The Potential of Sewage Sludge to Predict and Evaluate the Human Chemical Exposome

Abstract

Chemicals are part of our daily lives, and we are exposed to numerous chemicals through multiple pathways. Relevant scientific evidence contributing to the regulation of hazardous chemicals require a holistic approach to assess simultaneous exposure to multiple compounds. Biomonitoring provides an accurate estimation of exposure to chemicals through very complex and costly sampling campaigns. Finding efficient proxies to predict the risk of chemical exposure in humans is an urgent need to cover large areas and populations at a reasonable cost. We conducted an exploratory study to characterize the human chemical exposome in maternal blood and placenta samples of a population-based birth cohort in Barcelona (2018–2021). Ultimate HRMS-based approaches were applied including wide-scope target, suspect, and nontarget screening. Forty-two chemicals were identified including pesticides, personal care products, or industrial compounds, among others, in the range of ng/mL and ng/g. In parallel, sewage sludge from the wastewater treatment plants serving the residence areas of the studied population were also screened, showing correlations with the type and concentrations of chemicals found in humans. Our findings were suggestive for the potential use of sewage sludge as a proxy of the human exposure and its application in early warning systems to prevent bioaccumulation of hazardous chemicals.

Phospholipid Removal for Enhanced Chemical Exposomics in Human Plasma

“…Current analytical trends in chemical exposomics include multiclass targeted methods based on liquid chromatography (LC) or gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry, as well as suspect-screening and non-targeted LC- and GC-high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). − Non-targeted HRMS approaches are common in metabolomics and are promising for chemical exposomics because they allow profiling and quantification of known substances, while also acquiring spectra of unknown molecules that may be unanticipated biomarkers of disease. Most chemical exposomics approaches in human studies have so-far been adapted directly from high-resolution metabolomics, , involving only a protein precipitation step and injecting the equivalent of 1–5 μL of plasma on-column. ,,, While these methods have advantages for throughput and unbiased molecular analysis, they do not address the 1,000-fold concentration gap for environmental contaminants in plasma …”

“…Most chemical exposomics approaches in human studies have so-far been adapted directly from high-resolution metabolomics, 13,14 involving only a protein precipitation step and injecting the equivalent of 1−5 μL of plasma on-column. 8,9,11,12 While these methods have advantages for throughput and unbiased molecular analysis, they do not address the 1,000-fold concentration gap for environmental contaminants in plasma. 3 One way to improve sensitivity of chemical exposomics is to introduce more environmental analytes on-column, either through preconcentration steps or large-volume injection.…”

MS2Tox Machine Learning Tool for Predicting the Ecotoxicity of Unidentified Chemicals in Water by Nontarget LC-HRMS

“…The quality of our water resources depends to a large extent on the inherent toxicity and concentration of chemical pollutants that are present . Modern nontarget analysis by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) allows rapid profiling of thousands of molecular features in drinking water, , surface water, − and wastewater. − These substances are complex mixtures present in water, including anthropogenic substances (e.g., pesticides and industrial chemicals), ,,, natural substances (e.g., natural dissolved organic matter), endogenous human metabolites, and a multitude of associated transformation products with unknown aquatic toxicities …”

“… 1 Modern nontarget analysis by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) 2 allows rapid profiling of thousands of molecular features in drinking water, 3 , 4 surface water, 5 − 7 and wastewater. 8 − 11 These substances are complex mixtures present in water, including anthropogenic substances (e.g., pesticides and industrial chemicals), 2 , 7 , 8 , 12 natural substances (e.g., natural dissolved organic matter), 6 endogenous human metabolites, 13 and a multitude of associated transformation products with unknown aquatic toxicities. 4 …”

Tumoral and normal brain tissue extraction protocol for wide-scope screening of organic pollutants

“…The evaluation of the chemical exposome, defined as the total environmental exposure since conception hereinafter [ 1 , 2 ], is essential for assessing the potential health risk facing humanity [3] . Human biomonitoring (HBM) studies, making use of the last advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), have been usually applied to human biofluids such as urine, to some extent easy to sample [4] , [5] , [6] , also requiring lower sample treatment. However, there is a current need for analytical methodologies that are capable to evaluate the chemical exposome in some other overlooked tissues, such as brain and tumor biopsies.…”