


Vol 103, No 5 (2024)
- Year: 2024
- Published: 21.06.2024
- Articles: 14
- URL: https://ruspoj.com/0016-9900/issue/view/9571
PROBLEM-SOLVING ARTICLES
The potential for increasing the reliability of hygienic assessments based on a comparative analysis of risk and harm to health under the influence of environmental factors
Abstract
Introduction. The large-scale responsibility of the Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) for ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population requires improving methods of scientific analysis and forecasting to optimize management decisions.
The purpose of the work is to increase the reliability of hygienic assessments in the system of state regulation and control based on a comparative analysis of the results of assessing formalized risk and real harm to health under the influence of chemical environmental factors.
Materials and methods. A methodology has been developed for comparative analysis of the results of assessing the formalized (calculated) and realized risk (causing real harm) to the health of the exposed population. The implementation of the proposed approaches was carried out using the example of a comparative analysis of the results of assessing risk and harm to health during an in-depth medical examination of two hundred sixty eight 4–7 years children from the zone of aerogenic chemical exposure from emission sources of large metallurgical production. The comparison group included 98 unexposed 4–7 years children (2020–2022).
Results. There has been clarified the list of priority substances (8 components) for which there are critical violations of the mandatory requirements of sanitary legislation regarding the quality of atmospheric air (non-compliance with hygienic standards for nitrogen dioxide, manganese, nickel, inorganic fluorides, formaldehyde, aluminum, lead, sulfur dioxide), leading to real harm to health. The list of actual diseases identified as real harm caused (8 types) is specified — asthma with an allergic component, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, common variable immunodeficiency, cardiac dysfunction, nephrotic syndrome, atopic dermatitis.
Limitations. A comparative analysis was performed for 4-7 years children exposed to long-term aerogenic pollutants.
Conclusion. A conjugate comparative analysis of the results of assessing the formalized and realized risk (harm) to the health of the exposed population allows to effectively identifying the risks of violations of mandatory requirements of sanitary legislation, leading to harm (damage) to health and to substantiate indicators of risk (harm) to health caused as a result of violations of mandatory requirements for state regulation at the system level.
Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local ethical committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Reservative Technologies for Risk Management of the Population of the Rospotrebnadzor (meeting protocol No. 2 dated 11.02.2021), and the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association (as amended 2013) was carried out.
Contribution:
Zaitseva N.V. — concept and editing;
Zemlyanova M.A. — research design, comparative analysis, editing;
Koldibekova Yu.V. — collecting material and processing data, writing 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.
Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.
Received: February 16, 2024 / Revised: April 5, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024



ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE
Forecast of probable negative effects initiated by transformation of the proteomic profile of human blood plasma under combined exposure to chemicals
Abstract
Introduction. The study of the mechanisms of external environmental effects of chemicals on the human body using highly informative proteomic profiling technologies makes it possible to predict the development of negative effects at the earliest stage of their formation. In combination with experimental studies that exclude the influence of interfering factors, the accuracy of identifying changes in the protein profile increases. Assessing the cause-and-effect relationships between exposure to chemicals and protein transformation increases the effectiveness of prognosis and measures to prevent negative consequences.
The purpose of the work is the forecast of probable negative effects initiated by the transformation of the proteomic profile of blood plasma under the combined influence of chemicals, relied upon on bioinformation matrices based on the results of a comparative analysis of natural and experimental studies (using the example of aluminum oxide, hydrogen fluoride, and benzo(a)pyrene).
Materials and methods. Using the methods of chemical-analytical, statistical, proteomic, and bioinformational analysis, molecular-cellular events were identified in 4–7 years children exposed to aerogenic exposure to benzo(a)pyrene, hydrogen fluoride, and aluminum oxide (field studies). During the comparative analysis, the obtained results were verified by data from experimental studies (Wistar rats) subjected to combined and isolated inhalation exposure in doses equivalent to real ones. Identical proteins were identified and a bioinformation matrix was constructed, on the basis of which a forecast of probable negative effects was made using generally accepted metadata databases.
Results. As a result of field studies, in children exposed to benzo(a)pyrene at a level of up to 2.2 MPC.g. (up to 2.2 RfC), aluminum oxide and hydrogen fluoride — up to 0.3 MPC.g. (up to 0.1 RfC), the concentrations of the studied substances in biological media were established to be 2.0–3.6 times higher than the comparison indicators and reference levels. In the experiment, the content of these contaminants in biological media in exposed animals was up to 19.4 times higher than in the control. In children there were identified, 22 proteins corresponding to the library mass spectra, 40 proteins — in animals. In a comparative analysis of proteins identified in the blood plasma in children and rats, Apolipoprotein A-I and Transthyretin were identified and assessed as “identical”. The expression of these proteins elevates with increasing concentration of the studied substances in biological media. According to information from databases, increased expression of Apolipoprotein A-I and Transthyretin signals an higher risk for the oxidative stress, impaired lipid metabolism, and the development of inflammatory processes. The constructed bioinformation matrix made it possible to predict metabolic disorders, mainly in the tissues of the nervous and hepatobiliary systems.
Limitations. The study does not allow drawing definitive conclusions about the effect of the studied chemicals on changes in the expression of proteins and the genes encoding them, since in this work only the aerogenic route of entry is considered.
Conclusion. The transformation of the proteomic profile of blood plasma was established in field studies and experimentally verified during chronic inhalation exposure to aluminum oxide, hydrogen fluoride and benzo(a)pyrene. A comparative analysis of the identified proteins revealed two identical ones — Apolipoprotein A-I and Transthyretin. A bioinformation matrix was constructed and a forecast was made for the development of negative effects in the form of activation of oxidative processes, lipid dysmetabolism and inflammation, the metabolic pathway of which is associated with changes in the expression of these proteins. In the absence of preventive measures, this can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, amyloidosis, hyperthyroidism, etc. in older age. The use of structural bioinformation matrices as a forecasting tool in hygienic research increases the effectiveness of targeted prevention measures for negative consequences due to environmental exposure to chemicals.
Compliance with ethical standards. Experimental studies on a biological model were conducted in compliance with the requirements of the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrates Used for Experimental or Other Scientific Purposes (ETS No. 123). The examination of children was carried out in compliance with the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration (2013). The research was approved by the Committee on Biomedical Ethics of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “FNC MPT URZN” (minutes of meeting No. 1 dated 02/14/2021).
Contribution:
Zaitseva N.V. — editing;
Zemlyanova M.A. — concept and design of research, editing;
Peskova E.V. — concept and design of research, collection of literature data, statistical processing of material, writing of 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 the absence of obvious and potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.
Acknowledgement. The study was carried out at the expense of the Federal budget.
Received: February 16, 2024 / Revised: March 13, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024



Assessment of the epidemiological risk to public health and ecological and hygienic characteristics of the soils of an industrial city with a developed metalworking industry
Abstract
Introduction. The paper presents the results of a study to assess the epidemiological risk to public health and the level of soil contamination with heavy metals and arsenic in the city of Kolchugino, a large metalworking center of the Vladimir region.
Materials and methods. The objects of the study are the morbidity of the population of the Kolchuginsky district of the Vladimir region and the soil cover of the city of Kolchugino, whose industrial enterprises specialize in processing and obtaining products from non-ferrous metals. Soil samples were taken in the area of industrial enterprises, highways, residential and landscape-recreational areas. The soil cover was examined by X-ray fluorescence method to determine the content of heavy metals such as Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and metalloid As.
Results. The conducted epidemiological risk assessment study made it possible to establish children of the Kolchuginsky district, relative to background regional values, to have a very high epidemiological risk of morbidity by 9 classes of diseases. The adult population has a very high risk of morbidity by 7 classes of diseases. The priority pollutants of the soil of Kolchugino are zinc, arsenic, and copper. Significant contamination of the soil with heavy metals was noted both in industrial, residential,l and landscape-recreational areas. Dangerous chemical contamination of the soil with heavy metals Cu and Zn has been detected in the park of the Palace of Culture, located next to the city-forming metalworking enterprises. The assessment of the level of chemical soil pollution showed that the residential and landscape-recreational areas of the city, where most of the residents live and rest, are located in the zone of moderately dangerous or dangerous category of soil pollution.
Limitations. The limitations of the study are related to the single sampling and a small number of reference sites, which limits the possibilities of a broader interpretation of the data obtained.
Conclusion. The unfavourable state of the soil cover in the residential and landscape-recreational areas of Kolchugino poses health risks to the population living here and fails to correspond to the concept of creating a comfortable urban environment. It is necessary to manage and conduct constant ecological and hygienic monitoring of these urban areas, for which it is necessary to develop a system of measures for soil remediation in Kolchugino. To reduce the further intake of pollutants into the soil of the city and, in particular, heavy metals, it is necessary to increase the efficiency of gas-air emissions purification systems of metalworking enterprises in the city, and improve the arrangement of sanitary protection zones. To reduce the content of heavy metals in the soil, it is necessary to carry out measures to detoxify contaminated soils.
Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require a biomedical ethics committee opinion.
Contribution:
Martsev A.A. — research concept and design, material collection and statistical data processing, text writing;
Selivanov O.G. — material collection and data processing, text writing;
Kurbatov Yu.N. — laboratory research;
Trifonova T.A. — research concept and design, final structuring of the article for publication.
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.
Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.
Received: Feruary28, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024



Contemporary perceptions about mechanisms of harmful impacts exerted by N-nitrosamines on human health and specific markers of pathological effects initiated by them (analytical review)
Abstract
Nitrosamines have toxic properties with a wide range of biological effects including mutagenic, carcinogenic, embryotoxic, teratogenic ones as well as effects on specific target organs or systems. Technogenic transformations result in greater emissions of nitrogen-containing chemicals into ambient air. This leads to their subsequent accumulation in the environment and human body and initialization of nitrosation involving occurrence of highly toxic N-nitrosamines (NA). Levels of nitrites/nitrates and NA in foods and drinking water, which are higher than established safety standards, and elevated endogenous NA formation induce various pathological processes in the human body including oncological ones. Identification of the most promising trends in preventive sanitary-hygienic activities and medical and preventive technologies requires generalization of accumulated sanitary-hygienic, epidemiological, and clinical and laboratory data.
The aim of this study was to generalize contemporary perceptions about mechanisms of harmful impacts exerted by NA on human health and the most effective methods for identifying pathological processes initiated by them. Literature analysis relied on reviewing databases belonging to electronic scientific libraries including CyberLeninka and eLIBRARY.RU, the United States National Library of Medicine, Central Scientific Medical Library, Rukont National Digital Resource over the last 15 years. The review covers data on NA sources and ways of entering the human body; the most effective techniques for their identification; safe NA levels in food products and medications; mechanisms of harmful impacts and initiated pathological processes; as well as markers of exposure and effect. The most effective techniques for NA identification include HPLC and GC with MS — MS. Markers of NA occurrence in environmental objects include NDMA, NMEA, NDEA, NPR, NDPA, NPIP, NDBA; markers of exposure, NDMA, NDEA, NNK and NNN in biological media; markers of the effect include indicators of oxidative stress, levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, stress-hormones, lipid profile indicators, indicators of immune suppression and apoptotic activity, IgG specific to NA and tumor markers for CEA and CA 19-9.
Contribuition:
Ustinova O.Yu. — concept and design of the study, collection of material, writing and editing the text;
Leshkova I.V. — collecting material, writing and editing text;
Vlasova E.M. — collecting material, writing, and editing text;
Vorobyova A.A. — collecting material, writing, and editing 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.
Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.
Received: February 16, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024



Results of social networks monitoring within assessing population’s satisfaction with sanitary-epidemiological situation
Abstract
Introduction. People’s satisfaction with a sanitary-epidemiological situation in a residence area is a significant factor describing their quality of life, subjectively perceived wellbeing, and happiness. Monitoring of users’ messages in social networks can become an effective method for assessing population’s satisfaction with a high potential of being integrated into practical management.
Aim. To describe Russians’ public opinion on the quality of the environment and its impact on population health within assessing satisfaction with a sanitary-epidemiological situation
Materials and methods. We performed content — analysis of posts and comments in the seventy-nine open access communities of three different types (a city community, an ecological community, and a protest community) in such social networks: VKontakte and Odnoklassniki published over the period between January 1, 2019 and June 15, 2023 using the LiveDune analytical server and ParseHub web scraping tool.
Results. We identified specific lexical units typical for non-expert discourse about a sanitary-epidemiological situation. Negative modality was shown to dominate in the analyzed posts (63% of all mentions, including 28% of the cases when the word ‘bad’ was used to describe the existing situation and 20% of the cases when it was described as ‘hazardous’). Utilization of domestic wastes and ambient air pollution were the most urgent issues. City communities typically concentrated on local topics; used more critical and harsher expressions. Ecological communities tended to: use specialized terminology; focus on generalized topics; discuss ecologically responsible everyday practices. Protest communities usually: had alarmistic moods; discussed impacts of environmental factors on human health. Women, young and middle-aged people expressed their opinions more actively.
Limitations. The study does not allow considering opinions of those Russians who a) have low digital literacy, b) are poorly involved into Internet communications, and c) do not have an account in the analyzed social networks. We did not cover all the posts in social networks related to issues of sanitary-epidemiological wellbeing due to a) using a sample of communities, b) considering only those posts for analysis, which fell within one of the subject categories including ‘Ambient air’, “Drinking water’ and ‘Soil’.
Conclusion. Monitoring of users’ posts in social networks makes it possible to spot out specific cases that cause public dissatisfaction, assess protest activity potential, and provide general description of social attitudes. The analysis showed the predominance of negative assessments of the state of the environment by the population — negative modality dominates in the messages of social network users, critical judgments and alarmist remarks are often found. Since most analyzed posts are locally oriented, monitoring results can be most useful for local authorities.
Compliance with ethical standards. The study was accomplished in accordance with the ethical principles stated in The ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics, the Ethical Code of the International Sociological Association (ISA), and the Ethical Code of the Russian Society of Sociologists.
Contribution:
Barg A.O. — concept and design of the study, editing;
Lebedeva-Nesevria N.A. — literature review, data analysis, writing the text, editing;
Pestereva D.Yu. — collection and processing of materials, writing 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.
Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.
Received: February 16, 2024 / Revised: March 14, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024



OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Prior assessment of the occupational health risk according to workers’ subjective perception of work hardness
Abstract
Introduction. The hardness and intensity of working process assessment is the actual cause at least in 20 % of workers in the country employed in workplace settings with hard working conditions. Hygienic assessment of working conditions makes it possible to perform prior assessment of occupational health risks and to predict prevalence of negative health outcomes. The application of survey method is also actual taking into account the existing difficulties in the practical implementation of existing approaches to assessing the hardness of work. Objective of the study is to perform prior health risk assessment based on analyzing workers’ subjective perception of work severity. Materials and methods. Hygienic assessment of work hardness was performed using the existing approaches and by analyzing workers’ subjective perception of this factor, considering indicators and their criteria fixed in the valid Guideline 2.2.2006–05. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach in comparison with the analysis of time-lapse data, the calculation of indices of the validity of the results (sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and accuracy) was performed. Prior occupational health risk levels were assessed in accordance with the Guideline 2.2.3969–23. There was created a sample included workers employed at a bearing production (n=95, age is 45.1±1.2 years, work experience in a given occupation is 16.5±1.4 years, 85% of workers were men). Results. Workers’ subjective perception of work hardness was analyzed using a specially designed questionnaire and an automated calculation template. The suggested approach turned out to be highly sensitive (94%), to have high prognostic value (84%) and accuracy (80%) in comparison with the conventional time study. Using workers employed at a bearing production as an example, we revealed priority indicators describing work hardness and established classes of working conditions. Prior health risk levels were unacceptable in 92.6 % cases and slightly different from the results obtained by time studies (83.2%, р=0.07). Limitations. A prior health risk assessment results cannot be extrapolated for other occupations with another working conditions. Conclusion. Subjective perception of a factor can be used in preliminary hygienic assessment of work hardness and following prior assessment of occupational health risks. To prevent negative health outcomes and minimize health risks for workers employed at a bearing production, it is advisable to consider the results of this study when making relevant managerial decisions.



Features of the formation and course of pneumoconiosis in mining and processing plant workers, depending on the smoking status
Abstract



Occupation and behavioural factors on hearing impairment in workers in noise-producing occupations
Abstract



Occupational risk factors for the health of workers in foundries of mechanical engineering enterprises (literature review)
Abstract



HYGIENE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Physiological and hygienic assessment of usage of virtual reality technologies in high school
Abstract



PREVENTIVE TOXICOLOGY AND HYGIENIC STANDARTIZATION
Features of toxic effect due to biodistribution and bio-accumulation of nano- and microparticles of copper (II) oxide
Abstract



Peculiarities of cadmium accumulation in the gonads in heterosexual laboratory animals
Abstract



METHODS OF HYGIENIC AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS
Express-determination of organochlorine pesticides in water by method of extractive freezing-out in combination with gas chromatography
Abstract



Analytical review of Russian and foreign methods for selective control of chemicals acting as markers of petrochemical and chemical productions in water media
Abstract


