Integrated Exposomics/Metabolomics for Rapid Exposure and Effect Analyses.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health Sciences
• Analytical Chemistry
• Metabolomics

Background:

• The human exposome, encompassing all environmental exposures, is complex and poorly understood.
• Current methods for analyzing chemical exposures and metabolic pathways are challenging and time-consuming.
• Integrated analysis of the metabolome and exposome is crucial for understanding environmental health impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, rapid, and comprehensive analytical approach for simultaneous measurement of the endogenous metabolome and chemical exposome.
• To establish a high-throughput method for assessing environmental exposures and their link to metabolic disruption.
• To validate a new technology for analyzing diverse molecules in biological samples.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dual-column liquid chromatography system combining reverse-phase and HILIC with fast polarity-switching.
• Integration of effluents before analysis using high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS).
• Benchmarking performance using standard reference materials and authentic standards, including analysis of urine and plasma samples.

Main Results:

• Achieved highly sensitive median limits of detection (LODs) for over 140 endogenous metabolites and 100 model xenobiotics/estrogens.
• Demonstrated effective analysis in biological matrices with median LODs of 0.7 ng/mL (urine) and 0.5 ng/mL (plasma) for exogenous chemicals.
• Successfully applied the method to real-life urine samples from distinct geographical regions (sub-Saharan Africa and Europe).

Conclusions:

• The novel LC-HRMS approach enables simultaneous, quantitative assessment of the endogenous metabolome and chemical exposome.
• This technology facilitates high-throughput measurement of environmental drivers of diseases.
• The method provides a powerful tool for exposome research and environmental health monitoring.