Industrial chemicals form the backbone of virtually every sector of modern society, with their applications spanning from the production of everyday plastics and electronics to the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and agricultural inputs. Despite their critical importance, these synthetic substances present a paradox: once released into the environment, they undergo a series of complex transformations that remain largely uncharted, generating pollution mixtures that pose grave risks to ecological systems and human health. A groundbreaking new study published in New Contaminants introduces a pioneering framework designed to confront these challenges by integrating the entire life cycle of industrial chemicals into a unified risk assessment and management strategy.
The concept at the heart of this framework is termed the “emiss-ome,” an innovative and systematic approach that connects the dots between chemical production, environmental transformations, transport mechanisms, and resultant toxicological effects. Traditional risk assessment methods, which typically address chemicals in isolation or at discrete exposure points, often falter in identifying the cumulative risks emerging from complex pollutant mixtures. The emiss-ome framework, by contrast, aims to preemptively identify and mitigate risk by following chemicals from their manufacturing origins to their eventual fate and impact.
Since 2010, the global chemical inventory has expanded dramatically, now encompassing over 350,000 unique synthetic substances. Many are released at multiple stages: during production processes, through use in various applications, and as byproducts of disposal or environmental degradation. These chemicals seldom remain chemically unchanged, transforming into metabolites, intermediates, or new pollutants that can sometimes be more persistent or toxic than the parent compounds. Understanding these multi-step transformation pathways and their ecological consequences is crucial for effective risk management.
Lead author Keshuo Zhang emphasizes the necessity of life cycle tracing: “Industrial chemicals rarely remain in their original form once they enter the environment. Our research delineates how pollutants evolve through successive transformations, underscoring the imperative to track their entire life cycle to safeguard environmental and public health.” This perspective calls for a paradigm shift—from reactive pollutant control toward anticipatory, risk-informed chemical stewardship.
The emiss-ome framework operationalizes this vision by synthesizing several advanced disciplines into a cohesive analytical tool. It begins by merging industrial metabolism analysis with sophisticated environmental fate and transport models. This fusion enables researchers to quantitatively map the journey of chemicals from their industrial sources through various environmental compartments such as atmospheric air, soil matrices, and aquatic ecosystems. The quantitative linkage between upstream chemical inputs and downstream environmental burdens forms the foundation for holistic assessment.
Next, the framework employs dynamic transformation models that simulate the physicochemical and biochemical reactions chemicals undergo during industrial usage and environmental transit. These predictive models elucidate the generation of secondary pollutants, some of which may possess enhanced stability or toxicity profiles. Such modeling aids in the early identification of emerging contaminants that could otherwise elude detection until detrimental effects arise.
A critical innovation within the emiss-ome is its incorporation of toxicity pathway analysis. This approach probes into the molecular and cellular interactions elicited by pollutant mixtures to discern which chemicals pose the highest biological hazards. By focusing on the mechanistic pathways leading to adverse outcomes, the framework transcends simplistic dose-based assessments, enabling nuanced evaluations of cumulative and synergistic toxic effects that often characterize environmental exposures.
Fan Wu, the study’s corresponding author, highlights the complexity of mixture toxicity: “Disentangling the biological impact of complex chemical mixtures is one of the most formidable hurdles in environmental risk science. Our framework identifies the most hazardous constituents and dynamically evaluates how risk profiles evolve at different life cycle stages, providing actionable intelligence to regulators and industry stakeholders.”
Combining material flow tracking with detailed toxicological insights, the emiss-ome framework equips decision-makers with powerful new tools for targeted risk reduction strategies. By pinpointing critical control points where pollutants are generated or bioconcentrate, the framework informs focused interventions. These may range from refining manufacturing protocols to redesigning chemical structures for enhanced degradability or implementing advanced pollution treatment technologies.
The study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, advocating for integrated efforts among chemists, environmental scientists, toxicologists, and data scientists. Addressing the challenges posed by the emiss-ome demands harmonized data infrastructure, enhanced predictive modeling capabilities, and expanded knowledge of chemical transformation mechanisms. Standardized data sharing platforms and cross-sector partnerships are earmarked as pivotal components of future progress.
Zhang articulates the broader vision: “Our ultimate aspiration is to sustain safer chemical design paradigms and advance sustainable industrial development. By tracing pollutants back to their origins and elucidating the dynamics of their risk profiles, we can pioneer intelligent prevention strategies that obstruct contamination pathways before they manifest.”
The implications of the emiss-ome framework extend beyond academic inquiry, offering a strategic compass for environmental policy-making and regulatory reform. As the chemical industry continues its rapid expansion and diversification, such proactive and comprehensive risk management frameworks will be paramount to prevent unforeseen contaminant crises. The study champions the emiss-ome as a transformative tool to navigate this complexity, fostering global efforts to manage emerging contaminants amidst an increasingly intricate chemical landscape.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Life cycle risk assessment and management of industrial chemicals: synergizing material metabolism and risk flow by ’emiss-ome’
News Publication Date: 30-Jan-2026
Web References:
DOI link to article
References:
Zhang K, Ruan X, Wan L, Lu Y, Wang H, et al. 2026. Life cycle risk assessment and management of industrial chemicals: synergizing material metabolism and risk flow by ’emiss-ome’. New Contaminants 2: e005.
Image Credits: Keshuo Zhang, Xiaohan Ruan, Liyang Wan, Yucong Lu, Hao Wang, Fan Wu, Huizhen Li & Jing You
Keywords:
Life cycles, Risk assessment, Metabolism, Chemical mixtures
