Assessing the trend of diabetes mellitus by analyzing metformin as a biomarker in wastewater

Estimation of the spatial pattern of gout prevalence across China by wastewater-based epidemiology

Gout is a metabolic arthritis caused by hyperuricemia. In recent years, the prevalence of gout has been increased significantly in China due to the improvement of the living standards, and gout has become another common metabolic disease following diabetes mellitus. Gout severely affects the health status and life quality of human. In order to monitor the near real-time prevalence of gout, a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach was carried out in 257 Chinese cities using febuxostat as the biomarker. Febuxostat in wastewater was measured by a LC-MS/MS method with satisfactory results of method validation. The average concentration of febuxostat in wastewater was 53.05 ± 31.76 ng/L, with the estimated per capita consumption of 124.40 ± 73.37 mg/day/1000 inhabitant. The calculated prevalence of febuxostat was 0.41 % ± 0.24 %, and the prevalence of gout was finally estimated to be 1.30 % ± 0.77 % (0.60 % to 2.11 %), which was nearly consistent with value of 1.10 % obtained from the Guideline for the diagnosis and management of hyperuricemia and gout in China (2019). The results indicated that the febuxostat-based WBE approach might be reasonable to assess the near real-time gout prevalence in China.

Wastewater-based estimation of diabetes mellitus prevalence in 237 cities: A cross-China study

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, has been witnessed as a rapidly escalating worldwide health crisis. China currently had 140.9 million diabetic population in 2021, which was the largest globally. DM has witnessed a significant surge in the past few decades, leading to an alarming rise in the overall burden caused by this disease. To monitor the near real-time DM prevalence and the consumption of first-line anti-diabetic drugs, a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach based on the back-calculation of metformin concentration was implemented in 237 cities in China. The quantitative analysis of metformin in wastewater was conducted by LC-MS/MS with satisfactory results of method validation. The average concentration of metformin in wastewater was 14.07 ± 13.16 μg/L, and the per capita consumption was 5.16 ± 2.08 mg/day/inh, ranging from 0.90 to 10.36 ± 4.63 mg/day/inh. The calculated metformin prevalence was found to be 0.52 % ± 0.28 %, and the final estimated DM prevalence was 11.33 % ± 4.99 %, which was nearly consistent with the result of the International Diabetes Federation survey of 9.98 %. The results suggested that metformin might be one of the suitable WBE biomarkers in DM monitoring and WBE strategy could potentially enable the estimation of DM prevalence in most of Chinese cities after reasonable correction of associated parameters.

Co-occurrence, toxicity, and biotransformation pathways of metformin and its intermediate product guanylurea: Current state and future prospects for enhanced biodegradation strategy

Accumulation of metformin and its biotransformation product "guanylurea" are posing an increasing concern due to their low biodegradability under natural attenuated conditions. Therefore, in this study, we reviewed the unavoidable function of metformin in human body and the route of its release in different water ecosystems. In addition, metformin and its biotransformation product guanylurea in aquatic environments caused certain toxic effects on aquatic organisms which include neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, production of ROS, and acetylcholinesterase disturbance in aquatic organisms. Moreover, microorganisms are the first to expose and deal with the release of these contaminants, therefore, the mechanisms of biodegradation pathways of metformin and guanylurea under aerobic and anaerobic environments were studied. It has been reported that certain microbes, such as Aminobacter sp. and Pseudomonas putida can carry potential enzymatic pathways to degrade the dead-end product "guanylurea", and hence guanylurea is no longer the dead-end product of metformin. However, these microbes can easily be affected by certain geochemical cycles, therefore, we proposed certain strategies that can be helpful in the enhanced biodegradation of metformin and its biotransformation product guanylurea. A better understanding of the biodegradation potential is imperative to improve the use of these approaches for the sustainable and cost-effective remediation of the emerging contaminants of concern, metformin and guanylurea in the near future.

Predicting environmental risks of pharmaceutical residues by wastewater surveillance: An analysis based on pharmaceutical sales and their excretion data

Pharmaceutical residues are increasingly becoming a significant source of environmental water pollution and ecological risk. This study, leveraging official national pharmaceutical sales statistics, predicts the environmental concentrations of 33 typical pharmaceuticals in the Tianjin area. The results show that 52 % of the drugs have a PEC/MEC (Predicted Environmental Concentration/Measured Environmental Concentration) ratio within the acceptable range of 0.5-2, including atenolol (1.21), carbamazepine (1.22), and sulfamethoxazole (0.91). Among the selected drugs, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and acetaminophen had the highest predicted concentrations. The EPI (Estimation Programs Interface) biodegradation model, a tool from the US Environmental Protection Agency, is used to predict the removal efficiency of compounds in wastewater treatment plants. The results indicate that the EPI predictions are acceptable for macrolide antibiotics and β-blockers, with removal rates of roxithromycin, spiramycin, acetaminophen, and carbamazepine being 14.1 %, 61.2 %, 75.1 %, and 44.5 %, respectively. However, the model proved to be less effective for fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The ECOSAR (Ecological Structure-Activity Relationships) model was used to supplement the assessment of the potential impacts of drugs on aquatic ecosystems, further refining the analysis of pharmaceutical environmental risks. By combining the concentration and detection frequency of pharmaceutical wastewater, this study identified 9 drugs with significant toxicological risks and marked another 24 drugs as substances of potential concern. Additionally, this study provides data support for addressing pharmaceutical residues of priority concern in subsequent research.

Estimating the prevalence of dyslipidemia by measuring fenofibrate in 33 cities in China

Dyslipidemia, recognized as a predominant risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), remains a pressing health concern worldwide, particularly in China with nearly 40 % of the population adversely suffering. Fenofibrate, as one of the most commonly used drugs for dyslipidemia therapy, excreted as the format of fenofibrate-acid, which showed considerable stability in sewage samples and could be detected as WBE-biomarkers to monitor the prevalence of dyslipidemia. In this work, we reported the first research on estimating the prevalence of dyslipidemia by WBE approach. 527 sewage samples from 33 cities in China were extracted by solid phase and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The detected concentration of fenofibrate acid in sewage was on an average of 120.5 ± 59.9 ng/L, and the reverse-calculated consumption of fenofibrate based on fenofibrate acid was 77.8 ± 25.0 mg/day/1000inh. Detailed analysis unveiled an average prevalence of fenofibrate at 0.056 % ± 0.018 %, and the dyslipidemia prevalence among the population aged over 15 was ultimately estimated to be 37.9 % ± 9.3 % and was in accordance with the China Cardiovascular research result of 40.4 %, which proves that WBE is a substitutable approach of traditional epidemiological investigation methods due to its timeliness and cost-effectiveness. This study demonstrated that estimating dyslipidemia prevalence by WBE with metabolite fenofibrate acid as a biomarker is feasible in most Chinese cities.

Pharmaceutical and Recreational Drug Usage Patterns during and Post COVID-19 Determined by Wastewater-Based Epidemiology

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was applied to evaluate the consumption trends of pharmaceuticals (i.e., antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antiepileptics, antihypertensives, and others), as well as recreational drugs (caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine), in Latvia from December 2020 to July 2023. The time period covers both the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic periods; therefore, the impact of the implemented restrictions and the consequences of the illness in terms of the usage of pharmaceuticals thereon were investigated. Additionally, the seasonality and impact of the seasonal flu and other acute upper respiratory infections were studied. The results revealed that the pandemic impacted the consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, as well as several pharmaceuticals, such as antihypertensives, antidepressants, psychiatric drugs, and the painkiller ibuprofen. The findings suggest that the imposed restrictions during the pandemic may have had a negative effect on the population's health and mental well-being. Distinct seasonal trends were discovered in the consumption patterns of caffeine and alcohol, where lower use was observed during the summer. The seasonal consumption trends of pharmaceuticals were discovered in the case of antibiotics, the antiasthmatic drug salbutamol, and the decongestant xylometazoline, where higher consumption occurred during colder seasons.

Estimation of anti-diabetes drug metformin in Turkiye using wastewater-based epidemiology

Metformin is the most commonly used drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is dramatically increasing due to factors such as increasing obesity, physical inactivity, and aging of the population. Metformin analysis was carried out in composite wastewater samples seasonally collected from wastewater treatment plants in 10 cities in 2019 and 2020 30 cities in 2021 in Turkiye. Metformin was measured in all wastewater samples, with an average concentration of 97.81 μg/l in 2019, 75.19 μg/l in 2020, and 69.13 μg/l in 2021. This study was utilized to predict metformin usage in different sociodemographic regions in Turkiye using a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach. As a result of the analysis, the average metformin consumption in Turkiye was estimated to be 22.2 ± 9.6 [1.9-63.8] g/d/1,000 persons (mean ± SD [range]). Furthermore, these estimates were compared with data for time, sociodemographic characteristics, and patient numbers. Assessing the correlation with estimates and the socioeconomic classes of the cities in question revealed that cities with high-income levels had the lowest metformin use rate. Finally, the study provides supporting data aiding the development of public health strategies for decreasing the overall load of T2D across Turkiye.

Surveillance of COVID-19 and influenza A(H1N1) prevalence in China via medicine-based wastewater biomarkers

The simultaneous monitoring of individual or multiple diseases can be achieved by selecting therapeutic medicines used to treat the primary symptoms of the condition as biomarkers in wastewater. This study proposes a novel approach to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 and influenza A (H1N1) by selecting nine medicines to serve as biomarkers, including three antipyretics, three antivirals, and three cough suppressants. To verify our approach, wastewater samples were collected from seventeen urban and five rural wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in a Chinese city over a period of one year. The use of antipyretics increased notably during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the consumption of antivirals for influenza A (H1N1) rose in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, indicating a minor spike in the occurrence of influenza A (H1N1) after the COVID-19 pandemic. Fever is a significant symptom of COVID-19 and can serve as a reliable indicator of disease prevalence. Our research found that the prevalence of COVID-19 in urban areas was significantly higher (at 78.5 %, 95 % CI: 73.4 % - 83.9 %) than in rural areas (with a prevalence of 48.1 %, 95 % CI: 42.4 % - 53.8 %). The prevalence of COVID-19 in urban areas in this study was consistent with the data reported by the Chinese center for Disease Control and Prevention (82.4 %). Continuous monitoring of WWTPs in urban areas with fluctuating populations and complex demographics can provide early disease warning. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of evaluating community disease prevalence by selecting major therapeutic medicines as biomarkers in wastewater.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of human health-related protein markers for realizing real-time wastewater-based epidemiology

For effective implementation of the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach, real-time quantification of markers in wastewater is critical for data acquisition before data interpretation, dissemination, and decision-making. This can be achieved by using biosensor technology, but whether the quantification/detection limits of different types of biosensors comply with the concentration of WBE markers in wastewater is unclear. In the present study, we identified promising protein markers with relatively high concentrations in wastewater samples and analyzed biosensor technologies that are potentially available for real-time WBE. The concentrations of potential protein markers in stool and urine samples were obtained through systematic review and meta-analysis. We examined 231 peer-review papers to collect information regarding potential protein markers that can enable us to achieve real-time monitoring using biosensor technology. Fourteen markers in stool samples were identified at the ng/g level, presumably equivalent to ng/L of wastewater after dilution. Moreover, relatively high average concentrations of fecal inflammatory proteins were observed, e.g., fecal calprotectin, clusterin, and lactoferrin. Fecal calprotectin exhibited the highest average log concentration among the markers identified in stool samples with its mean value being 5.24 [95 % CI: 5.05, 5.42] ng/g. We identified 50 protein markers in urine samples at the ng/mL level. Uromodulin (4.48 [95 % CI: 4.20, 4.76] ng/mL) and plasmin (4.18 [95 % CI: 3.15, 5.21] ng/mL) had the top two highest log concentrations in urine samples. Furthermore, the quantification limit of some electrochemical- and optical-based biosensors was found to be around the femtogram/mL level, which is sufficiently low to detect protein markers in wastewater even after dilution in sewer pipes.

Predicting micropollutant fate during wastewater treatment using refined classical kinetic model based on quantitative monitoring in multi-metropolitan regions of South Korea

This study aimed to implement an extensive prediction model for the fate of micropollutants (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Five WWTPs equipped with seven different biological treatment processes were monitored from 2020 to 2022 with three to four sampling events in each year, and 27 datasets for 20 MPs were collected. Among these datasets, 12 were used to investigate the behavior and fate of MPs in WWTPs in South Korea. Metformin, acetaminophen, caffeine, naproxen, and ibuprofen were the MPs with the highest influent concentrations (ranging from 3,933.3-187,637.0 ng L-1) at all WWTPs. More than 90% of MPs were removed by biological treatment processes in all WWTPs. The Kruskal-Wallis test verified that their efficacy did not differ statistically (p-value > 0.05). Meanwhile, to refine the performance of the prediction model, this study optimized the biodegradation rate constants (kbio) of each MP according to the variation of seasonal water temperature. As a result, compared to the original prediction model, the mean difference between the actual data and predicted results (MEAN) decreased by 6.77%, while the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) increased by 0.226. The final MEAN and NSE for the refined prediction model were calculated to be 5.09% and 0.964, respectively. The prediction model made accurate predictions, even for MPs exhibiting behaviors different from other cases, such as estriol and atrazine. Consequently, the optimization strategy proposed in this study was determined to be effective because the overall removal efficiencies of MPs were successfully predicted even with limited reference datasets.

Dynamic population normalisation in wastewater-based epidemiology for improved understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence: a multi-site study

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable tool for monitoring the circulation of COVID-19. However, while variations in population size are recognised as major sources of uncertainty, wastewater SARS-CoV-2 measurements are not routinely population-normalised. This paper aims to determine whether dynamic population normalisation significantly alters SARS-CoV-2 dynamics observed through wastewater monitoring, and whether it is beneficial or necessary to provide an understanding of COVID-19 epidemiology. Data from 394 sites in England are used, and normalisation is implemented based on ammoniacal nitrogen and orthophosphate concentrations. Raw and normalised wastewater SARS-CoV-2 metrics are evaluated at the site and spatially aggregated levels are compared against indicators of prevalence based on the Coronavirus Infection Survey and Test and Trace polymerase chain reaction test results. Normalisation is shown, on average, to have a limited impact on overall temporal trends. However, significant variability in the degree to which it affects local-level trends is observed. This is not evident from previous WBE studies focused on single sites and, critically, demonstrates that while the impact of normalisation on SARS-CoV-2 trends is small on average, this may not always be the case. When averaged across many sites, normalisation strengthens the correlation between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 data and prevalence indicators; however, confidence in the improvement is low.

Occurrence, fate, seasonal variability, and risk assessment of twelve triazine herbicides and eight related derivatives in source, treated, and tap water of Wuhan, Central China

Triazine herbicides have been widely used, are frequently detected in aqueous environments and soils, and can cause acute or chronic toxicity to living organisms. We collected source water samples (n = 20) originating from the Hanshui River and the Yangtze River of Wuhan section, treated water samples (n = 20), and tap water samples (n = 169) in Wuhan, Central China during 2019 for determination of twelve triazine herbicides and their eight derivatives (collectively defined as TZs) and characterizing their fate during water treatment. Eighteen of the twenty TZs were detected in the source water. Atrazine (ATZ) had the highest concentrations (median: 22.4 ng/L) in the source water samples while DACT had the highest concentrations (median: 31.4 ng/L) in the treated water. "Tryns" (ametryn, prometryn, simetryn, terbutryn) were efficiently removed by conventional water treatment, while other target analytes were not; interestingly, hydroxypropazine and prometon increased significantly accompanied by prometryn disappearance, which implicated potential transformation pathways. In addition, "tryns" might be transformed into "tons" (atraton, prometon, secbumeton, terbumeton) by ozonation. In the tap water samples, diaminochlorotriazine had the highest concentrations (median: 34.9 ng/L) among the target analytes, followed by ATZ (18.3 ng/L), hydroxyatrazine (5.17 ng/L), deethylatrazine (5.00 ng/L), hydroxypropazine (3.20 ng/L), deisopropylatrazine (2.05 ng/L), hydroxydesethylatrazine (1.68 ng/L), and others. The TZs had the highest cumulative concentration in July in the tap water samples (median: 89.7 ng/L). This study found that ozonation in combination with activated carbon was more efficient in removing triazine herbicides, although "tryns" could also be transformed during conventional treatment. Ecological risk assessment showed moderate risks posed by hydroxyterbuthylazine, prometryn, and simetryn; the Hanshui River had higher risks than the Yangtze River, and July had higher risks than February. Human exposure to the TZs via water ingestion was low compared to the reference doses. This study characterized the occurrence of some new emerging TZs in the source water, their fate during drinking water treatment, and their seasonal variability in the tap water.

Application of the metal ions as potential population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology: estimating tobacco consumption in Southern China

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an objective approach for the estimation of population-level exposure to a wide range of substances, in which the use of a population biomarker (PB) could significantly reduce back-calculation errors. Although some endogenous or exogenous compounds such as cotinine and other hormones have been developed as PBs, more PBs still need to be identified and evaluated. This study aimed to propose a novel method to estimate population parameters from the mass load of metal ion biomarkers in wastewater, and estimate the consumption of tobacco in 24 cities in Southern China using the developed method. Daily wastewater samples were collected from 234 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 24 cities in Southern China. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was applied to determine the concentrations of common health-related metal ions in wastewater, including sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn), and compared them with the daily mass load of cotinine corresponding to catchment populations. The concentrations of cotinine in wastewater samples were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. There were clear and strong correlations between the target metal ion equivalent population and census data. The correlation coefficients (R) were R_K = 0.78, R_Na = 0.66, R_Ca = 0.81, R_Mg = 0.77, and R_Fe = 0.69, at p < 0.01 and R² > 0.6. Subsequently, the combination of WBE and metal ion PBs was used to estimate tobacco consumption. Daily consumption of nicotine was estimated to be approximately 1.76 ± 1.19 mg/d/capita, equivalent to an average of 13.0 ± 8.75 cigarettes/d being consumed by smokers. The data on tobacco consumption in this study were consistent with those in traditional surveys in Southern China. The metal ion potassium is an appropriate PB for reflecting the real-time population and could be used to evaluate the tobacco consumption in WBE study.

Knowledge graph of wastewater-based epidemiology development: A data-driven analysis based on research topics and trends

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has contributed significantly to the monitoring of drug use and transmission of viruses that has been published in numerous research papers. In this paper, we used LitStraw, a self-developed text extraction tool, to extract, analyze, and construct knowledge graphs from nearly 900 related papers in PDF format collected in Web of Science from 2000 to 2021 to analyze the research hotspots and development trends of WBE. The results showed a growing number of WBE publications in multidisciplinary cross-collaboration, with more publications and close collaboration between the USA, Australia, China, and European countries. The keywords of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals still maintain research hotness, but the specific research hotspots change significantly, among which the research hotspots of new psychoactive substances, biomarkers, and stability show an increasing trend. In addition, judging the spread of COVID-19 by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage has become the focus since 2020. This work can show the development of WBE more clearly by constructing a knowledge graph and also provide new ideas for the paper mining analysis methods in different fields.

Estimating the prevalence of hypertension in 164 cities in China by wastewater-based epidemiology

Hypertension is the most common chronic non-infectious disease and a severe problem for public health in China. There were 244.5 million people aged over 18 years in China who had hypertension in 2015, and hypertension-related death accounted for more than 25 % of all causes of death in China every year. To monitor the hypertension prevalence in near real-time, a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach by using metoprolol acid as a biomarker was conducted in 164 cities in China. LC-MS/MS was utilized to quantify metoprolol acid in sewage, and satisfactory method validation results were achieved. The average concentration of metoprolol acid in sewage was 943.1 ± 671.1 ng/L, and the back-calculated consumption of metoprolol based on metoprolol acid was 932.0 ± 390.5 mg/day/1000inh on average, ranging from 76.7 to 3275.7 mg/day/1000inh. The prevalence of metoprolol was estimated to be 0.83 % ± 0.35 %, and the estimated hypertension prevalence in the population aged over 15 years was ultimately assessed to be 28.56 % ± 10.44 % ranging from 14.28 % to 44.28 % and was consistent with the China Hypertension Survey result of 27.9 %. This research demonstrated that estimating hypertension prevalence by WBE with metoprolol acid as a biomarker is feasible in Chinese cities.

Occurrence of Z-drugs, benzodiazepines, and ketamine in wastewater in the United States and Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic

Z-drugs, benzodiazepines and ketamine are classes of psychotropic drugs prescribed for treating anxiety, sleep disorders and depression with known side effects including an elevated risk of addiction and substance misuse. These drugs have a strong potential for misuse, which has escalated over the years and was hypothesized here to have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) constitutes a fast, easy, and relatively inexpensive approach to epidemiological surveys for understanding the incidence and frequency of uses of these drugs. In this study, we analyzed wastewater (n = 376) from 50 cities across the United States and Mexico from July to October 2020 to estimate drug use rates during a pandemic event. Both time and flow proportional composite and grab samples of untreated municipal wastewater were analyzed using solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine loadings of alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, ketamine, lorazepam, nordiazepam, temazepam, zolpidem, and zaleplon in raw wastewater. Simultaneously, prescription data of the aforementioned drugs were extracted from the Medicaid database from 2019 to 2021. Results showed high detection frequencies of ketamine (90 %), lorazepam (87 %), clonazepam (76 %) and temazepam (73 %) across both Mexico and United States and comparatively lower detection frequencies for zaleplon (22 %), zolpidem (9 %), nordiazepam (<1 %), diazepam (<1 %), and alprazolam (<1 %) during the pandemic. Average mass consumption rates, estimated using WBE and reported in units of mg/day/1000 persons, ranged between 62 (temazepam) and 1100 (clonazepam) in the United States. Results obtained from the Medicaid database also showed a significant change (p < 0.05) in the prescription volume between the first quarter of 2019 (before the pandemic) and the first quarter of 2021 (pandemic event) for alprazolam, clonazepam and lorazepam. Study results include the first detections of zaleplon and zolpidem in wastewater from North America.

Sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 molecular markers in urban community sewersheds using automated viral RNA purification and digital droplet PCR

Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a strategy to identify, locate, and manage outbreaks of COVID-19, and thereby possibly prevent surges in cases, which overwhelm local to global health care networks. The WBE process is based on assaying municipal wastewater for molecular markers of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Standard processes for purifying viral RNA from municipal wastewater are often time-consuming and require the handling of large quantities of wastewater, negatively affecting throughput, timely reporting, and safety. We demonstrate here an automated, faster system to purify viral RNA from smaller volumes of wastewater but with increased sensitivity for detection of SARS-CoV-2 markers. We document the effectiveness of this new approach by way of comparison to the PEG/NaCl/Qiagen method prescribed by the State of Michigan for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring and show its application to several Detroit sewersheds. Specifically, compared to the PEG/NaCl/Qiagen method, viral RNA purification using the PerkinElmer Chemagic™ 360 lowered handling time, decreased the amount of wastewater required by ten-fold, increased the amount of RNA isolated per μl of final elution product by approximately five-fold, and effectively removed ddPCR inhibitors from most sewershed samples. For detection of markers on the borderline of viral detectability, we found that use of the Chemagic™ 360 enabled the measurement of viral markers in a significant number of samples for which the result with the PEG/NaCl/Qiagen method was below the level of detectability. The improvement in detectability of the viral markers might be particularly important for early warning to public health authorities at the beginning of an outbreak. Applied to sewersheds in Detroit, the technique enabled more sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 markers with good correlation between wastewater signals and COVID-19 cases in the sewersheds. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of several automated RNA purification systems, made by Promega, PerkinElmer, and ThermoFisher.

Metformin Contamination in Global Waters: Biotic and Abiotic Transformation, Byproduct Generation and Toxicity, and Evaluation as a Pharmaceutical Indicator

Metformin is the first-line antidiabetic drug and one of the most prescribed medications worldwide. Because of its ubiquitous occurrence in global waters and demonstrated ecotoxicity, metformin, as with other pharmaceuticals, has become a concerning emerging contaminant. Metformin is subject to transformation, producing numerous problematic transformation byproducts (TPs). The occurrence, removal, and toxicity of metformin have been continually reviewed; yet, a comprehensive analysis of its transformation pathways, byproduct generation, and the associated change in adverse effects is lacking. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the transformation fate of metformin during water treatments and natural processes and compile the 32 organic TPs generated from biotic and abiotic pathways. These TPs occur in aquatic systems worldwide along with metformin. Enhanced toxicity of several TPs compared to metformin has been demonstrated through organism tests and necessitates the development of complete mineralization techniques for metformin and more attention on TP monitoring. We also assess the potential of metformin to indicate overall contamination of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments, and compared to the previously acknowledged ones, metformin is found to be a more robust or comparable indicator of such overall pharmaceutical contamination. In addition, we provide insightful avenues for future research on metformin.

A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia

Metformin is the most widely used drug to treat type 2 diabetes. Monitoring spatial patterns of metformin use could provide new insights into treatment of type 2 diabetes and the distribution among populations. This study applied a wastewater-based epidemiological (WBE) approach to estimate metformin use in different populations across Australia and compared these estimates with traditional approaches of surveys and prescription data. Twenty-four-hour influent samples were collected from 75 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Australia in 2016 and analysed for metformin. Metformin was detected in all samples ranging in concentration from 8.2 to 191 µg/L (median 58 µg/L). Concentrations were converted to population-weighted average consumption at the national level, resulting in an average consumption of 28.6 g/day/1000 people across Australia, which was within 7% of estimates from national prescription statistics. In addition, results for five out of seven states had an estimated prevalence of type 2 diabetes within 20% compared to the traditional epidemiology surveys. Spatial patterns were also observed between urban and rural settings, with higher consumption rates of metformin found in Major Cities (22.5 ± 10.9 g/d/1000 people) and Inner Regional cities (25.4 ± 13.4 g/d/1000 people) than in Outer Regional (17.0 ± 8.1 g/d/1000 people) and Remote areas (15.1 ± 7.4 g/d/1000 people). Consumption estimates were also correlated against socioeconomic factors of the specific catchment areas. Greater metformin use was correlated with populations of lower education and income levels, while positive correlations were found between metformin consumption and consumption of allopurinol, caffeine and venlafaxine. Our study provides more evidence on the distribution of metformin use across Australia, which can be used to develop public health strategies to reduce the overall burden of type 2 diabetes in specific regions.

Estimating antibiotics use in major cities in China through wastewater-based epidemiology

Antibiotics have been widely used for disease treatment and may pose adverse effects on human health due to increasing presence of antibiotic-resistant genes in environment. Therefore, it is important to understand antibiotic use in a specific region or country. China is a major producer of antibiotic and has a large number of consumers. In this work, wastewater samples were collected from 76 wastewater treatment plants in 31 major cities covering all of the geographic regions of China. Concentrations of eight metabolites of sulfonamide, quinolone and macrolide antibiotics were determined. The consumption levels of corresponding antibiotics were estimated based on wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach. Desmethyl ofloxacin, desethylene norfloxacin, desmethyl azithromycin and N⁴-acetyl sulfamethoxazole were detected in all or the overwhelming majority of wastewater samples. The estimated ∑8Antibiotics consumption levels ranged from 275.1 ± 139.4 mg/1000 inh/d (Nanchang) to 3860.9 ± 1332.3 mg/1000 inh/d (Harbin) with a mean level of 1170.0 ± 452.1 mg/1000 inh/d. Quinolones accounted for the highest proportion (74.3%, national average contribution) in the total consumption level, with norfloxacin being the dominant one (38.4%), followed by ofloxacin (29.1%) and ciprofloxacin (6.8%). The ∑8Antibiotics consumption level in northern China (1517.0 ± 1022.8 mg/1000 inh/d) was statistically higher than the level in southern China (1060.7 ± 989.1 mg/1000 inh/d) (t-test, p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant difference was found between eastern (1256.2 ± 1105.1 mg/1000 inh/d) and western China (988.3 ± 474.5 mg/1000 inh/d) (t-test, p > 0.05). The overview of antibiotics consumption derived from this work can serve as a baseline to assess the implementation of related plans/policies in China.

Monitoring of a Broad Set of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewaters by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Evaluation of Heterogenous Catalytic Ozonation for Their Removal in a Pre-Industrial Level Unit

The removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) occurring in wastewater effluents, such as pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) and personal care products, pose a big research challenge since they can be a major source of pollution for water bodies and a danger to public health. The objective of this work was to perform a comprehensive monitoring of a broad set of PhACs (>130) in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) close to Thessaloniki (Greece), as well as to evaluate the potential of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation for the removal of CECs from wastewater through a continuous flow system. The high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis revealed the highest average concentrations for irbesartan (1817 ng/L). Antihypertensives along with antibiotics, psychiatrics, and β-blockers were found to aggravate the effluents. Removal efficiency after conventional treatment was >30%. The results from catalytic ozonation unit operation indicate that the introduction of a proper solid material that acts as catalyst can enhance the removal of CECs. A preliminary risk assessment using the risk quotient (RQ) revealed that irbesartan and telmisartan entail high acute risk. The overall results underline the urgent need to incessantly monitor PhACs and expand the toxicological studies to establish the sublethal and chronic effects on aquatic organisms.

Identification of biomarkers in wastewater-based epidemiology: Main approaches and analytical methods

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become popular to estimate the use of drugs of abuse and recently to establish the incidence of CoVID 19 in large cities. However, its possibilities have been expanded recently as a technique that allows to establish a fingerprint of the characteristics of a city, such as state of health/disease, healthy/unhealthy living habits, exposure to different types of contaminants, etc. with respect to other cities. This has been thanks to the identification of human biomarkers as well as to the fingerprinting and profiling of the characteristics of the wastewater catchment that determine these circumstances. The purpose of this review is to analyze the different methodological schemes that have been developed to perform this biomarker identification as well as the most characteristic analytical techniques in each scheme, their advantages and disadvantages and the knowledge gaps identified. We also discussed the future scope for development.

Occurrence, removal and mass loads of antiviral drugs in seven wastewater treatment plants with various treatment processes

Antiviral drugs are among the most common and important classes of pharmaceuticals to treat viral infections, however their continuous emission and persistence in the receiving environment has attracted increasing attention about their potential ecological risks. Here we investigated the occurrence, fate and mass load of 9 antiviral drugs for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and hepatitis B, in 7 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment processes in Guangdong, China. Totally, 8 target antiviral drugs were detected in the WWTPs influent wastewater, effluent wastewater and sludge, with maximal concentrations up to 7624 ng/L (telbivudine), 568 ng/L (telbivudine), and 2013 ng/g wet weight (telbivudine), respectively. The removal efficiency varied widely between different antiviral drugs, with the mean aqueous removal efficiency and total removal efficiency ranging from -6.2% (nevirapine) to 100% (lamivudine) and -1.2% (nevirapine) to 100% (lamivudine), respectively. Mass balance analysis showed that their elimination was mostly attributed to the biodegradation/biotransformation. The total back-estimated usage and emission of 9 target antiviral drugs were 77.8 t/y and 13.2 t/y in Guangdong province, China, respectively. Based on the sewage epidemiology approach, the consumption and emission of antiviral drugs in seven studied WWTPs were ranged at 2.31 mg/d/1000 people (nevirapine) to 4970 mg/d/1000 people (telbivudine), and 0 (lamivudine) to 900 mg/d/1000 people (telbivudine), respectively. Preliminary risk assessment showed that the antiviral drugs of zidovudine, ritonavir, lopinavir, and telbivudine in the receiving rivers could pose high ecological risks for aquatic environment. The findings from the present study illustrate the persistence of nevirapine in WWTPs, and provide essential evidence for further study into the development of wastewater treatment technologies.

Simultaneous Determination of Seven Antibiotics and Five of Their Metabolites in Municipal Wastewater and Evaluation of Their Stability under Laboratory Conditions

The selection and spread of antibiotic resistance poses risks to public health by reducing the therapeutic potential of antibiotics against human pathogens. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is potentially the most reliable approach to estimate antibiotics use. Previous WBE studies used parent antibiotics as biomarkers, which may lead to overestimation since parent antibiotics may be directly disposed of. Using metabolites as biomarkers can avoid this drawback. This study developed a simultaneous solid-phase extraction coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for analyzing 12 antibiotics and human metabolites in wastewater to help assess health risk. Optimum conditions were achieved using a PEP cartridge at pH 3.0. The extraction efficiencies were 73.3~95.4% in influent and 72.0~102.7% in effluent for most of the target analytes. Method detection limit ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 ng/L for influent wastewater and 0.03 to 0.7 ng/L for effluent wastewater. A stability experiment showed that sulfonamide parents and their metabolites were stable at 4 °C, −20 °C and −80 °C, while macrolides metabolites were more stable than their corresponding parents at 4 °C and −20 °C. Finally, the method was applied to measure these analytes in wastewater samples collected from three Beijing WWTPs and to derive apparent removal rates. All metabolites were detected in wastewater samples with concentrations ranging from 1.2 to 772.2 ng/L in influent, from <MDL to 235.6 ng/L in effluent. The apparent removal rates of five metabolites were above 72.6%. These results set a solid foundation for applying WBE to evaluate antibiotics use and its public health effects.

Current and future perspectives for wastewater-based epidemiology as a monitoring tool for pharmaceutical use

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.

Two-dimensional liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry as an effective tool for assessing a wide range of pharmaceuticals and biomarkers in wastewater-based epidemiology studies

The biomarkers used in wastewater-based epidemiology studies have a wide range of physicochemical properties, making simultaneous analysis extremely challenging or even impossible. So far, the majority of analytical procedures employed in this field have focused on specific classes or a limited number of analytes. The heart-cutting two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry technique (2D-LC-MS/MS) has enabled the incorporation of compounds with significantly different polarities in a single analytical method. In this study, a 2D-LC-MS/MS method has been developed and optimized for the simultaneous analysis of various biomarkers in wastewater, providing relevant information about lifestyle habits (the usage of alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine), health and well-being (pharmaceuticals), and a population size biomarker (5-HIAA) that is useful for correct calculation of human population during wastewater-based epidemiology studies. A single-laboratory validation procedure showed satisfactory analytical performance, with the mean trueness for most compounds falling in the range of 80÷110 % and the mean repeatability being less than 20 %. The applicability of the method was evaluated by testing 28 wastewater samples collected at different wastewater treatment plants in Latvia. The obtained results revealed the occurrence of 44 out of 62 selected biomarkers, with the lowest quantified concentration at 1.1 ng L^-1 in the case of xylometazoline and up to 148 μg L^-1 in the case of metformin and 156 μg L^-1 for caffeine.

Application of multi-parameter population model based on endogenous population biomarkers and flow volume in wastewater epidemiology

The consumption or prevalence of acesulfame, caffeine, paracetamol and amantadine was estimated by wastewater-based epidemiology based on a multi-parameter population model in 20 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Hebei province, China. To minimize the uncertainties contributed by population estimation in WBE, a multi-parameter population model was established based on the population biomarkers equivalent population and flow volume-population with the weight factors calculated by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). 4-Pyridoxic acid (4-PA), cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (trans-3'-OH-Cot) and 1,4-methylimidazole acetic acid (MIAA) were selected as population biomarkers. The estimated model population showed the highest correlations (r² = 0.97, p < 0.01) and lowest variation (one way-ANOVA, p = 0.82, mean variation: -0.1%) comparing to the census data, suggestion better population estimation. The estimated consumption of acesulfame, caffeine, paracetamol and amantadine was 6.7 ± 2.4 mg/day/inh, 50.5 ± 38.5 mg/day/inh, 61.5 ± 52.7 mg/day/inh and 0.52 ± 0.33 mg/day/inh, respectively. Meanwhile, the prevalence of paracetamol and amantadine was calculated to be 5.3% ± 4.5% and 0.28% ± 0.18%, respectively. The estimated results were consistent with that of previous researches in China and were also in accordance with the consumption calculated by sales data (acesulfame and paracetamol). Moreover, uncertainty study showed decrease in population-associated uncertainties by using a multi-parameter population model. The results demonstrated that the multi-parameter population model constructed in this research is feasible to apply in WBE and might lead to lower uncertainties in population estimation.

Spatial analysis of metformin use compared with nicotine and caffeine consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology in China

Monitoring the consumption of pharmaceuticals and licit drugs is important for assessing the needs of public health owing to the impact on individuals as well as society. The present work applied wastewater-based epidemiology to profile the spatial patterns of metformin, nicotine, and caffeine use and their correlations. Influent wastewater samples were collected from 27 wastewater treatment plants in 22 typical Chinese cities that covered all geographic regions of the country. The consumption of metformin ranged from 0.02 g/d/1000 inh to 8.92 g/d/1000 inh, whereas caffeine and nicotine consumption ranged from 4.33 g/d/1000 inh to 394 g/d/1000 inh and 0.17 g/d/1000 inh to 1.88 g/d/1000 inh, respectively. There were significant regional differences in the consumption of caffeine, with the highest consumption in East China and the lowest consumption in Northeast China. The consumption and concentration of caffeine were related to the gross domestic product and per capita disposable income of urban residents, respectively. There was a correlation between the concentrations of caffeine and cotinine (a nicotine metabolite), thereby indicating that individuals that use one of these substances are likely to use the other substance. A significant relationship was found between the concentration of metformin and cotinine, thereby implying that the use of tobacco may be correlated with type 2 diabetes. Co-analysis of these substances in wastewater may provide a more accurate picture of substance use situations within different communities and provide more information on human health, human behavior, and the economy. This report describes the newest study related to the consumption of metformin among the general population in China.

Effect of lockdown on wastewater characteristics: a comparison of two large urban areas

The effect of the lockdown imposed to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in France between March 14 and May 11, 2020 on the wastewater characteristics of two large urban areas (with between 250,000 and 300,000 inhabitants) was studied. The number of outward and inward daily commuters was extracted from national census databases related to the population and their commuting habits. For urban area A, with the larger number of daily inward commuters (110,000, compared to 53,000 for B), lockdown was observed to have an effect on the monthly load averages of chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total suspended solids and total phosphorus, all of which decreased (confidence level of 95%). This decrease, which varied between 20% and 40% and reached 45% for COD, can be related to the cessation of catering and activities such as hairdressing, which generate large amounts of graywater. The ammonium loads, due to the use of toilets before leaving for work and after returning from work, remained constant. In the case of urban area B, lockdown had no noticeable effect. More data would be necessary in the long term to analyze the effect of changes in the balance between ammonia and carbon sources on the operation of wastewater treatment plants.

Assessment of metformin, nicotine, caffeine, and methamphetamine use during Chinese public holidays

Metformin, nicotine, caffeine, and methamphetamine are widely used in China. However, the consumption pattern of these substances among the general population during Chinese public holidays may be different. Influent wastewater samples were collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Yingkou, China on public holidays (n = 6) and working days (n = 20) to examine the changes in metformin, nicotine, caffeine, and methamphetamine consumption. The consumption of metformin in the city ranged from 1.94 to 14.4 g d^-1 1000 people^-1, while that of nicotine, caffeine, and methamphetamine ranged from 0.46 to 2.18 g d^-1 1000 people^-1, 31.8-89.8 g d^-1 1000 people^-1, and 87.0-657 mg d^-1 1000 people^-1, respectively. The highest consumption of metformin, caffeine, and methamphetamine was observed during the Spring Festival. The results indicated that the consumption of these substances showed almost the same trend and was higher during the Spring Festival, which may be influenced by personal habits and traditional festival reunions. There is a correlation between the consumption of nicotine and caffeine. Moreover, there are correlations between the consumption of metformin and nicotine, caffeine, as well as methamphetamine. The information based on wastewater epidemiology and consumption behavior, suggests that drug use in the region requires more attention or monitoring during holidays.

Estimating the prevalence of hepatitis B by wastewater-based epidemiology in 19 cities in China

China has the world's largest burden of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, with 86 million HBV carriers, including 32 million chronic Hepatitis B patients. To monitor the HBV prevalence in near real-time, a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) method by using lamivudine as a biomarker was conducted in 19 cities in the Southern part of China. LC-MS/MS was utilized to quantify lamivudine in sewage, and satisfactory method validation results were achieved. The average concentration of lamivudine in sewage was 156.4 ± 107.1 ng/L, and the daily consumption was 30.1 ± 19.8 mg/day/1000inh in average ranging from 0.4 to 105.5 mg/day/1000inh. The prevalence of chronic Hepatitis B was estimated to be 2.5% ± 1.7% based on the prevalence of lamivudine usage, which was 0.035% ± 0.023%. Besides, the estimated HBV prevalence in population aged over 15 years in 19 cities was 6.8% ± 4.5% and was consistent with the previous statistical data of 7% in 2018. This research demonstrated that the estimation of HBV prevalence by WBE with lamivudine as a biomarker is feasible in big cities in Southern China.

Wastewater-based estimation of the prevalence of gout in Australia

Allopurinol, a first-line gout treatment drug in Australia, was assessed as a wastewater-based epidemiology biomarker of gout via quantification of the urinary metabolite, oxypurinol in wastewater. The in-sewer stability of oxypurinol was examined using laboratory-scale sewer reactors. Wastewater from 75 wastewater treatment plants across Australia, covering approximately 52% (12.2 million) of the country's population, was collected on the 2016 census day. Oxypurinol was quantified in the wastewater samples and population-weighted mass loads calculated. Pearson and Spearman rank-order correlations were applied to investigate any link between allopurinol, other selected wastewater biomarkers, and socio-economic indicators. Oxypurinol was shown to be stable in sewer conditions and suitable as a WBE biomarker. Oxypurinol was detected in all wastewater samples. The estimated consumption of allopurinol ranged from 1.9 to 32 g/day/1000 people equating to 4.8 to 80 DDD/day/1000 people. The prevalence of gout across all tested sewer catchments was between 0.5% to 8%, with a median of 2.9% nationally. No significant positive correlation was observed between allopurinol consumption and alcohol consumption, mean age of catchment population, remoteness or higher socioeconomic status. There was a significant positive correlation with selective analgesic drug use. Wastewater analysis can be used to study gout prevalence and can provide additional insights on population level risk factors when triangulated with other biomarkers.