Characterization of the Childhood Exposome with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Exposure to chemicals is significant
for adults but may have an
even greater negative impact on children, who undergo rapid developmental
changes and heightened physiological plasticity. To better understand
how broad environmental factors influence chemical exposures during
childhood, we analyzed 438 urine samples from 187 children participating
in the Baby Connectome Project using liquid chromatography–mass
spectrometry (LC–MS) to characterize the early life exposome.
We integrated the mass spectrometry data with demographic information
to identify chemical features associated with average household income.
We identified 85 compounds whose levels were significantly associated
with household income. The most common exposure sources for these
compounds included food, plants, endogenous production, animals, cosmetics,
and household products. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness
of high-resolution mass spectrometry for profiling the early life
exposome and for examining its relationships with demographic factors,
as illustrated here by household income. These findings underscore
the value of high-resolution exposomics in characterizing the human
exposome and revealing its connections to broad environmental influences.