Introduction. Urban wastewater sludge (UWS) is an important by-product of traditional urban wastewater treatment. Incineration is considered the most effective and universal method of reducing the volume of a large amount of UWS and their disinfection. However, the situation in the areas where the USW incineration plants are located, as a result of the pyrolytic process products entering the atmospheric air, creates complete uncertainty and unpredictability of the development of events that can lead in certain situations to the formation of an additional risk to public health. The purpose of the study. Hygienic characteristics of wastewater sludge incineration technology based on indicators of atmospheric air pollution and the magnitude of the risk to the health of the population living in the zone of influence of the implemented technology. Materials and methods. At the first stage, the analysis of the information presented in the international databases PubMed, Scopus, and PRINCE was carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, a list of chemical compounds was formed to identify the qualitative composition and determine the amount of pollutants in industrial emissions into the atmospheric air during the implementation of wastewater sludge incineration technology. Sanitary and chemical studies of industrial emissions into the atmospheric air were carried out by the chemical analytical center “Arbitration” of the D.I. Mendeleev Institute for Metrology. Modern high-precision analytical methods have been used to identify and quantify priority atmospheric pollutants. Results. Industrial emissions samples laboratory studies were carried out. Measurement results analysis showed that the indicators of quantitative emissions of harmful (polluting) substances do not exceed the international regulations requirements, most are below the detection limit, and the calculated concentrations do not exceed hygienic standards. The assessment of carcinogenic health risk are determined as acceptable, the probability of developing diseases additional cases from exposure to all the studied carcinogens throughout life in the population permanently residing in the territory in the area of the enterprise location is assessed as insignificant (less than one case). Limitations. In this study, there was a limitation associated with the method for determining concentrations of substances detection limit, which, nevertheless, satisfies the purpose of the study. Since a sample of unknown composition was taken, the entire possible substances spectrum in the emissions was evaluated. Substances with a carcinogenic effect were present in the emissions, but only those substances that had a carcinogenic potential factor were included in the carcinogenic risk assessment.

In recent years, when regulating relations in the field of ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population, risk-oriented supervision, and the population health risk assessment have been increasingly applied. The usage of these effective tools requires a clear legal framework. The article represents the analysis of the legal aspects of the usage of public health risk assessment and risk-based control (surveillance) in the field of the sanitary-epidemiological well-being of the population in the Russian Federation. Special attention is drawn to the problems of applying the methods for state sanitary-epidemiological surveillance. The analysis of draft laws related to this area and the legislation and experience of other countries is performed. The analysis of modern legislative changes regarding the application of risk-based supervision and the application of public health risk assessment allows concluding that the methodology for health risk assessment is an important tool in regulating relations in the field of ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population. Currently, there is a certain legal and regulatory framework for its use. But it needs improvement. As the experience of the “regulatory guillotine” carried out in many countries shows, this procedure allows eliminating many contradictions existing in regulatory legal acts. A risk-based approach is enshrined in the legislation of all EAEU member countries. At the same time, an analysis of the regulatory framework showed that a risk-oriented model was formed to a greater extent and is functioning in terms of classification (categorization) by the risk of harm to the health of legal entities (LE), individual entrepreneurs (IP) or their activities than risk-based supervision of products traded in the consumer market. The transition to a new model of state control (supervision) requires legal consolidation of the risk management system in the law on sanitary and epidemiological well-being and taking into account the experience of the EU and EAEU countries in this area.

Summary. Introduction: The problem of strong offensive odor produced by operation of sewage treatment plants is known to be quite pressing and common. It is now related to the fact that urban development made these plants, once built on the outskirts, appear within city boundaries, near summerhouses and cottage villages. Malodor is perceived by local population as a sign of poor ambient air quality that evokes negative emotions and unfavorable reflex responses and makes most people feel unwell. Materials and methods: We analyzed sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants for the whole range of chemicals that can migrate into ambient air and identified priority odor-generating pollutants. Sewage sludge testing was carried out in simulated conditions using advanced high-precision analytical techniques such as mass-spectrometry, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, gas chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography. Conclusions: Based on study results, we developed a list of chemicals subject to laboratory monitoring and substantiated the expediency of their detection in the presence of public complaints of offensive odors coming from sewage treatment plants.

Introduction: More than 100 million cubic meters of sewage sludge are accumulated annually at municipal wastewater treatment facilities of the Russian Federation. Its quantity depends on sewage treatment techniques while its qualitative composition is determined by the components of wastewater, efficiency of treatment facilities, and local industries. Sewage sludge contains toxic substances (heavy metal salts, toxic organic matter, etc.) and various types of microorganisms including pathogenic bacteria, all posing hazards to human health and environment. Objective: To summarize and systematize information about fluidized bed incineration of sewage sludge and to compile the list of pollutants emitted by incinerators and subject to control in ambient air. Materials and methods: We used data analysis methods based on review and summarization of up-to-date research data found in Scopus, PubMed, and RSCI abstract and citation databases for 2021–2022. The article selection criterion included the presence of information about effective techniques of sewage sludge disposal. Having reviewed 40 articles, we selected 30 appropriate full-text publications on the topic. Results: We established that incineration is considered to be an effective and universal contemporary method of reducing a large amount of sewage sludge and generating energy. Conclusion: Compared to other techniques of thermal treatment, sewage sludge incineration is promising in terms of equipment and techniques. However, more attention shall be paid to the mechanism of incineration, equipment, temperature conditions, and other factors affecting generation of pollutants, as well as to control of air emissions from sewage sludge incinerators at wastewater treatment plants.

Introduction: Polymer products have become inexpensive, convenient and widely used in all spheres of everyday life recently. Microplastics are found in seawater, wastewater, fresh water, foodstuffs, and air. Over the past few years, the presence of microplastics in treated tap and bottled water has been reported, raising questions and concerns about their potential human health effects. Objective: To summarize and systematize the results of studying health effects of exposure to microplastics in potable water. Materials and methods: A literature review was done based on ten topical articles and reviews published in 2014–2021 out of 64 sources found in the PubMed and Scopus international databases and the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI). Results and conclusions: Generalization and systematization of the published research data demonstrated the lack of strong evidence to draw conclusions about human health effects of microplastics. Information on toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of ingested microplastic particles is absent just like the studies of the most common shapes and sizes of plastic particles and health risks from exposure to such particles in drinking water.