High-Efficiency Effect-Directed Analysis Leveraging Five High Level Advancements: A Critical Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Organic contaminants pose significant risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health.
• Identifying specific toxicants in complex environmental mixtures is challenging due to sample complexity and analytical limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and propose key advancements to enhance the efficiency and scope of effect-directed analysis (EDA).
• To address limitations in current EDA methodologies for improved toxicant identification and environmental risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Proposes five key advancements: comprehensive chemical extraction using multiple adsorbents, refined fractionation via micro/multidimensional techniques, integration of advanced bioassays (in vivo/vitro) and omics, high-performance high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) configurations, and data-driven approaches for toxicant validation.
• Highlights the need for better linkage between bioassays and chemical analysis.

Main Results:

• Current EDA is constrained by inadequate extraction, limited bioassay endpoints, restricted chemical analysis coverage, and poor integration between bioassays and chemical analysis.
• Proposed advancements aim to overcome these limitations for more effective toxicant identification.

Conclusions:

• Future EDA should integrate big data and artificial intelligence, leveraging quantitative omics, advanced fractionation, and ultra-high-performance MS.
• These integrated approaches will enhance the identification of environmental hazard factors for improved environmental governance.