Proteomics as an emerging tool for understanding biotransformation and toxicological impacts of contaminants

Mass-spectrometry-based proteomics is rapidly advancing, becoming fast, affordable, and increasingly accessible to environmental scientists. This perspective outlines how proteomics can illuminate biotransformation processes and sublethal organism-level effects, and highlights future opportunities enabled by emerging technologies. Our goal is to give a concise overview on realistic expectations of current capabilities while inspiring scientists to adapt and develop novel proteomic approaches addressing fundamental questions in contaminant science.