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We studied the reproductive function of albino male rats after long-term exposure to wildfire smoke and the species-specific behavior of their sexually mature offspring. After the end of exposure, the mean number of spermatogonia and the relative number of Leydig cells in rat testes decreased and the index of spermatogenesis decreased. The offspring of exposed males mated with intact females demonstrated impaired cognitive abilities and disturbances of species-specific behavior. The severity of these changes depended on time interval between the end of the inhalation exposure and mating., (© 2022. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Particular concern at the present stage is the health effects of wildfires' smoke. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of paternal biomass-smoke exposure on offspring's behavior and cognitive abilities. Male rats were exposed to biomass smoke for four hours/day, five days/week, for four weeks. Average concentration of carbon monoxide and particulate matter of 2.5 μm PM 2.5 in the chamber during exposure were 28.7 ± 5.3 mg/m 3 and 1.9 ± 0.5 mg/m 3 , respectively. At the same time, high concentrations of furfural and acetaldehyde were detected in the air environment of the exposure chambers. Offspring was obtained by mating of experimental males with untreated females, immediately after the end of the exposure and after 60 days (long-term period). Offspring were tested by using the Morris water maze and open field at three months of age. Male and female offspring born by mating immediately after exposure demonstrated decreased exploratory behavior, locomotor activity, and spatial navigation, as well as increased anxiety levels. Locomotor and exploratory activity in rats of both sexes from progeny obtained after long-term exposure to smoke had no statistically significant differences when compared to the control; however, the females showed a high level of anxiety and impaired cognitive functions. The recovery period after biomass-smoke intoxication, comparable in duration of spermatogenesis in rats, was an important factor in reducing the risk of developing central nervous system (CNS) disorders in offspring., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The authors presented data of chemical analytic control of chlorine compounds level in workplace air of vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride production, and biomonitoring results of vinyl chloride and 1.2-dichloroethane metabolite - thiodiacetic acid urinary level in workers of this production. Findings are exceeded hygienic norms on maximal concentrations of 1.2-dichloroethane in a workshop for vinyl chloride production from 1.0 to 2.85 MACs and of vinyl chloride in a workshop for polyvinyl chloride production from 2.06 to 5.52 MACs. Urinary levels of thiodiacetic acid were assessed in workers of vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride production in dependence on occupation, length of service and post-contact time.

The paper presents information about the content of benzo(a)pyrene in soil samples of petroleum products and the content of heavy metals (iron, copper, lead, arsenic, manganese, chromium, cadmium and mercury) in the soil and hair samples of children. Soil samples and hair were taken in October 2014 in the north-western part of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. The values obtained were compared with the approximately permissible levels and maximum allowable concentrations adopted in the Russian Federation. Levels are determined compounds in the soil in general do not exceed the allowable concentrations. In hair samples there was noted marked exceeding of the recommended values for zinc, copper, chromium and iron 10%, 16.7%, 83.3% and 100% samples, respectively. The cause of the high iron content in the hair samples may be due to the quality of consumed water, which is characterized by low mineralization and high iron content. Increased chromium content of more than 80% of the hair samples can be caused, as in the case of iron, the quality of water consumed, but also a high proportion of local foods in the diet of people, rich by chromium. A conducted study on the state of the environment in the village, away from areas of hydrocarbon production, indicates to the low importance of anthropogenic impact.

There is considered the improvement of methodological approaches to the gas chromatographic methods- of the detection of vinyl chloride and 1,2-dichloroethane and their metabolites--chloroethanol and monochloroacetic acid in biological fluids. There were evaluated such metrological characteristics of methods, as repeatability, interlaboratoty precision, relevance and accuracy. The value of relative expanded uncertainty does not exceed 30%. There are reported optimal regimes of gas chromatographic analysis, conditions for sample preparation. The results of the contents ofthese chemical compounds and their metabolites in biological fluids from persons working in contact with chlorinated hydrocarbons are presented These techniques can be used for the detection ofthe fact of exposure to toxic substances, assessment of the level of exposure and biomonitoring.

Hygienic assessment of working conditions at the chemical productions of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and epichlorohydrin (EPCH) in East Siberia has shown that the employees are exposed to the chlororganic hydrocarbons of hazard category 1-2, out of them there were found to be more toxical pollutants such as vinyl chloride, 1.2-dicloroethane in the production of polyvinyl chloride; allyl chloride and epichlorohydrin in the production of epichlorohydrin. Multistageness of the technological processes, the absence of the isolation of main stages of the technological processes as well as the heating microclimate contribute to the chemical pollution of the air environment. In spite of the significant improvement of the hygienic situation at the productions mentioned in the recent 10 years according to the chemical factor due to the introduction of the complex of curative measures, the working conditions of the employees still belonged to the harmful category. According to the content of the harmful chemical substances in the air of the working zone and the parameters of microclimate, the working conditions of the employees working at the production of epichlorohydrin and in the shop of vinyl chloride production must be qualified as the harmful ones of the first category of the hazard and danger (Class 3.1), in the production shop for PVC- as the harmful ones which correspond to the second category of the hazard and danger (Class 3.2).

The authors studied connection between exposure to fluorine compounds and fluorides excretion. Average fluorine content of urine and hair samples of children exceeds the reference values. Ambient air and soil pollution with fluorine was proved to be an important health risk factor for urban children in Irkutsk region.