[Problems in the system of state regulation of chemical safety].

In the paper the analysis of the problems of chemical safety abroad and in Russian Federation is presented, possible ways for their solutions, including the need for legal and scientific-methodical support for population health risk assessment are considered.

[Problems and ways of solutions to harmonize standards for air pollution].

In the article the basic problems of harmonization of domestic regulatory framework of air pollution with the WHO recommendations and normative values adopted in the EU, U.S. and other countries are considered. The important role of health risk analysis methodology in the process of harmonization of regulation and control of air quality has been pointed out. The necessity of radical changes in the structure and content of the basic normative document GN 2.1.6.1338-03 "maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of pollutants in the air of populated areas" has been shown. The algorithm of the procedure that justifies the new list of normative values in the air harmonized with international recommendations and standards of developed countries has been proposed.

[Characteristics of quantitative values of regional factors of exposure in the studied areas].

In the paper the results of a comparative evaluation of the Russian and the standard, recommended by US EPA, factors of population exposure in seven areas of different federal districts of Russia are presented. Concerning the adult population differences reach 3.5 times, for children (1-6 years) - 4.2 times. An example of the effect of regional differences and standard factors on levels of exposure and risk is considered. Promising areas for further research on regional factors to improve the accuracy and reliability of the forecast assessments of the risks to public health have been identified.

[Assessment of Moscow population health risk from exposure to ambient air suspended matter].

Ambient air pollution by suspended matter is an environmental factor that has the greatest influence on the health status of the majority of the Russian Federation's population. There is extensive epidemiological and clinical evidence suggesting that ambient air pollution by suspended matter and its fine-dispersed fractions PM10 and PM2.5 in particular, poses a serious threat to human health. The existing Russian single and average daily maximum permissible concentrations of suspended matter are not a high risk from this type of ambient air pollution and fail to assess human health damage in full measure. To reduce the concentrations of suspended matter and their action on man is currently the worldwide priority task whose performance will save much money. There is a need to change an air pollution monitoring system (continuous monitoring of fine suspended matter of PM10 and PM2.5), as well as to substantiate and introduce Russian hygienic standards for fine suspended matter (PM10 and PM2.5).

[Impact of short weather changes on the population's health risk from ambient air pollution].

The paper considers the negative impact of weather changes in combination with the altered quality of ambient air on the economic and social spheres of society and on the population's health. It describes experience in assessing a possible damage to the health of the Moscow population from exposure to elevated concentrations of ambient air pollutants (suspended matter, nitrogen and sulfur dioxides, carbon oxide). The results of assessment simulation of dissemination of chemicals contained in the emission from the Moscow heat-and-power objects under poor weather conditions are presented.

[A methodological scheme for examination of the urban population, by making multilevel assessments of exposure to ambient air pollutants].

A novel methodological design comprising multilevel assessments of exposures of examinees to controlled ambient air pollution according to the data of route stations was developed to examine the population of large towns. The design was tested in 4 surveys of Moscow residents (apparently healthy and outpatients with a number of chronic diseases). The findings indicate the fundamental possibility of altering the traditional differential design of biomedical surveys of the population, by introducing more evidence-based regression analyses and dividing the contributions of individual chemicals to the observed changes in health indices.

[Current problems in the assessment of health risks and damages from the influence of environmental factors].

In the past decade, a great number of risk assessment projects have been implemented; experience in using the risk-assessing methodology in sociohygienic monitoring, in the hygienic evaluation of a possible impact of new or rebuilt plants on human health, and in the estimation of natural and cost damages from the influence of environmental factors has been gained. Along with the legal aspects of using the risk-assessing methodology, there is a diversity of urgent and unsolved problems: a discrepancy between the hygienic standards and the risk-assessing criteria established in our country, recommended by international organizations, or used in the leading countries of the world; evaluation of exposures; availability of data on exposures in both individual regions and Russia as whole; development of methods for the assessment of damages and for the comparative assessment of risks, including such indices and their value terms as lost life years and life years with consideration of the severity of abnormalities.

[The principles, criteria, and methods of evaluation of health hazards associated with short-term exposure to chemical atmospheric air pollutants].

The authors discuss the basic concepts of a system developed to evaluate health hazards associated with short-term exposure of different population groups to inhaled chemicals, including exposure that takes place in emergency situations. The article contains examples of acute exposition profiles for the most wide-spread air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, developed using quantitative values of short-term exposure risk criteria.