equipment, the level of exposure was demonstrated to not exceed permissible limits. However, during sowing, exposure levels for seeders may significantly exceed those observed in operators of seed treatment machines. Limitations. Given the numerous factors influencing the formation of thiamethoxam exposure levels, extrapolation of the obtained data is only possible when using thiamethoxam-based formulations employing similar technologies. Conclusion. During both seed treatment and sowing, regardless of the treatment method used, adherence to safety protocols, pesticide application guidelines, and proper machine maintenance ensures the risk of exposure to the studied pesticides to remain within acceptable limits. Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require a biomedical ethics committee opinion. Contribution: Rakitskii V.N. – scientific guidance; Bereznyak I.V. – concept and design of research, material collection and data processing, analysis and interpretation of results, statistical processing, text writing; Antipova V.I. – concept and design of research, collection of material, data processing and visualization, analysis and interpretation of results, text writing; Veshchemova T.E. – literature data collection, data processing, text writing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study was carried out within the framework of the Rospotrebnadzor industry program “Scientific substantiation of the national system for ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being, health risk management and improving the quality of life of the Russian population” (2021–2025). Received: May 27, 2025 / Revised: June 4, 2025 / Accepted: June 26, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Peculiarities of neuroimmune regulation in children with pathology of the autonomic nervous system under conditions of chronic exposure to airborne aluminum
Introduction. Aluminum is a common ecotoxicant, whose effect on neuroimmune regulation has not been studied sufficiently. The purpose of the study is to assess the changes in specific indicators of neuroimmune regulation in children with autonomic nervous system disorders under conditions of chronic low-level aerogenic exposure to aluminum and in the presence of polymorphisms in candidate genes. Materials and methods. We examined one hundred forty children exposed to emissions form a non-ferrous metallurgy enterprise (0.1 average daily MPC) including 52 children with disorders of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) (the observation group) and 88 children were considered conditionally healthy (the reference group). The expression of membrane receptors (Neuropilin-1/CD304, Notch 1) was evaluated by flow cytometry. The content of neurotropin-3, serotonin, and specific IgG for aluminum was determined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Evaluation of polymorphism of SOD2 (rs2758330) and HTR2A (rs7997012) genes by using the polymerase chain reaction method (PCR). Results. Children chronically exposed to low-dose airborne aluminum (0.1 average daily MPC) and had ANS disorders were found to have elevated blood aluminum levels (0.011±0.001 mg/dm3). These levels were authentically 1.7 times higher than reference levels (0.0065±0.0035 mg/dm3) and 2.75 times higher (p=0.0001) than aluminum levels identified in their conditionally healthy peers (0.004±0.001 mg/dm3). The children from the observation group were also shown to have inhibited NRP1 and Notch 1 expression compared to the reference group (2.0–2.3 times lower; p≤0.05), as well as hyperproduction of neurotropin-3 and IgG specific to aluminum (1.38–1.48 times higher; p≤0.05). We found a strong correlation between bioexposure to aluminum and hyperproduction of neurotropin-3 (R2=0.86; p≤0.05) and IgG to aluminum (R2=0.52; p≤0.05). As association was established between expression of the SOD2 C14510A gene (allele A and genotype AA) and the HTR2A rs7997012 gene (allele G and genotype GG) and the risk (RR=1.47–1.56) of autonomic nervous system disorders upon exposure to aluminum. Limitations. The study was accomplished on a small sample of children (52 cases) with pathology of the autonomic nervous system. Conclusion. Thus, chronic aerogenic exposure to aluminum causes an imbalance of neuroimmune regulation in children, which is confirmed by the studied markers, promising for further research. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in conformity with the Declaration of Helsinki, the World Medical Association “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants” and the National Standard of the Russian Federation GOST-R 52379–2005 Good Clinical Practice (ICH E6 GCP) (Meeting Report No. 6 dated April 03, 2024). All participants and their legal representatives gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study. Contributions: Alikina I.N. – data collection and analysis, writing and editing the text; Dolgikh О.V. – study concept and design, writing and editing the text, approval of the final version of the manuscript; Shirinkina А.S. – data collection and analysis, writing and editing the text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: July 18, 2025 / Accepted: , 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Assessment of cyto- and pulmonary toxicity of lead oxide nanoparticles following chronic inhalation exposure: An experimental study
Introduction. We have found no studies of pulmonary toxicity of lead oxide nanoparticles (PbO NPs) following chronic inhalation exposure in the world scientific literature. Materials and methods. Chronic inhalation exposure to lead oxide nanoparticles in rats sized 18.2±4.2 nm in the concentration of 0.215 mg/m3 for 4 hours a day, five times a week during 4 months was modeled using a “nose only” exposure chamber. After exposure cessation, we measured cytological and biochemical indices of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, performed histomorphological analysis of the lungs, and tested the external respiration function in the rodents. Results. The response in the lower respiratory tract induced by inhalation exposure to PbO NPs was manifested by a compensatory increase in the number of neutrophils and neutrophils to alveolar macrophage ratio. We also noted excessive values indicative of the phagocytic and functional activity of the cellular response. The revealed changes in the histological picture of the rat lungs following chronic inhalation exposure to PbO NPs suggest an adverse effect of the latter on the morphology of the lung tissue. In addition, we established pathological changes in the functional indices of external respiration in the animals. Limitations. Laboratory rats of the same biological species and sex were used for the experiment. Conclusion. The experimental study revealed cytotoxic effects in the bronchoalveolar lavage, histopathological abnormalities in the lung tissue, and changes in the indices of external respiration in the rats, all reflecting the process of possible pathological structural and functional alterations in the respiratory system. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Yekaterindicesinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers (protocol No. 4 dated July 12, 2022). Contribution: Sutunkova M.P., Minigalieva I.A. – study conception and design, scientific editing; Tazhigulova A.V. – data collection and processing, conducting the experiment, writing text; Bushueva T.V., Obukhova T.Yu. – scientific editing; Labzova A.K. – data processing, scientific editing; Petrunina E.M. – data processing, writing text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 9, 2025 / Revised: , 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Biological prophylaxis of the cytotoxic effect of lead oxide nanoparticles: an experimental study
Introduction. As of today, lead is one of the most common metals found in production facilities of developing industrial countries, both as a primary and secondary product released into the workplace air during various technological processes, including in the form of nanoparticles (NPs). The effect of NPs at the cellular level is associated with the development of a cytotoxic responses. In the context of this work, the cytotoxic effect of exposure to lead oxide (PbO) NPs was reduced by components of a bioprophylactic complex (BPC) that increase the natural resistance to hazards. Materials and methods. The study was conducted on female albino rats that were exposed to PbO NPs in the nose-only inhalation exposure system for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks, while half of the animals received the BPC with feed and drink throughout the entire exposure period. After cessation of exposure, we assessed hematological indices, cytological and biochemical indices of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in the rats. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test. Results. Inhalation exposure to PbO NPs induced adverse changes in some blood indices, BALF cytological and biochemical indices in the experimental rats, which were leveled out by the use of BPC, as evidenced by their comparability to those ​​in the control group. Limitations. Laboratory rodents of the same biological species and sex were used for the experiment. A single dose of the toxicant was used. The study was limited to establishing the main indices of the cytotoxic effect. Conclusion. This experimental study shows the positive impact of BPC components aimed at mitigating the cytotoxic effect of exposure to lead oxide nanoparticles in rats. Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Yekaterinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers (protocol No. 5 of October 16, 2023). Contribution: Minigalieva I.A. – study conception and design, scientific editing; Tazhigulova A.V. – data processing, draft manuscript preparation, editing; Sutunkova M.P. – study conception and design, scientific editing; Shabardina L.V. – experiment, data collection and analysis; Nikogosyan K.M. – experiment, data collection and analysis; Bateneva V.A. – draft manuscript preparation. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 9, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Food safety: sample dispersion in analytical control of organochlorine pesticides (4,4’-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites, (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-isomers of Hexachlorocyclohexane)
Introduction. In assessing the safety of food products, analytical control of pesticide residues is relevant not only for currently used preparations, but also for a number of persistent, toxic substances, the production and use of which is prohibited or restricted worldwide. Such substances include organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) – 4,4’Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) (alpha, beta and gamma isomers), which belong to the class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with high stability in the environment. The aim of the study. To develop an economical and rapid method of matrix solid-phase dispersion in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MSPD-GC-MS) for the determination of OCP content in a wide range of raw materials and food products of animal origin, as well as products with a predominant content of components of animal origin. Materials and methods. According to the sample preparation procedure using the matrix solid-phase dispersion method, crushed and homogenized food samples were dispersed in the florisil sorbent. The OCPs were extracted from the resulting bulk mixture with a mixture of organic solvents, and then the extract was purified with concentrated sulfuric acid. The samples were analyzed using a gas chromatograph “Chromatec-Crystal 5000.2” (Russian Federation) with a mass spectrometric detector. Results. A simple method for determining organochlorine pesticides in a wide range of animal products using MTFD-GC-MS has been developed. Using florisil as a dispersant and a mixture of hexane and dichloromethane (1:1, by volume) as an eluting solvent, and including an additional stage of sample treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid allows achieving a good extraction and purification effect. The linearity range of the calibration curves is 0.005–0.2 µg/ml. The lower limit of quantification for all substances is 0.01 mg/kg, the degree of extraction varied from 85 to 104% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 6–8% (n = 5). Limitations. In the study same types of food products of animal origin were considered as objects of research. Conclusion. The method is characterized by its speed, simplicity, sufficient sensitivity, good reproducibility, and accuracy. It is suitable for the analysis of large volumes and meets the technical requirements for the determination of residual quantities of OCPs in food products of animal origin with a lower limit of quantification of an individual substance of 0.01 ppm. Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require a biomedical ethics committee opinion. Contribution: Fedorova N.E., Dobreva N.I., Goryacheva L.V. – concept and design of the study; Dobreva N.I., Suslova A.V. – collection and processing of material; Fedorova N.E., Dobreva N.I., Bondareva L.G. – text writing, editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: April 29, 2025 / Revised: June 2, 2025 / Accepted: June 26, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Nanorobotics in biomedical sciences (literature review)
Nanomedicine is a scientific field resulting from the combination of nanotechnology and medicine, utilizing the high accuracy and wide adaptability of functional nanoscale devices called nanorobots or nanobots. Nanobots are emerging as key players in novel medical applications and, in conjunction with the rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, may significantly improve the treatment and diagnostic outcomes in the context of precision medicine. Nanorobotics, as a subfield of nanomedicine, involves the design, creation, and deployment of autonomous or semi-autonomous nanoscale devices capable of performing specific medical tasks at the molecular or cellular level. The integration of AI further enhances the capabilities of nanobots by enabling them to adapt to dynamic biological environments, learn from interactions, and optimize treatment strategies. Their precision and ability to operate at the cellular or subcellular scale are particularly advantageous in targeting diseases at their source, such as cancer or genetic disorders, without causing damage to surrounding intact tissues. Herein, this short review article aims to present an overview of the most conventional nanobot-based therapeutics and diagnostics that have been widely explored so far. Furthermore, we emphasize on the challenges this technology faces in clinical application, detailing issues in safety assessment, diverse biological effects, and regulatory restrictions. Finally, we provide our perspective on the future directions of nanomedicine. Contribution: Nikolopoulou D.I. – writing text, the concept and design of the study, editing; Karampatzakis T. – writing text, the design of the study, editing; Kouretas D. – writing text, editing; Fedorov D.S. – writing text, editing; Tsintarakis A. – writing text, editing; Kirithras E. – editing; Taghizadehghalehjoughi A. – editing; Rakitsky V.N. – editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: April 15, 2025 / Accepted: June 26, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Determination of the content of metabolites of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in urine by chromatography with mass-selective detection
Introduction. Polyromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are metabolized into hydroxyl derivatives, which are excreted from the human body in urine. Gas chromatography with mass-selective (GC-MS) detection is a more sensitive and efficient method for separation and subsequent measurement of hydroxyl PAHs. Materials and methods. The study used a gas chromatograph with a mass-selective detector and a capillary column HP-5MS. Extraction was performed using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, where chloroform served as the extracting solvent, and ethanol as the dispersing solvent. Derivatization of hydroxyl PAHs was carried out online – simultaneously introducing chloroform extract and silylating reagent into the chromatograph injector. Results. There were calculated characteristics of trimethylsilanes hydroxyl PAH separation on a capillary column as follows: efficiency, separation factor, resolution. The effect of the evaporation port temperature on the detector signal was studied. A dispersing solvent (ethanol, acetone, acetonitrile, methanol) was selected to study its effect on the degree of extraction. The maximum extraction degree is obtained when using ethanol. The patterns of the change in the extraction degree from the ethanol volume and shaking time were studied. The following metrological characteristics were estimated: repeatability, reproducibility, recovery, and accuracy. Limitations. Improvement of the methodological approach to measuring hydroxyl PAHs in urine was carried out without testing the method on real samples of workers exposed to toxicants in industrial conditions. Conclusion. In the improved methodical approach of GC-MS determination of hydroxyl PAHs, the use of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction instead of classical liquid extraction accelerated sample preparation and eliminated the extract evaporation stage. The degree of extraction was 70–100%. Derivatization with the silyl-991 reagent in the evaporation port ensured the rapidity of the reaction. Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require submission of the Biomedical ethics committee or other documents. Contribution: Alekseenko A.N. – concept and design of the study, search for literature sources, data processing, writing the text; Zhurba O.M. – collection and processing of material, laboratory research; Merinov A.V. – collection of literature data, statistical processing, writing the text; Shayakhmetov S.F. – organization of the study, editing, discussion of results. All co-authors – approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The work was performed within the framework of funds allocated for the implementation of the state task East-Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research. Received: April 25, 2025 / Revised: August 13, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Methods for measuring mass concentrations of xylene isomers in ambient air (literature review)
Ambient air is the most important life-support component of the ecosystem, so its pollution is a powerful and permanent factor influencing on both humans and the environment. Volatile organic aromatic compounds are the main group of pollutants that affect human health. For effective analytical control of the environmental quality, highly sensitive and selective methods for determining xylenes in ambient air are necessary. The aim of this study. To examine the results of theoretical and experimental research, methods and procedures for measuring mass concentrations of xylene isomers in ambient air. The review focuses on data available in scientific literature published in the abstract databases of Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus, and Elibrary, devoted to studying the content of xylenes in ambient air. A review of Russian and foreign scientific literature on physicochemical methods for controlling determination of xylenes in air has revealed organic compounds to be determined using chromato-mass-spectrometry with thermal desorption involved in the sampling stage. Conclusion. This analysis of scientific and methodological literature has shown sorption concentration on solid sorbents (porous polymer sorbents) to be the most widely used sampling method to determine the content of xylenes in ambient air. The optimal way to extract xylenes from a sorbent is thermal desorption of the selected sample directly into the column of gas chromatograph and subsequent gas chromatographic analysis. Contribution: Nurislamova T.V. — study concept and design, editing the text; Popova N.A. — study concept and design, editing the text; Maltseva O.A. — study concept and design, editing the text; Kolmogortseva D.Yu. — literature data collection and analysis, writing the text. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: June 10, 2025 / Revised: August 8, 2025 / Accepted: September 25, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Methods of investigating the content of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fine particles in the composition of fine particles polluting the ambient air (literature review)
Ambient air pollution is currently a global problem. The presence of various toxic compounds in ambient air, including metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with fine suspended particles, contributes to the development and increase in population morbidity. The aim of the study. To conduct a review of up-to-date methods for determining levels of metals and PAHs in fine particles polluting ambient air, which are currently available in scientific reports. The material for this review was represented by data from Russian and foreign scientific literature published in the abstract databases Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and eLIBRARY and devoted to investigating levels of metals and PAHs associated with fine particles in ambient air (twenty two reports). Analysis of literary sources has shown that it is more efficient to use multi-cascade impactors for sampling metals and PAHs contained in different fractions of fine particles. To prepare a sample for analysis, a whole filter is usually used, which is subjected to acid decomposition or liquid extraction for analysis of metals and PAHs, respectively. As an analytical method, most studies use inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for metal analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for PAH analysis. Conclusion. Analysis of scientific and methodological literature has shown that it is effective to use multi-stage impactors for taking metal and PAH samples, which are parts of different fractions of fine-dispersed particles. Metals are analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry at the ng and µg level. PAHs are analyzed using gas chromatography with massspectrometric detection and found at the ng and µg level. However, the sampling time is 24 hours or more. Contribution: Nurislamova T.V., Zorina A.S. – research design and editing; Zaitseva N.V. – concept and editing; Krylov A.A., Zvereva L.A. – literature data collection and analysis, text writing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: April 3, 2025 / Revised: June 2, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025
Hygienic principles of desalination and subsequent conditioning of highly mineralized waters for the population in arid territories
The article, based on own experimental and field studies, presents priority domestic scientific developments of additional criteria, indices and standards for assessing the quality of desalinated highly mineralized waters, which determined the need to use new modern water treatment technologies for both source water, including sea water and, especially, desalinated water obtained from them for domestic and drinking use, reflected in the international document “Guidelines on Hygienic Aspects of Water Desalination” (1980). Developed by order of the World Health Organization (WHO), awarded the Government Prize of the Council of Ministers of the USSR (1988), and found widespread practical application, including in large coastal cities: Shevchenko (now Aktau, Republic of Kazakhstan), Krasnovodsk (Republic of Turkmenistan), Aden (Yemen). The example of sixteen populated areas of Kalmykia shows the need for a more extensive analysis of the quality of drinking water used by the population to determine priorities for health measures and improve water purification systems. The prospects of research on physical methods of water treatment related to conditioning of such biophysical indices of drinking water quality as its hydrogen-oxygen isotope composition and molecular cluster structure are shown. Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The study had no sponsorship. Received: July 7, 2025 / Accepted: September 25, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025