Exposome analysis in toxicology: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Toxicology has extensively evolved with the study of how external agents impact living organisms. This manuscript examines the exposome, a paradigm representing all environmental exposures a human encounter from conception onward, introducing a holistic approach to understanding these effects on health. First coined by Dr. Christopher Wild in 2005, recent interpretations by Miller and Jones emphasize not only the environmental factors but also behavioral influences, internal biochemical processes, and the implications of the human microbiome. These augmentations underscore the body’s dynamic responses and continuous adjustments to external challenges. Traditional toxicology, which primarily focused on singular compounds, often overlooked intricate interplays between multifaceted exposures; the exposome aims to bridge this gap. To analyze the vast spectrum of lifetime exposures, various state-of-the-art techniques are in use, such as untargeted high-resolution mass spectrometry, biobanking, biomonitoring, and diverse omics approaches (metabolomics, adductomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics). These methods empower scientists to uncover unknown environmental risks, offering insights into the complex nexus between external exposures and health outcomes.