Combining non-targeted analysis with computer-based hazard comparison approaches to support prioritization of unregulated organic contaminants in environmental media
Citation:
Prasse, C., C. Brueck, M. Newmeyer, S. Lupolt, Q. Lyu, J. Sobus, A. Williams, AND K. Nachman. Combining non-targeted analysis with computer-based hazard comparison approaches to support prioritization of unregulated organic contaminants in environmental media. NACRW, Fort Lauderdale, FL, July 14 - 17, 2024.
Impact/Purpose:
N/A
Description:
Assessing and addressing the risks associated with the exposure to anthropogenic organic compounds is challenging considering the ever-increasing number of chemicals that are produced and emitted into the environment. In addition, many of these chemicals are likely to degrade after their release into the environment, leading to the formation of transformation products for which even less information about potential health risks is available. Advanced analytical approaches, in particular high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), have substantially increased our ability to characterize these complex mixtures. However, a major challenge that remains is determining which compounds need further risk characterization to identify chemicals of highest human or environmental health concern. To address this challenge, this talk will discuss the combined application of HRMS-based target and non-target analysis (NTA) and risk and hazard assessment approaches to determine the risks and hazards associated with the exposure to known and unknown organic contaminants, respectively. This will be illustrated using two case studies, the first focusing on the presence and human hazards associated with pesticides and other anthropogenic chemicals identified in kale and the second focusing on the identification and prioritization of organic contaminants in biosolids used as agricultural fertilizer. For kale, hazards of detected pesticides were assessed using nationally representative estimates of kale consumption across life stages in the US whereas the US-EPA’s Cheminformatics Hazard Module was used for hazard assessment of nontarget compounds in both kale and biosolids samples. This abstract does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.