SUN-169 Establishing Perinatal Exposomics Methods for the Investigation of Pesticides as Endocrine Disruptors

Abstract Disclosure: P. Zagana: None. A. Sakali: None. A. Kapama: None. A. Paxinou: None. M. Papagianni: None. G. Mastorakos: None. M.I. Klapa: None. Pesticides have been accused as endocrine disruptors (EDs), however it is difficult to investigate the extent of their effect on human population and physiology. Population exposomics with a focus on metabolomics has been revealed as the research field, which could contribute new data and knowledge to the investigations of environmental factors such as EDs. However, research is still at the initial standardization phase, with respect to the study design, the cohort selection, along with the development and optimization of chemometric and metabolomic methods according to the examined compounds, as well as their absorption and metabolism in the human body. In this study, we focused on perinatal exposomics, collecting blood serum from pregnant women and male offspring (umbilical cord) from the Region of Thessaly, the major agricultural region of Greece, and analyzing the presence of seven widely used pesticides (deltamethrin, dimethomorph, chlorpyrifos, 2,4-D, flupiradifurone, cyprodinil/fludioxonil, abamectin), in correlation with demographic and biomedical data. Demographic and biomedical data were collected from all mothers based on a thoroughly designed questionnaire. At the Metabolomics Facility, we first established the Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) based metabolomic methods, by which the seven pesticides can be simultaneously detected along with the serum metabolic profile. In lack of such information in the literature, we defined the detection range of each pesticide, establishing that non detection coincides with absence of the original pesticide in the blood samples. The potential absorption and action mechanisms of the pesticides in the human body were also identified through thorough literature review. Blood samples from four pairs of mothers and offspring were profiled and correlated to the questionnaire. Three of the pesticides (chlorpyrifos, cyprodinil/fludioxonil, abamectin) were identified in both the maternal and offspring samples, indicating that these compounds cross the placenta, with varying transfer rates. Interestingly, one pesticide (chlorpyrifos), inserting the body mainly through inhalation, was not identified in one cohort participant. The demographic data revealed that she lived in the city and not in rural areas like the others, holding an office rather than a farmer's job. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature, demonstrating the feasibility of metabolic exposomics to assess pesticide exposure in vulnerable populations. Our results indicate detectable pesticide residues in neonatal blood, highlighting the need for larger-scale studies, integrating maternal lifestyle data and specific clinical markers in newborns, to elucidate the relationship between environmental exposures and endocrinological effects. Presentation: Sunday, July 13, 2025