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Alvarez-Mora I, Arturi K, Béen F, Buchinger S, El Mais AER, Gallampois C, Hahn M, Hollender J, Houtman C, Johann S, Krauss M, Lamoree M, Margalef M, Massei R, Brack W, Muz M. Progress, applications, and challenges in high-throughput effect-directed analysis for toxicity driver identification - is it time for HT-EDA? Anal Bioanal Chem 2024:10.1007/s00216-024-05424-4. [PMID: 38992177 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05424-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The rapid increase in the production and global use of chemicals and their mixtures has raised concerns about their potential impact on human and environmental health. With advances in analytical techniques, in particular, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), thousands of compounds and transformation products with potential adverse effects can now be detected in environmental samples. However, identifying and prioritizing the toxicity drivers among these compounds remain a significant challenge. Effect-directed analysis (EDA) emerged as an important tool to address this challenge, combining biotesting, sample fractionation, and chemical analysis to unravel toxicity drivers in complex mixtures. Traditional EDA workflows are labor-intensive and time-consuming, hindering large-scale applications. The concept of high-throughput (HT) EDA has recently gained traction as a means of accelerating these workflows. Key features of HT-EDA include the combination of microfractionation and downscaled bioassays, automation of sample preparation and biotesting, and efficient data processing workflows supported by novel computational tools. In addition to microplate-based fractionation, high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) offers an interesting alternative to HPLC in HT-EDA. This review provides an updated perspective on the state-of-the-art in HT-EDA, and novel methods/tools that can be incorporated into HT-EDA workflows. It also discusses recent studies on HT-EDA, HT bioassays, and computational prioritization tools, along with considerations regarding HPTLC. By identifying current gaps in HT-EDA and proposing new approaches to overcome them, this review aims to bring HT-EDA a step closer to monitoring applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iker Alvarez-Mora
- Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
- Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PIE), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain.
| | - Katarzyna Arturi
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Frederic Béen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
- Chemistry for Environment and Health, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Koblenz, Germany
| | | | | | - Meike Hahn
- Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Koblenz, Germany
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Corine Houtman
- Chemistry for Environment and Health, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- The Water Laboratory, Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Sarah Johann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Krauss
- Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Chemistry for Environment and Health, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Margalef
- Chemistry for Environment and Health, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Massei
- Department of Monitoring and Exploration Technologies, Research Data Management Team (RDM), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecotoxicology, Group of Integrative Toxicology (iTox), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Melis Muz
- Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Liu J, Xiang T, Song XC, Zhang S, Wu Q, Gao J, Lv M, Shi C, Yang X, Liu Y, Fu J, Shi W, Fang M, Qu G, Yu H, Jiang G. High-Efficiency Effect-Directed Analysis Leveraging Five High Level Advancements: A Critical Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9925-9944. [PMID: 38820315 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Organic contaminants are ubiquitous in the environment, with mounting evidence unequivocally connecting them to aquatic toxicity, illness, and increased mortality, underscoring their substantial impacts on ecological security and environmental health. The intricate composition of sample mixtures and uncertain physicochemical features of potential toxic substances pose challenges to identify key toxicants in environmental samples. Effect-directed analysis (EDA), establishing a connection between key toxicants found in environmental samples and associated hazards, enables the identification of toxicants that can streamline research efforts and inform management action. Nevertheless, the advancement of EDA is constrained by the following factors: inadequate extraction and fractionation of environmental samples, limited bioassay endpoints and unknown linkage to higher order impacts, limited coverage of chemical analysis (i.e., high-resolution mass spectrometry, HRMS), and lacking effective linkage between bioassays and chemical analysis. This review proposes five key advancements to enhance the efficiency of EDA in addressing these challenges: (1) multiple adsorbents for comprehensive coverage of chemical extraction, (2) high-resolution microfractionation and multidimensional fractionation for refined fractionation, (3) robust in vivo/vitro bioassays and omics, (4) high-performance configurations for HRMS analysis, and (5) chemical-, data-, and knowledge-driven approaches for streamlined toxicant identification and validation. We envision that future EDA will integrate big data and artificial intelligence based on the development of quantitative omics, cutting-edge multidimensional microfractionation, and ultraperformance MS to identify environmental hazard factors, serving for broader environmental governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tongtong Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Xue-Chao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shaoqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Meilin Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Chunzhen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xiaoxi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yanna Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jianjie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mingliang Fang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430056, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongxia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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Gong Y, Sun J, Wang X, Barrett H, Peng H. Identification of Hydrocarbon Sulfonates as Previously Overlooked Transthyretin Ligands in the Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10227-10239. [PMID: 38817092 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Incidences of thyroid disease, which has long been hypothesized to be partially caused by exposure to thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals (TDCs), have rapidly increased in recent years. However, known TDCs can only explain a small portion (∼1%) of in vitro human transthyretin (hTTR) binding activities in environmental samples, indicating the existence of unknown hTTR ligands. In this study, we aimed to identify the major environmental hTTR ligands by employing protein Affinity Purification with Nontargeted Analysis (APNA). hTTR binding activities were detected in all 11 indoor dust and 9 out of 10 sewage sludge samples by the FITC-T4 displacement assay. By using APNA, 31 putative hTTR ligands were detected including perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). Two of the most abundant ligands were identified as hydrocarbon surfactants (e.g., dodecyl benzenesulfonate). Moreover, another abundant ligand was surprisingly identified as a disulfonate fluorescent brightener, 4,4'-bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl sodium (CBS). CBS was validated as a nM-affinity hTTR ligand with an IC50 of 345 nM. In total, hydrocarbon surfactants and fluorescent brighteners explain 1.92-17.0 and 5.74-54.3% of hTTR binding activities in dust and sludge samples, respectively, whereas PFOS only contributed <0.0001%. Our study revealed for the first time that hydrocarbon sulfonates are previously overlooked hTTR ligands in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Gong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Jianxian Sun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Holly Barrett
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
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4
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Xiang T, Shi C, Guo Y, Zhang J, Min W, Sun J, Liu J, Yan X, Liu Y, Yao L, Mao Y, Yang X, Shi J, Yan B, Qu G, Jiang G. Effect-directed analysis of androgenic compounds from sewage sludges in China. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121652. [PMID: 38657313 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The safety of municipal sewage sludge has raised great concerns because of the accumulation of large-scale endocrine disrupting chemicals in the sludge during wastewater treatment. The presence of contaminants in sludge can cause secondary pollution owing to inappropriate disposal mechanisms, posing potential risks to the environment and human health. Effect-directed analysis (EDA), involving an androgen receptor (AR) reporter gene bioassay, fractionation, and suspect and nontarget chemical analysis, were applied to identify causal AR agonists in sludge; 20 of the 30 sludge extracts exhibited significant androgenic activity. Among these, the extracts from Yinchuan, Kunming, and Shijiazhuang, which held the most polluted AR agonistic activities were prepared for extensive EDA, with the dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-equivalency of 2.5 - 4.5 ng DHT/g of sludge. Seven androgens, namely boldione, androstenedione, testosterone, megestrol, progesterone, and testosterone isocaproate, were identified in these strongest sludges together, along with testosterone cypionate, first reported in sludge media. These identified androgens together accounted for 55 %, 87 %, and 52 % of the effects on the sludge from Yinchuan, Shijiazhuang, and Kunming, respectively. This study elucidates the causative androgenic compounds in sewage sludge and provides a valuable reference for monitoring and managing androgens in wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Xiang
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Chunzhen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Yunhe Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Weicui Min
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiazheng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jifu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Xiliang Yan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanna Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Linlin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yuxiang Mao
- School of Resources & Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
| | - Xiaoxi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Bing Yan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
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Liu H, Zhao B, Jin M, Wang R, Ding Z, Wang X, Xu W, Chen Q, Tao R, Fu J, Xie D. Anthropogenic-induced ecological risks on marine ecosystems indicated by characterizing emerging pollutants in Pearl River Estuary, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:172030. [PMID: 38547985 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in marine environments have raised significant concerns. Yet, analyses detailing their origins, fate, and environmental effects are limited. This study employs an integrated non-target screening methodology to elucidate CECs existence across 46 sampling sites in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) of the South China Sea. Assisted by advanced liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, we discovered 208 chemicals in six usage categories, with pesticides (33 %) and pharmaceuticals (29 %) predominating. Several CECs drew attention for their consistent detections, profound abundance, and significant ecotoxicities. The wide detection of them at offshore sites further implies that anthropogenic activities may contribute to large-scale contamination. Meanwhile, distinct distribution patterns of CECs across PRE are evident in semi-quantitative results, indicating regional anthropogenic influences. Identified transformation products may establish a novel and non-negligible negative contribution to ecology through elevated environmental toxicities, exemplified by HMMM and atrazine. Based on the ecological risks, we compiled a prioritized list of 21 CECs warranting intensified scrutiny. Our findings indicate the introduction of various CECs into the South China Sea via PRE, emphasizing the urgent necessity for ongoing surveillance of discharged CECs at estuary areas and assessment of their marine ecological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Liu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Bo Zhao
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Meng Jin
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Rui Wang
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Zirong Ding
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Xiong Wang
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Wenjie Xu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Qianghua Chen
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Rizhu Tao
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China
| | - Jianping Fu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Monitoring, Early Warning and Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Nanning 530029, PR China
| | - Danping Xie
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, PR China.
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6
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Song D, Tang T, Wang R, Liu H, Xie D, Zhao B, Dang Z, Lu G. Enhancing compound confidence in suspect and non-target screening through machine learning-based retention time prediction. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123763. [PMID: 38492749 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The retention time (RT) of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) is crucial for database matching in non-targeted screening (NTS) analysis. In this study, we developed a machine learning (ML) model to predict RTs of CECs in NTS analysis. Using 1051 CEC standards, we evaluated Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with molecular fingerprints and chemical descriptors to establish an optimal model. The SVR model utilizing chemical descriptors resulted in good predictive capacity with R2ext = 0.850 and r2 = 0.925. The model was further validated through laboratory NTS compound characterization. When applied to examine CEC occurrence in a large wastewater treatment plant, we identified 40 level S1 CECs (confirmed structure by reference standard) and 234 level S2 compounds (probable structure by library spectrum match). The model predicted RTs for level S2 compounds, leading to the classification of 153 level S2 compounds with high confidence (ΔRT <2 min). The model served as a robust filtering mechanism within the analytical framework. This study emphasizes the importance of predicted RTs in NTS analysis and highlights the potential of prediction models. Our research introduces a workflow that enhances NTS analysis by utilizing RT prediction models to determine compound confidence levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehao Song
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ting Tang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Rui Wang
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Monitoring, Early Warning and Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Nanning, 530000, China
| | - He Liu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Monitoring, Early Warning and Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Nanning, 530000, China
| | - Danping Xie
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Monitoring, Early Warning and Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Nanning, 530000, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Monitoring, Early Warning and Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Nanning, 530000, China
| | - Zhi Dang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guining Lu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
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7
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Tkalec Ž, Antignac JP, Bandow N, Béen FM, Belova L, Bessems J, Le Bizec B, Brack W, Cano-Sancho G, Chaker J, Covaci A, Creusot N, David A, Debrauwer L, Dervilly G, Duca RC, Fessard V, Grimalt JO, Guerin T, Habchi B, Hecht H, Hollender J, Jamin EL, Klánová J, Kosjek T, Krauss M, Lamoree M, Lavison-Bompard G, Meijer J, Moeller R, Mol H, Mompelat S, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Oberacher H, Parinet J, Van Poucke C, Roškar R, Togola A, Trontelj J, Price EJ. Innovative analytical methodologies for characterizing chemical exposure with a view to next-generation risk assessment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 186:108585. [PMID: 38521044 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The chemical burden on the environment and human population is increasing. Consequently, regulatory risk assessment must keep pace to manage, reduce, and prevent adverse impacts on human and environmental health associated with hazardous chemicals. Surveillance of chemicals of known, emerging, or potential future concern, entering the environment-food-human continuum is needed to document the reality of risks posed by chemicals on ecosystem and human health from a one health perspective, feed into early warning systems and support public policies for exposure mitigation provisions and safe and sustainable by design strategies. The use of less-conventional sampling strategies and integration of full-scan, high-resolution mass spectrometry and effect-directed analysis in environmental and human monitoring programmes have the potential to enhance the screening and identification of a wider range of chemicals of known, emerging or potential future concern. Here, we outline the key needs and recommendations identified within the European Partnership for Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) project for leveraging these innovative methodologies to support the development of next-generation chemical risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Žiga Tkalec
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic; Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | | | - Nicole Bandow
- German Environment Agency, Laboratory for Water Analysis, Colditzstraße 34, 12099 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Frederic M Béen
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Section Chemistry for Environment and Health, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
| | - Lidia Belova
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Jos Bessems
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium.
| | | | - Werner Brack
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | | | - Jade Chaker
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Nicolas Creusot
- INRAE, French National Research Institute For Agriculture, Food & Environment, UR1454 EABX, Bordeaux Metabolome, MetaboHub, Gazinet Cestas, France.
| | - Arthur David
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Laurent Debrauwer
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), INRAE UMR 1331, ENVT, INP-Purpan, Paul Sabatier University (UPS), Toulouse, France.
| | | | - Radu Corneliu Duca
- Unit Environmental Hygiene and Human Biological Monitoring, Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), 1 Rue Louis Rech, L-3555 Dudelange, Luxembourg; Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven (KU Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Valérie Fessard
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Laboratory of Fougères, Toxicology of Contaminants Unit, 35306 Fougères, France.
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Thierry Guerin
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Strategy and Programs Department, F-94701 Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Baninia Habchi
- INRS, Département Toxicologie et Biométrologie Laboratoire Biométrologie 1, rue du Morvan - CS 60027 - 54519, Vandoeuvre Cedex, France.
| | - Helge Hecht
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology - Eawag, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Emilien L Jamin
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), INRAE UMR 1331, ENVT, INP-Purpan, Paul Sabatier University (UPS), Toulouse, France.
| | - Jana Klánová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Tina Kosjek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Martin Krauss
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Section Chemistry for Environment and Health, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Gwenaelle Lavison-Bompard
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Laboratory for Food Safety, Pesticides and Marine Biotoxins Unit, F-94701 Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Jeroen Meijer
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Section Chemistry for Environment and Health, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Ruth Moeller
- Unit Medical Expertise and Data Intelligence, Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), 1 Rue Louis Rech, L-3555 Dudelange, Luxembourg.
| | - Hans Mol
- Wageningen Food Safety Research - Part of Wageningen University and Research, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sophie Mompelat
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Laboratory of Fougères, Toxicology of Contaminants Unit, 35306 Fougères, France.
| | - An Van Nieuwenhuyse
- Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven (KU Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), 1 Rue Louis Rech, L-3555 Dudelange, Luxembourg.
| | - Herbert Oberacher
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Core Facility Metabolomics, Medical University of Insbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Julien Parinet
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Laboratory for Food Safety, Pesticides and Marine Biotoxins Unit, F-94701 Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Christof Van Poucke
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries And Food (ILVO), Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
| | - Robert Roškar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Slovenia.
| | - Anne Togola
- BRGM, 3 avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans, France.
| | | | - Elliott J Price
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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8
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Zhang Y, Liu F, Li XQ, Gao Y, Li KC, Zhang QH. Generic and accurate prediction of retention times in liquid chromatography by post-projection calibration. Commun Chem 2024; 7:54. [PMID: 38459241 PMCID: PMC10923921 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01135-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Retention time predictions from molecule structures in liquid chromatography (LC) are increasingly used in MS-based targeted and untargeted analyses, providing supplementary evidence for molecule annotation and reducing experimental measurements. Nevertheless, different LC setups (e.g., differences in gradient, column, and/or mobile phase) give rise to many prediction models that can only accurately predict retention times for a specific chromatographic method (CM). Here, a generic and accurate method is present to predict retention times across different CMs, by introducing the concept of post-projection calibration. This concept builds on the direct projections of retention times between different CMs and uses 35 external calibrants to eliminate the impact of LC setups on projection accuracy. Results showed that post-projection calibration consistently achieved a median projection error below 3.2% of the elution time. The ranking results of putative candidates reached similar levels among different CMs. This work opens up broad possibilities for coordinating retention times between different laboratories and developing extensive retention databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Conservation of MWR, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
- Division of Chemical Metrology and Analytical Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Conservation of MWR, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiu Qin Li
- Division of Chemical Metrology and Analytical Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Division of Chemical Metrology and Analytical Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Kang Cong Li
- Division of Chemical Metrology and Analytical Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qing He Zhang
- Division of Chemical Metrology and Analytical Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Metrology and Applications on Nutrition and Health for State Market Regulation, Beijing, 100029, China.
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9
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Langberg HA, Choyke S, Hale SE, Koekkoek J, Cenijn PH, Lamoree MH, Rundberget T, Jartun M, Breedveld GD, Jenssen BM, Higgins CP, Hamers T. Effect-Directed Analysis Based on Transthyretin Binding Activity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in a Contaminated Sediment Extract. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:245-258. [PMID: 37888867 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Only a fraction of the total number of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are monitored on a routine basis using targeted chemical analyses. We report on an approach toward identifying bioactive substances in environmental samples using effect-directed analysis by combining toxicity testing, targeted chemical analyses, and suspect screening. PFAS compete with the thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4 ) for binding to its distributor protein transthyretin (TTR). Therefore, a TTR-binding bioassay was used to prioritize unknown features for chemical identification in a PFAS-contaminated sediment sample collected downstream of a factory producing PFAS-coated paper. First, the TTR-binding potencies of 31 analytical PFAS standards were determined. Potencies varied between PFAS depending on carbon chain length, functional group, and, for precursors to perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSA), the size or number of atoms in the group(s) attached to the nitrogen. The most potent PFAS were the seven- and eight-carbon PFSA, perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and the eight-carbon perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which showed approximately four- and five-times weaker potencies, respectively, compared with the native ligand T4 . For some of the other PFAS tested, TTR-binding potencies were weak or not observed at all. For the environmental sediment sample, not all of the bioactivity observed in the TTR-binding assay could be assigned to the PFAS quantified using targeted chemical analyses. Therefore, suspect screening was applied to the retention times corresponding to observed TTR binding, and five candidates were identified. Targeted analyses showed that the sediment was dominated by the di-substituted phosphate ester of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido ethanol (SAmPAP diester), whereas it was not bioactive in the assay. SAmPAP diester has the potential for (bio)transformation into smaller PFAS, including PFOS. Therefore, when it comes to TTR binding, the hazard associated with this substance is likely through (bio)transformation into more potent transformation products. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:245-258. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Håkon A Langberg
- Environment and Geotechnics, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah Choyke
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA
- Eurofins Environment Testing, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Sarah E Hale
- Environment and Geotechnics, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
- DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jacco Koekkoek
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter H Cenijn
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marja H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Morten Jartun
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gijs D Breedveld
- Environment and Geotechnics, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Department of Arctic Technology, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christopher P Higgins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA
| | - Timo Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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de Schepper JKH, van Oorschot Y, Jaspers RJ, Hamers T, Lamoree MH, Behnisch P, Besselink H, Houtman CJ. The contribution of PFAS to thyroid hormone-displacing activity in Dutch waters: A comparison between two in vitro bioassays with chemical analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108256. [PMID: 37862862 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of xenobiotics that are widely distributed throughout the aquatic environment. Many PFAS are possible thyroid hormone (TH) system disrupting compounds, because they have the capacity to -amongst other- inhibit the TH thyroxine (T4) from binding to its transport protein transthyretin (TTR). This study investigated the occurrence of TH-displacing activity in the Dutch water cycle, and more specifically, the contribution of PFAS to this effect. Over one year of monitoring data of 29 PFAS (linear and branched) showed the continuous presence of PFAS in drinking waters and their surface water sources. Secondly, the FITC-T4 and TTR-TRβ-CALUX bioassays were mutually compared using positive (HPLC-grade water spiked with PFOA) and negative control samples (HPLC-grade water), as well as relative potency factors (RPFs) of up to 20 PFAS congeners. Both assays were found to be suitable for measuring TH-displacing activity in water samples. As a third aim, a field study was performed in the Dutch water cycle that was comprised of samples from drinking water, surface water, PFAS contaminated sites, and 2 wastewater treatment plants. All samples were analyzed with 1. chemical analysis for 29 PFAS, 2. the FITC-T4 bioassay, and 3. the TTR-TRβ-CALUX bioassay. The bioassays mutually showed good correlation (R2 0.85). Bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) based on chemically-determined concentrations and RPFs (BEQchem) revealed that analyzed PFAS only explained ≤4.1 % of their activity in water extracts measured by both bioassays (BEQbio). This indicated that as yet unknown compounds contribute to the majority of the measured TH-displacing activity. Moreover, water treatment processes (e.g. DW production from SW) showed a larger contribution of target PFAS to the BEQbio. This could be a first lead to identify unknown compounds that contribute to this activity, and as such, enable the assessment of possible risks associated by the occurrence of TH-displacing activity in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K H de Schepper
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | | | - R J Jaspers
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - T Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - H Besselink
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - C J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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11
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Jonkers TJH, Houtman CJ, van Oorschot Y, Lamoree MH, Hamers T. Identification of antimicrobial and glucocorticoid compounds in wastewater effluents with effect-directed analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116117. [PMID: 37178748 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals, such as glucocorticoids and antibiotics, are inadequately removed from wastewater and may cause unwanted toxic effects in the receiving environment. This study aimed to identify contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater effluent with antimicrobial or glucocorticoid activity by applying effect-directed analysis (EDA). Effluent samples from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Netherlands were collected and analyzed with unfractionated and fractionated bioassay testing. Per sample, 80 fractions were collected and in parallel high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data were recorded for suspect and nontarget screening. The antimicrobial activity of the effluents was determined with an antibiotics assay and ranged from 298 to 711 ng azithromycin equivalents·L-1. Macrolide antibiotics were identified in each effluent and found to significantly contribute to the antimicrobial activity of each sample. Agonistic glucocorticoid activity determined with the GR-CALUX assay ranged from 98.1 to 286 ng dexamethasone equivalents·L-1. Bioassay testing of several tentatively identified compounds to confirm their activity revealed inactivity in the assay or the incorrect identification of a feature. Effluent concentrations of glucocorticoid active compounds were estimated from the fractionated GR-CALUX bioassay response. Subsequently, the biological and chemical detection limits were compared and a sensitivity gap between the two monitoring approaches was identified. Overall, these results emphasize that combining sensitive effect-based testing with chemical analysis can more accurately reflect environmental exposure and risk than chemical analysis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J H Jonkers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE, Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marja H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Timo Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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12
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Yang J, Zhao F, Zheng J, Wang Y, Fei X, Xiao Y, Fang M. An automated toxicity based prioritization framework for fast chemical characterization in non-targeted analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130893. [PMID: 36746086 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Identification of environmental pollutants with harmful effects is commonly conducted by non-targeted analysis (NTA) using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Prioritization of possible candidates is important yet challenging because of the large number of candidates from MS acquisitions. We aimed to prioritize candidates to the exposure potential of organic chemicals by their toxicity and identification evidence in the matrix. We have developed an R package application, "NTAprioritization.R", for fast prioritization of suspect lists. In this workflow, the identification levels of candidates were first rated according to spectral matching and retention time prediction. The toxicity levels were rated according to candidates' toxicity of different endpoints or ToxPi score. Finally, the various levels of candidates were identified as Tier 1 - 5 descending in priority. For validation, we used this workflow to identify pollutants in a sludge water sample spiked with 28 environmental pollutants. The workflow reduced the candidate list of over 6,982 candidates to a final list of 2,779 compounds and prioritized them to 5 tiers (Tier 1 - 5), including 21 out of 28 spiked standards. Overall, this study shows the added value of an automated prioritization R package for the fast screening of environmental pollutants based on the NTA method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Yang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore; Singapore Phenome Center, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore
| | - Fanrong Zhao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore
| | - Jie Zheng
- Singapore Phenome Center, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore
| | - Yulan Wang
- Singapore Phenome Center, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore
| | - Xunchang Fei
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yongjun Xiao
- International Food & Water Research Centre, Waters Pacific Pte Ltd, 117528, Singapore.
| | - Mingliang Fang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming, 3663 Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China.
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13
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Jonkers TJH, Keizers PHJ, Béen F, Meijer J, Houtman CJ, Al Gharib I, Molenaar D, Hamers T, Lamoree MH. Identifying antimicrobials and their metabolites in wastewater and surface water with effect-directed analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 320:138093. [PMID: 36758810 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify antimicrobial contaminants in the aquatic environment with effect-directed analysis. Wastewater influent, effluent, and surface water (up- and downstream of the discharge location) were sampled at two study sites. The samples were enriched, subjected to high-resolution fractionation, and the resulting 80 fractions were tested in an antibiotics bioassay. The resulting bioactive fractions guided the suspect and nontargeted identification strategy in the high-resolution mass spectrometry data that was recorded in parallel. Chemical features were annotated with reference databases, assessed on annotation quality, and assigned identification confidence levels. To identify antibiotic metabolites, Phase I metabolites were predicted in silico for over 500 antibiotics and included as a suspect list. Predicted retention times and fragmentation patterns reduced the number of annotations to consider for confirmation testing. Overall, the bioactivity of three fractions could be explained by the identified antibiotics (clarithromycin and azithromycin) and an antibiotic metabolite (14-OH(R) clarithromycin), explaining 78% of the bioactivity measured at one study site. The applied identification strategy successfully identified antibiotic metabolites in the aquatic environment, emphasizing the need to include the toxic effects of bioactive metabolites in environmental risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J H Jonkers
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter H J Keizers
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment RIVM, A. van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721MA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
| | - Frederic Béen
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen Meijer
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE, Haarlem, the Netherlands.
| | - Imane Al Gharib
- Systems Biology Lab, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Douwe Molenaar
- Systems Biology Lab, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Timo Hamers
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Marja H Lamoree
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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14
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Escher BI, Lamoree M, Antignac JP, Scholze M, Herzler M, Hamers T, Jensen TK, Audebert M, Busquet F, Maier D, Oelgeschläger M, Valente MJ, Boye H, Schmeisser S, Dervilly G, Piumatti M, Motteau S, König M, Renko K, Margalef M, Cariou R, Ma Y, Treschow AF, Kortenkamp A, Vinggaard AM. Mixture Risk Assessment of Complex Real-Life Mixtures-The PANORAMIX Project. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12990. [PMID: 36293571 PMCID: PMC9602166 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192012990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Humans are involuntarily exposed to hundreds of chemicals that either contaminate our environment and food or are added intentionally to our daily products. These complex mixtures of chemicals may pose a risk to human health. One of the goals of the European Union's Green Deal and zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment is to tackle the existent gaps in chemical mixture risk assessment by providing scientific grounds that support the implementation of adequate regulatory measures within the EU. We suggest dealing with this challenge by: (1) characterising 'real-life' chemical mixtures and determining to what extent they are transferred from the environment to humans via food and water, and from the mother to the foetus; (2) establishing a high-throughput whole-mixture-based in vitro strategy for screening of real-life complex mixtures of organic chemicals extracted from humans using integrated chemical profiling (suspect screening) together with effect-directed analysis; (3) evaluating which human blood levels of chemical mixtures might be of concern for children's development; and (4) developing a web-based, ready-to-use interface that integrates hazard and exposure data to enable component-based mixture risk estimation. These concepts form the basis of the Green Deal project PANORAMIX, whose ultimate goal is to progress mixture risk assessment of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate I. Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, DE-04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, DE-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martin Scholze
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Environmental Sciences Division, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Matthias Herzler
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 10589 Berlin, Germany
| | - Timo Hamers
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Marc Audebert
- Toxalim, UMR1331, INRAE, 31027 Toulouse, France
- PrediTox, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | - Maria João Valente
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Henriette Boye
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Hospital for Children, Odense University Hospital, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria König
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, DE-04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, DE-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kostja Renko
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 10589 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Margalef
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Yanying Ma
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Andreas Kortenkamp
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Environmental Sciences Division, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Anne Marie Vinggaard
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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