Elucidation of chemicals of emerging concern in placenta by non-targeted and suspect screening approaches

Over the past century, anthropic activities in industrialized countries have generated exposure to a vast array of environmental chemical families. Many of these may have harmful effects on human health, and xenobiotic exposure during the fetal period is particularly concerning. Large-scale, open-ended characterization of the chemical exposome is increasingly investigated using non-targeted screening (NTS) and suspect screening (SS) approaches. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge of fetal exposure to xenobiotics by using NTS and SS to identify the presence of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in human placenta samples. After comparing the performances of salt-assisted liquid-liquid extraction plus dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLE-DLLME) and enhanced matrix removal (EMR) as sample preparation techniques, EMR was applied in 65 placenta samples from the BAZA Spanish cohort. Twenty-one compounds from various chemical classes were identified, including agrochemicals, preservatives, plasticizers, cosmetics, fabric dyes, fragrances, additives, industrial intermediates, and drugs, and some of these have not previously been reported in placenta samples. The findings confirm the crucial value of non-targeted methodologies for the comprehensive assessment of human exposure during the prenatal period and their potential to unveil previously unknown or overlooked exposures.