Metabolomics methods were applied in the study of the toxicity of environmental pollutants. It has been shown that exposure to heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead could cause significant changes in energy, lipids, nucleic acids and amino acids in mammalian cells. After exposure to benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], the glands of Pinctada pumila could produce various changes, such as energy metabolic disorder, cell damage, signal transduction disorder, oxidative stress and osmotic disorder. Persistent organic compounds polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could exert toxic effects on Zebrafish embryos through affecting amino acid metabolism, DNA and protein methylation and biosynthesis. After exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as nonylphenol, octylenediester phthalate and bisphenol propane, goldfish showed energy, lipid and nucleic acid metabolic disorders.
应用代谢组学或结合其他组学方法在环境污染物的毒性作用研究中发现：重金属汞、砷、镉、铬、铅等暴露可引起哺乳动物等多种细胞的能量、脂类、核酸、氨基酸等含量发生明显变化；强致癌物苯并(a)芘暴露可引起浦珠母贝腺体出现能量代谢紊乱、细胞损伤、信号转导障碍、氧化应激、渗透性调节障碍等改变；持续性有机物多氯联苯可通过影响斑马鱼氨基酸代谢、DNA与蛋白质的甲基化作用及其生物合成而对斑马鱼胚胎产生毒性作用；内分泌干扰物壬基酚、邻苯二甲酸二辛酯、双酚基丙烷等暴露可导致金鱼发生能量、脂质、核酸代谢紊乱。.