Alexander Koushkani spoke at the conference on the theme: "Dynamics of changes in the level of contamination with dioxins by-products of reindeer". The report is based on data from studies carried out by the staff of the division of control over the content of persistent organic pollutants in feed and food raw materials fgbu "VGNKI" under the state monitoring of animal products in the course of other research projects.

The scientist told about the high level of contamination of the liver of reindeer dioxins – toxic persistent organic substances. They are formed as by-products during the combustion of organic compounds, such as waste incineration, forest fires as well as during some industrial processes. Scientific staff VGNKI found that the dioxin content of the selected 2017-2018 liver samples of reindeer exceeds the permissible value in all the regions inhabited by these animals. Scientists VGNKI compared these results with data obtained in the years 2014-2016, and concluded that the level of contamination with dioxins of the liver of reindeer is increasing, especially in the Nenets Autonomous district and the Komi Republic. The pollution has a clear geographical distribution: the most polluted region is the Kola Peninsula, then the content of dioxins in the liver of animals decreases from the Western regions of wildlife habitat to the Eastern regions.

The report of Alexander Kozhushkevich took first place in the competition of reports of young scientists, held in the framework of the conference. The report was prepared under the supervision of the Deputy Director of the fgbi "VGNKI", the head of the Department of pharmacological drugs, safety of food and feed production, doctor of biological Sciences, Professor, Professor of the RAS Alexander Komarov. Alexander Koushkani also discussed the possibility of cooperation between the fgbi "VGNKI" and the Laboratory of biomonitoring of the Arctic, Northern (Arctic) Federal University. M. V. Lomonosov, on the basis of which the conference was held. The head of Laboratory and leading scientist of the University of yngvar Thomassen expressed interest and willingness to cooperate in the development of methodologies for monitoring, assessment, prediction and prevention of risks associated with the transfer of the biological pathways of highly toxic contaminants can accumulate in the food chain and spread to Arctic ecosystems.

We will remind that today the specialists of the fgbi "VGNKI" has developed the vast majority of the supporting methods (over 70) used as the laboratories of the Rosselkhoznadzor, and Rospotrebnadzor laboratories to identify chemical contaminants in food and feed. These practices cover all groups of chemical pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals.