Identification by volatolomics of hydrocarbon, oxygenated, sulfur and aromatic markers of livestock exposure to α-hexabromocyclododecane

Volatile organic compounds (VOC)-based metabolomics, or volatolomics, was investigated for revealing livestock exposure to chemical contamination. Three farm animals, namely laying hens, broilers, and pigs, were experimentally exposed to 5 or 50 ng alpha-HBCDD g(-1) feed. Liver and egg yolk for hens were analysed by headspace-SPME-GC-MS to reveal candidate markers of the livestock exposure to alpha-HBCDD. For hens, 2-butanol was found as marker in egg. In liver, twelve VOCs were highlighted as markers, with three aromatic VOCs - styrene, oxylene, alpha-methylstyrene - highlighted for the two alpha-HBCDD doses. For broilers, six markers were revealed, with interestingly, styrene and phenol which were also found as markers in hen liver. For pigs, ten markers were revealed and the seven tentatively identified markers were oxygenated and sulfur VOCs. The candidate markers tentatively identified were discussed in light of previous volatolomics data, in particular from a gamma-HBCDD exposure of laying hens.

Automated summary

This study investigated the use of volatolomics to reveal livestock exposure to chemical contamination. Candidate markers of alpha-HBCDD exposure were identified in samples from laying hens, broilers, and pigs.