Characterization of the Childhood Exposome with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Exposure to chemicals is significant for adults but may have an even greater negative impact on children, who undergo rapid developmental changes and heightened physiological plasticity. To better understand how broad environmental factors influence chemical exposures during childhood, we analyzed 438 urine samples from 187 children participating in the Baby Connectome Project using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to characterize the early life exposome. We integrated the mass spectrometry data with demographic information to identify chemical features associated with average household income. We identified 85 compounds whose levels were significantly associated with household income. The most common exposure sources for these compounds included food, plants, endogenous production, animals, cosmetics, and household products. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of high-resolution mass spectrometry for profiling the early life exposome and for examining its relationships with demographic factors, as illustrated here by household income. These findings underscore the value of high-resolution exposomics in characterizing the human exposome and revealing its connections to broad environmental influences.