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Li W, Lu J, Zhao H, Zhao J, Yan Y, Xu Y. International Workers' Day: Consumption Patterns of Morphine, Codeine, and Methamphetamine in Urban and Rural Areas Based on Wastewater-Based Epidemiology. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 39221921 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a reliable means to estimate drug consumption in a specific population. By measuring the concentration of drug residues or metabolites in wastewater, the consumption behavior pattern of a specific population can be deduced. Using the WBE method, the present study, for the first time, continuously monitored the differences in the consumption of morphine (MOR), codeine (CODE), and methamphetamine (METH) in three wastewater-treatment plants in a city and two surrounding villages in Xinjiang, China during International Workers' Day and the following week. The wastewater samples were pretreated by solid-phase extraction and then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Methamphetamine was not detected in rural areas and was detected only on International Workers' Day in urban areas. According to the estimation of per capita consumption, the per capita consumption of MOR, CODE, and METH in urban inhabitants was 12.04 to 23.39, 10.44 to 16.39, and 1.31 mg/day/1000 inhabitants. The per capita consumption of MOR and CODE in rural areas was 5.19 to 8.35 and 2.56 to 3.52 mg/day/1000 inhabitants. The consumption of MOR in urban and rural areas was significantly higher than that of CODE and METH. During International Workers' Day, workdays, and weekends, the consumption of MOR and CODE in urban areas is significantly higher than that in rural areas. Compared with those on weekends, the consumption of urban MOR and CODE increased more during International Workers' Day. The consumption of MOR in urban areas showed a weekend effect. The present study can provide information for subsequent research and government departments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-9. © 2024 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jianjiang Lu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Haijun Zhao
- The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yujun Yan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yan Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
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Wang Z, Zheng Q, Tscharke BJ, Li J, O'Brien JW, Patterson B, Zhao Z, Thomas KV, Mueller JF, Thai PK. High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater. Talanta 2024; 277:126401. [PMID: 38876037 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines are important biomarkers for the estimation of tobacco use and human exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines that can be monitored by wastewater analysis. Thus far their analysis has used solid phase extraction, which is costly and time-consuming. In this study, we developed a direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of two tobacco-specific alkaloids and five nitrosamines in wastewater. The method achieved excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99) for all analytes, with calibration ranging from 0.10 to 800 ng/L. Method limits of detection and quantification were 0.17 ng/L (N-nitrosonornicotine, NNN) and 1.0 ng/L (N-nitrosoanatabine (NAT) and NNN), with acceptable accuracy (100 % ± 20 %) and precision (± 15 %). Analyte loss during filtration was < 15 %, and the relative matrix effect was < 10 %. The method was applied to 43 pooled wastewater samples collected from three wastewater treatment plants in Australia between 2017 and 2021. Anabasine and anatabine were detected in all samples at concentrations of 5.0 - 33 ng/L and 12 - 41 ng/L, respectively. Three of the five tobacco-specific nitrosamines (NAT, NNN, and (4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol) (NNAL)) were detected, in < 50 % of the wastewater samples, with concentrations nearly ten times lower than the tobacco alkaloids (< 1.0 - 6.2 ng/L). In-sewer stability of the nitrosamines was also assessed in this study, with four (NAT, NNAL, NNN, and N-nitrosoanabasine (NAB)) being stable (i.e. < 20 % transformation over 12 h in both control reactor (CR) and rising main reactor (RM) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) being moderately stable (< 40 % loss over 12 h in RM). This direct injection method provides a high-throughput approach in simultaneous investigation of tobacco use and assessment of public exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Jinglong Li
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | | | - Zeyang Zhao
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 4102, Australia
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Yavuz Guzel E, Atasoy Aydin A, Gören İE, Unuvar N, Daglioglu N. Estimation of anti-diabetes drug metformin in Turkiye using wastewater-based epidemiology. Drug Test Anal 2024. [PMID: 38296259 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evsen Yavuz Guzel
- Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Basic Science, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Aslı Atasoy Aydin
- Institute of Forensic Sciences, Department of Forensic Toxicology, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - İsmail Ethem Gören
- Institute of Forensic Sciences, Department of Forensic Toxicology, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | | | - Nebile Daglioglu
- Institute of Forensic Sciences, Department of Forensic Toxicology, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
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Yao Y, Wang J, Zhong Y, Chen W, Rao Y, Su M. Investigating alcohol consumption in China via wastewater-based epidemiology. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:24. [PMID: 38225512 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01829-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse and addiction is a public health issue of global concern. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a forceful and effective complementary tool for investigating chemical consumption. This study examined alcohol consumption in major cities of China via WBE and compared WBE estimates with other data sources. A simple and valid ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of two alcohol metabolites, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) in wastewater. The optimized method was applied to 62 sewage samples collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 31 provincial capital cities across China in the fourth quarter of 2020. The methodology established in this study was validated with the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) up to 0.1 μg/L, good linearity in the range of 0.1-50 μg/L, intra-day and inter-day precision less than 5.58% and 5.55%, respectively, and the recoveries of the extracts were higher than 97.14%. The consumption range of alcohol estimated via WBE was 6.09 ± 4.56 ethanol/person/day (EPD) in the capital cities of China. Alcohol consumption varies significantly between cities in China, with WBE estimating lower alcohol consumption than WHO and lower than foreign countries. Investing in alcohol consumption based on WBE has great potential to accurately and efficiently estimate alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yao
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingya Wang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuling Zhong
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenyu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulan Rao
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
| | - Mengxiang Su
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
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Sharfudeen YA, Cha HJ, Oh JE. Tracking methamphetamine and amphetamine consumption patterns in South Korea via enantiomeric analysis of wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166910. [PMID: 37689196 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166910] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as an effective method for monitoring a community's health status and lifestyle. In recent years, enantiomeric profiling has shown promise as a tool for tracing the sources of abused drugs through WBE. This study investigated amphetamine (AMP) and methamphetamine (METH) consumption in South Korea using enantiomeric analysis of untreated wastewater samples collected from 27 wastewater-treatment plants (WWTPs). Both AMP and METH were detected, with the predominant detection of S-(+)-METH indicating widespread illegal use of METH, which is primarily produced by a clandestine synthesis procedure that involves the reduction of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine. Most AMP/METH ratios in the samples were consistent with the expected METH excretion profile, indicating that the presence of AMP was primarily due to METH metabolism. However, R-(-) AMP was detected in 18.5 % and 25.9 % of wastewater samples in winter and spring, respectively, and the high AMP/METH ratio (>0.27) indicated potential AMP abuse. By differentiating between the sources of AMP and METH in wastewater, enantiomeric analysis could help authorities to target and address specific drug-abuse issues affecting the population more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasar Arafath Sharfudeen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jin Cha
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea; Institute for Environment and Energy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.
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Lu H, Liu W, Zhang H, Yang J, Liu Y, Chen M, Guo C, Sun X, Xu J. Investigation on consumption of psychoactive substances and their ecological risks using wastewater-based epidemiology: a case study on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:21815-21824. [PMID: 36279058 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23744-9] [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: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the third pole of the world, and information on the consumption of psychoactive substances (PSs) in this area is scarce. In this study, we selected Qinghai Province as the research area, and the per capita consumption and prevalence of PSs were investigated using wastewater-based epidemiology. Samples from 17 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 5 major cities in Qinghai Province were monitored, and 11 PSs were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results showed that the target compounds were detected in all samples, with relatively high concentrations of ephedrine (2.1-4825.3 ng/L) and methamphetamine (1.5-295.7 ng/L). The consumption of methamphetamine in Xining City, Haidong City, and Haixi City was up to 78.4, 16.8, and 21.2 mg/1000 inh/d (the PS consumption per 1000 inhabitants in 1 day), respectively, higher than that in the other two cities, which was the result of the different consumption patterns and its relationship with the economic levels of each city. High consumption of methadone (47.9 mg/1000 inh/day) was found in Xining City, which might be related to the methadone maintenance therapy sites in the city. Methamphetamine was the most prevalent drug, with the prevalence ranging from 0.003 (Guoluo) to 0.197% (Xining), and the prevalence of other PSs was low. The ecological risk assessment of PSs in the effluent of WWTPs showed that methadone exerted a low risk to aquatic organisms in three sites, while other substances posed potential risk or no risk. However, the long-term effect of PSs cannot be ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Wenxiu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Jiangtao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Miao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Changsheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiaolei Sun
- Akesu Regional Environment Monitoring Centre, Akesu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 843000, China
| | - Jian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Guzel EY. Monitoring of changes in illicit drugs, alcohol, and nicotine consumption during Ramadan via wastewater analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:89245-89254. [PMID: 35851933 PMCID: PMC9294780 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22016-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Illicit drug use is a global problem imposing social, economic, and health burdens on society. Wastewater-based epidemiology is an approach based on calculating the consumption of substances in the target population by analyzing the concentrations of human metabolic excretion products of licit and illicit substances in wastewater. This study estimated the changes in illicit drugs (cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), heroin, and marijuana (THC)), alcohol, and nicotine consumption in Adana Province during Ramadan compared to normal periods using wastewater-based epidemiology. An overall decrease was observed during the Ramadan Period, most strongly for ecstasy (29%) followed by heroin (19%). For cocaine, the variation was the slightest (8.6%). The differences were statistically significant for ecstasy, heroin, nicotine, and alcohol but not for cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. This study is the first to show changes in the use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and nicotine under the influence of religious beliefs. In addition, there is limited data about illicit drugs, alcohol and nicotine abusers/users in Ramadan. This study provides information on the literature on this subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evsen Yavuz Guzel
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
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Nazif-Munoz JI, Anakök GA, Joseph J, Uprajhiya SK, Ouimet MC. A new alcohol-related traffic law, a further reduction in traffic fatalities? Analyzing the case of Turkey. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2022; 83:195-203. [PMID: 36481009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2022.08.015] [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: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In June 2013, an alcohol-related traffic law took effect in Turkey. The law 6487 introduced administrative fines for not respecting blood alcohol concentration limits, health warning messages on alcohol containers (bottles, cans), and prohibited the sale of alcohol beverages in retail facilities between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.. This article examines how this law is associated with traffic fatality variation. METHODS Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute for the 2008-2019 period were analyzed. Outcomes were traffic fatality rates per 100,000 population and 10,000 motor vehicles. Exposure variable was the presence of law 6487. Alcohol, tobacco, and related beverages' household expenditure, unemployment rate, number of health professionals, number of crashes, and lags of the outcomes represented control variables. A time-series cross-regional fixed effect model was applied. RESULTS Empirical estimates suggest that the law 6487 was associated with a reduction of 15% (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) 0.85, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 082, 0.94) in the traffic fatality per population rate and with a reduction of 14% (IRR: 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.92) in the traffic fatality per motor-vehicle rate. After 6 years of its implementation, this intervention was associated with an absolute reduction of 1519 (95% reduction interval: 1177, 1810) traffic fatalities. CONCLUSIONS Our research emphasizes that legislation with direct and indirect measures targeting driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) may be related to traffic fatalities reduction. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This finding has important implications for policy and future research in contexts in which alcohol consumption is low such is in Turkey. Future research should seek to identify mechanisms that explain how laws are ultimately associated with DUIA variation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gül Anıl Anakök
- Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey; Kartepe District Health Directorate, Kocaeli, Turkey
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Thanh BX, Vu GT, Hue TTT, Zheng Q, Chan G, Anh NTK, Thai PK. Assessing changes in nicotine consumption over two years in a population of Hanoi by wastewater analysis with benchmarking biomarkers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 846:157310. [PMID: 35839874 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the actual change in consumption of nicotine (a proxy for smoking) in the population is essential for formulating tobacco control policies. In recent years, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been applied as an alternative method to estimate changes in consumption of tobacco and other substances in different communities around the world, with high potential to be used in resource-scarce settings. This study aimed to conduct a WBE analysis in Hanoi, Vietnam, a lower-middle-income-country setting known for high smoking prevalence. Wastewater samples were collected at two sites along a sewage canal in Hanoi during three periods: Period 1 (September 2018), Period 2 (December 2018-January 2019), and Period 3 (December 2019-January 2020). Concentrations of cotinine, 3-hydroxycotinine, and nicotine ranged from 0.73 μg/L to 3.83 μg/L, from 1.09 μg/L to 5.07 μg/L, and from 0.97 μg/L to 9.90 μg/L, respectively. The average mass load of cotinine estimated for our samples was 0.45 ± 0.09 mg/day/person, which corresponds to an estimated daily nicotine consumption of 1.28 ± 0.25 mg/day/person. No weekly trend was detected over the three monitoring periods. We found the amount of nicotine consumption in Period 1 to be significantly lower than in Period 2 and Period 3. Our WBE estimates of smoking prevalence were slightly lower than the survey data. The analysis of benchmarking biomarkers confirmed that cotinine was stable in the samples similar to acesulfame, while paracetamol degraded along the sewer canal. Further refinement of the WBE approach may be required to improve the accuracy of analyzing tobacco consumption in the poor sewage infrastructure setting of Vietnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bui Xuan Thanh
- Department of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam
| | - Giang T Vu
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tran Thi Thanh Hue
- Department of Pharmacology, National Institute of Drug Quality Control, Hanoi, Viet Nam; Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Viet Nam
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Gary Chan
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Nguyen Thi Kieu Anh
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Viet Nam.
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
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