(Xeno)metabolomics for the evaluation of aquatic organism’s exposure to field contaminated water

Abstract

Environmental (xeno)metabolomics offers a major advantage compared to other approaches for the evaluation of aquatic organism’s exposure to contaminated water because its allows the simultaneous profiling of the xenometabolome (chemical xenobiotics and their metabolites accumulated in an organism exposed to environmental contaminants) and the metabolome (endogenous metabolites whose levels are altered due to an external stressor). This approach has been widely explored in lab exposure experiments, however in field studies environmental (xeno)metabolomics has only started in the last years. In this review, the papers published so far that have performed different (xeno)metabolomics approaches for the evaluation of aquatic organisms exposed to contaminated water are presented, together with their main achievements, current limitations, and future perspectives. The different analytical methods applied including sample pre-treatment (considering matrix type), platforms used (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and low- or high-resolution Mass Spectrometry (MS or HRMS)), and the analytical strategy (target vs non-target analysis) are discussed. The application of (xeno)metabolomics to provide information of xenobiotics mixtures accumulated in exposed organisms, either in lab or field studies, as well as biomarkers of exposure and biomarkers of effect are debated, and finally, the most commonly metabolic pathways disrupted by chemical contamination are highlighted

This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, State Research Agency, and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund through the projects XENOMETABOLOMIC (CTM2015-73179-JIN) (AEI/FEDER/UE) and PLAS-MED (CTM2017-89701-C3-2-R). Authors acknowledge the support from the Economy and Knowledge Department of the Catalan Government through Consolidated Research Groups ICRA-ENV 2017 SGR 1124 and 2017 SGR 01404. Sara Rodriguez-Mozaz acknowledges the Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2014-16707)