About the Study and Eligibility
You were eligible for the study if you had a child between 6 months and 5 years who lived in the greater Miami area, South Florida.
Participation in the study involved four research visits per year (including remote surveys and sample collection at home). This was a three-year long-term study, which resulted in a total of 12 sessions of remote surveys and sample collections (household dust, soil, water, child’s food items, and the child’s urine for analysis).
Results from the study were made available to caregivers, along with available health risk assessments associated with exposure. Feedback on the information collected through surveys included advice and educational materials on relevant risks related to soil and dust ingestion by children of different age groups. The final presentation with the projects results can be found here.
Length of the study
Participation included:
- Screening evaluation (a short demographic questionnaire).
- Surveys on children’s activities, child’s development and behavior, and your parenting style and behavior (a total of 12 sessions in 3 years).
- Collection of environmental and biological samples (water, food, soil, household dust, and urine) 4 times a year (a total of 12 times in 3 years of the study).
Project Results:
Natalia Quinete presented a talk at Pacifichem 2025 (Honolulu, Hawaii; December 15–20, 2025) titled “Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in Household Dust Samples by Non‑Targeted Analysis in the Greater Miami Area, Florida.” The study examined emerging organic contaminants in household dust collected across Miami‑Dade and Broward counties, assessing how seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors shape pollutant distribution. Using accelerated solvent extraction and LC‑Orbitrap high‑resolution mass spectrometry, the team identified a wide range of pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals—compounds linked to medication use, personal care products, furniture, and electronics. Key findings showed that central Miami exhibited greater chemical diversity and elevated levels of PCPs/surfactants, reflecting dense urban activity and multiple pollution sources. Lower‑income neighborhoods also displayed higher diversity and abundance of contaminants. These results underscore the need for targeted environmental policies and integrated strategies to reduce exposure risks from anthropogenic pollutants in urban households.
Luciana Teresa Dias Cappelini presented a poster at the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL) Annual Meeting (Orlando, FL; November 7–8, 2025) titled “Soil and Dust Ingestion as Key Pathways of Emerging Contaminant Exposure in Children from South Florida.” The study evaluated exposure to emerging contaminants among 55 families with young children (6 months–7 years) living in Miami‑Dade and Broward counties, integrating dietary sources (food and water) with non‑dietary pathways (soil and dust), measured across environmental and urine samples. Using advanced extraction methods and high‑resolution mass spectrometry, the team identified chemicals frequently present across matrices and estimated soil and dust ingestion rates using selected tracers. Key findings revealed notable correlations between contaminants in dust and urine (4‑dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid) and between dust and food (octaethylene glycol), highlighting household dust as a significant contributor to children’s exposure. These results underscore the importance of understanding environmental, seasonal, and socioeconomic factors that shape exposure risks in vulnerable populations.
The PI Natalia Quinete presented a talk at the SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting (Vienna, Austria; May 11–15, 2025) titled “Innovative Non‑Targeted Screening Approach Using High‑Resolution Mass Spectrometry for Identifying Tracers of Soil and Dust Exposure in Children.” The study implemented an advanced non‑targeted analysis workflow to characterize organic chemicals across multiple environmental and biological matrices—including indoor dust, soil, food, drinking water, and urine—from 439 samples collected from families in the greater Miami area. High‑resolution mass spectrometry (Q‑Exactive Orbitrap) and comprehensive data‑processing tools were used to screen thousands of chemical features and prioritize compounds based on abundance, detection frequency, and known functional uses.Key outcomes included the identification of promising chemical tracers—such as tripropyl citrate and 4‑dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid—that appeared consistently in dust and soil and were measurable in children’s urine. These findings introduce, for the first time, specific organic markers that can support more accurate estimation of soil and dust ingestion in young children and strengthen exposure assessment frameworks. A manuscript based on this work is currently in preparation.
Monica Perez presented a poster at the 2025 Miami International Child & Adolescent Mental Health (MICAMH) Conference (Miami, FL) titled “Associations between Dysfunctional Behaviors and Chemical Ingestion in Young Children.” The study integrated environmental chemistry and behavioral science to examine whether problematic behaviors—such as hyperactivity and noncompliance—are associated with increased risk of soil and dust ingestion. Using a non-targeted screening approach, dust, soil, and urine samples from 55 children (ages 1–8) in the greater Miami area were analyzed alongside behavioral and parenting assessments (ITSEA, CBCL, Parenting Scale, and Activity Pattern Survey). Key outcomes include the identification of chemical tracers to estimate soil and dust ingestion rates and a novel interdisciplinary framework linking environmental exposure risk with child behavioral patterns and parenting practices. A manuscript based on this work is currently in preparation.
The PI Natalia Quinete presented a seminar at the Triangle Area Mass Spectrometry (TAMS) meeting on March 5, 2025 (Durham, NC) titled “Evaluating Non-Targeted Analysis Methods for Screening and Prioritization of Organic Contaminants to Estimate Soil and Dust Ingestion Exposure in Children.” The talk highlighted the optimization of LC–Q Exactive Orbitrap–based non-targeted analysis workflows to screen indoor dust, soil, food, water, and children’s urine samples collected from families in the greater Miami area. Advanced data processing, feature prioritization criteria, and visualization tools (Kendrick mass defect and Van Krevelen diagrams) were used to strengthen compound identification and classification. Key outcomes included the identification and prioritization of specific tracers of soil and dust ingestion exposure in children—such as tripropyl citrate and 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid—advancing exposure assessment methodologies for vulnerable populations.
Olutobi Daniel Ogunbiyi delivered a talk at SETAC 2024 (October 20–24, Fort Worth, TX) titled “Longitudinal Assessment of Organic Chemicals and Prioritization of Chemical Tracers in Drinking Water from Miami, South Florida by Non-Targeted Analysis.” The presentation showcased an advanced online-SPE LC–Orbitrap NTA workflow applied to drinking water samples from Miami residents. Through rigorous annotation, retention time modeling (LogKow), and prioritization criteria based on abundance, detection frequency, and toxicological relevance, key tracers of exposure—including isophorone and PFOS—were identified and confirmed with reference standards. A major outcome of this work is the proposal of a long-term monitoring framework for prioritized drinking water tracers, strengthening exposure assessment and supporting public health protection in South Florida communities.
Luciana Cappelini presented a poster at SETAC 2024 (October 20–24, Fort Worth, TX) titled “Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in Soil and Household Dust Samples in the Miami-Dade, Florida Region.” The study applied LC-HRMS–based non-targeted analysis to 197 soil and 208 household dust samples collected across Miami-Dade between 2022 and 2024. Multivariate statistical tools (PCA and PLS-DA) were used to evaluate spatial patterns and prioritize anthropogenic contaminants. Key outcomes highlighted the occurrence and distribution of emerging organic pollutants in indoor and outdoor environments, providing critical data to support environmental risk assessment and the development of improved exposure mitigation strategies.
Olutobi Daniel Ogunbiyi gave a talk at the NOBCChE Conference (September 30 – October 3, 2024 | Orlando, FL) introducing an innovative high-resolution non-targeted screening approach to identify organic contaminants and unique tracers of soil and dust exposure in children. Using Orbitrap-based mass spectrometry and advanced data prioritization criteria, we have proposed novel biomarkers to better assess environmental exposure pathways in young children.
Luciana Cappelini gave a talk at the North American Chemical Residue Workshop in July 2024, presenting the recent research highlights on emerging contaminants in foods consumed by young children in Miami-Dade County. A total of 99 food samples collected from 43 families (May 2022–February 2024) were analyzed using a modified QuEChERS extraction and high-resolution non-targeted analysis (Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS). Results indicate that children may be exposed to several emerging contaminants through food, underscoring the need for enhanced monitoring strategies and proactive risk management to protect child health.
Luciana Cappelini and Olutobi Daniel Ogunbiyi presented a poster titled “Assessment of Emerging Organic Contaminants in Soil Samples from Miami-FL” at the 19th Annual Workshop on Emerging HRMS and LC-MS/MS Applications in Environmental Analysis and Food Safety, in Buffalo, Sept 24-25, 2023, and at SETAC in Louisville a poster on “Screening for Emerging Contaminants in Soil, Dust, and Food in Miami Area Using Non-Targeted Analysis and Chemometrics: Implications to Children’s Health and Risk Assessment, was presented on 12- 16 November 2023.
At a seminar held at Health Canada (Ottawa, September 27, 2023), Natalia Quinete outlined the application of non-targeted analysis (NTA) methods to characterize organic contaminants across multiple environmental and biological matrices relevant to children’s exposure. Optimized workflows combining online SPE, ASE, and QuEChERS extraction with LC–Q Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry were implemented to assess dust, soil, food, water, and children’s urine samples collected from families in the greater Miami area. Data processing using Compound Discoverer enabled comprehensive feature annotation, while visualization tools such as Kendrick mass defect and Van Krevelen diagrams supported chemical classification and prioritization.
The study demonstrated the utility of advanced NTA approaches for identifying predominant contaminants and improving understanding of cumulative dietary and non-dietary exposures in young children.
Joseph Cox presented a talk at 73rd Southeastern Regional ACS Meeting, Puerto Rico, Oct 19- 22, 2022, on the Evaluation of a non-targeted analysis approach for identifying chemicals of environmental concern in soil and dust and children’s exposure. The data presented can be found in our first annual progress meeting. Click here to learn more.
Joseph Cox and Danni Cui presented the poster “Identifying children’s exposure to chemicals through soil and dust ingestion using non-targeted analysis approaches.” At SETAC North America, 13-17 November 2022, Pittsburgh, PA.
Check out our first publication “Evaluating non-targeted analysis methods for chemical characterization of organic contaminants in different matrices to estimate children’s exposure” at the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-023-00547-9
Children are susceptible to environmental contaminants exposure through a diversity of outdoor and indoor playing activities and behaviors (e.g., by playing near the ground and commonly putting their hands and objects to their mouth).
In a groundbreaking study, FIU researchers have identified crucial tracers for children's exposure to environmental contaminants, focusing on indoor dust and soil ingestion. By analyzing over 400 samples using innovative analytical methodologies, they pinpointed reliable and specific chemical indicators like Tripropyl citrate and 4-Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid that can be used to assess more accurately the amount of dust and soil ingested by young children. This breakthrough research provides vital insights for public health efforts, contributing to a better understanding of children’s exposure to chemicals and related health risks. Check below to access our publication: “Innovative non-targeted screening approach using High-resolution mass spectrometry for the screening of organic chemicals and identification of specific tracers of soil and dust exposure in children.” published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134025
Our team published the work “Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in Soil and Household Dust Samples by Non‑Targeted Analysis in the Greater Miami Area, Florida,” in the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. (https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoacint/qsaf012) This study applied a comprehensive non‑targeted analysis workflow to identify and characterize emerging organic contaminants in soil and household dust collected across Miami‑Dade and Broward counties. Using high‑resolution mass spectrometry, we examined how seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influence the presence and distribution of pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and other anthropogenic pollutants in residential environments. Key findings highlight higher chemical diversity and elevated levels of personal‑care product–related surfactants in central Miami, as well as greater contaminant abundance in lower‑income neighborhoods—underscoring the environmental health disparities that shape exposure risks for vulnerable populations.
Food is essential for human survival; however, food can be an important route of exposure to contaminants. This study investigated the presence and distribution of anthropogenic contaminants in food consumed by families with small children in South Florida, United States, evaluating seasonal and socio-economic variabilities in chemical composition. Our article titled “Assessing Variability in Children’s Exposure to Contaminants in Food: A Longitudinal Non‑Targeted Analysis Study in Miami, Florida” published in the Journal of Xenobiotics, applied QuEChERS extraction protocols followed by non‑targeted analysis (NTA) using LC‑Orbitrap high‑resolution mass spectrometry to comprehensively screen organic contaminants in children’s food samples. Compounds were annotated with Compound Discoverer and evaluated using boxplots and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to understand distribution patterns. The results revealed significant seasonal and socio‑economic differences in contaminant profiles (p < 0.05). Wet season revealed higher levels of polymers and surfactants (e.g., dodecanedioic acid, N‑dodecylacrylamide), likely linked to increased transport of industrial pollutants during heavy rainfall. Dry season showed greater presence of plasticizers (e.g., bis(2‑ethylhexyl) phthalate) and pharmaceuticals (e.g., warfarin), potentially due to reduced dilution effects. Socio‑economic trends pointed out that upper‑income households showed higher levels of 1‑nitrosopiperidine (associated with cured meats), while lower‑income households had higher levels of benzocaine, a common topical anesthetic. These findings highlight the complexity of children’s dietary exposure and the influence of environmental, seasonal, and socio‑economic factors on contaminant variability. DOI: 10.3390/jox15010011
Our team’s latest work has been published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology showing that young children may experience subtle metabolic shifts linked to everyday environmental exposures. Using non‑targeted chemical analysis of urine from South Florida children (9 months–6 years), researchers detected numerous environmental compounds and mapped how they correlate with key metabolic pathways. Patterns of co‑variation pointed to potential impacts on amino acid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and neurotransmitter‑related processes. While no specific ingestion‑related chemicals stood out, the findings suggest broader biological effects that may stem from combined environmental and dietary exposures—highlighting the importance of protecting children during critical stages of development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2025.104877
