Introduction: Drinking water is one of the most important environmental factors sustaining life and determining human health. The goal of the Russian Federal Clean Water Project is to improve drinking water quality through upgrading of water treatment and supply systems using advanced technologies, including those developed by the military-industrial complex. The most informative and reliable sources of information for assessing drinking water quality are the results of systematic laboratory testing obtained within the framework of socio-hygienic monitoring (SGM) and production control carried out by water supply organizations. The objective of our study was to formulate approaches to organizing quality monitoring programs for centralized cold water supply systems. Materials and methods: We reviewed programs and results of drinking water quality laboratory tests performed by Rospotrebnadzor bodies and institutions within the framework of SGM in 2017-2018. Results: We established that drinking water quality monitoring in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation differs significantly in the number of monitoring points (566 in the Krasnoyarsk Krai vs 10 in Sevastopol) and measured indicators, especially sanitary and chemical ones (53 inorganic and organic substances in the Kemerovo Region vs one indicator in the Amur Region). Discussion: For a more complete and objective assessment of drinking water quality in centralized cold water supply systems, monitoring points should be organized at all stages of water supply with account for the coverage of the maximum number of people supplied with water from a particular network. Thus, the number of points in the distribution network should depend, inter alia, on the size of population served. In urban settlements with up to 10,000 inhabitants, for example, at least 4 points should be organized while in the cities with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants at least 80 points are necessary. We developed minimum mandatory lists of indicators and approaches to selecting priority indices to be monitored at all stages of drinking water supply.

In order to conduct a more precise and objective assessment of drinking water quality in the centralized cold water supply systems, it is essential to increase the coverage of population with laboratory control. It is therefore expedient to consider the possibility of using production control data collected within the drinking water quality monitoring system and including them in statistical reporting forms of Rospotrebnadzor for subsequent accounting when assessing the implementation of the Russian Federal Clean Water Project within the National Ecology Project. Our objective was to substantiate requirements for organization of production control of drinking water with considering a further use of its results in assessing drinking water quality. The materials of the research included current regulations and literature data. We applied methods of sanitary and epidemiologic expert examination, assessment and survey as well as methods of systemic and content analysis. Results: To evaluate the supply of the population with high-quality drinking water, it is important to consider not only test results collected within the framework of the federal state sanitary and epidemiologic surveillance but also the results of production control carried out by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs operating centralized cold water supply systems. However, organization of production control and the use of its results is usually associated with such problems as the choice of the most representative sampling points, identification of a sufficient list of controlled indicators, quality of results, etc. Conclusions: Before including the results of drinking water quality production control in the drinking water quality monitoring system, it is necessary to set the requirements for selecting monitoring sites, analytes, frequency of testing, etc. To legitimize the use of production control results, it is important to develop regulations that oblige organizations carrying out production control of drinking water quality to submit their results to Rospotrebnadzor bodies and institutions for their use in comprehensive drinking water quality assessments.

Introduction: As the most important environmental factor having multiple effects on human vital activities and health, drinking water often becomes the subject of predicting adverse health effects. With the purpose of establishing quantitative and/or qualitative characteristics of harmful effects of drinking water chemicals for human health, an integral assessment of drinking water quality with subsequent health risk assessment is carried out. It is based on estimating the risk posed by chronic (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) exposures that shows probability of developing a disease. Results: Practical activities of departments and institutions of the Federal Service for Surveillance in the Sphere of Consumers Rights and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) on assessing health effects of environmental factors have demonstrated that, even in concentrations equaling their detection limits in quite a number of test methods, most chemical water pollutants pose unacceptable carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks both for the general population and occupational cohorts. Thus, the results of some laboratory methods of testing are inappropriate for an objective human health risk assessment. Conclusions: We describe criteria for selecting methods of the quantitative chemical analysis of drinking water fit for the purposes of sanitary and epidemiologic expert examination combined with a population health risk assessment. The criteria of choice have been elaborated based on the review of regulatory and method documents and results of analytical testing of drinking water quality.

Introduction: Non-ferrous metallurgy is one of the basic economic sectors of the Murmansk Region, which workers are at increased risk of occupational diseases. The purpose of the study was to investigate causes, structure and prevalence of occupational diseases in the Kola Arctic copper and nickel industry workers in 1989-2018. Materials and methods: We analyzed data on working conditions and occupational diseases in the Murmansk Region in 1989-2018. Results: We observed the following changes in workers of the Kola copper and nickel industry during the 30-year study period: 1) the length of service until manifestation of an occupational disease increased from 46.3 ± 1.3 to 55.0 ± 0.6 years (р < 0.001); 2) the proportion of women among occupational disease cases increased from 3.6% to 33.0% (р < 0.001); 3) the number of newly diagnosed occupational diseases in an employee increased from 1.04 ± 0.04 to 2.19 ± 0.12 (р < 0.001); 4) the proportion of cases of chronic intoxication with nickel compounds in the general structure of occupational diseases rose from 6.9 % to 34.7 % while the percentage of respiratory diseases dropped from 89.7 % to 34.2 % (р < 0.001). In 1989-2008, we noted an increase in оссирайопа1 disease rates with реак values (336 cases) achieved in 2004-2008. In the following decade, their number decreased by 2.7 times from 104 to 38 cases, and their share among all regional occupational disease cases dropped from 40.2 % to 16.6 % (р < 0.001). Conclusions: Respiratory diseases and chronic intoxication from exposure to nickel compounds prevailed in the structure of occupational diseases in metallurgists in the Kola Arctic. An increase in the number of occupational diseases per worker, a rise in the proportion of women among sick workers, and a sharp decline in occupational disease rates in 2009-2018 require a proper explanation.

Introduction: Today, the growing human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) is of serious concern to the population and the international scientific community. Sources of RF EMF in residential areas include mobile radio base stations, signal repeaters, wireless broadband access points, TV and radio transmitters, satellite earth stations, radar and radio relay stations. Launching of 5G mobile networks will further complicate the electromagnetic situation in inhabited areas, especially in megacities where the size of exposed population is the largest. In the system of measures contributing to protection of the population from adverse health effects of electromagnetic fields, standards (regulations and other documents establishing EMF permissible levels) play a significant role and lay the foundation for organizational and technical measures of protection. High importance of standards in ensuring electromagnetic safety served as the basis for our study. The objective of the study was to perform a comparative analysis of RF EMF standards for inhabited areas and approaches to setting EMF exposure levels adopted by different countries and international organizations. Methods: We reviewed of some aspects ofbiological effects of RF EMF, regulations setting EMF exposure limits in different countries and recommended by ICNIRP, and approaches to establishing those limits. Conclusions: We found a significant discrepancy in RF EMF limits adopted in different countries, the legal status and scope of regulatory documents. Differences in the methodology for the development, adoption and approval of EMF standard accompanied by differences in their legal status prevent uniform EMF standard setting.

Introduction: Location of weather surveillance radars near settlements, in residential areas and on airport premises makes it important to ensure safe levels of electromagnetic fields when operating these radio transmitters. Electromagnetic fields maximum permissible levels for weather radars developed in the 1980s are outdated. Our objective was to analyze modern weather surveillance radars to develop proposals for improvement of radar-generated radiofrequency field monitoring. Materials and methods: We studied trends in meteorological radiolocation and technical characteristics of modern weather radars for atmospheric sensing and weather alerts, analyzed regulations for electromagnetic fields measurements and hygienic assessment, and measured radiofrequency fields produced by weather radar antennas in open areas and at workplaces of operators. Results: We established that modern types of weather radars used in upper-air sensing systems and storm warning networks differ significantly in terms of technical characteristics and operating modes from previous generations. Developed in the 1980s, current hygienic standards for human exposures to radiofrequency fields from weather radar antennas are obsolete. Conclusions: It is essential to develop an up-to-date regulatory and method document specifying estimation and instrumental monitoring of electromagnetic fields levels generated by weather radars and measuring instruments for monitoring of pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation.

Background: Running of built-in objects in residential houses can significantly worsen living conditions due to adverse effects of various chemical and physical environmental factors. Yet, sanitary and epidemiological standardization in terms of placement of non-residential premises in residential buildings is not sufficiently regulated, which leads to numerous violations when commissioning non-residential premises in residential buildings. In this regard, the question arises about legal acts regulating design issues and ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being when placing non-residential objects in residential buildings and constituting the basis for sanitary and epidemiological expert examinations. Materials and methods: We analyzed regulatory acts setting sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions, placement of public facilities in residential buildings, and alteration projects in residential buildings and examined the archive of public complaints. Results: We established the absence of federal regulations requiring mandatory sanitary and epidemiological expert examination of alteration projects for public facilities built into residential buildings. A significant part of issues related to ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population is determined by technical regulations on safety of buildings and structures rather than sanitary legislation. This is the reason why these regulations are included in the scope of accreditation of many inspection bodies of Rospotrebnadzor institutions. Executive authorities and customers of projects for placement of non-residential premises in residential buildings, assuming reconfiguration of built-in facilities, order a sanitary and epidemiological expert examination of alteration projects, rightly believing that elimination of nonconformities at the stage of a separate project will be the most cost-effective solution. Conclusion: It goes without saying that the most efficient solution that can help prevent deterioration of living conditions is a sanitary and epidemiological expert examination requiring amendments and additions to the current sanitary legislation on expediency of such an examination.

Introduction: Traffic flows cause noise discomfort in 75-80 % of urban territories. Automobile and railway objects located near residential buildings generate indoor noise levels that exceed current standards by 5-30 dB. Approximately 20-25% of the Russian population live in areas of excessive traffic-related acoustic load. Despite the existing methods of acoustic load reduction in residential quarters, the number of complaints about high noise exposures in residential buildings keeps growing. Our objectives was to give a hygienic substantiation of an additional method of acoustic load reduction in residential premises based on the results of analyzing the level of acoustic discomfort. Materials and methods: Measurements, assessment and analysis of the noise level along automobile roads and railways and in the reverberation chamber were carried out in accordance with the current regulatory and technical documentation using a noise/vibration meter and spectrum analyzer "EKOFIZIKA-110A". Data was processed using the Signal+/110 Utilities software. We studied characteristics of sound insulation of airborne noise with polyester shutters with fire retardant impregnation. Results: The results showed that high noise exposure levels in residential areas with transport infrastructure. Automobile traffic flows form an acoustic load in the range of 71-84 dBA, urban railway traffic flows (trams) - 61-80 dBA, and a train - 66-77 dBA. The excess of hygienic standards at night can reach 32 to 39 dBA. The material with the best sound insulation properties was selected showing an efficiency of 5 dBA. Conclusions: Acoustic discomfort is now registered in urban residential areas with developed automobile and railroad networks. Available methods of soundproofing and noise mitigation are not effective enough or may not be used in the current urban development situation to reduce the risk of negative reactions of the human body to excessive noise exposures in residential premises, especially at night. A 5 dBA acoustic load reduction can lower the risk of negative reactions of the human body to noise exposures.

Introduction: The problem of strong offensive odor produced by operation of sewage treatment plants is known to be quite pressing and common. It is now related to the fact that urban development made these plants, once built on the outskirts, appear within city boundaries, near summerhouses and cottage villages. Malodor is perceived by local population as a sign of poor ambient air quality that evokes negative emotions and unfavorable reflex responses and makes most people feel unwell. Materials and methods: We analyzed sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants for the whole range of chemicals that can migrate into ambient air and identified priority odor-generating pollutants. Sewage sludge testing was carried out in simulated conditions using advanced high-precision analytical techniques such as mass-spectrometry, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, gas chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography. Conclusions: Based on study results, we developed a list of chemicals subject to laboratory monitoring and substantiated the expediency of their detection in the presence of public complaints of offensive odors coming from sewage treatment plants.

Introduction: Visual fatigue is caused by changes in the muscular apparatus and retina of the eye and is characterized by deterioration in their functional activity. Along with an increase in work experience and age, workplace visual stress promotes the loss of performance. Known methods of visual fatigue prevention and eye strain relief are ineffective. In this regard, a technique of relieving visual fatigue using scattered low-level red laser radiation was developed and patented. The purpose of our study was a retrospective evaluation of effectiveness of the visual fatigue reduction technique. Materials and methods: We examined two groups of women (PC operators and jewellers) aged 43-57 years experiencing visual stress at work and practicing the method under study over the previous 20 years. The state of daylight vision was assessed by adaptation time. Results: A five-day testing of the method of visual fatigue relief showed stabilization of the light sensitivity threshold throughout the work shift. Over the 20-year period, the female workers had had no complaints of eye strain, burning or lacrimation. Objective studies of the functional state of the organ of sight showed that the light sensitivity threshold during the working day in two study groups was significantly lower than that in the control group with no preventive measures taken. Conclusions: We established that using the technique of eye strain relief based on a two-minute binocular exposure to red laser radiation with the power density of 2*10^-7W/cm⁸⁴, a 5-day course every six months over the period of 20 years, helped retain retinal activity in terms of light sensitivity, thus preventing visual fatigue.

Introduction: Quality of life (QOL) is an integral concept characterizing the level of comfort of the social and natural environment for human life and work, the level of well-being and social, spiritual and physical health. Currently, the number of scientific disciplines that include this concept as an object of study is expanding. Our objective was to study the impact of the system of rehabilitation measures provided for by the current federal legislation in relation to this category of patients on the quality of life of healthcare professionals with occupational diseases. Materials and methods: We assessed QOL changes related to rehabilitation in 124 healthcare professionals of the North-West Federal District who received full or partial rehabilitation for occupational diseases in 2000-2017. Results: We analyzed the dynamics of QOL indicators and assessed physical condition and the ability to perform certain functions in our subjects. The most significant changes were established for such indicators as concentration of attention (by 0.2 on average; p = 0.0393) and quality of life (by 0.2 on average; p = 0.0256). We found an improved QOL in almost 40 % of healthcare professionals with occupational diseases related to physical workloads compared with the groups of occupational infection and allergy cases. Moreover, the increment was quite small (0.2 in terms of the difference in average values, with the expected growth of at least 1-2 points). Conclusions: Incomplete and inconsistent implementation of rehabilitation measures in healthcare professionals suffering from occupational diseases leads to an insufficiently effective increase in their quality of life. A better QOL improvement in these patients requires appropriate correction of drawbacks in carrying out rehabilitation measures.

Background: The specifics of occupational activities of firefighters is determined by exposures to both fire hazards and a combination of occupational risk factors of various nature significantly exceeding their standard values. Adverse chemical exposures rank first due to unpredictable toxic effects of combustion products from burning synthetic polymers. Yet, the most dangerous are low-temperature fires emitting a wide range of air contaminants including highly lipophilic, bioaccumulative and persistent dioxins. The purpose of the research was to study the relationship between various polymorphic variants of xenobiotic detoxification genes and blood lipid concentrations of dioxins in firefighters. Materials and methods: We measured average dioxin concentrations in ambient air at different stages of firefighting and in blood lipids of firefighters with different length of service using the analytical method of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cumulative effect of dioxins was estimated in relation to polymorphic variants of xenobiotic detoxification genes of the first and second phases of biotransformation by determining polymorphisms, the main research method being polymerase chain reaction. Results: High concentrations of dioxins measured in ambient air at all stages of firefighting and in blood lipids of firefighters with a significant correlation with work experience indicate that inhalation is one of the main routes of exposure to dioxins and that these chemicals are occupational risk factors for this professional group. The analysis of the relationship between various polymorphic variants of xenobiotic detoxification genes and blood lipid concentrations of dioxins in the firefighters showed a higher blood level of dioxins in carriers of minor alleles. Conclusions: Genotyping of firefighters and identification of carriers of minor alleles of xe-nobiotic detoxification genes may contribute to timely preventive and rehabilitation measures aimed at elimination of adverse health effects of occupational exposure to dioxins.