[Industrial medicine in production and processing of alloys based on copper].

In copper alloys production, workers engaged into the process are exposed to occupational hazards with leading one being high-dispersed dust of complex chemical composition. The workers of main occupations demonstrate increased prevalence of respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, peripheral nervous system disorders - that necessitates implementation of complex measures both in improvement of work conditions and in medical prophylaxis.

[THE RISK OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL CHRONIC FLUORIDE POISONING].

On the basis of individual occupational fluoride loads (IOFN) it was established that under current levels of air pollution of the working area by fluorine compounds, occupational fluorosis can occur in mostly sensitive workers with 66 or more years of accumulated period of work, while the most vulnerable are workers with of 9.4 or more years of accumulated period of work. The results obtained in comparison of clinical data with individual fluoride load, testify that in the high-risk group for the development of occupational fluoride intoxication include workers with an average accumulated period of work of 10.5 years or more and Individual Occupational Fluoride Load (IOFL) as 67,7 or more grams. In the high-risk group there are included workers with an average accumulated period ofwork of 13.7 years and IOFL as 89.8 grams or more. With the use of ultrasound densitometry there was revealed a clear cut dynamics of the increase of the speed of ultrasonic wave with the rise in the accumulated period of work at the plant, which indicates to a gradual increase in bone tissue density.

[Experimental evaluation of combined effects caused by stress and metals (cadmium and aluminium) in reproductivity of male rats].

To investigate combined effects of stress and metal (aluminium, cadmium) on reproductivity, male rats twice per week received intraperitoneal injections of aluminium (3.8 mg Al3+ per kg of body weight) or cadmium (0.3 mg Cd2+ per kg of body weight) and were subjected to stress via short-term immobilization during spermatogenic cycle (54 +/- 3 days). Findings are cumulation of both cadmium and aluminium in genitals and brain, increasing under stress. When acting separately to the laboratory animals, the three factors (aluminium/cadmium/stress) increase serum corticosterone level, change testosterone level, increase number of aberrant mitoses of spermatogenic epithelium cells, increased sperm count with fragmented DNA, lower percentage of the impregnated females. If the exposure combined with stress, spermatogenesis disorders are more marked, and preimplantation death rate of intact females' offspirngs becomes statistically significant.

[Aerogenic risk factors and diagnosis of bauxite pneumoconiosis].

The research purpose is an estimation of influence of the bauxite dust on the state of the bronchopulmonary system of workers. It has been indicated that exposure of the poor fibrogenic dust while the process of the bauxite ore extraction, results in development of pnevmokoniosis characterized by substantial ventilatory and haemodynamic disorders limiting the workability of patients.

[The organic carbon--issues of hygienic regulation and harmonization].

This study is devoted to the investigation of possibility to use the total organic carbon as regulated index in drinking water as well as to the issues of hygienic regulation and harmonizing this index with the standards of other countries. Basing on the results of 3 years lasting investigation carried out by Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Vodokanal" of Yekaterinburg city permits to propose as the most informative and reliable index of the presence of organic substances in drinking water the content of total organic carbon in comparison with currently regulated permanganate oxidability, chemical and biochemical oxygen consumption.

[Issues of occupational health in the aluminium plant with superpower equipment].

Purpose of the research is to provide a hygienic assessment of working conditions at aluminum plants equipped with Central working prebaked (CWPB) cells operating at currents of 330 kA. The studies have indicated that the leading occupational exposures, the levels of which exceed the national standards, are: fluorine compound in the air of work area; unfavorable microclimate, constant magnetic field, the severity of the labour. According to the general hygienic assessment, with account of combined influence harmful occupational factors, the working conditions are attributed to 1-2 degrees of the 3 class of harmful working conditions, that conform to the small (moderate) and significant occupational risk.

[Hygienic evaluation of direct heating of the air delivered to the shaft].

The paper gives the results of exploring a test pre-heating system for the air (APHS) delivered to the shaft. The system has been first used in the Urals. The supply air is heated by burning natural gas in the air current. The APHS system with a RG air heater (000 "Gas-Engineering") is equipped in addition to the existing heaters to enhance heat supply reliability in northern conditions. The data of the studies show that in all periods of the heating season (interseason, moderate frosts, the coldest month), the concentrations of hazardous substances, such as nitric oxides, nitric dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, benz(a)pyrene, solid aerosol in the shaft-delivered air, do not exceed those given in the existing regulation provided that the design operating conditions are met. With the maximum gas consumption, the coldest month only was marked by the nitric dioxide content being greater than the standard values, causing the maximum projected natural gas consumption to be lower in the APHS system. The air level of nitric dioxide proved to be a major hygiene indicator while using this air heater.

[Topical aspects of occupational hygiene in the manufacture of novel types of periclase carbon refractory bricks].

Comprehensive hygienic studies conducted at the Pervouralsk plant of refractory materials at the section of spinel periclasocarbonated refractory materials in the workshops for preparing and pressing refractory mass have shown that silicon-containing dust that is a mixture of various chemicals entering the air of a working area. In the refractory mass preparation workshop, the concentrations of a number of substances, such as magnesium oxide, phenol, formaldehyde, exceed their maximum allowable levels. In the pressing workshop, the workers are exposed to high noise levels. The working process in the study workshops is considered to be rough labor.

[Biological prevention of combined effects of toxic metals and organic substances].

The antitoxic activity of several biological prophylactic complexes was studied in subchronic experiments on inbred albino rats exposed to a metal combination of leadchromium-arsenic-manganese-vanadium and benzo(a)pyrene, as well as phenol or naphthalene, and combinations of naphthalene-lead and phenol-naphthalene-lead. It has been shown that upon simultaneous exposure to the study combination of metals and organic poisons, it is advisable to use a biological prophylactic complex involving glutamic acid, a pectin enterosorbent, the multivitamin agent "Vitrum-Kids", calcium, vitamin C, glycine, methionine, and "Iodomarin".

[On certification of workplaces according to work conditions].

Certification of workplaces according to work conditions could be a powerful tool in analysis, assessment and management of occupational risk. Drawbacks in legal regulation however do not motivate employers to complete certification process, and some, as we consider, disputable points in major legal document regulating certification of workplaces prevent from using the certification results for setting the occupational risks, insurance payments and for solving other problems declared by current "Regulations for procedure of workplaces certification on work conditions".

[Priority topics of industrial medicine in production and processing of nonferrous metals alloys]. / Prioritetnye voprosy meditsiny truda v proizvodstve i obrabotke splavov tsvetnykh metallov.

The authors present general characteristics of nonferrous metals alloys production: work conditions, health state of workers, main directions to make healthier work conditions.

[Content of asbestos fibers in water sources of the Bazhenovo deposit]. / Soderzhanie volokon asbesta v vodoistochnikakh Bazhenovskogo mestorozhdeniia.

The paper provides preliminary measurements of asbestos levels in water sources from an area of the Bazhenovo chrysotile-asbestos deposit. All study water samples have been found to contain chrysotile-asbestos fibers at concentrations one-three orders less that the values standardized in the USA (7 x 10(6) vol/l). The authors consider it advisable to continue studies to measure asbestos levels in the water sources in the areas in vicinity of other Russian deposits.

[Sanitary characteristics of the production of asbestos membranes]. / Gigienicheskaia kharakteristika proizvodstva asbestovykh membran.

The paper presents preliminary results of sanitary assessment of the production of asbestos membranes. The production may emit highly disperse asbestos-containing aerosols of disintegration with low levels of filamentous particles and respirable fibers of chrysotile-asbestos into the air of working areas. It is concluded that latest chrysotile-asbestos processing is not a significant source of air pollution in the working areas where asbestos-containing and related noxious substances are present.