Development of nontarget method based on GC-QTOF-HRMS for analyzing organic pollutants in human serum.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Development of nontarget method based on GC-QTOF-HRMS for analyzing organic pollutants in human serum.
Authors: Yue, Congcong1,2 (AUTHOR), He, Chang1,2 (AUTHOR), Li, Hailing1,2 (AUTHOR), Yuan, Zhiquan3 (AUTHOR), Li, Guiying1,2 (AUTHOR), Ma, Shengtao1,2 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Xin4 (AUTHOR), An, Taicheng1,2 (AUTHOR) antc99@gdut.edu.cn
Source: Journal of Environmental Sciences (Elsevier). Jul2026, Vol. 165, p379-386. 8p.
Subject Terms: *Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, *Mass spectrometry, *Biological monitoring, *Persistent pollutants, Blood plasma, Extraction techniques, Naphthylamines, Analytical chemistry
Abstract: • A high-sensitivity non-targeted analysis method for human serum was established. • ACN-EtAc (9:1, v:v) mixture improved extraction and minimized matrix effect. • Total 517 organic contaminants were characterized by non-target and suspect screening. • PAHs and PAH derivatives were dominated in the serum of coking plant workers. • The 2-naphthylamine was detected in human serum for the first time. Traditional targeted analyses often overlook unknown or emerging contaminants, highlighting the significance of nontarget and suspect screening approaches. A novel and high-sensitivity methodology for nontarget analysis of organic pollutants in human serum was newly-developed based on gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry. The extraction protocol employing an acetonitrile-ethyl acetate (9:1, V:V) mixture significantly improved the extraction efficiency while minimizing matrix effect. A hybridized analytical strategy integrating nontarget and suspect screening was developed to achieve comprehensive identification and classification of pollutants, employing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 20 library and Agilent Technologies Personal Compound Database and Library (PCDL). This approach successfully characterized 273 organic contaminants spanning 12 categories, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, esters, and phenolic compounds in human serum, with a significant increase in detection specificity compared to conventional workflows. The methodology used serum samples of the workers from coking industry, revealing widespread contamination dominated by PAHs and PAH derivatives. Among the target analytes, three were identified solely by NIST and six solely by PCDL, indicating the complementary benefits of combining these different databases. Notably, this work reported the first confirmed detection of 2-naphthalenamine in human serum. This optimized approach demonstrates enhanced sensitivity and reliability in serum analysis, advancing biomonitoring capabilities and providing a deep understanding of human exposure to environmental pollutants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Environmental Sciences (Elsevier) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 194169113
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Development of nontarget method based on GC-QTOF-HRMS for analyzing organic pollutants in human serum.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yue%2C+Congcong%22">Yue, Congcong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22He%2C+Chang%22">He, Chang</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Hailing%22">Li, Hailing</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuan%2C+Zhiquan%22">Yuan, Zhiquan</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Guiying%22">Li, Guiying</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ma%2C+Shengtao%22">Ma, Shengtao</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Xin%22">Zhang, Xin</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22An%2C+Taicheng%22">An, Taicheng</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> antc99@gdut.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Environmental+Sciences+%28Elsevier%29%22">Journal of Environmental Sciences (Elsevier)</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 165, p379-386. 8p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polycyclic+aromatic+hydrocarbons%22">Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mass+spectrometry%22">Mass spectrometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biological+monitoring%22">Biological monitoring</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Persistent+pollutants%22">Persistent pollutants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Blood+plasma%22">Blood plasma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Extraction+techniques%22">Extraction techniques</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Naphthylamines%22">Naphthylamines</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analytical+chemistry%22">Analytical chemistry</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: • A high-sensitivity non-targeted analysis method for human serum was established. • ACN-EtAc (9:1, v:v) mixture improved extraction and minimized matrix effect. • Total 517 organic contaminants were characterized by non-target and suspect screening. • PAHs and PAH derivatives were dominated in the serum of coking plant workers. • The 2-naphthylamine was detected in human serum for the first time. Traditional targeted analyses often overlook unknown or emerging contaminants, highlighting the significance of nontarget and suspect screening approaches. A novel and high-sensitivity methodology for nontarget analysis of organic pollutants in human serum was newly-developed based on gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry. The extraction protocol employing an acetonitrile-ethyl acetate (9:1, V:V) mixture significantly improved the extraction efficiency while minimizing matrix effect. A hybridized analytical strategy integrating nontarget and suspect screening was developed to achieve comprehensive identification and classification of pollutants, employing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 20 library and Agilent Technologies Personal Compound Database and Library (PCDL). This approach successfully characterized 273 organic contaminants spanning 12 categories, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, esters, and phenolic compounds in human serum, with a significant increase in detection specificity compared to conventional workflows. The methodology used serum samples of the workers from coking industry, revealing widespread contamination dominated by PAHs and PAH derivatives. Among the target analytes, three were identified solely by NIST and six solely by PCDL, indicating the complementary benefits of combining these different databases. Notably, this work reported the first confirmed detection of 2-naphthalenamine in human serum. This optimized approach demonstrates enhanced sensitivity and reliability in serum analysis, advancing biomonitoring capabilities and providing a deep understanding of human exposure to environmental pollutants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Environmental Sciences (Elsevier) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=194169113
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.jes.2025.11.032
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 8
        StartPage: 379
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mass spectrometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biological monitoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Persistent pollutants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Blood plasma
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Extraction techniques
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Naphthylamines
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analytical chemistry
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Development of nontarget method based on GC-QTOF-HRMS for analyzing organic pollutants in human serum.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yue, Congcong
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: He, Chang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Hailing
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yuan, Zhiquan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Guiying
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ma, Shengtao
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Xin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: An, Taicheng
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10010742
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 165
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Environmental Sciences (Elsevier)
              Type: main
ResultId 1