GCxGC-TOF-MS Reveals Toxicants in Baby Teeth

Even relatively low-level exposure to pesticides and plastic-related chemicals has been linked to harm to the developing brain and to traits associated with autism. The problem is that, while most research relies on testing urine or blood, which only shows a brief snapshot of recent exposure, testing teeth is different; they act like a growth record, capturing a chemical timeline that stretches from around 13-14 weeks of pregnancy all the way through early childhood. In response to this knowledge gap, researchers looked for traces of pesticides and plastic-related chemicals that had built up in baby teeth from children, comparing those with and without autism. To do this, they used two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOF-MS) to detect thousands of different chemicals in a single sample by separating the teeth extracts into their individual chemical components and then identifying each one. A paper based on thus work was published in the journal Neurotoxicology & Teratology.¹

Why Does Autism Matter as a Public Health and Societal Issue?

Autism used to be seen as relatively rare, but that has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. Today, about 1 in 31 children is diagnosed with it, and more than 5.4 million adults in the US are living with autism.^2-4 We now understand autism as much more than just a brain-based condition that affects children; it is a complex condition that looks different from person to person and often comes with other health issues, too, like seizures, digestive problems, hearing issues and infections, heart conditions, and various mental health challenges.⁵

What Did the Study Find, and What Do These Results Mean?

To make sure they were identifying the right chemicals, the researchers checked their results against known reference samples and chemical databases. Out of 38 children studied, they found 60 chemicals showing up in more than half of them. Almost all of these (57 out of 60) were found at higher levels in the children with autism compared to those without, and 19 of those differences were significant enough to rule out chance. Of the 60 chemicals detected, 39 are already known to potentially harm development or interfere with hormones. Worryingly, for 21 of the 60, there is no safety data available yet from the EPA on how they might affect development.¹

Among the chemicals found at higher levels in children with autism were benzyl benzoate (used in fragrances and as a food preservative) and a group of compounds called organophosphate esters, which show up in flame retardants, plastic plumbing tubing, food packaging, and skin-care products. Notably, five of the nine chemicals that most clearly distinguished the autism group from the comparison group are known to leach out of baby bottles.¹

“Our study,” write the authors of the paper,¹ “suggests that children are being chronically and repeatedly exposed to a wider range of developmental toxicants than previously identified in short -term exposure studies. Though our pilot study does not establish causal associations, it supports multiple large cohort studies showing associations between autism risk and OPE FRs and OPE plasticizers detected in prenatal urine. Larger case -control studies are warranted to further characterize the tooth exposome and its relation to autism risk. Additionally, longitudinal studies can elucidate the impact of short -term (i.e., urine) and long -term (i.e., tooth) exposure to these toxicants on neurodevelopmental outcomes over the life course.”

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References

1. Heilbrun, L. P.; Han, I.; Rodriguez, A. et al. A Pilot Autism Case-Control Study of Pesticides and Plasticizers in Shed Baby Teeth. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2026, 107710. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2026.107710
2. Rutter, M. Aetiology of Autism: Findings and Questions. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2005, 49 (Pt 4), 231 -238. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00676.x
3. Shaw, K. A.; Williams, S.; Patrick, M. E. Et al. Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2025, 74 (2), 1 -22. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.ss7402a1
4. Dietz, P. M.; Rose, C. E.; McArthur, D. et al. National and State Estimates of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020, 50 (12), 4258 -4266. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04494-4
5. Doshi -Velez, F.; Ge, Y.; Kohane, I. Comorbidity Clusters in Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Electronic Health Record Time-Series Analysis. Pediatrics 2014, 133 (1), e54 -63. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-0819