Untargeted Profiling of Environmental Chemicals and Their Transformation Metabolites by Mass Spectrometry

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental chemicals encompass volatile organic compounds (VOCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pharmaceuticals, and other xenobiotics and chemical elements. Studies have reported strong links between exposure to pollutants and adverse health outcomes such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness. However, the comprehensive characterization of these chemicals and their transformation metabolites/products in the environment, and in exposed individuals, is limited and challenging. With superior sensitivity, specificity, and capability to analyze small molecules, mass spectrometry (LC-MS and GC-MS) methods are widely used in metabolomics and exposomics research. Specifically, untargeted mass spectrometry workflows are influential in uncovering novel and unknown compounds in environmental samples and biological specimens, when authentic analytical standards are inadequately available.

This Special Issue aims to highlight innovative original research on topics including (but not limited to) studies on the untargeted mass spectrometric profiling of environmental chemicals and/or their metabolites in (i) environmental media (air, water, soil, wastewater, etc.), (ii) human biological samples (urine, blood, tissue, etc.), and (iii) in vitro or in vivo experiments. The presented results will contribute to enriching the knowledge on environmental metabolomics and facilitate exposure assessment and health risk prevention.

Dr. Jin Y. Chen
Guest Editor

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