Vol 103, No 4 (2024)

Introduction. Available data indicate the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus to be potent of impairing DNA repair processes and cause oxidative stress, which can lead to the accumulation of DNA damage in human cells. However, the DNA-damaging effect of the virus has not yet been sufficiently studied.

The purpose of the research was to study the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to cause DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Materials and methods. One hundred forty COVID-19 patients and 24 donors of the control group are included in the study. The level of DNA fragmentation in lymphocytes was determined by alkaline DNA-comet assay. Statistical differences between the mean medians of the «%DNA in the comet tail» (tail DNA%) were assessed using Student’s t-test. The Jeffers test was used to compare the proportions of cells with different levels of DNA-damage. Statistical differences between groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney test.

Results. In the COVID-19 patients, an increase in the level of breaks and alkali-labile sites in DNA was revealed when compared to controls (p = 0.025).
In the group of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, the proportion of comets with DNA damage of up to 5% decreased (p = 0.009), while the proportion of comets containing more than 10% DNA tail increased (p = 0.000). The number of atypical comets compared to the control increased by 3.7 and 5.9 times with mild and moderate severity of the disease, respectively (r = 0.993; p = 0.001). In the association with diseases — coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes mellitus type II (DM type 2), the level of DNA fragmentation in lymphocytes statistically significantly increased compared to the group of patients without these diseases.

Limitations. A limitation is the lack of data on DNA-structure damage in severe COVID-19 disease.

Conclusion. SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to labilization of the DNA structure in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The level of DNA damage depends on the severity of COVID-19 and the presence of comorbid diseases: CHD and DM type 2. The results of the study are important for understanding the mechanisms of action of the virus on human immunocompetent cells.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standard of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” as amended in 2000. The study was approved by the local ethics committee (protocol No. 8 of September 29, 2022). All donors gave informed consents to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Popova A.Yu., Kuzmin S.V. — concept of the study;
Ilyushina N.A. — concept of the study, collection of material, data processing, writing text;
Gorenskaya O.V. — laboratory research, statistical processing, text writing;
Egorova O.V. — laboratory research, text writing;
Kotnova A.P. — laboratory research, data processing;
Averianova N.S. — laboratory research;
Ignatyev S.D. — statistical processing;
Kuznetsova N.E., Kobelevskaya N.V. — collection of material.
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: December 15, 2023 / Accepted: April 9/ Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. Every second conception in the population ends in failure, in 20% of the cases the cause is a non-developing pregnancy. In the overall structure of early reproductive losses, missed miscarriage accounts for 80%. The development of this pathology is influenced by both endogenous and exogenous factors. Exogenous factors with a teratogenic effect lead to the occurrence of mutations and the formation of an abnormal embryo, which is poorly predicted. The peculiarities of the biotransformation system of xenobiotics of the maternal organism directly affect the severity of the impact of these factors on the embryo.

Materials and methods. A survey of eighty six young primigravida women living in Novokuznetsk was conducted. 33 of them were diagnosed with the gestational sac death, 53 women had a standard developed pregnancy. Variants of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes of the second phase of the xenobiotic biotransformation system were determined in these groups by polymerase chain reaction.

Results. Novokuznetsk, a city with a critically high level of environmental pollution, has recorded a 20–fold increase in the number of missed miscarriages over the past 25 years. A statistically reliable association of deletion polymorphisms of the genes of the second phase of the xenobiotic biotransformation system with the death of the gestational sac — GSTM1 (χ² — 5.37; OR — 3.18) and GSTT1 (χ² — 10.85; OR — 16.64) was revealed, while the normal alleles were associated with a successful outcome of pregnancy — GSTM1 (χ² — 5.37; OR — 0.13) and GSTT1 (χ² — 10.85; OR — 0.06).

Limitations. The study was of a pilot nature, so it is advisable to increase the sample in the future.

Conclusion. The dependence between the activity of enzymes of the second phase of the xenobiotic biotransformation system and the increased risk of miscarriage of the first pregnancy in young women living in the conditions of ecological distress was revealed. The results of the study make it possible to predict possible pregnancy complications and elaborate algorithms for full-fledged pregravid preparation.

Compliance with ethical standards. The examination of patients corresponded to the ethical standards of the Bioethical Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, elaborated in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” as amended 2013 and the “Rules of Proper Clinical Practice” approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated April 1, 2016 N 200n. Each participant of the study gave informed voluntary written consent to take part in the study and publish personal medical information in anonymized form in the journal “Hygiene and Sanitation”.

Contribution:
Gulyaeva O.N. — concept and design of research, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, editing;
Kazitskaya A.S. — collection and processing of material;
Ulanova E.V. — collection and processing of material, editing;
Matoshin S.V. — collection and processing of material;
Shramko S.V. — the concept and design of the study;
Zhukova A.G. — editing.
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: December 15, 2024 / Revised: February 5, 2024 / Accepted: April 9 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. Currently, control over the soil entry of antibiotics used in agriculture is becoming an urgent problem of environmental hygiene. Tetracycline can enter the soil with the excrement of domestic animals and affect biological objects, both microbiological and plant. The chemical form of tetracycline in the soil and the options for its transformation, in particular during sample preparation for analysis, are factors that determine the intensity of this effect and the reliability of analytical control. The lack of information about the transformation of the drug under chemical influence determined the relevance of the research.

Materials and methods. The studies were performed using the Stayer chromatographic system with a Shodex IC YS-50 150/4.6 cation column and a Kromasil C18 HPLC column with amperometric and conductometric detection. The objects of research were model soil samples with different tetracycline contents. When conducting research, soddy-podzolic soil from the «Nemchinovka» experimental field (Moscow region) and GSO No. chernozem were used.

Results. Solutions obtained after acid-methanol desorption of tetracycline from soil samples were studied using HPLC and IC (Ionochromatographic methods). As a result of desorption, complex forms of substances, including both natural organic substances of the soil and tetracycline components, were established to pass into the aqueous phase. These forms of substances are fixed with a Shodex IC YS-50 cation exchange column and are not fixed by HPLC with a Kromasil C18 column. The possibility of isolating a chromatographic signal corresponding to the tetracycline component using ion chromatography has been demonstrated.

Limitations. To create a method for measuring tetracycline in soil, it is necessary to test a larger number of soil species that differ in the content of organic matter to identify in detail the interfering effect of the organic matrix during chromatographic analysis.

Conclusion. Research has shown tetracycline chemically to bind to soil matter, forming cationic complexes. After treating the soil with a mixture of concentrated hydrochloric acid and methanol, tetracycline is quantitatively extracted from the soil in combination with natural soil organic matter. These forms of substances are detected by a Shodex IC YS-50 cationic column and are not detected by HPLC with a Kromasil C18 column. Selective analysis of the cationic form containing the tetracycline moiety is possible.

Compliance with ethical standards. the conclusion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents (in Russian and English) is not required.

Contribution:
Antropova N.S. — collection and processing of material, text writing, editing;
Abramov E.G. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing, text writing, research concept.
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 15, 2024 / Revised: March 11, 2024 / Accepted: February 16 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. Diseases of the circulatory system are the main cause of mortality in the employable population. Preserving occupational longevity involves the identification of early signs of myocardial damage by modern techniques, which will allow taking a fresh look at the prevention of cardiovascular pathology in people engaged in harmful working conditions.

Materials and methods. The study included two hundred thirty six miners of average age of 47.1±0.36 years who underwent periodic medical examination at the Institute clinic. The work experience in hazardous occupation conditions was 22.7±0.6 years. The study was based on transthoracic echocardiography using tissue Dopplerography and speckle tracking technology.

Results. Concentric remodelling of the left ventricle was detected in 25.9% of the miners. Arterial hypertension was revealed in 65.6% of the miners with concentric remodelling of the left ventricle versus 34.3% of the miners with its normal geometry (p=0.00002). There were no significant differences in the left ventricular contractile function indices in the groups. In both groups, diastolic dysfunction type 1 was predominantly detected, which was significantly more common in the miners with concentric remodelling of the left ventricle (62.3% and 42.0%, p=0.006). Pseudonormal type of diastolic dysfunction occurred in 8.2% of the group with concentric remodelling versus 5.14% with normal left ventricular geometry, p= 0.38.

Limitations. The study was limited by the number of the examined persons undergoing periodic medical examination at the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases.

Conclusion. Remodelling of the left ventricular myocardium in miners did not correlate with a decrease in the longitudinal deformation of the left ventricle, which indicates the possible influence of harmful occupational factors on the development of its systolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle had a clear relationship with remodelling of the left ventricular myocardium. In this regard, it is recommended to conduct echocardiography during an in-depth periodic medical examination of miners with long-term work experience to identify a risk group for developing cardiovascular accidents.

Compliance with ethical standards. All subjects signed an informed consent to participate in the study, the protocol of which corresponded to the requirements of the Bioethical Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, executed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Humans Subjects” as amended 2013 and the “Rules of Proper Clinical Practice” approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated April 1, 2016 N 200n.

Contribution:
Korotenko O.Yu. — the concept and design of the study, collection of material, writing a text;
Filimonov E.S. — collection of material, statistical processing, writing a text;
Panev N.I. — writing a 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.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: December 15, 2023 / Accepted: April 09, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. Hypoxia caused by microcirculation disorders in patients with vibration disease leads to changes in the concentration and, accordingly, fluorescence of various biologically active substances-fluorophores in the skin of the hands, which are the markers of trophic disorders. Microcirculation disorders in this category of patients are shown to have a multidirectional character. The study of the effect of the type of microcirculatory changes on the development of trophic disorders in the skin of the hands is relevant for the patients with vibration disease.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the accumulation of biologically active substances based on their fluorescence in the skin of the hands in patients with vibration disease depending on the type and degree of microcirculation disorder.

Materials and methods. Thirty three miners with a proven diagnosis of vibration disease and 15 conventionally healthy men of close age without complaints and never exposed to industrial vibration were examined. Microcirculation was studied using laser Doppler flowmetry, the coefficient of fluorescent contrast of biological tissue was determined applying noninvasive optical tissue fluorescence spectroscopy.

Results. The multidirectional types of microcirculation disorders in the extremities in vibration disease were revealed. Regardless of the direction of microcirculatory disorders, occurred hypoxia leads to the accumulation of biologically active substances - markers of trophic skin changes, as well those involved in antioxidant protection. A reliable gain in the fluorescence of these substances was noted in both hyperemic and spastic disorders, more significant in the hyperemic type.

Limitations. The study was limited to assessing the microcirculation types and fluorescent contrast of biological tissues in 33 patients with vibration disease and in 15 conventionally healthy subjects who had never worked under the conditions of exposure to industrial vibration.

Conclusion. Changes in the trophism of the skin of the hands in patients with vibration disease develop as a result of chronic hypoxia, which is the main pathophysiological link of angiodistonic syndrome, regardless of the direction of microcirculatory disorders, however, the hyperemic type can be conditionally considered more unfavourable with respect to the development of trophic skin disorders

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was performed using non-invasive methods and approved by the Bioethical Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, Protocol No. 5, § 1 dated 12.26.2018, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” as amended 2013 and the “Rules of Proper Clinical Practice” approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated April 1, 2016 N 200n. All the examined patients signed a voluntary informed consent to participate in the study.

Contribution: Yamshchikova A.V. – the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, collection of literature data, statistical processing, writing a text; Shumeiko N.I. – collection of material, editing; Fleishman A.N. – the concept and design of the study, editing; Martynov I.D. – editing; Bychkovskaya T.A. – collection of material. 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: January 30, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. A healthy, balanced diet can provide the child with nutritional protection from adverse environmental factors and helps to prevent diseases. Lack of continuity in nutrition at school and at home creates a deficit in the diet supply of nutrients necessary for a growing body.

The purpose of the investigation is to study the actual nutrition of a group of schoolchildren at different age periods (in the dynamics of 10 years).

Materials and methods. Actual nutrition of a group of schoolchildren in the dynamics over 2009 and 2019. The sample consisted of one hundred fifty 7-years children and the same children aged 17 years (124 children). Actual nutrition was studied using menu-layouts (at school) and the method of 24-hour (daily) nutrition reproduction (at home).

Results. With age, there is a more pronounced imbalance in the supply of basic nutrients in the diet, associated with excess consumption of fats (7–25%), lack of carbohydrates, deficiency of dietary fibers (15–20%), a number of minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron) and vitamins (C, B₁, B₂, A, PP). Average daily food rations are unbalanced. The structure of children’s food sets becomes more irrational with increasing age. Regardless of the period of the study, diets are deficient in the level of consumption of milk, fish, vegetables, and fruits, and excessive in the level of consumption of foods with high energy value. In dynamics, the percentage of children with the recommended level of consumption of poultry is decreasing by 4.3 times, fish — by 3.8 times, milk — by 3 times, fermented milk products — by 2.6 times, cottage cheese and sour cream — by 2 times, butter and vegetable — 15.4 and 6.8 times, respectively.

Limitations. This study is limited to a sample of a group of schoolchildren studying from the 1^st to the 11th grade (in the dynamics with a ten-year interval).

Conclusion. Persistent long-term violations of the basics of a healthy balanced diet by children create a probable risk of developing diseases in children in the future caused by nutritional factors, and can also be predictors of the development of pathological conditions and diseases in adulthood.

Compliance with ethical standards. Conclusions of the Committee on Biomedical Ethics (Ethics Committee) of the Scientific Research Institute of the Kyrgyz Republic on the ethical review of research projects, the object of which is a person in the city of Novokuznetsk (Minutes No. 2 § 1 of November 18, 2019 Protocol No. 6, § 1 of November 23, 2023).

Contribution:
Tapeshkina N.V. — the concept and design of the study, writing a text;
Logunova T.D. — editing the text;
Korsakova T.G. — collection and processing of material;
Pestereva D.V. — collection and processing of material.
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: January 30, 2024 / Revised: March, 27, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. The active use of modern digital technologies and means of their support in the educational process in Russian schools, in the absence of effective medical and preventive maintenance over changes in the general education system in the context of its digital transformation, contributes to the formation of health risks for students.

The purpose of the study. hygienic assessment of the digital educational environment of Russian schools in the context of the use of modern digital technologies and means of supporting them.

Materials and methods. The object of the study is the federal statistical observation forms of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation No. OO-1 and No. OO-2 for the 2022–2023 academic year. There was conducted a hygienic assessment of indicators characterizing the development of digital educational environment (DEE) in Russian schools, to identify the main risk factors for the health of students in the context of digitalization of school environment.

Results. The DEE of Russian schools is characterized by the provision of personal computers (PCs), while the share of stationary PCs is 31.9%, laptops and tablets — 68.1%. 94.8% of schools are connected to the wired Internet, 48.4% and 29.9% of schools are connected to the wireless and mobile Internet, respectively. The average number of computer science classrooms is 0.9 classrooms per 1 school. In educational institutions, 61.5% of classrooms are equipped with multimedia projectors, 35.8% with interactive whiteboards and panels. There is an increase in the availability of information equipment for the entire school space (recreation, library, etc.). New digital platforms are actively developing (“IT cube”, children’s technoparks “Quantorium”, and centers “Point of Growth”), which in quantitative terms are comparable to the number of educational institutions and are outside of the zone of medical and preventive provision.

Limitations. The study is limited to a sample of indicators characterizing the state of DEE at the stage of general education, which does not allow extrapolating the data obtained to secondary vocational and higher education.

Conclusion. The data obtained actualize the need to modernize the architectural and planning solutions of school buildings and improve scientifically based medical and preventive support for the digital transformation of education.

Compliance with ethical standards. This study does not require the conclusion of a biomedical ethics committee or other documents.

Contribution:
Kuchma V.R. — the concept and design of the study, editing;
Sedova A.S. — the concept and design of the study, writing a text editing;
Polenova M.A. — the concept and design of the study, writing a text editing;
Boldyreva M.G. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing.
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 15, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024/ Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. In industrialized regions and cities, atmospheric air pollution greatly contributes to the hazard for public health.

The study aim was to assess the state of the atmospheric air in the city of Novokuznetsk over 2017–2022 and determine the levels of risks to public health.

Materials and methods. Data on gross atmospheric emissions and average annual concentrations of the substances was taken from the reports on the state of the environment of the Kemerovo region and Novokuznetsk. Maximum permissible concentrations of atmospheric pollutants were determined according to SanPiN 1.2.3685–21. Calculations of the risks to public health were carried out in accordance with Guideline P 2.1.10.1920–04. The classification of risk levels was carried out on the basis of MR 2.1.10.0156–19. 2.1.10.

Results. Decrease in total atmospheric emissions from 2017 to 2022 amounted to 50.1 thousand tons (about 16%). At the same time, there was revealed an excess of the average annual maximum permissible concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (3.5-11.2 times); formaldehyde (1.7 and 3.4 times over 2021 and 2022, respectively); suspended substances (1.6 and 2.0 times in 2021 and 2022, respectively); hydrogen fluoride (1.2 times in 2021); nitrogen dioxide (1.6 times in 2022). The hazard coefficients of benzo(a)pyrene were 3.5–11.2 (high level of non-carcinogenic risk); formaldehyde and suspended substances — 1.1–3.0 (alarming level). In 2022, the hazard coefficient for formaldehyde was 3.4 (high risk level), suspended substances — 2.0, nitrogen dioxide — 1.6 (alarming risk level). Hazard indices of pollutants were detected in the range from 7.0 to 20.1 (high level of risk). The main critical organs and systems were the immune system (hazard indices were 4.0–14.6), development during childhood (hazard indices — 3.5–11.2), respiratory organs (hazard indices — 3.0–8.6). These risk levels range from alarming to high. The highest total individual carcinogenic risk (1.6•10^–4) was determined in 2021 (alarming level), the main contribution is made by formaldehyde.

Limitations. In 2022, there were no data on carbon (soot) concentrations, so the level of total carcinogenic risk this year cannot be considered to be correct.

Conclusion. Reducing the total volume of atmospheric emissions does not provide a significant effect on improving the environmental situation and public health, since high concentrations of pollutants remain in the city’s atmosphere. When implementing air protection measures, it is necessary to take into account risk criteria.

Compliance with ethical standards. This study did not require an Ethics Committee opinion.

Contribution:
Kislitsyna V.V. — concept and design of the study, writing the text;
Surzhikov D.V. — concept and design of the study, editing;
Likontseva Yu.S. — collection and processing of material;
Shtaiger V.A. — collection and processing of material.
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: December 18, 2023 / Revised: April 3, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024

Introduction. Polymer materials currently used in drinking water supply practice consist of a polymer base and additional chemicals. During use, polymer materials release toxic chemicals, including additives and residual monomers. Even if all components of a mixture are present in quantities that do not individually cause the expected adverse effects, the population may be adversely affected by chronic exposure to low concentrations, which may act additively to produce greater cumulative toxicity. The article presents the results of a study of the biological effect of a mixture of chemical compounds migrating from materials intended for use in managing drinking water supply.

Materials and methods. The work examined extracts from four materials offered by various companies and manufacturing countries intended for use in drinking water supply. Experimental work was carried out on non-linear white rats (males) with an initial body weight of 180–200 g. In the experiment, five groups of animals of 10 pieces each were formed. The experiment lasted for 6 months.

Results. As a result of a sanitary-toxicological study, there were obtained data proving the possibility of a negative effect of a mixture of organic compounds washed out from the materials of pipes used in drinking water supply on the body of warm-blooded animals. Under experimental conditions with prolonged exposure to a mixture of organic compounds, including those unstudied in terms of hygienic conditions, general toxic and mutagenic activity of extracts from the studied samples of polymeric materials was revealed. Despite the fact that materials belonging to the same group of polymers — polyethylenes — were chosen for the experiment, the biological effect of the extracts turned out to be multidirectional.

Limitations. The study was conducted on a small sample of materials currently used in the practice of domestic and drinking water supply, and a limited set of indicators studied in a chronic experiment. It is necessary to conduct extensive research on other groups of polymers.

Conclusion. The toxic effect of a mixture of organic substances migrating from pipe materials on the body in a chronic experiment in animals was studied, and the possibility of developing long-term effects when consuming water based on extracts from polymeric materials was established.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the bioethics commission of the Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the FMBA, (extract from protocol No. 2 dated November 1, 2021), conducted in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experiments or for Other Scientific Purposes (ETS N 123), Directive 2010/63/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22.09.2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.

Contribution:
Alekseeva A.V. — the concept and design of the study, writing the text, collecting material and processing data, editing;
Rakhmanin Yu.A. — concept and design of the study, editing;
Mikhailova R.I. — concept and design of the study, collecting material and processing data;
Egorova N.A. — concept and design of the study, collecting material and processing data;
Khripach L.V. — concept and design of the study, collecting material and processing data;
Yurchenko V.V. — concept and design of the study, collecting material and processing data.
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 that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: March 12, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024

The study of the influence of various chemical elements on the human body is an important direction because it allows determining the patterns of the distribution and migration of these elements in tissues, as well as their role in the development of specific diseases. Among inorganic chemical compounds, a special place is occupied by lithium salts, which are widely used in industry, agriculture, and medicine. The search and selection of literature sources to identify the physiological effects and characteristics of the toxic effects of lithium salts on the human body and experimental animals was carried out using the bibliographic databases: Scopus, MedLine, Web of Science, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, RSCI, Cyberleninka. Data analysis has showed lithium salts to be classified as moderately hazardous substances (hazard class 3) and in high concentrations have a damaging effect on the functions of the nervous system, kidneys, thyroid and parathyroid glands.

Contribution:
Gorokhova L.G. — the concept of the study, collection of material, writing the text;
Zhukova A.G. — collection of material, writing the text;
Mikhailova N.N. — editing;
Korsakova T.G. — collection of material.
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 15, 2024 / Revised: March 11, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: May 8, 2024