Modern alternative toxicological research methods and prospects of their use in practical activities

Based on literature review and own experience, grounds for necessity of toxicological assessment of goods and ecological state are given. As industry and economical activity develops, new chemicals, materials and goods appear, the problem of environmental protection and human chemical safety is becoming increasingly crucial. According to the legislation of most civilized countries, including Russian Federation, all chemicals, materials, goods, industrial waste and consumption residue which are potentially dangerous for humans must pass toxicological expert examination. Classical toxicological study techniques of chemicals, products and goods containing them, are labor-and time-consuming, expensive and as a rule require a lot of laboratory animals of various species. Moreover, the use of mammals is embarrassing from an ethical point of view. Therefore in late decades a search for new alternative techniques and instruments which could reliably reflect the effect of various toxicants on human body is actively being carried out. Sanitary-toxicological methods are shown to be predominantly used for the quality assessment and regulation of the production and environmental objects, especially in perfumes and cosmetics examination due to the prohibition of testing of cosmetics and its ingredients on animals in European Union countries. General characteristics and availability of the determination of the toxicity with the use of alternative testing techniques, such as computer toxicity simulation (in silico techniques), grouping of similar chemicals into categories, laboratory research (in chemico, ex vivo, in vitro methods) are reported. Characteristics of up-to-date alternative techniques which are most widely used in sanitary-toxicological studies are shown.