A comprehensive review of mass spectrometry analysis of environmental contaminants in human brains: Instrumentation, sample preparation and neurological implications

The human brain is protected by an established barrier framework to keep exogenous chemicals from infiltrating into encephalic regions. Nevertheless, assorted contaminants have been detected in brain tissue/fluid and exhibited potential to participate in onset of various neuropathies. Therefore, efficient quantitation of cerebral exposure to environmental pollutants is crucial for extrapolating their neurotoxicity. Considering the competitive sensitivity and selectivity, and its ability to perform high-throughput analysis, mass spectrometry (MS) has been deemed as a state-of-the-art technique for precise determination of organic contaminants, trace metal(loid)s, micro- and nanoplastics in complex brain matrixes. Hence, this review summarizes advancement in sample preparation and MS techniques for surveillance of legacy and emerging pollutants in human brain specimens. Moreover, penetration efficiencies and neurotoxic effects of the MS-detected compounds were also compiled. Available MS-facilitated analyses have contributed to the better understanding of associations of encephalic exposure to diverse exogenous contaminants with neurotoxic outcomes and neurological diseases.