1
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Yang F, Ma K, Cao Y, Li Z. Application of Magnetic Materials Combined with Echo ® Mass Spectrometry System in Analysis of Illegal Drugs in Sewage. Molecules 2024; 29:2060. [PMID: 38731551 PMCID: PMC11085165 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to solve the problems of the complicated pretreatment and high analytical cost in the detection technology of trace drugs and their metabolites in municipal wastewater. A high-performance magnetic sorbent was fsynthesized for the enrichment of trace drugs and their metabolites in wastewater to develop a magnetic solid-phase extraction pretreatment combined with the acoustic ejection mass spectrometry (AEMS) analytical method. The magnetic nanospheres were successfully prepared by magnetic nanoparticles modified with divinylbenzene and vinylpyrrolidone. The results showed that the linear dynamic range of 17 drugs was 1-500 ng/mL, the recovery was 44-100%, the matrix effect was more than 51%, the quantification limit was 1-2 ng/mL, and the MS measurement was fast. It can be seen that the developed magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method is a good solution to the problems of the complicated pretreatment and analytical cost in the analysis of drugs in wastewater. The developed magnetic material and acoustic excitation pretreatment coupled with mass spectrometry analysis method can realize the low-cost, efficient enrichment, and fast analysis of different kinds of drug molecules in urban sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyu Yang
- Shanghai Research Institute of Criminal Science and Technology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Crime Scene Evidence, Shanghai 200083, China;
| | - Kaijun Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Forensic Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Crime Scene Evidence, Shanghai 200083, China;
| | - Yichao Cao
- Shanghai Research Institute of Criminal Science and Technology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Crime Scene Evidence, Shanghai 200083, China;
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co., Ltd., Beijing 100015, China;
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2
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Luo J, Bello D, Pagsuyoin S. Long-term wastewater-based surveillance and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug use trends in a U.S. Northeast rural town. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162806. [PMID: 36931526 PMCID: PMC10015086 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Herein we discuss the findings of a two-year wastewater-based drug use surveillance from September 2018 to August 2020 and present objective evidence on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug use in a rural community. 24-h composite wastewater samples were collected twice each month from a university town in Northeastern United States and were analyzed for ten priority opioids and stimulants: morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, methadone, fentanyl cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDEA). All target drugs were detected at 100 % frequency in wastewater samples. On a mass basis, the average estimated per capita drug consumption were highest for cocaine, morphine, and amphetamine, and lowest for MDMA, MDEA, and hydrocodone. Furthermore, the estimated per capita consumption of fentanyl was higher than previous reports from rural and university settings in the U.S. Generally, drug consumption was higher during the spring semesters, with year-on-year semester increases also noted over the 2-y study period. Except for methadone and cocaine, the estimated average per capita consumption of drugs increased over the pandemic period, with the highest increase noted for MDMA (286 % increase compared to baseline, p = 0.016). Estimated average consumption of methadone and cocaine decreased slightly by 6 % and 7 %, respectively. These results demonstrate the utility and strength of wastewater-based approaches in capturing long-term and evolving trends in drug use within communities. Our study findings reflect the regionwide problem with opioid-related overdoses and increasing stimulant prescription rates. Our findings also provide objective data and insights for health policymakers on the effects of the pandemic period on community drug use in a rural U.S. town.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Luo
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Geography Science, Ningbo University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Dhimiter Bello
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Sheree Pagsuyoin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
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3
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Sellers SC, Gosnell E, Bryant D, Belmonte S, Self S, McCarter MSJ, Kennedy K, Norman RS. Building-level wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with transmission and variant trends in a university setting. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114277. [PMID: 36084672 PMCID: PMC9448636 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The University of South Carolina (UofSC) was among the first universities to include building-level wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 to complement clinical testing during its reopening in the Fall 2020 semester. In the Spring 2021 semester, 24h composite wastewater samples were collected twice per week from 10 residence halls and the on-campus student isolation and quarantine building. The isolation and quarantine building served as a positive control site. The wastewater was analyzed using RT-ddPCR for the quantification of nucleocapsid genes (N1 and N2) to identify viral transmission trends within residence halls. Log10 SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations were compared to both new clinical cases identified in the days following wastewater collection and recovered cases returning to sites during the days preceding sample collection to test temporal and spatial associations. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between the number of cases reported from the sites during the seven-day period following wastewater sampling and the log10 viral RNA copies/L (overall IRR 1.08 (1.02, 1.16) p-value 0.0126). Additionally, a statistically significant positive relationship was identified between the number of cases returning to the residence halls after completing isolation during the seven-day period preceding wastewater sampling and the log10 viral RNA copies/L (overall 1.09 (1.01, 1.17) p-value 0.0222). The statistical significance of both identified cases and recovered return cases on log10 viral RNA copies/L in wastewater indicates the importance of including both types of clinical data in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) research. Genetic mutations associated with variants of concern (VOCs) were also monitored. The emergence of the Alpha variant on campus was identified, which contributed to the second wave of COVID-19 cases at UofSC. The study was able to identify sub-community transmission hotspots for targeted intervention in real-time, making WBE cost-effective and creating less of a burden on the general public compared to repeated individual testing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Sellers
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Emily Gosnell
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Dillon Bryant
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Stefano Belmonte
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Stella Self
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Green Street, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Maggie S J McCarter
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Green Street, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kirsten Kennedy
- Student Housing and Sustainability, Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support, University of South Carolina, 1520 Devine Street, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - R Sean Norman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC, USA.
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Duan L, Zhang Y, Wang B, Yu G, Gao J, Cagnetta G, Huang C, Zhai N. Wastewater surveillance for 168 pharmaceuticals and metabolites in a WWTP: Occurrence, temporal variations and feasibility of metabolic biomarkers for intake estimation. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 216:118321. [PMID: 35339048 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is amply used for mining information about public health such as the estimation of consumption/intake of certain substances. Yet, proper biomarker selection is critical to obtain reliable data. This study measured a broad range of pharmaceuticals and metabolites in a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China, and evaluated their suitability as consumption estimation biomarkers. Wastewater sampling was conducted during a normal week and two holiday weeks to assess the impact of the holiday on population normalized daily mass loads (PNDLs). One hundred and forty-nine out of 168 pharmaceuticals were detected, with 94 analytes being quantified in all sampling events. Moreover, digestive drug cimetidine (<MDL∼672 ng L - 1) and anabolic steroid trenbolone (<MDL∼53 ng L - 1) were only detected during holiday weeks. PNDLs of some substances showed disparities between weekdays and weekends during the normal week. This study proposed a framework to diagnose whether a parent compound or its metabolite is suitable for intake/prevalence rate estimation. Our results support that not all the metabolites can be employed as biomarkers for back-calculation when the in-sewer stability of these compounds is unclear, such as metoprolol acid and O-desmethyl venlafaxine. Public healthcare data for drug utilization were applied to validate the prevalence of average substance use in this study. As a popular anti-epileptic ranging from hundreds to thousands of ng L - 1 in this study, the parent compound levetiracetam is more appropriate to be used in WBE under our framework, referring to public healthcare data. This WBE study illustrates the changes in pharmaceutical use and population lifestyle that stem from holidays and commutes. In addition, it can provide data support for the selection of more suitable biomarkers in WBE studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Duan
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Yizhe Zhang
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
| | - Gang Yu
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Jianfa Gao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Giovanni Cagnetta
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Nannan Zhai
- Shanghai Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co., Ltd Beijing Branch Company, Beijing 100015, China
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Schifano F, Catalani V, Sharif S, Napoletano F, Corkery JM, Arillotta D, Fergus S, Vento A, Guirguis A. Benefits and Harms of 'Smart Drugs' (Nootropics) in Healthy Individuals. Drugs 2022; 82:633-647. [PMID: 35366192 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-022-01701-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
'Smart drugs' (also known as 'nootropics' and 'cognitive enhancers' [CEs]) are being used by healthy subjects (i.e. students and workers) typically to improve memory, attention, learning, executive functions and vigilance, hence the reference to a 'pharmaceutical cognitive doping behaviour'. While the efficacy of known CEs in individuals with memory or learning deficits is well known, their effect on non-impaired brains is still to be fully assessed. This paper aims to provide an overview on the prevalence of use; putative neuroenhancement benefits and possible harms relating to the intake of the most popular CEs (e.g. amphetamine-type stimulants, methylphenidate, donepezil, selegiline, modafinil, piracetam, benzodiazepine inverse agonists, and unifiram analogues) in healthy individuals. CEs are generally perceived by the users as effective, with related enthusiastic anecdotal reports; however, their efficacy in healthy individuals is uncertain and any reported improvement temporary. Conversely, since most CEs are stimulants, the related modulation of central noradrenaline, glutamate, and dopamine levels may lead to cardiovascular, neurological and psychopathological complications. Furthermore, use of CEs can be associated with paradoxical short- and long-term cognitive decline; decreased potential for plastic learning; and addictive behaviour. Finally, the non-medical use of any potent psychotropic raises serious ethical and legal issues, with nootropics having the potential to become a major public health concern. Further studies investigating CE-associated social, psychological, and biological outcomes are urgently needed to allow firm conclusions to be drawn on the appropriateness of CE use in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Schifano
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK.
| | - Valeria Catalani
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
| | - Safia Sharif
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
| | - Flavia Napoletano
- East London Foundation Trust (ELFT), Newham Early Intervention Service, London, UK
| | - John Martin Corkery
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
| | - Davide Arillotta
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
| | - Suzanne Fergus
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
| | - Alessandro Vento
- Department of Mental Health, ASL Roma 2, Rome, Italy
- Addictions' Observatory (ODDPSS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Amira Guirguis
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Institute of Life Sciences 2, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK
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6
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Aydın S, Ulvi A, Aydın ME. Monitoring and ecological risk of illegal drugs before and after sewage treatment in an area. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:294. [PMID: 35332403 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09974-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the occurrence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in the sewerage systems and in the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Konya, Turkey, was presented. The drug removal efficiencies of the central WWTP were investigated. Potential ecotoxicological risks for algae, fish, and Daphnia magna in the receiving environments were also evaluated. The highest estimated mean illicit drug use was obtained for cannabis (marijuana) at 280 ± 12 mg/day/1000 inhabitants and 430 ± 20 g/day/1000 inhabitants (15-64 years). Amphetamine was found to be the second most consumed drug of abuse. While cannabis and ecstasy consumption values were higher during the weekend, cocaine use dominated on weekdays. The removal efficiencies for THC-COOH and THC-OH were 100% in the WWTP. The average removal of cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, and methadone varied between 46 ± 7 and 87 ± 3%. The maximum concentration level of MDMA found can pose some low risk for Daphnia magna. The rest of the compounds detected in effluents did not show any toxic effects on fish, Daphnia magna, or algae. However, when the cumulative estimated risk quotient values were evaluated, there might be a low risk for Daphnia magna and algae in the receiving environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senar Aydın
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
| | - Arzu Ulvi
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Emin Aydın
- Department of Civil Engineering, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
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Paixão MCS, Nardi J, Bertol CD, Freddo N, Vieira BF, Rosano VA, Friedrich MT, Rossato-Grando LG. Development and validation of a LC-PDA method for methylphenidate analysis in sewage. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2021; 57:28-32. [PMID: 34951564 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2021.2020513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Methylphenidate (MPH) is an important emerging pollutant found in effluents and wastewater. Thus, we aimed to develop and validate a method for detection and quantitation of MPH residues in sewage through high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector (LC-PDA). Here we describe a selective, accurate, precise, and valid method for determination of MPH in sewage with a total running time of 10 min, with limits of detection and quantification of 0.27 and 0.92 µg/mL, respectively. MPH retention peak was observed at 5 min. The method was applied to MPH analysis in a sewage sample pretreated with solid phase extraction, obtaining a result of 2.8 µg/L of MPH. Thus, the developed method can be considered feasible to be applied to MPH residual contamination analysis in sewage using a widely available apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiara C S Paixão
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jessica Nardi
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioexperimentação, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Charise D Bertol
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Envelhecimento Humano, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Natália Freddo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioexperimentação, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruna F Vieira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vitoria A Rosano
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Maria T Friedrich
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências de Alimentos, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciana G Rossato-Grando
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioexperimentação, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Verovšek T, Krizman-Matasic I, Heath D, Heath E. Investigation of drugs of abuse in educational institutions using wastewater analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 799:150013. [PMID: 34602307 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater analysis was used to investigate drug prevalence in primary and secondary schools and institutes of higher education located in urban and non-urban areas of six municipalities in Slovenia. Seven-hour composite raw wastewater samples from 44 educational institutions, including 19 primary schools (6-15 yrs.), ten secondary schools (15-19 yrs.), nine higher education institutions (19+ yrs.) and six mixed secondary and higher education institutions (15+ yrs.), were collected at the end of the 2018/2019 academic year. Metabolic residues of licit drugs (nicotine and alcohol), medications of abuse (morphine, codeine and methadone) and illicit drugs (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and heroin) were targeted in the study. The analysis was carried out using solid-phase extraction and direct injection combined ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Biomarkers of nicotine, alcohol and cannabis intake were the most frequently detected, indicating a high prevalence of these drugs. Morphine and codeine were also detected, while among the stimulants, benzoylecgonine had the highest detection frequency. Drug differences were found between different levels of educational institution, geographic location (inter-municipality comparison) and degree of urbanization. However, t-distributed stochastic neighbour embedding (t-SNE) revealed that the level of educational institution was the main factor influencing the differences in drug prevalence. Although a good agreement between data from this study and other studies implementing wastewater analysis was observed, there was a discrepancy with Slovenian epidemiological survey data. Finally, despite certain drawbacks of the method, its application to detect drug residues in educational institutions provides a non-invasive insight into drug use trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taja Verovšek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivona Krizman-Matasic
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - David Heath
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ester Heath
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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9
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Preparing for COVID-2x: Urban Planning Needs to Regard Urological Wastewater as an Invaluable Communal Public Health Asset and Not as a Burden. URBAN SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci5040075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the analysis of urological wastewater had been a matter of academic curiosity and community-wide big-picture studies looking at drug use or the presence of select viruses such as Hepatitis. The COVID-19 pandemic saw systematic testing of urological wastewater emerge as a significant early detection tool for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a community. Even though the pandemic still rages in all continents, it is time to consider the post-pandemic world. This paper posits that urban planners should treat urological wastewater as a communal public health asset and that future sewer design should allow for stratified multi-order sampling.
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Boogaerts T, Ahmed F, Choi PM, Tscharke B, O'Brien J, De Loof H, Gao J, Thai P, Thomas K, Mueller JF, Hall W, Covaci A, van Nuijs ALN. Current and future perspectives for wastewater-based epidemiology as a monitoring tool for pharmaceutical use. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:148047. [PMID: 34323839 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The medical and societal consequences of the misuse of pharmaceuticals clearly justify the need for comprehensive drug utilization research (DUR). Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) employs the analysis of human metabolic excretion products in wastewater to monitor consumption patterns of xenobiotics at the population level. Recently, WBE has demonstrated its potential to evaluate lifestyle factors such as illicit drug, alcohol and tobacco consumption at the population level, in near real-time and with high spatial and temporal resolution. Up until now there have been fewer WBE studies investigating health biomarkers such as pharmaceuticals. WBE publications monitoring the consumption of pharmaceuticals were systematically reviewed from three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar). 64 publications that reported population-normalised mass loads or defined daily doses of pharmaceuticals were selected. We document that WBE could be employed as a complementary information source for DUR. Interest in using WBE approaches for monitoring pharmaceutical use is growing but more foundation research (e.g. compound-specific uncertainties) is required to link WBE data to routine pharmacoepidemiologic information sources and workflows. WBE offers the possibility of i) estimating consumption of pharmaceuticals through the analysis of human metabolic excretion products in wastewater; ii) monitoring spatial and temporal consumption patterns of pharmaceuticals continuously and in near real-time; and iii) triangulating data with other DUR information sources to assess the impacts of strategies or interventions to reduce inappropriate use of pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Boogaerts
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, GPO Box 48, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Benjamin Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jake O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Hans De Loof
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Jianfa Gao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Phong Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Kevin Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Centre for Youth Substance Abuse, University of Queensland, 17 Upland Road, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alexander L N van Nuijs
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
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Taghvimi A, Jahed FS, Dastmalchi S, Javadzadeh Y. Clinical Application Study of Polymeric Nanosphers Network in Methylphenidate Extraction from Urine Samples by Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction Adsorbent. Adv Pharm Bull 2021; 12:561-567. [PMID: 35935053 PMCID: PMC9348529 DOI: 10.34172/apb.2022.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: This research introduces a polymeric nanosphere as a new dispersive solid phase extraction (DSPE) adsorbent for the extraction of methylphenidate (MPH) from urine and its high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.
Methods: Polymeric nanosphere is a kind of copolymeric network obtained by copolymerization of an ionic liquid monomer and styrene in the presence of vinyltriethoxysilane and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate. HPLC coupled with ultra violet detector was applied for the determination and quantification of MPH. Dominant parameters in extraction were modified by the one-parameter-at-a-time method. The results are as follow: 10 mg of polymeric nanospheres (PNS), 400 μL of acetonitrile (ACT), 5 mL of urine with the pH value of 9, and the extraction and desorption times of 2 and 5 minutes, respectively, which can be selected as the optimum extraction conditions.
Results: Calibration curve was plotted through optimized conditions, and the proposed method was validated. The results demonstrated that the method presented linearity in the concentration range of 30-1200 ng/mL. Selectivity, matrix effect and metabolites interference effect were investigated and the method presented no obvious interference effect during the analysis run time. Repeatability, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of the method can be reported in this section as well. The method showed satisfactory results with 98.8% relative recovery in the analysis of positive urine samples.
Conclusion: The findings convinced the applicability of the introduced method for DSPE and HPLC analysis of the positive urine samples in different laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezou Taghvimi
- Biotechnology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Soghra Jahed
- Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science, Azarbijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Siavoush Dastmalchi
- Biotechnology Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, POBOX: 99138, Nicosia, North Cyprus, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Yousef Javadzadeh
- Biotechnology Research Center, and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
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12
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Foppe KS, Kujawinski EB, Duvallet C, Endo N, Erickson TB, Chai PR, Matus M. Analysis of 39 drugs and metabolites, including 8 glucuronide conjugates, in an upstream wastewater network via HPLC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2021; 1176:122747. [PMID: 34052556 PMCID: PMC8271266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2021.122747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical compounds ingested by humans are metabolized and excreted in urine and feces. These metabolites can be quantified in wastewater networks using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) methods. Standard WBE methods focus on samples collected at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, these methods do not capture more labile classes of metabolites such as glucuronide conjugates, products of the major phase II metabolic pathway for drug elimination. By shifting sample collection more upstream, these unambiguous markers of human exposure are captured before hydrolysis in the wastewater network. In this paper, we present an HPLC-MS/MS method that quantifies 8 glucuronide conjugates in addition to 31 parent and other metabolites of prescription and synthetic opioids, overdose treatment drugs, illicit drugs, and population markers. Calibration curves for all analytes are linear (r2 > 0.98), except THC (r2 = 0.97), and in the targeted range (0.1-1,000 ng mL-1) with lower limits of quantification (S/N = 9) ranging from 0.098 to 48.75 ng mL-1. This method is fast with an injection-to-injection time of 7.5 min. We demonstrate the application of the method to five wastewater samples collected from a manhole in a city in eastern Massachusetts. Collected wastewater samples were filtered and extracted via solid-phase extraction (SPE). The SPE cartridges are eluted and concentrated in the laboratory via nitrogen-drying. The method and case study presented here demonstrate the potential and application of expanding WBE to monitoring labile metabolites in upstream wastewater networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn S Foppe
- Biobot Analytics, Inc., 501 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Kujawinski
- Biobot Analytics, Inc., 501 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Claire Duvallet
- Biobot Analytics, Inc., 501 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Noriko Endo
- Biobot Analytics, Inc., 501 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Timothy B Erickson
- Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Medical Toxicology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02411, USA; Harvard Humanitarian Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peter R Chai
- Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Medical Toxicology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02411, USA; The Fenway Institute, 1340 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA; The Koch Institute for Integrated Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mariana Matus
- Biobot Analytics, Inc., 501 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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13
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Frizzo IB, Koakoski G, Freddo N, Maffi VC, Bertol CD, Barcellos LJG, Rossato-Grando LG. CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO METHYLPHENIDATE-CONTAMINATED WATER ELICITS SOCIAL IMPAIRMENT TO ZEBRAFISH. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 80:103473. [PMID: 32860936 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Residual contamination of water with MPH represents a severe environmental issue because it can affect non-target animals. Here we describe the behavioral effects in zebrafish after chronic contamination of water containing residues of MPH (0.1875, 1.875 and 3 ug/L). These doses are environmentally relevant since they reflect those found in wastewaters. We evaluated the behavioral effect through the novel tank test (NTT) and social preference test (SPT), and after euthanasia we analyzed oxidative stress parameters. Zebrafish exposed to MPH presented a social impairment, avoiding the conspecifics segment in the social preference test. In addition, MPH in the lowest concentration provoked an anxiolytic effect in the novel tank test. Oxidative stress is not related to these changes. Since the maintenance of an intact behavioral repertoire is crucial for species survival and fitness, our results demonstrate that residual contamination of water by MPH can be a threat to zebrafish, impacting directly to its well-being and survival in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izadora Borgmann Frizzo
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil.
| | - Gessi Koakoski
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil.
| | - Natália Freddo
- Post-Graduation Program in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil.
| | - Victoria Costa Maffi
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil.
| | - Charise Dallazem Bertol
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil
| | - Leonardo José Gil Barcellos
- Post-Graduation Program in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, (UFSM), Cidade Universitária, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
| | - Luciana Grazziotin Rossato-Grando
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil.
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14
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Orange SJ, Taghvimi A, Dastmalchi S, Javadzadeh Y. Silica-Functionalized Nano-Graphene Oxide Composite as Potent-Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction Adsorbent of Methylphenidate from Urine Samples. ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13369-020-04423-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Woźniak-Karczewska M, Baranowski D, Framski G, Marczak Ł, Čvančarová M, Corvini PFX, Chrzanowski Ł. Biodegradation of ritalinic acid by Nocardioides sp. - Novel imidazole-based alkaloid metabolite as a potential marker in sewage epidemiology. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 385:121554. [PMID: 31753665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of methylphenidate, a nootropic drug used to improve mental performance, is becoming increasingly serious. Methylphenidate is metabolized in human liver to ritalinic acid, which has been commonly detected in sewage and surface waters. Additionally, ritalinic acid serves as a biomarker in sewage epidemiology studies. Thus knowledge of the stability and microbial degradation pathways of ritalinic acid is essential for proper estimation of methylphenidate consumption. In the study reported here, we describe the fast formation of a previously unknown, dead-end metabolite of ritalinic acid by Nocardioides sp. strain MW5. HRMS and 2D NMR analyses allowed precisely identification of the compound as an imidazole-based alkaloid cation with chemical formula 11-[3-(formylamino)propyl]-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octahydrodipyrido[1,2-a:1',2'-c]imidazole-5-ium. In experiments, Nocardioides sp. strain MW5 transformed 34% of ritalinic acid into this metabolite, while 52% was mineralized into CO2. Alkaloid was not biodegraded during the OECD 301 F test. This study provides new insight into the environmental fate of methylphenidate and its metabolites. The data collected are essential for assessing nootropic drug consumption by sewage epidemiology and should lead to a better understanding of microbial degradation of ritalinic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Woźniak-Karczewska
- Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznan, Poland; Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel Baranowski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Framski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Łukasz Marczak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznań, Poland
| | - Monika Čvančarová
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland; State Key Laboratory for Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China
| | - Łukasz Chrzanowski
- Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
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16
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Wilms W, Woźniak-Karczewska M, Corvini PFX, Chrzanowski Ł. Nootropic drugs: Methylphenidate, modafinil and piracetam - Population use trends, occurrence in the environment, ecotoxicity and removal methods - A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 233:771-785. [PMID: 31200137 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals which originally were designed to treat people with neurological and psychiatric conditions, e.g. Alzheimer's disease or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are nowadays often misused by students as a 'brain doping' substances. These substances are known as nootropic drugs, smart drugs or cognitive enhancers, as they increase memory, attention and concentration of healthy individuals. Since they are easily available illicitly, their consumption is observed to be growing. Currently, these pharmaceuticals started gaining researchers' attention, especially since they have been recently detected in wastewater, surface water and even drinking water. This review summarises the current state of knowledge on nootropic drugs in terms of their population use trends and ethics, occurrence in the environment and detection techniques, toxicity and removal methods, in example of methylphenidate, modafinil and piracetam - three most popular nootropics. It points out that the main sources of knowledge on cognitive enhancers illicit use are often inconsistent questionnaires, which are not supported by wastewater analysis to become more veracious. Simultaneously, the studies concerning toxicity and removal methods of nootropic drugs are still limited and in many cases environmentally irrelevant. Although the prescription rules has been subjected to more strict control in developed countries, regulatory frameworks with regard to their ecosystem occurrence are still lacking and should be introduced. Moreover, the use of environmentally relevant concentrations in toxicity studies should be a standard, leading to proper ecotoxicity risk assessment. Based on this review, it is recommended to routinely monitor nootropics and their metabolites in waste- and surface waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiktoria Wilms
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marta Woźniak-Karczewska
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Łukasz Chrzanowski
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznań, Poland.
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17
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Methamphetamine psychosis: Lack of association with stimulant prescription ADHD medications. Am J Emerg Med 2019; 37:1802-1803. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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18
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Batalhão IG, Lima D, Russi APM, Boscolo CNP, Silva DGH, Pereira TSB, Bainy ACD, de Almeida EA. Effects of methylphenidate on the aggressive behavior, serotonin and dopamine levels, and dopamine-related gene transcription in brain of male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2019; 45:1377-1391. [PMID: 31054043 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-019-00645-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has increased considerably in the last decades, causing negative biochemical, physiological, and behavioral effects in aquatic organisms. In this study, we evaluated the effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on the aggressive behavior, dopamine-related gene transcript levels, monoamine levels, and carboxylesterase transcript levels and activity in the brain of male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Carboxylesterase activity was also measured in the liver and gills. Fish were exposed for 5 days to MPH at 20 and 100 ng L-1. Fish exposed to 100 ng L-1 of MPH showed increased aggressiveness and decreased dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels. No changes were observed in plasma testosterone levels and in the transcript levels of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, dopamine transporter (DAT), and carboxylesterase 2 (CES2). Exposure to 100 ng L-1 of MPH caused a decrease in the transcript levels of carboxylesterase 3 (CES3) and an increase in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), while exposure to 20 ng L-1 of MPH increased the transcript levels of D5 dopamine receptor. Carboxylesterase activity was unchanged in the brain and liver and increased in the gills of fish exposed to 20 ng L-1. These results indicate that MPH at 100 ng L-1 increases aggressiveness in Nile tilapia, possibly due to a decrease in 5-HT levels in the brain and alterations in dopamine levels and dopamine-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabela Gertrudes Batalhão
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daína Lima
- Department of Biochemistry, UFSC - Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Montedor Russi
- Department of Physiology, UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thiago Scremin Boscolo Pereira
- UNIRP - University Center of Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
- FACERES - Morphofunctional Laboratory, FACERES Medical School, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Afonso Celso Dias Bainy
- Department of Biochemistry, UFSC - Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Alves de Almeida
- Department of Natural Sciences, FURB Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil.
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19
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Application of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology in China—From Wastewater Monitoring to Drug Control Efforts. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/bk-2019-1319.ch006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
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20
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Centazzo N, Frederick BM, Jacox A, Cheng SY, Concheiro-Guisan M. Wastewater analysis for nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids and cannabis in New York City. Forensic Sci Res 2019; 4:152-167. [PMID: 31304444 PMCID: PMC6609350 DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2019.1609388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
According to current surveys and overdoses data, there is a drug crisis in the USA. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an evolving discipline that analyses wastewater samples to detect drugs and metabolites to estimate drug consumption in a certain community. This study demonstrates how drug relative presence could be tracked by testing wastewater, providing real-time results, in different boroughs in New York City throughout 1 year. We developed and fully validated two analytical methods, one for 21 drugs and metabolites, including nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids and cannabis markers; and another for the normalization factor creatinine. Both methods were performed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using positive electrospray ionization, achieving a limit of quantification of 5–10 ng/L for drugs and metabolites, and 0.01 mg/L for creatinine. These methods were applied to 48 one-time grab wastewater samples collected from six wastewater treatment plants in New York City (Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn), eight different times throughout 2016, before and after major holidays, including Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labour Day and New Year’s. In this study, the drug group normalized concentrations present in the wastewater samples, in decreasing order, were cocaine, nicotine, opioids, cannabis and amphetamines. When looking at individual compounds, the one with the highest normalized concentration was benzoylecgonine (BE), followed by cotinine, morphine and 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH). To estimate community use, these concentrations were multiplied by the corresponding correction factor, and the most present were THCCOOH, followed by BE, cotinine and morphine. When comparing the treatment plants by drug group (nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids and cannabis), samples collected from The Bronx had the highest normalized concentrations for nicotine, cocaine and opioids; The Bronx and Manhattan for cannabis; and Manhattan and Queens for amphetamines. In most of the cases, no effect due to holiday was observed. This study provides the first snapshot of drug use in New York City and how that changes between key calendar dates employing wastewater analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Centazzo
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bonnie-Marie Frederick
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alethea Jacox
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shu-Yuan Cheng
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marta Concheiro-Guisan
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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21
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Clinically Unreported Salmonellosis Outbreak Detected via Comparative Genomic Analysis of Municipal Wastewater Salmonella Isolates. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00139-19. [PMID: 30902850 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00139-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Municipal wastewater includes human waste that contains both commensal and pathogenic enteric microorganisms, and this collective community microbiome can be monitored for community diseases. In a previous study, we assessed the salmonellosis disease burden using municipal wastewater from Honolulu, Hawaii, which was monitored over a 54-week period. During that time, a strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) (also known as Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B variant Java) was identified; this strain was detected simultaneously with a clinically reported outbreak, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns were identical for clinical and municipal wastewater isolates. Months after the outbreak subsided, the same pulsotype was detected as the dominant pulsotype in municipal wastewater samples, with no corresponding clinical cases reported. Using genomic characterization (including core single-nucleotide polymorphism alignment, core genome multilocus sequence typing, and screening for virulence and antibiotic resistance genes), all S Java municipal wastewater isolates were determined to be clonal, indicating a resurgence of the original outbreak strain. This demonstrates the feasibility and utility of municipal wastewater surveillance for determining enteric disease outbreaks that may be missed by traditional clinical surveillance methods.IMPORTANCE Underdetection of microbial infectious disease outbreaks in human communities carries enormous health costs and is an ongoing problem in public health monitoring (which relies almost exclusively on data from health clinics). Surveillance of municipal wastewater for community-level monitoring of infectious disease burdens has the potential to fill this information gap, due to its easy access to the mixed community microbiome. In the present study, the genomes of 21 S Java isolates (collected from municipal wastewater in Honolulu) were analyzed; results showed that the same Salmonella strain that caused a known salmonellosis clinical outbreak in spring 2010 remerged as the most dominant strain in municipal wastewater in spring 2011, indicating a new outbreak that was not detected by health clinics. Our results show that wastewater monitoring holds great promise to inform the field of public health regarding outbreak status within communities.
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22
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Chen J, Venkatesan AK, Halden RU. Alcohol and nicotine consumption trends in three U.S. communities determined by wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 656:174-183. [PMID: 30504019 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), an emerging tool for monitoring public health in near real-time, is used extensively in Europe but applications to U.S. populations are still scarce. In this longitudinal study, raw wastewater was collected monthly from three U.S. cities as 24-h weekday composites and analyzed for evidence of alcohol and tobacco consumption. Over the 11-month sampling period, biomarkers of stimulant use were detected in wastewater by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in units of μg/L (ethyl sulfate, 1.6-25.1; nicotine, 0.6-26.7; cotinine, 0.2-3.8; and 3‑hydroxycotinine, 0.3-3.8). Average consumption rates in the three communities were calculated using detected biomarker levels in conjunction with wastewater flow rates, metabolic excretion factors, and population size data. Computed average per-capita consumption rates estimated for the sub-population aged 15 and above for alcohol (13.4 ± 5.6 L/y/person) and daily consumption of nicotine by smokers (14.2 ± 3.6 cigarettes/d/person) were in good agreement with U.S. survey data (9.0 L/y/person; 14.2 cigarettes/d/smoker). The WBE approach also captured impacts of temporal population influx on substance consumption patterns. This first U.S. WBE study to track recreational use of stimulants longitudinally and concurrently in multiple American cities highlights opportunities for collecting robust public health information from wastewater anonymously, economically and in near real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- The Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Biological and Health System Engineering, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 879709, Tempe, AZ 85287-9709, USA
| | - Arjun K Venkatesan
- The Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- The Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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23
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McCallum ES, Lindberg RH, Andersson PL, Brodin T. Stability and uptake of methylphenidate and ritalinic acid in nine-spine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) and water louse (Asellus aquaticus). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:9371-9378. [PMID: 30805842 PMCID: PMC6469618 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04557-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The presence of human pharmaceuticals in the environment has garnered significant research attention because these compounds may exert therapeutic effects on exposed wildlife. Yet, for many compounds, there is still little research documenting their stability in the water column and uptake in organism tissues. Here, we measured the uptake and stability of methylphenidate (Ritalin®, a frequently prescribed central nervous system stimulant) and its primary metabolite, ritalinic acid, in (1) water only or (2) with nine-spine stickleback and water louse. Methylphenidate degraded to ritalinic acid in both studies faster at a higher temperature (20 °C versus 10 °C), with concentrations of ritalinic acid surpassing methylphenidate after 48-100 h, depending on temperature. The concentration of methylphenidate in stickleback was highest at the first sampling point (60 min), while the concentration in water louse tissues reached comparatively higher levels and peaked after ~ 6 days. Neither stickleback nor water louse took up ritalinic acid in tissues despite being present in the water column. Our findings provide valuable data for use in future risk assessment of methylphenidate and will aid in the design of studies aimed at measuring any ecotoxicological effects on, for example, the behaviour or physiology of aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin S McCallum
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
| | | | | | - Tomas Brodin
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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Gushgari AJ, Driver EM, Steele JC, Halden RU. Tracking narcotics consumption at a Southwestern U.S. university campus by wastewater-based epidemiology. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2018; 359:437-444. [PMID: 30059885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.07.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was applied to estimate the consumption of twelve narcotics within a Southwestern U.S. university campus. Seven consecutive 24-hour composite raw wastewater samples (n = 80) were obtained once per month from sampling locations capturing >95% of campus-generated wastewater. Samples were analyzed for indicators of consumption of morphine, codeine, oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, methadone, buprenorphine, amphetamine, methylphenidate, alprazolam, cocaine, and MDMA using LC-MS/MS. Eleven indicator compounds (oxycodone, codeine, norcodeine, 6-acetylmorphine, EDDP, amphetamine, alprazolam, alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, and MDMA) occurred at 100% detection frequency across the study, followed by morphine-3-glucuronide (98%), noroxycodone (95%), methylphenidate (90%), heroin (7%), norfentanyl (7%), and fentanyl (5%). Estimates of average narcotics consumption ranked as follows in units of mg/day/1000 persons: heroin (474 ± 32), cocaine (551 ± 49), amphetamine (256 ± 12), methylphenidate (236 ± 28), methadone (72 ± 8), oxycodone (80 ± 6), alprazolam (60 ± 2), MDMA (88 ± 35), codeine (50 ± 4), and morphine (18 ± 3). This campus-based WBE study yielded baseline data on 12 narcotics for a U.S. campus and demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of detecting the fentanyl metabolite norfentanyl in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Gushgari
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287-5904, United States
| | - Erin M Driver
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287-5904, United States
| | - Joshua C Steele
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287-5904, United States
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287-5904, United States.
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25
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Hernández F, Castiglioni S, Covaci A, de Voogt P, Emke E, Kasprzyk‐Hordern B, Ort C, Reid M, Sancho JV, Thomas KV, van Nuijs AL, Zuccato E, Bijlsma L. Mass spectrometric strategies for the investigation of biomarkers of illicit drug use in wastewater. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2018; 37:258-280. [PMID: 27750373 PMCID: PMC6191649 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of illicit drugs in urban wastewater is the basis of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), and has received much scientific attention because the concentrations measured can be used as a new non-intrusive tool to provide evidence-based and real-time estimates of community-wide drug consumption. Moreover, WBE allows monitoring patterns and spatial and temporal trends of drug use. Although information and expertise from other disciplines is required to refine and effectively apply WBE, analytical chemistry is the fundamental driver in this field. The use of advanced analytical techniques, commonly based on combined chromatography-mass spectrometry, is mandatory because the very low analyte concentration and the complexity of samples (raw wastewater) make quantification and identification/confirmation of illicit drug biomarkers (IDBs) troublesome. We review the most-recent literature available (mostly from the last 5 years) on the determination of IDBs in wastewater with particular emphasis on the different analytical strategies applied. The predominance of liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry to quantify target IDBs and the essence to produce reliable and comparable results is illustrated. Accordingly, the importance to perform inter-laboratory exercises and the need to analyze appropriate quality controls in each sample sequence is highlighted. Other crucial steps in WBE, such as sample collection and sample pre-treatment, are briefly and carefully discussed. The article further focuses on the potential of high-resolution mass spectrometry. Different approaches for target and non-target analysis are discussed, and the interest to perform experiments under laboratory-controlled conditions, as a complementary tool to investigate related compounds (e.g., minor metabolites and/or transformation products in wastewater) is treated. The article ends up with the trends and future perspectives in this field from the authors' point of view. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:258-280, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Hernández
- Research Institute for Pesticides and WaterUniversity Jaume ICastellónSpain
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesIRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario NegriMilanItaly
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological CenterUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Pim de Voogt
- KWR Watercycle Research InstituteNieuwegeinthe Netherlands
- IBED—University of AmsterdamAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Erik Emke
- KWR Watercycle Research InstituteNieuwegeinthe Netherlands
| | | | - Christoph Ort
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)DübendorfSwitzerland
| | - Malcolm Reid
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)OsloNorway
| | - Juan V. Sancho
- Research Institute for Pesticides and WaterUniversity Jaume ICastellónSpain
| | | | | | - Ettore Zuccato
- Department of Environmental Health SciencesIRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario NegriMilanItaly
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Research Institute for Pesticides and WaterUniversity Jaume ICastellónSpain
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26
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Ort C, Bijlsma L, Castiglioni S, Covaci A, de Voogt P, Emke E, Hernández F, Reid M, van Nuijs ALN, Thomas KV, Kasprzyk-Hordern B. Wastewater Analysis for Community-Wide Drugs Use Assessment. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 252:543-566. [PMID: 29896656 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) complements existing epidemiology-based estimation techniques and provides objective, evidence-based estimates of illicit drug use. After consumption, biomarkers - drugs and their metabolites - excreted to toilets and flushed into urban sewer networks can be measured in raw wastewater samples. The quantified loads can serve as an estimate for the collective consumption of all people contributing to the wastewater sample. This transdisciplinary approach, further explained in this chapter, has developed, matured and is now established for monitoring substances such as cocaine and amphetamine-type stimulants. Research currently underway is refining WBE to new applications including new psychoactive substances (NPS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Ort
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón, Spain.
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pim de Voogt
- KWR, Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- IBED, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Emke
- KWR, Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Félix Hernández
- Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
| | - Malcolm Reid
- NIVA, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Kevin V Thomas
- NIVA, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Woźniak-Karczewska M, Čvančarová M, Chrzanowski Ł, Corvini PFX, Cichocka D. Bacterial isolates degrading ritalinic acid-human metabolite of neuro enhancer methylphenidate. N Biotechnol 2017; 43:30-36. [PMID: 28855122 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 04/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The consumption of nootropic drugs has increased tremendously in the last decade, though the studies on their environmental fate are still scarce. Nootropics are bioactive compounds designed to alter human's physiology therefore the adverse effects towards wildlife can be expected. In order to understand their environmental impact, the knowledge on their transformation pathways is necessary. Methylphenidate belongs to the most prescribed neuro-enhancers and is among the most favored smart drugs used in non-medical situations. It is metabolized in human liver and excreted as ritalinic acid. Here, we showed for the first time that ritalinic acid can be biodegraded and used as a sole carbon and nitrogen source by various microbial strains originating from different environmental samples. Five axenic strains were isolated and identified as: Arthrobacter sp. strain MW1, MW2 and MW3, Phycicoccus sp. strain MW4 and Nocardioides sp. strain MW5. Our research provides the first insight into the metabolism of ritalinic acid and suggests that it may differ depending on the strain and growth conditions, especially on availability of nitrogen. The isolates obtained in this study can serve as model organisms in further studies on the catabolism of ritalinic acid and methylphenidate but potentially also other compounds with similar structures. Our findings have important implication for the sewage epidemiology. We demonstrated that ritalinic acid is subject to quick and efficient biodegradation thus its use as a stable biomarker should be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Woźniak-Karczewska
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznań, Poland; Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Monika Čvančarová
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Łukasz Chrzanowski
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland; School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Hankou Road 22, 210093 Nanjing, China
| | - Danuta Cichocka
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
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Zuccato E, Gracia-Lor E, Rousis NI, Parabiaghi A, Senta I, Riva F, Castiglioni S. Illicit drug consumption in school populations measured by wastewater analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017; 178:285-290. [PMID: 28686986 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Analysis of student consumption of illicit drugs (ID) by school population surveys (SPS) provides information useful for prevention, but the results may be influenced by subjective factors. We explored wastewater (WW) analysis to improve the information. METHODS We used WW analysis to measure ID consumption in eight secondary schools in Italy in 2010-13 (students aged 15-19). Samples were collected from the sewage pipes of the schools during lessons for one week each year. Samples were analysed by mass spectrometry to measure ID and consumption by students was compared to that of the general population. RESULTS We found THCCOOH (human metabolite of THC) concentrations in 2010 indicating significant consumption of cannabis in all the schools and benzoylecgonine (human metabolite of cocaine) suggesting a limited consumption of cocaine in all but one school. Morphine was only found in traces, and amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine and mephedrone were not detectable. Repeated analysis showed cannabis stable until 2012 with increases in 2013, low cocaine and morphine levels, and none of the other ID. DISCUSSION WW analysis suggested that students used amounts of cannabis comparable to the general population, with low, sporadic use of cocaine and opioids, but excluded the use of significant amounts of amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine and mephedrone. WW analysis was useful to confirm SPS figures and provides complementary findings for effective prevention strategies. This is the first time WW analysis has been used to investigate consumption of a large number of ID and new psychoactive substances (NPS) in schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Zuccato
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
| | - Emma Gracia-Lor
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Nikolaos I Rousis
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Parabiaghi
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Senta
- Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Bijenicka c. 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Francesco Riva
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
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Kim KY, Ekpeghere KI, Jeong HJ, Oh JE. Effects of the summer holiday season on UV filter and illicit drug concentrations in the Korean wastewater system and aquatic environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 227:587-595. [PMID: 28527425 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal variations in the concentrations of eight ultraviolet (UV) filters and 22 illicit drugs including their metabolites in the Korean aquatic environment were investigated. Seawater samples from three beaches, water samples from two rivers, and influents and effluents from three wastewater treatment plants were analyzed. The UV filter concentrations in the seawater, river water, and effluent samples were 39.4-296, 35.4-117, and 6.84-51.1 ng L-1, respectively. The total UV filter concentrations in the seawater samples were 1.9-4.4 times higher at the peak of the holiday season than outside the peak holiday season. An environmental risk assessment showed that ethylhexyl methoxy cinnamate (EHMC) could cause adverse effects on aquatic organisms in the seawater at the three beaches during the holiday period. Seven of the 22 target illicit drugs including their metabolites were detected in the wastewater influent samples, and the total illicit drug concentrations in the influent samples were 0.08-65.4 ng L-1. The estimated daily consumption rates for cis-tramadol (Cis-TRM), methamphetamine (MTP), meperidine (MEP), and codeine (COD) were 25.7-118.4, 13.8-36.1, 1.36-12.6, and 1.75-8.64 mg d-1 (1000 people)-1, respectively. In popular vacation area, the illicit drug consumption rates (Cis-TRM, MTP and MEP) were 1.6-2.6 times higher at the peak of the summer holiday season than at the beginning of the summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Yong Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kalu Ibe Ekpeghere
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Railroad Civil and Environmental Engineering, Woosong University, Daejeon 34606, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jin Jeong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.
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Endres HC, da Rosa JG, Kabasele Kalala C, Barcellos HH, Bertol CD, Gil Barcellos LJ, Rossato-Grando LG. First evidence that waterborne methylphenidate alters endocrine and behavioral stress responses in zebrafish. Neurosci Lett 2017; 650:114-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Franke AG, Gränsmark P, Agricola A, Schühle K, Rommel T, Sebastian A, Balló HE, Gorbulev S, Gerdes C, Frank B, Ruckes C, Tüscher O, Lieb K. Methylphenidate, modafinil, and caffeine for cognitive enhancement in chess: A double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:248-260. [PMID: 28119083 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Stimulants and caffeine have been proposed for cognitive enhancement by healthy subjects. This study investigated whether performance in chess - a competitive mind game requiring highly complex cognitive skills - can be enhanced by methylphenidate, modafinil or caffeine. In a phase IV, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 39 male chess players received 2×200mg modafinil, 2×20mg methylphenidate, and 2×200mg caffeine or placebo in a 4×4 crossover design. They played twenty 15-minute games during two sessions against a chess program (Fritz 12; adapted to players' strength) and completed several neuropsychological tests. Marked substance effects were observed since all three substances significantly increased average reflection time per game compared to placebo resulting in a significantly increased number of games lost on time with all three treatments. Treatment effects on chess performance were not seen if all games (n=3059) were analysed. Only when controlling for game duration as well as when excluding those games lost on time, both modafinil and methylphenidate enhanced chess performance as demonstrated by significantly higher scores in the remaining 2876 games compared to placebo. In conjunction with results from neuropsychological testing we conclude that modifying effects of stimulants on complex cognitive tasks may in particular result from more reflective decision making processes. When not under time pressure, such effects may result in enhanced performance. Yet, under time constraints more reflective decision making may not improve or even have detrimental effects on complex task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas G Franke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany; University of Neubrandenburg, University of Applied Sciences, Department of Social Work and Education, Brodaer Str. 2, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Germany.
| | - Patrik Gränsmark
- SOFI, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, SE - 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Alexandra Agricola
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Kai Schühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Thilo Rommel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany; Department of Psychology, Section for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Mainz, Wallstr. 3, 55122 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Sebastian
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Harald E Balló
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany; Internistisch-onkologische Gemeinschaftspraxis, Marktplatz 11, 63065 Offenbach am Main, Germany.
| | - Stanislav Gorbulev
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Trials (IZKS), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Christer Gerdes
- SOFI, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, SE - 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Björn Frank
- University of Kassel, Department of Economics, Nora-Platiel-Str. 4, 34127 Kassel, Germany.
| | - Christian Ruckes
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Trials (IZKS), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Klaus Lieb
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
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Salvatore S, Røislien J, Baz-Lomba JA, Bramness JG. Assessing prescription drug abuse using functional principal component analysis (FPCA) of wastewater data. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2016; 26:320-326. [PMID: 27862608 DOI: 10.1002/pds.4127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater-based epidemiology is an alternative method for estimating the collective drug use in a community. We applied functional data analysis, a statistical framework developed for analysing curve data, to investigate weekly temporal patterns in wastewater measurements of three prescription drugs with known abuse potential: methadone, oxazepam and methylphenidate, comparing them to positive and negative control drugs. METHODS Sewage samples were collected in February 2014 from a wastewater treatment plant in Oslo, Norway. The weekly pattern of each drug was extracted by fitting of generalized additive models, using trigonometric functions to model the cyclic behaviour. From the weekly component, the main temporal features were then extracted using functional principal component analysis. Results are presented through the functional principal components (FPCs) and corresponding FPC scores. RESULTS Clinically, the most important weekly feature of the wastewater-based epidemiology data was the second FPC, representing the difference between average midweek level and a peak during the weekend, representing possible recreational use of a drug in the weekend. Estimated scores on this FPC indicated recreational use of methylphenidate, with a high weekend peak, but not for methadone and oxazepam. CONCLUSION The functional principal component analysis uncovered clinically important temporal features of the weekly patterns of the use of prescription drugs detected from wastewater analysis. This may be used as a post-marketing surveillance method to monitor prescription drugs with abuse potential. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Salvatore
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jo Røislien
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Health Studies, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Jose A Baz-Lomba
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jørgen G Bramness
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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33
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Franke AG, Lehmberg S, Soyka M. Pharmacological Neuroenhancement: teachers' knowledge and attitudes-Results from a survey study among teachers in Germany. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2016; 11:32. [PMID: 27646845 PMCID: PMC5029003 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-016-0077-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pharmacological neuroenhancement (PN) is a topic of increasing importance. Its prevalence rates range from 1 % to more than 20 %. Students are a group that shows exceptionally high prevalence rates. However, little is known about teachers’ knowledge, management, attitudes and ethical judgements regarding PN. Methods A web-based survey containing 40 closed questions was developed. All teachers working at all private and public schools in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a state in northeastern Germany, were invited to participate after their respective school offices were contacted by telephone, email and mail. Results In total, 255 teachers participated in the survey. Of those, 73.3 % had already heard about PN in general, and 68.2 % had heard about PN in students. Their sources of knowledge were digital media such as TV (73.8 %) and the internet (40.6 %) and print media (64.7 %); their own students informed 29.9 % of the teachers about PN in general and 35.6 % of them about PN among students. Furthermore, 34.9 % of the surveyed teachers were convinced that PN substance use was ineffective in general, and 51.8 % of the surveyed teachers believed that PN substances were ineffective in achieving better grades. Only 1.2 % thought that none of the so-called PN substances could lead to addiction, and 37.6 % would classify PN substance use as general drug misuse. The highest values regarding risk of addiction were observed for illicit drugs. The prevalence of PN substance use was evaluated to be very low and to be significantly higher in male, highly skilled and college/university students. In total, 1.6 school lessons per year were used to discuss PN. Finally, 55.7 % of the surveyed teachers believed that performance-enhancing substances should be forbidden at schools. Conclusion Teachers, as an integral part of the education of children and adolescents, often know about PN substances and mostly refuse their use being afraid about the risk of addiction. However, regarding effects as well as side effects of PN substances, teachers have very different opinions. Furthermore, they seem to underestimate the prevalence among their students and broach the topic infrequently. Teachers should be sensitized for high prevalence rates and should broach the topic of PN more frequently to their students to prevent potential misuse of PN substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas G Franke
- Department of Social Work and Education, University of Neubrandenburg (University of Applied Sciences), Brodaer Str. 2, 17033, Neubrandenburg, Germany.
| | - Sophie Lehmberg
- Private Clinic Meiringen, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 3860 Meiringen, Switzerland
| | - Michael Soyka
- Private Clinic Meiringen, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 3860 Meiringen, Switzerland.,Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
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A systematic review of the motivations for the non-medical use of prescription drugs in young adults. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 162:3-25. [PMID: 26851986 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Young adults (18-25) are most at-risk for the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). Understanding this population's motivations for use can help inform efforts to reduce NMUPD. Therefore, this systematic review synthesizes the findings from research on young adults' motivations to engage in NMUPD. METHODS Based on PRISMA guidelines, relevant databases were systematically searched for articles that assessed the motivations for NMUPD in young adults and college-aged students. Search strings included a range of prescription drug classes and terms to ensure an exhaustive review. RESULTS The search resulted in identifying 353 potential articles after duplicates were removed, and 37 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Of the final articles, the majority investigated the non-medical use of prescription stimulants in U.S. student populations cross-sectionally. Seven studies, either exclusively or in combination with other medications, researched prescription opioids, and five investigated central nervous system depressants. Only one study investigated motivations over time. CONCLUSION There are many ways in which the current literature can be expanded, including researching other populations and focusing on prescriptions other than stimulants. Using the medications for their prescribed properties and known side effects emerged as a consistent theme. It was also fairly common for young adults to report recreational motives. Issues with measurement and definitions of key terms (e.g., non-medical) would benefit from consistency in future work. Research on motivations should continue and be incorporated into the larger drug use context, as well as existing prevention and intervention strategies.
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Dietz P, Soyka M, Franke AG. Pharmacological Neuroenhancement in the Field of Economics-Poll Results from an Online Survey. Front Psychol 2016; 7:520. [PMID: 27148128 PMCID: PMC4835716 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The use of over-the-counter, prescription, and illicit drugs to increase attention, concentration, or memory—often called (pharmacological) neuroenhancement—shows a broad range of prevalence rates among students. However, very little data is available on neuroenhancement among employed persons. The aim of this study was to provide first data on substance use for neuroenhancement among readers of the German “Handelsblatt” coming from the field of economics. Methods: Readers of the online edition of the Handelsblatt, a leading print and online medium for the field of economics, were invited to participate in a survey via a link on the journal homepage to complete a web-based questionnaire. Within the questionnaire, participants were asked for their gender, current age, current professional status, hours of work per week, prevalence rates of substance use for the purpose of neuroenhancement as well as for reasons of its use. Binary regression analyses with stepwise forward selection were used to predict the dependent variables “use of illicit and prescription drugs for neuroenhancement” (yes/no), “use of over-the-counter drugs for neuroenhancement” (yes/no), and “use of any drug for neuroenhancement” (yes/no). Results: A total of 1021 participants completed the anonymous survey. Lifetime prevalence for the use of any drug for neuroenhancement was 88.0% and for the use of illicit and prescription drugs for neuroenhancement 19.0%. Reasons and situations that predicted neuroenhancement with illicit and prescription drugs were “curiosity,” “to enhance mood,” ”for a confident appearance,” “stress/pressure to perform,” and “deadline pressure.” Discussion: The study shows that neuroenhancement with drugs is a widespread and frequent phenomenon among people belonging to the professional field of economics. Given in the literature that the use of drugs, especially prescription, and illicit drugs, may be associated with side effects, the high epidemic of drug use for neuroenhancement also shown in the present paper underlines the new public health concern of neuroenhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Dietz
- Department of Physical Activity and Public Health, Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz Graz, Austria
| | - Michael Soyka
- Private Clinic Meiringen, Clinic for Psychiatry and PsychotherapyMeiringen, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilian UniversityMunich, Germany
| | - Andreas G Franke
- Department of Social Work and Education, University of Neubrandenburg Neubrandenburg, Germany
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Negreira N, Erratico C, van Nuijs AL, Covaci A. Identification of in vitro metabolites of ethylphenidate by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2016; 117:474-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2015.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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McCall AK, Bade R, Kinyua J, Lai FY, Thai PK, Covaci A, Bijlsma L, van Nuijs ALN, Ort C. Critical review on the stability of illicit drugs in sewers and wastewater samples. WATER RESEARCH 2016; 88:933-947. [PMID: 26618807 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2015.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) applies advanced analytical methods to quantify drug residues in wastewater with the aim to estimate illicit drug use at the population level. Transformation processes during transport in sewers (chemical and biological reactors) and storage of wastewater samples before analysis are expected to change concentrations of different drugs to varying degrees. Ignoring transformation for drugs with low to medium stability will lead to an unknown degree of systematic under- or overestimation of drug use, which should be avoided. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge related to the stability of commonly investigated drugs and, furthermore, suggest a more effective approach to future experiments. From over 100 WBE studies, around 50 mentioned the importance of stability and 24 included tests in wastewater. Most focused on in-sample stability (i.e., sample preparation, preservation and storage) and some extrapolated to in-sewer stability (i.e., during transport in real sewers). While consistent results were reported for rather stable compounds (e.g., MDMA and methamphetamine), a varying range of stability under different or similar conditions was observed for other compounds (e.g., cocaine, amphetamine and morphine). Wastewater composition can vary considerably over time, and different conditions prevail in different sewer systems. In summary, this indicates that more systematic studies are needed to: i) cover the range of possible conditions in sewers and ii) compare results more objectively. To facilitate the latter, we propose a set of parameters that should be reported for in-sewer stability experiments. Finally, a best practice of sample collection, preservation, and preparation before analysis is suggested in order to minimize transformation during these steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin McCall
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Richard Bade
- Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Juliet Kinyua
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp (UA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, Brisbane, QLD 4108, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, Brisbane, QLD 4108, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, International Laboratory for Air Quality & Health, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp (UA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda. Sos Baynat, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Alexander L N van Nuijs
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp (UA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christoph Ort
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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Kim KY, Lai FY, Kim HY, Thai PK, Mueller JF, Oh JE. The first application of wastewater-based drug epidemiology in five South Korean cities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 524-525:440-6. [PMID: 25933175 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Illicit drug consumption in five cities in South Korea was estimated by analyzing 17 drug residues in untreated wastewater samples collected during the Christmas and New Year period of 2012-13. Only methamphetamine, amphetamine, and codeine were detected at concentrations of tens of nanograms per liter or even lower concentrations in more than 90% of the samples. Other illicit drug residues (including cocaine, methadone, and benzoylecgonine) that have been detected frequently in wastewater from other countries were not found in this study. Methamphetamine was found to be the most widely used illicit drug in South Korea, and the estimated average consumption rate was 22 mg d(-1) (1000 people)(-1). This rate is, for example, 2-5 times lower than the estimated average consumption rates in Hong Kong and other parts of China and 4-80 times lower than the estimated average consumption rates in cities in Western countries. It should be noted that the wastewater samples analyzed in this study were collected during a holiday season, when daily consumption of illicit drugs is often higher than on an average day. The methamphetamine usage rates were calculated for different cities in South Korea, and the usage rates in smaller cities was higher (2-4 times) than the average.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Yong Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Hee-Young Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Phong K Thai
- The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia.
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
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Kaland ME, Klein-Schwartz W. Comparison of lisdexamfetamine and dextroamphetamine exposures reported to U.S. poison centers. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2015; 53:477-85. [DOI: 10.3109/15563650.2015.1027903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Antel J, Albayrak Ö, Heusch G, Banaschewski T, Hebebrand J. Assessment of potential cardiovascular risks of methylphenidate in comparison with sibutramine: do we need a SCOUT (trial)? Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2015; 265:233-47. [PMID: 25149468 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-014-0522-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
With the recent approval of methylphenidate (MPH) for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults, the number of patients exposed will increase tremendously. The ongoing debate on the cardiovascular safety of MPH has triggered two large retrospective cohort studies in children and adolescents as well as in young to middle-aged adults. These studies looked into serious cardiovascular events (sudden cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction and stroke) as primary endpoints and concluded that MPH was safe after a mean duration of 2.1 years of follow-up in children and adolescents and mean duration of 0.33 years of current use in adults. The results are encouraging with respect to the short- and medium-term use of MPH. Without the inherent limitations of retrospective cohort studies, a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial in individuals stratified for cardiovascular risk factors would allow for an optimized risk assessment. With many millions of patients treated per year and drawing parallels to the lately discovered risks of sibutramine, another sympathomimetic with an overlapping mode of action and similar side effects on heart rate and blood pressure, we hypothesize that such a trial might be a dedicated risk mitigation strategy for public health. A critical assessment of cardiovascular side effects of MPH appears particularly warranted, because ADHD is associated with obesity, smoking and poor health in general. We summarize recent findings with the focus on cardiovascular risks of MPH in humans; we additionally analyze the limited number of rodent studies that have addressed cardiovascular risks of MPH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Antel
- Research-Unit of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, LVR-Klinikum Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, IG1 Virchowstr. 171, 45147, Essen, Germany,
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Heuett NV, Batchu SR, Gardinali PR. Understanding the magnitude of emergent contaminant releases through target screening and metabolite identification using high resolution mass spectrometry: Illicit drugs in raw sewage influents. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2015; 282:41-50. [PMID: 25174793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A QExactive Orbitrap was used for the identification of phase I and II transformation products (TPs) of illicit drugs in raw sewage influents. Two operating modes (targeted MS(2) and Data-dependent screening) were used for data acquisition. Even though, data-dependent scan is a faster route towards the potential identification of metabolites, it suffered from its limitation to provide enough data points across the chromatographic peak during the MS(2) cycle in contrast to targeted MS(2). Therefore, the later technique was implemented as the method of choice in this study for the positive confirmation and quantitation of TPs (n=54). The vast majority of the identified TPs were products of phase I transformation reactions, with the latter being more prevalent in the nature. Estimated mole fractions showed that for a large number of the analytes, TPs must also be monitored in order to fully understand their environmental fate and calculate potential consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nubia V Heuett
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA; Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Sudha Rani Batchu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA; Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Piero R Gardinali
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA; Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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Franke AG. [Brain doping in high stress periods]. MMW Fortschr Med 2014; 156:37. [PMID: 25510017 DOI: 10.1007/s15006-014-3632-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
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Franke AG, Bagusat C, Rust S, Engel A, Lieb K. Substances used and prevalence rates of pharmacological cognitive enhancement among healthy subjects. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2014; 264 Suppl 1:S83-90. [PMID: 25214391 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-014-0537-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological "cognitive enhancement" (CE) is defined as the use of any psychoactive drug with the purpose of enhancing cognition, e.g. regarding attention, concentration or memory by healthy subjects. Substances commonly used as CE drugs can be categorized into three groups of drugs: (1) over-the-counter (OTC) drugs such as coffee, caffeinated drinks/energy drinks, caffeine tablets or Ginkgo biloba; (2) drugs being approved for the treatment of certain disorders and being misused for CE: drugs to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) such as the stimulants methylphenidate (MPH, e.g. Ritalin(®)) or amphetamines (AMPH, e.g. Attentin(®) or Adderall(®)), to treat sleep disorders such as modafinil or to treat Alzheimer's disease such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; (3) illicit drugs such as illicit AMPH, e.g. "speed", ecstasy, methamphetamine (crystal meth) or others. Evidence from randomized placebo-controlled trials shows that the abovementioned substances have limited pro-cognitive effects as demonstrated, e.g. regarding increased attention, increased cognitive speed or shortening of reaction times, but on the same time poses considerable safety risks on the consumers. Prevalence rates for the use of CE drugs among healthy subjects show a broad range from less than 1 % up to more than 20 %. The range in prevalence rates estimates results from several factors which are chosen differently in the available survey studies: type of subjects (students, pupils, special professions, etc.), degree of anonymity in the survey (online, face-to-face, etc.), definition of CE and substances used/misused for CE, which are assessed (OTC drugs, prescription, illicit drugs) as well as time periods of use (e.g. ever, during the past year/month/week, etc.). A clear and comprehensive picture of the drugs used for CE by healthy subjects and their adverse events and safety risks as well as comprehensive and comparable international data on the prevalence rates of CE among healthy subjects are of paramount importance for informing policy makers and healthcare professionals about CE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas G Franke
- Department of Social Work and Education, University of Neubrandenburg, University of Applied Sciences, Brodaer Str. 2, 17033, Neubrandenburg, Germany,
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A survey of nonmedical use of tranquilizers, stimulants, and pain relievers among college students: patterns of use among users and factors related to abstinence in non-users. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 143:272-6. [PMID: 25150402 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study examined lifetime non-medical prescription drug use among college students at a small liberal arts college in the Northeast. We assessed the motives, frequency of use, sources, and perceived emotional/physical risks of nonmedical prescription drugs. Specifically, we examined the non-medical use of prescription pain relievers, stimulants, and anti-anxiety medication. METHODS We sent an internet-based survey to 1/3 of the student body and 303 students completed the survey. RESULTS We found that 36.8% of the sample reported using prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. First-year students were less likely to have used the drugs than those in other class years. Of those reporting use, 48% reported non-medical use of pain relievers, 72.8% reported using stimulants, and 39.8% reported using anti-anxiety medication. The most commonly used pain relievers were Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen), OxyContin (oxycodone), and codeine (acetaminophen/codeine). The most commonly used stimulants were Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) and Ritalin (methylphenidate), while the most commonly used anti-anxiety medication was Xanax (alprazolam). When non-users were asked what factors influenced their choice not to abuse prescription drugs, 82% cited a lack of interest, 61% responded it was due to a fear of damaging their physical health, and 60.1% responded fear of damaging their mental health. CONCLUSION This study supports recent findings that show widespread non-medical use of prescription drugs among college students. Our report brings a more detailed understanding of the patterns of drug usage, and the factors influencing both drug use in those who use them and abstinence in those who choose not to use them.
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van Dyken E, Thai P, Lai FY, Ort C, Prichard J, Bruno R, Hall W, Kirkbride KP, Mueller JF. Monitoring substance use in prisons: Assessing the potential value of wastewater analysis. Sci Justice 2014; 54:338-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2014.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Determination of benzodiazepines, related pharmaceuticals and metabolites in water by solid-phase extraction and liquid-chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2014; 1352:69-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2014.05.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Thai PK, O'Brien J, Jiang G, Gernjak W, Yuan Z, Eaglesham G, Mueller JF. Degradability of creatinine under sewer conditions affects its potential to be used as biomarker in sewage epidemiology. WATER RESEARCH 2014; 55:272-9. [PMID: 24631876 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 02/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Creatinine was proposed to be used as a population normalising factor in sewage epidemiology but its stability in the sewer system has not been assessed. This study thus aimed to evaluate the fate of creatinine under different sewer conditions using laboratory sewer reactors. The results showed that while creatinine was stable in wastewater only, it degraded quickly in reactors with the presence of sewer biofilms. The degradation followed first order kinetics with significantly higher rate in rising main condition than in gravity sewer condition. Additionally, daily loads of creatinine were determined in wastewater samples collected on Census day from 10 wastewater treatment plants around Australia. The measured loads of creatinine from those samples were much lower than expected and did not correlate with the populations across the sampled treatment plants. The results suggested that creatinine may not be a suitable biomarker for population normalisation purpose in sewage epidemiology, especially in sewer catchment with high percentage of rising mains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phong K Thai
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia.
| | - Jake O'Brien
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia
| | - Guangming Jiang
- The University of Queensland, Advanced Water Management Centre, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Gernjak
- The University of Queensland, Advanced Water Management Centre, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- The University of Queensland, Advanced Water Management Centre, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Geoff Eaglesham
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- The University of Queensland, The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia
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Moore DR, Burgard DA, Larson RG, Ferm M. Psychostimulant use among college students during periods of high and low stress: an interdisciplinary approach utilizing both self-report and unobtrusive chemical sample data. Addict Behav 2014; 39:987-93. [PMID: 24561016 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
This study quantified psychostimulant use patterns over periods of high and low stress from both self-report measures and chemical wastewater analyses and identified possible predictors of psychostimulant abuse on a college campus. Self-report data were collected at three times of varying stress levels throughout one college semester: during the first week of school (N=676), midterms (N=468), and shortly before final exams (N=400). Campus wastewater samples were collected over 72-hour periods during the same time frames as the surveys. The metabolites of Adderall and Ritalin were quantified through solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Samples were normalized with creatinine. Evidence was found to suggest an increase in psychostimulant use during periods of stress, with significant differences found from self-report data between the first week and midterms and from chemical data between these same two assessment periods as well as between the first week of classes and finals. Key predictors of lifetime non-prescriptive psychostimulant use included self-reported procrastination and poor time-management, use of other substances (especially nicotine/tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine), and students' perception of non-prescriptive psychostimulant use as normative on campus. The findings shed further light on psychostimulant use patterns among college students, particularly as a function of stress; the study also highlights the benefit of utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that uses both subjective and objective empirical data. The results have implications for prevention/intervention programs on college campuses designed to reduce stress and facilitate healthier coping.
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Hildt E, Lieb K, Franke AG. Life context of pharmacological academic performance enhancement among university students--a qualitative approach. BMC Med Ethics 2014; 15:23. [PMID: 24606831 PMCID: PMC3973848 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-15-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Academic performance enhancement or cognitive enhancement (CE) via stimulant drug use has received increasing attention. The question remains, however, whether CE solely represents the use of drugs for achieving better academic or workplace results or whether CE also serves various other purposes. The aim of this study was to put the phenomenon of pharmacological academic performance enhancement via prescription and illicit (psycho-) stimulant use (Amphetamines, Methylphenidate) among university students into a broader context. Specifically, we wanted to further understand students’ experiences, the effects of use on students and other factors, such as pressure to perform in their academic and private lives. Methods A sample of 18 healthy university students reporting the non-medical use of prescription and illicit stimulants for academic performance enhancement was interviewed in a face-to-face setting. The leading questions were related to the situations and context in which the students considered the non-medical use of stimulants. Results Based on the resultant transcript, two independent raters identified six categories relating to the life context of stimulant use for academic performance enhancement: Context of stimulant use beyond academic performance enhancement, Subjective experience of enhancement, Timing of consumption, Objective academic results, Side effects, Pressure to perform. Conclusions The answers reveal that academic performance enhancement through the use of stimulants is not an isolated phenomenon that solely aims at enhancing cognition to achieve better academic results but that the multifaceted life context in which it is embedded is of crucial relevance. The participants not only considered the stimulants advantageous for enhancing academic performance, but also for leading an active life with a suitable balance between studying and time off. The most common reasons given for stimulant use were to maximize time, to increase motivation and to cope with memorizing. According to the interviews, there is a considerable discrepancy between subjective experiences and objective academic results achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hildt
- Department of Philosophy, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Jakob Welder-Weg 18, D - 55099 Mainz, Germany.
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O'Brien JW, Thai PK, Eaglesham G, Ort C, Scheidegger A, Carter S, Lai FY, Mueller JF. A model to estimate the population contributing to the wastewater using samples collected on census day. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:517-25. [PMID: 24283359 DOI: 10.1021/es403251g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
An important uncertainty when estimating per capita consumption of, for example, illicit drugs by means of wastewater analysis (sometimes referred to as "sewage epidemiology") relates to the size and variability of the de facto population in the catchment of interest. In the absence of a day-specific direct population count any indirect surrogate model to estimate population size lacks a standard to assess associated uncertainties. Therefore, the objective of this study was to collect wastewater samples at a unique opportunity, that is, on a census day, as a basis for a model to estimate the number of people contributing to a given wastewater sample. Mass loads for a wide range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products were quantified in influents of ten sewage treatment plants (STP) serving populations ranging from approximately 3500 to 500 000 people. Separate linear models for population size were estimated with the mass loads of the different chemical as the explanatory variable: 14 chemicals showed good, linear relationships, with highest correlations for acesulfame and gabapentin. De facto population was then estimated through Bayesian inference, by updating the population size provided by STP staff (prior knowledge) with measured chemical mass loads. Cross validation showed that large populations can be estimated fairly accurately with a few chemical mass loads quantified from 24-h composite samples. In contrast, the prior knowledge for small population sizes cannot be improved substantially despite the information of multiple chemical mass loads. In the future, observations other than chemical mass loads may improve this deficit, since Bayesian inference allows including any kind of information relating to population size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake W O'Brien
- The University of Queensland , The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (Entox), 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, Australia
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