Pollution is a global concern with important impacts on ecosystems and human well-being. To assess its ecological consequences and environmental health effects, understanding the interactions between pollutants and living organisms is crucial. Biomarkers, measurable indicators that change upon pollutant exposure, offer insights into ecological quality. Omics techniques provide extensive molecular information for toxicity pathways, while mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) additionally allows the spatial resolution of the biomolecular analyses. This review explores the potential of this technique for revolutionizing environmental analysis, enabling the identification, distribution, and persistence of pollutants, and assessing their biological molecular effects. MSI shows a great potential in improving environmental monitoring, assessing risks, and promoting sustainable solutions for remediation.

中文翻译：

---

环境监测中的质谱成像：从稀缺的过去到充满希望的未来

污染是全球关注的问题，对生态系统和人类福祉产生重要影响。为了评估其生态后果和环境健康影响，了解污染物和生物体之间的相互作用至关重要。生物标记物是随着污染物暴露而变化的可测量指标，可以提供对生态质量的见解。组学技术为毒性途径提供了广泛的分子信息，而质谱成像 (MSI) 还提供了生物分子分析的空间分辨率。这篇综述探讨了该技术彻底改变环境分析的潜力，能够识别、分布和污染物的持久性，并评估其生物分子效应。MSI 在改善环境监测、评估风险和推广可持续修复解决方案方面显示出巨大潜力。