An innovative analytical approach for a comprehensive overview of internal exposure to pesticides

Human exposure to contaminants, including pesticides, is generally estimated using indirect methods. Conventional biomonitoring methods remain focused on a limited number of known substances, leaving the risks associated with multiple exposures currently underexplored. We propose an innovative approach to detect as many pesticide exposure markers as possible in an untargeted manner by combining three complementary mass spectrometry platforms coupled with chromatography. This approach, based on the exposome concept (Wild, David), allows us to produce exposure data on a wide range of pesticides and metabolites by screening a broad panel of exposure markers. The results demonstrate the added value of this approach, applied to two epidemiological studies (PELAGIE and Nutrinet-Santé), to test for associations with health parameters.