[Contemporary problems of industrial toxicology]

The author presents the present -- day position and developmental trends of industrial toxicology studies, relating this specialty to other hygiene branches, especially to natural environment protection. Disproportions in the development of this line of studies was indicated, as opposed to the progress in technique and technology. These disproportions are most evident when we compare the number of chemicals for whose some data determining their biological effects have been collected, with over 4 mln. chemical compounds used in our economy. The main general problems to be solved in the nearest future are: scientific and technical information and establishment, at an international level, of basic definitions, criteria of toxicity evaluation and occupational risk, related classification and bases constituting a starting point for establishing the hygienic standards (MAC). In addition, current orientation of studies in narrower specialties within industrial toxicology was discussed, i.e. experimental toxicology, chemical air analysis, toxicological biochemistry, chemical substances metabolism in organism, pathology of acute and chronic intoxications. The development of new narrow specialties and new problems was pointed out, in view of their perspective significance for the health protection of workers occupationally exposed to chemicals. Among those problems are: remote effects of exposure to chemicals, especially the problem of industiral carcinogenesis, combined effects of poisons, and so called behavioral toxicology. It was noted that the present knowledge of carcinogenic effects of chemicals permits to gradually set up efficient preventive measures, conditioned by implementation of systems of occupational risk control and the control of health effects of exposure.