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Potential Application of Metabolomics on the Impacts of Underwater Noise on Marine Life18Marine Research of the National Academy of Marine ResearchDOI: 10.29677/MR.202406_4(1).0002 The vast and diverse marine ecosystem, teeming with life, has been increasingly subjected toanthropogenic disturbances, notably underwater noise pollution. This noise, emanating from various sources, such as shipping transport, marine exploration, underwater construction, and military operations, has become a pervasive environmental stressor affecting marine life (Popper & Hastings, 2009; Ross, 2005). Shippingtransport, accelerated by the rapid growth of global trade, stands out as a significant noise contributor. At the same time, exploratory activities for oil, gas, and other sub-seafloor resources have further increased noise levels (Ross, 2005). The propagation of these noises in water, due to the density and pressure of water, allows sound to travel faster and with less attenuation, covering vast areas far beyond the immediate source of the noise (Hildebrand, 2009). Such noises inflict multifaceted impacts on marine fauna, from disrupting the acoustic signals of echolocating species like whales and dolphins to inducing physiological stress in other marine species,affecting their reproduction and survival (Slabbekoorn et al., 2010). Moreover, the impacts of anthropogenic noise on marine communities are extensive, affecting a range of species from marine mammals to invertebrates. The noise from ships, the impacts of underwater construction, and intense sonar pulses from military operations have been documented to disrupt the communication,navigation, and foraging behaviors of marine mammals, affect the physiological and behavioral functions of fish, and even alter the metabolic rates and shell growth of mollusks (Andr%u00e9 et al., 2011; Popper & Fay, 2011; Roberts et al., 2015). Marine mammals such as whales and seals rely heavily on sound for fundamental activitiesand are especially vulnerable. The disruption of these behaviors, coupled with the potential for hearing damage and other physiological stress responses, underscores the pressing need for research into the effects ofanthropogenic noise (Bailey et al., 2010;; Ketten, 1995). Understanding the impacts of this noise on marine organisms is crucial, and here, metabolomics offers a novel and holistic approach. Metabolomics provides insights into marine life's physiological states andresponses to environmental stressors, including noise pollution, by analyzing the vast array of low-molecularweight metabolites within organisms. This comprehensive approach enables the identification of biomarkers indicative of stress and adaptation, offering a deeper understanding of how marine ecosystems are being affectedand how they might be protected.1 INTRODUCTION Metabolomics represents a comprehensive analytical approach to systematically investigate the vast arrayof low-molecular-weight metabolites within biological systems (Nicholson et al., 2002). These metabolites,often products or intermediates of biochemical pathways, reflect the physiological state and activities of theorganism. Metabolomics is pivotal in analyzing a wide range of metabolites simultaneously, capturing acomprehensive view of an organism's physiological condition (Fiehn, 2002). Through this analysis, we canbetter understand the interactions of genes, proteins, and metabolic processes. The field has grown indispensablein biomedicine, especially with the advancement of techniques like nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS), which have greatly enhanced the depth and scope of metabolomic analysis (Wishart, 2016). The significance of metabolomics is underscored by its broad applicability. Metabolomicsoffers invaluable insights from fundamental biological research to drug discovery and clinical diagnostics (Johnson et al., 2016). Specifically, its holistic perspective has proven beneficial in disease diagnostics,prognostics, and the evaluation of drug efficacy and toxicity (Rinschen et al., 2019).2 METABOLOMICS IN THE STUDY OFMARINE ORGANISMS