1
|
Willoughby B, Room R, Jiang H, Kuntsche S, Anderson-Luxford D, Laslett AM. The extent and diversity of harm from the drinking of unknown others in Australia: An analysis of data from during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024. [PMID: 39353597 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This paper aims to produce a comprehensive estimate of alcohol's harm to others (AHTO) from strangers among Australia adults in 2021. This survey was undertaken during COVID-19 and aims to compare AHTO results with those from 12 years before and identify differences across socio-demographics. METHODS Cross-sectional data of 2574 Australian adults were collected in November 2021 via two survey modes: random digit dialling and the Life in Australia™ panel. Questions pertained to harms from the drinking of known and unknown others ('strangers') in the previous 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression is used to analyse differences in the experience of AHTO from strangers across age, gender and other socio-demographics. RESULTS Under half of Australian adults reported experiencing AHTO from a stranger (42.2%) during the period of COVID-19. Women were at significantly higher odds of reporting harm than men. Significantly higher percentages of participants aged 18-49 reported harm than those 65 and over. Rates of experience of harm from strangers' drinking varied between different Australian regions. Adults engaging in less frequent risky drinking (less than 4 days a month) reported significantly greater experiences of harm than those not engaging in risky drinking in the past year. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The current study provides a national estimate of AHTO from strangers in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finding greater risk of experiencing AHTO from strangers among women than men differs from previous AHTO literature, and further research is required to determine if this is an emerging trend.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bree Willoughby
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Robin Room
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heng Jiang
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sandra Kuntsche
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Anne-Marie Laslett
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- Care Economy Research Institute, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jaunay EL, Simpson BS, White JM, Gerber C. Amphetamine-type drug-related fatalities in the context of 8 years of methamphetamine use measured by wastewater analysis in South Australia. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:1137-1143. [PMID: 38197508 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3641] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Methamphetamine is the illicit stimulant of choice in Australia. Countless initiatives have been employed to reduce methamphetamine use and drug-related harm. Wastewater analysis (WWA) has been used effectively as an objective measure of drug use at a population level and can be compared to indicators of harm, such as the number of drug-related fatalities. This paper attempts to describe methamphetamine use in the context of changes in levels measured in wastewater in South Australia whilst recognising considerable interventions over an 8-year period. Validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods were used to determine methamphetamine (and MDMA) levels in wastewater over an 8-year interval. The number of drug-induced deaths and driver fatalities involving methamphetamine (and MDMA) was presented and described in the context of changes in use measured by WWA. A rise in methamphetamine use according to WWA was evident up to 2017, followed by a gradual decrease to 2020 back to 2015 levels. Both driver fatalities and drug-induced deaths correlated well with use measured by WWA over the 8-year period. Multiple initiatives to curb supply, distribution and harm within the state and nationally have been implemented. The decrease in methamphetamine use after 2017 suggests that timely interventions have successfully reduced overall drug use and has led to fewer fatalities. This study shows that the response to increasing methamphetamine use in South Australia has resulted in a reversal of the upward trend in consumption and fewer drug-related fatalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Jaunay
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bradley S Simpson
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jason M White
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cobus Gerber
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen S, Bade R, Tscharke B, Hall W, Thai P, He C, Ahmed F, Zheng Q, Choi PM, O'Brien JW, Mueller JF. Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135130. [PMID: 38991639 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135130] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of Australia's biggest cities, Melbourne, experienced three major isolation ("lockdown") periods in 2020 (160 days) and in 2021 (111 days) which makes it one of the most locked down cities world-wide. This study assessed how the pandemic affected temporal trends in methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine consumption using wastewater-based epidemiology. Daily samples were collected for most of 2020 and 2021 (n = 660 days). Concentrations were measured using direct-injection LC-MS/MS and back-calculated to consumption estimates. Results indicate that methamphetamine use was increasing before the first lockdown and decreased after the end of the first lockdown in 2020. Methamphetamine trends appeared to have remained steady throughout the second lockdown period before increasing steeply after it ended. For most of 2020, cocaine use remained steady, with an increase after the second lockdown. MDMA use decreased after the start of the first lockdown and remained steady throughout most of 2020 and 2021. In comparison to 2020, trends in 2021 were less variable and stimulant use did not appear to be as associated with COVID-19 restrictions. Overall, this study was able to show the impact of lockdown periods and the related social restrictions on illicit stimulant use. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Illicit drugs are hazardous chemicals, of concern both to humans and the environment. While studies have been undertaken to understand their temporal trends, this work utilizes wastewater-based epidemiology and daily sampling to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine on one of the most locked-down cities in the world. Understanding the consequences of this significant intervention on illicit drug use could provide valuable insights into its potential environmental impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Chen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Richard Bade
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Ben Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Phong Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Chang He
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Phil M Choi
- Water Unit, Health Protection and Regulation Branch, Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Boogaerts T, Van Wichelen N, Quireyns M, Burgard D, Bijlsma L, Delputte P, Gys C, Covaci A, van Nuijs ALN. Current state and future perspectives on de facto population markers for normalization in wastewater-based epidemiology: A systematic literature review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173223. [PMID: 38761943 PMCID: PMC11270913 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173223] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and wastewater surveillance have become a valuable complementary data source to collect information on community-wide exposure through the measurement of human biomarkers in influent wastewater (IWW). In WBE, normalization of data with the de facto population that corresponds to a wastewater sample is crucial for a correct interpretation of spatio-temporal trends in exposure and consumption patterns. However, knowledge gaps remain in identifying and validating suitable de facto population biomarkers (PBs) for refinement of WBE back-estimations. WBE studies that apply de facto PBs (including hydrochemical parameters, utility consumption data sources, endo- and exogenous chemicals, biological biomarkers and signalling records) for relative trend analysis and absolute population size estimation were systematically reviewed from three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS) according to the PRISMA guidelines. We included in this review 81 publications that accounted for daily variations in population sizes by applying de facto population normalization. To date, a wide range of PBs have been proposed for de facto population normalization, complicating the comparability of normalized measurements across WBE studies. Additionally, the validation of potential PBs is complicated by the absence of an ideal external validator, magnifying the overall uncertainty for population normalization in WBE. Therefore, this review proposes a conceptual tier-based cross-validation approach for identifying and validating de facto PBs to guide their integration for i) relative trend analysis, and ii) absolute population size estimation. Furthermore, this review also provides a detailed evaluation of the uncertainty observed when comparing different de jure and de facto population estimation approaches. This study shows that their percentual differences can range up to ±200 %, with some exceptions showing even larger variations. This review underscores the need for collaboration among WBE researchers to further streamline the application of de facto population normalization and to evaluate the robustness of different PBs in different socio-demographic communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Boogaerts
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Natan Van Wichelen
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Maarten Quireyns
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dan Burgard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón, Spain
| | - Peter Delputte
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Infla-Med Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Celine Gys
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alexander L N van Nuijs
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Exposome Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ceolotto N, Jagadeesan K, Xu L, Standerwick R, Robertson M, Barden R, Barnett J, Kasprzyk-Hordern B. Assessment of restriction measures implemented during COVID pandemics on community lifestyle choices via wastewater-based epidemiology. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134264. [PMID: 38640675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134264] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected lifestyle habits, and the mental health and wellbeing of people around the world. In this manuscript, two towns (Paulton and Radstock) and two cities (Bath and Bristol) in Southwest England (> 1 million people) were monitored for two years using Wastewater-Based Epidemiology to assess impacts of COVID (including management measures such as lockdowns and movement restrictions) on community lifestyle choices: illicit drugs, legal stimulants, abused pharmaceuticals and pain pharma usage. Results were triangulated with key dates captured during the pandemic (national lockdowns, restrictions and social distancing measures, etc.). This highlighted a reduction in cocaine intake (as benzoylecgonine) (community average: -36 %) during the first lockdown and an increase in illicit drugs usage after the 3rd national lockdown (community averages for amphetamine: +8 %, cocaine/benzoylecgonine: +39 %, ketamine:+70 %) when restrictions were removed, and social interaction and recreational activities increased. There was a reduction in the intake of caffeine (as 1,7-dimethylxanthine) (community average:-39 %) after 3rd national lockdown coinciding with pubs reopening while nicotine intake (via cotinine) remained stable indicating lack of impact of COVID on smoking habits. Pain pharma often used in pain management resulting from injuries linked with sport activities (naproxen and diclofenac) showed decrease in usage due to lockdown restrictions in physical exercise and access to gyms/sport facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Ceolotto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Institute for Sustainability, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | | | - Like Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Richard Standerwick
- Wessex Water, Bath BA2 7WW, UK; Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Julie Barnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Institute for Sustainability, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wilson MK, Phung K, Chappell A, Pilkington LI. Wastewater-based Epidemiology to Investigate Spatio-Temporal Trends in Alcohol Consumption in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Chem Asian J 2024:e202301120. [PMID: 38296799 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202301120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol is an influential drug that has extensive societal impact. In Aotearoa New Zealand, there are a number of worrying trends related to alcohol consumption including rates of alcohol-related harm and violence and heavy episodic drinking. To understand and address these issues, alcohol consumption rates and related trends need to be understood. A wastewater-based epidemiology study was carried out over the course of six months (April-September 2021), sampling one week per month from ten catchment areas covering ~40 % of the national population. The average alcohol consumption was found to be 12.2 mL/person/day. Temporal and geographical trends in alcohol consumption were found; there was higher alcohol consumption on the weekends compared to weekdays, alcohol consumption was inversely related to settlement size, there was increased alcohol consumption due to public holidays and alcohol consumption was not seen to increase during COVID restrictions, however there was a notable change in the weekly trend during lockdowns. This application of alcohol WBE to Aotearoa New Zealand represents a comprehensive national study to understand alcohol consumption and its influences. The knowledge obtained will allow appropriate services and public policies to be reviewed to best serve communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriama K Wilson
- School of Chemical Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau|University of Auckland, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Kaitlyn Phung
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) Ltd., 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Chappell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) Ltd., 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Lisa I Pilkington
- School of Chemical Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau|University of Auckland, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Verhagen R, Kaserzon SL, Thomas KV, Mueller JF, Tscharke BJ. Exploring drug consumption patterns across varying levels of remoteness in Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166163. [PMID: 37574069 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) relies on representative sampling that is typically achieved with autosamplers that collect time, flow, or volume proportional samples. The expense, resources and operational know-how associated with autosampler operation means they are only typically available at major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This results in a lack of data on consumption levels in regional and remote areas, or in countries that lack the financial means. The aim of this study was to estimate and investigate trends in drug consumption across varying levels of remoteness in Australia. Field-calibrated, microporous polyethylene passive samplers were deployed over 2 periods (Aug/Sept 2019 and 2020) at 43 treatment plants covering all five categories of remoteness, as per Australian Bureau of Statistics definitions (Major cities, Inner regional, Outer regional, Remote, and Very remote). The per capita consumption of cocaine, methylamphetamine, nicotine, oxycodone and MDMA were estimated. No spatial trends between remoteness and drug consumption were observed, except for cocaine, where Major cities had a 5-to-10-fold higher consumption compared to the other levels of remoteness in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Outer regional sites had the highest and lowest methylamphetamine consumption. The variance in drug use among sites was much higher in Remote (and Inner/Outer regional) sites when compared with Major cities. A significant and consistent decrease in oxycodone consumption was observed at all sites between 2019 and 2020, possibly related to regulatory changes and the COVID-19 pandemic where elective surgeries were suspended. The majority of sites experienced a decrease in cocaine and methylamphetamine consumption, possibly due to border restrictions or changes in supply and demand dynamics. This was the first extensive passive sampling study to assess drug consumption in urban, regional, and remote locations, demonstrating that passive samplers can facilitate extension of wastewater-based drug monitoring programs to sites where other representative sampling options are very difficult to implement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia..
| | - Sarit L Kaserzon
- 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
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rebucini A, Origo F, Schionato F, Romolo FS. Restrictive measures and substance use reporting: New evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 122:104238. [PMID: 37890390 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104238] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have been conducted on the impact of lockdown and containment measures on various aspects of individual and social behaviour, including substance use. The increasing body of literature investigating this phenomenon emphasizes the need for additional studies at the local level. We investigate changes in reported illicit drug consumption following changes in public measures limiting individual mobility in the province of Bergamo, one of the regions that faced the most severe consequences in terms of number of cases and death toll in the early stages of the pandemic. METHODS The empirical analysis is based on a unique dataset covering all people recorded by police forces as drug users between January 2019 and December 2021 in the province of Bergamo. Data relate to reports for illicit drug consumption and not criminal activities. RESULTS Estimates show that, during periods when individual mobility was severely limited, the probability of reported cannabis consumption decreased by 8-9%, while that of reported cocaine use increased by 6-12%. No significant changes emerge in the reported consumption of heroin or polysubstance. Furthermore, while reported cannabis use returned to pre-pandemic levels once the restrictive measures were eased, the increased likelihood of reported cocaine use appears to have been more long-lasting. These findings are robust to alternative estimation strategies and different model specifications. Our study also reveals significant gender, age and housing status disparities in reported drug use. CONCLUSION We provide a novel and distinctive perspective on the topic by using previously unexploited administrative data sources. We show that the relationship between restrictions and reported drug use varies by type of substance. Our methodology and findings can support the design of targeted policies for better resource allocation and improved public health outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rebucini
- Department of Economics, Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Via dei Caniana 2, 24127 Bergamo, Italy.
| | - Federica Origo
- Department of Economics, Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Via dei Caniana 2, 24127 Bergamo, Italy; IZA, Bonn, Germany
| | - Francesca Schionato
- Department of Law, Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Via dei Caniana 2, 24127 Bergamo, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang Z, Mueller JF, O'Brien JW, Thompson J, Tscharke BJ, Verhagen R, Zheng Q, Prichard J, Hall W, Humphreys K, Thomas KV, Thai PK. Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: Impact of COVID-19 restrictions. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120452. [PMID: 37604019 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120452] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Drug consumption in prisons is a concern for the safety of incarcerated people and staff. Typically, drug use prevalence in prisons is estimated through urinalysis and intelligence operations, which can be intrusive and stressful. An alternative approach, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), was used in this study to estimate the consumption of licit and illicit drugs for the entire population of a prison in Australia. Wastewater samples were collected from March to December 2020, covering periods of no restrictions and periods when prison access was restricted to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Target biomarkers were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The average consumption of common illicit drugs (MDMA, methamphetamine and cocaine) over the sampling period in the prison (0.5 - 4.5 mg/1000 people/day) was two to three orders of magnitude lower than in the community population (254 - 1000 mg/1000 people/day). Comparison of WBE estimates against pharmacy dispensing data suggested potential illicit buprenorphine consumption at the prison. Methamphetamine and buprenorphine use decreased when no visitors were allowed (18% - 72% decrease for methamphetamine; about half decrease for buprenorphine) and increased once these restrictions were eased (22% - 39% increase for methamphetamine; 44% - 67% increase for buprenorphine). The changes in drug use may be attributed in part to a reduction of drug trafficking into the prison from visitors or non-essential staffs and in part to the reduced contribution of urine from staff who used toilets within the prison. This study provided useful information on the scale of illicit drug use and extra-medical use of licit drugs in prison, and its changes under different security conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Organic Chemistry, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services (QHFSS), 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD 4171, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Jeremy Prichard
- Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 30, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Keith Humphreys
- Center for Innovation to Implementation, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Heath Care System, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chen S, Bade R, Tscharke B, Hall W, Livingston M, Thai P, He C, Zheng Q, Crosbie N, Mueller J. Assessing the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on alcohol consumption in Melbourne, Australia using high-resolution wastewater sampling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 893:164846. [PMID: 37327903 PMCID: PMC10264323 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on alcohol consumption in Australia remains unclear. High-resolution daily samples from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which served one of the largest cities in Australia, Melbourne, were analysed for temporal trends in alcohol consumption under extended periods of COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. Melbourne experienced two major lockdowns in 2020, which divided the year of 2020 into five periods (pre-lockdown, first lockdown, between lockdown, second lockdown and post second-lockdown). In this study, daily sampling identified shifts in alcohol consumption during different periods of restrictions. Alcohol consumption in the first lockdown period, when bars closed and social and sports events ceased, was lower than pre-lockdown period. However, alcohol consumption was higher in the second lockdown period than the previous lockdown period. There were spikes in alcohol consumption at the start and end of each lockdown (except for post lockdown). For most of 2020, the usual weekday-weekend variations in alcohol consumption were less evident but there was a significant difference in alcohol consumption between weekdays and weekends after the second lockdown. This suggests that drinking patterns eventually returned to normal after the end of the second lockdown. This study demonstrates the usefulness of high-resolution wastewater sampling in evaluating the effects on alcohol consumption of social interventions in specific temporal locations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Chen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Richard Bade
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Ben Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Michael Livingston
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Phong Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Chang He
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | | | - Jochen Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
de Oliveira AFB, de Melo Vieira A, Santos JM. Trends and challenges in analytical chemistry for multi-analysis of illicit drugs employing wastewater-based epidemiology. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:3749-3758. [PMID: 36952026 PMCID: PMC10034891 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04644-4] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for quantification of illicit drug biomarkers (IDBs) in wastewater samples is an effective tool that can provide information about drug consumption. The most commonly quantified IDBs belong to different chemical classes, including cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, opioids, and cannabinoids, so the different chemical properties of these molecules pose a challenge in the development of analytical methods for multi-analyte analysis. Recent workflows include the steps of sampling and storage, sample preparation using solid-phase extraction (SPE) or without extraction, and quantification of analytes employing gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The greatest difficulty is due to the fact that wastewater samples are complex chemical mixtures containing analytes with different chemical properties, often present at low concentrations. Therefore, in the development of analytical methods, there is the need to simplify and optimize the analytical workflows, reducing associated uncertainties, analysis times, and costs. The present work provides a critical bibliographic survey of studies published from the year 2020 until now, highlighting the challenges and trends of published analytical workflows for the multi-analysis of IDBs in wastewater samples, considering sampling and sample preparation, method validation, and analytical techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia Barbosa de Oliveira
- Petroleum, Energy and Mass Spectrometry Research Group (PEM), Chemistry Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Aline de Melo Vieira
- Petroleum, Energy and Mass Spectrometry Research Group (PEM), Chemistry Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Jandyson Machado Santos
- Petroleum, Energy and Mass Spectrometry Research Group (PEM), Chemistry Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Boogaerts T, Quireyns M, De Loof H, Bertels X, Van Wichelen N, Pussig B, Saevels J, Lahousse L, Bonmariage P, Hamelinck W, Aertgeerts B, Covaci A, van Nuijs ALN. Do the lockdown-imposed changes in a wastewater treatment plant catchment's socio-demographics impact longitudinal temporal trends in psychoactive pharmaceutical use? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162342. [PMID: 36842581 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) includes the analysis of human metabolic biomarkers of xenobiotics in influent wastewater. WBE complements existing drug utilization approaches and provides objective, spatio-temporal information on the consumption of pharmaceuticals in the general population. This approach was applied to 24-h composite influent wastewater samples from Leuven, Belgium. Daily samples were analysed from September 2019 to December 2019 (n = 76), and on three days of the week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) from January 2020 to April 2022 (n = 367). Sample analysis consisted of 96-well solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations of 21 biomarkers for antidepressant and opioid use were converted to population-normalized mass loads (PNML) by considering the flow rate and catchment population. To capture population movements, mobile phone data was used. Amitriptyline, hydroxy-bupropion, norcitalopram, citalopram, normirtazapine, trazodone, O-desmethylvenlafaxine, codeine, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), methadone, morphine, O-desmethyltramadol, and tramadol were included in the temporal assessment since concentrations were above the lower limit of quantification. The PNML of most biomarkers increased (with 3-119 %) throughout the sampling period. The population disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a major change in the socio-demographics of the catchment area, resulting in temporal differences in the PNML of the different biomarkers. As such, higher PNML were observed during the different lockdown phases, which were characterized by the outflow of university students and a decreasing commuting in and out the catchment area. The effects of the fluctuating socio-demographics of the catchment population were further evidenced by the different week-weekend pattern of PNMLs over the course of the sampling campaign. Mean parent/metabolite ratios (i.e., citalopram/norcitalopram, tramadol/O-desmethyltramadol, venlafaxine/O-desmethylvenlafaxine, and methadone/EDDP) remained relatively stable throughout the entire sampling campaign (RSD% below 25 % for all ratios, except for methadone/EDDP) and therefore were not affected by this population change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Boogaerts
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Maarten Quireyns
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Hans De Loof
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Xander Bertels
- Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Natan Van Wichelen
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Bram Pussig
- Academic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Saevels
- Association of Pharmacists in Belgium (APB), Rue Stevin 137, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lies Lahousse
- Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pauline Bonmariage
- Association of Pharmacists in Belgium (APB), Rue Stevin 137, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wouter Hamelinck
- Association of Pharmacists in Belgium (APB), Rue Stevin 137, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bert Aertgeerts
- Academic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Oertel R, Schubert S, Helm B, Mayer R, Dumke R, El-Armouche A, Renner B. Drug consumption in German cities and municipalities during the COVID-19 lockdown: a wastewater analysis. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 396:1061-1074. [PMID: 36633617 PMCID: PMC9836342 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-022-02377-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of illicit drugs, medicines, and pathogens in wastewater is a powerful tool for epidemiological studies to monitor public health trends. The aims of this study were to (i) assess spatial and temporal trends of population-normalized mass loads of illicit drugs and nicotine in raw wastewater in the time of regulations against SARS-CoV-2 infections (2020-21) and (ii) find substances that are feasible markers for characterizing the occurrence of selected drugs in wastewater. Raw sewage 24-h composite samples were collected in catchment areas of 15 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in urban, small-town, and rural areas in Germany during different lockdown phases from April 2020 to December 2021. Parent substances (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, carbamazepine, gabapentin, and metoprolol) and the metabolites of cocaine (benzoylecgonine) and nicotine (cotinine) were measured. The daily discharge of WWTP influents were used to calculate the daily load (mg/day) normalized by population equivalents (PE) in drained catchment areas (in mg/1,000 persons/day). A weekend trend for illicit drugs was visible with higher amounts on Saturdays and Sundays in larger WWTPs. An influence of the regulations to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections such as contact bans and border closures on drug consumption has been proven in some cases and refuted in several. In addition, metoprolol and cotinine were found to be suitable as marker substances for the characterization of wastewater. A change in drug use was visible at the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 crisis. Thereafter from mid-2020, no obvious effect was detected with regard to the regulations against SARS-CoV-2 infections on concentration of drugs in wastewater. Wastewater-based epidemiology is suitable for showing changes in drug consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reinhard Oertel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sara Schubert
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholzstrasse 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Björn Helm
- Institute of Urban and Industrial Water Management, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Robin Mayer
- Institute of Urban and Industrial Water Management, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 10, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Roger Dumke
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ali El-Armouche
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Bertold Renner
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Bade R, Rousis N, Adhikari S, Baduel C, Bijlsma L, Bizani E, Boogaerts T, Burgard DA, Castiglioni S, Chappell A, Covaci A, Driver EM, Sodre FF, Fatta-Kassinos D, Galani A, Gerber C, Gracia-Lor E, Gracia-Marín E, Halden RU, Heath E, Hernandez F, Jaunay E, Lai FY, Lee HJ, Laimou-Geraniou M, Oh JE, Olafsdottir K, Phung K, Castro MP, Psichoudaki M, Shao X, Salgueiro-Gonzalez N, Feitosa RS, Gomes CS, Subedi B, Löve ASC, Thomaidis N, Tran D, van Nuijs A, Verovšek T, Wang D, White JM, Yargeau V, Zuccato E, Mueller JF. Three years of wastewater surveillance for new psychoactive substances from 16 countries. WATER RESEARCH X 2023; 19:100179. [PMID: 37143710 PMCID: PMC10151418 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) over recent years has made their surveillance complex. The analysis of raw municipal influent wastewater can allow a broader insight into community consumption patterns of NPS. This study examines data from an international wastewater surveillance program that collected and analysed influent wastewater samples from up to 47 sites in 16 countries between 2019 and 2022. Influent wastewater samples were collected over the New Year period and analysed using validated liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry methods. Over the three years, a total of 18 NPS were found in at least one site. Synthetic cathinones were the most found class followed by phenethylamines and designer benzodiazepines. Furthermore, two ketamine analogues, one plant based NPS (mitragynine) and methiopropamine were also quantified across the three years. This work demonstrates that NPS are used across different continents and countries with the use of some more evident in particular regions. For example, mitragynine has highest mass loads in sites in the United States, while eutylone and 3-methylmethcathinone increased considerably in New Zealand and in several European countries, respectively. Moreover, 2F-deschloroketamine, an analogue of ketamine, has emerged more recently and could be quantified in several sites, including one in China, where it is considered as one of the drugs of most concern. Finally, some NPS were detected in specific regions during the initial sampling campaigns and spread to additional sites by the third campaign. Hence, wastewater surveillance can provide an insight into temporal and spatial trends of NPS use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Bade
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Nikolaos Rousis
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Sangeet Adhikari
- School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, United States
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, United States
| | - Christine Baduel
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Erasmia Bizani
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Tim Boogaerts
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Daniel A. Burgard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, United States
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrew Chappell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR), Christchurch Science Centre: 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Erin M. Driver
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, United States
- AquaVitas, LLC, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85251, United States
| | | | - Despo Fatta-Kassinos
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Aikaterini Galani
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Cobus Gerber
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emma Gracia-Lor
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisa Gracia-Marín
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, United States
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, United States
- AquaVitas, LLC, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85251, United States
- OneWaterOneHealth, Arizona State University Foundation, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, United States
| | - Ester Heath
- Jožef Stefan Institute and International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Felix Hernandez
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Emma Jaunay
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Heon-Jun Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Maria Laimou-Geraniou
- Jožef Stefan Institute and International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kristin Olafsdottir
- University of Iceland, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Kaitlyn Phung
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR), Christchurch Science Centre: 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Marco Pineda Castro
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Abbreviation:
| | - Magda Psichoudaki
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Xueting Shao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, No. 1 Linghai Road, Dalian, 116026, P. R. China
| | - Noelia Salgueiro-Gonzalez
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Bikram Subedi
- Department of Chemistry, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky 42071-3300, United States
| | - Arndís Sue Ching Löve
- University of Iceland, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Nikolaos Thomaidis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Diana Tran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, United States
| | - Alexander van Nuijs
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Taja Verovšek
- Jožef Stefan Institute and International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Degao Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, No. 1 Linghai Road, Dalian, 116026, P. R. China
| | - Jason M. White
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Abbreviation:
| | - Ettore Zuccato
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | - Jochen F. Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bimová P, Tulipánová A, Bodík I, Fehér M, Pavelka M, Castiglioni S, Zuccato E, Salgueiro-González N, Petrovičová N, Híveš J, Špalková V, Mackuľak T. Monitoring Alcohol Consumption in Slovak Cities during the COVID-19 Lockdown by Wastewater-Based Epidemiology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2176. [PMID: 36767542 PMCID: PMC9915052 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of alcohol in a population is usually monitored through individual questionnaires, forensics, and toxicological data. However, consumption estimates have some biases, mainly due to the accumulation of alcohol stocks. This study's objective was to assess alcohol consumption in Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Samples of municipal wastewater were collected from three Slovak cities during the lockdown and during a successive period with lifted restrictions in 2020. The study included about 14% of the Slovak population. The urinary alcohol biomarker, ethyl sulfate (EtS), was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). EtS concentrations were used to estimate the per capita alcohol consumption in each city. The average alcohol consumption in the selected cities in 2020 ranged between 2.1 and 327 L/day/1000 inhabitants and increased during days with weaker restrictions. WBE can provide timely information on alcohol consumption at the community level, complementing epidemiology-based monitoring techniques (e.g., population surveys and sales statistics).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Bimová
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Alexandra Tulipánová
- Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Igor Bodík
- Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Miroslav Fehér
- Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martin Pavelka
- Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, Limbová 2, 837 52 Bratislava, Slovakia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 201 56 Milan, Italy
| | - Ettore Zuccato
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 201 56 Milan, Italy
| | - Noelia Salgueiro-González
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via Mario Negri 2, 201 56 Milan, Italy
| | - Nina Petrovičová
- Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ján Híveš
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viera Špalková
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcka 129, 165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Mackuľak
- Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Psichoudaki M, Mina T, Savvidou M, Mina C, Michael C, Fatta-Kassinos D. Wastewater-based monitoring of illicit drugs in Cyprus by UPLC-MS/MS: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 854:158747. [PMID: 36108831 PMCID: PMC9467927 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158747] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 impacted through various ways the lives of millions of humans globally. In this work, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was applied to investigate the effect of the actions taken by the Republic of Cyprus to confine COVID-19 on the use of illicit stimulant drugs. Daily influent samples were collected from the six main wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of the country i) before lockdown (3-9 April 2019), ii) during lockdown (21-27 April 2020), iii) during the post-lockdown period (14-20 July 2020), and, iv) during each season of the following year (20-26 April 2021, 19-25 July 2021, 11-17 October 2021, 25 December 2021-2 January 2022), and analyzed for amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine. In most areas, amphetamine and methamphetamine use was not affected during the confinement period, but as availability of the substances decreased with time, a drop in their use was observed when most restriction measures were eased (up to 9- and 22-fold decrease, respectively). The limitations on social interactions and events during the quarantine period seem to have led to the reduction of MDMA and cocaine and driven a sharp decrease of their use in most areas studied (up to 11 and 6 times lower, respectively). However, the re-opening of activities led to a pronounced consumption increase, reaching maximum daily values of 800 and 2691 mg/1000 inhabitants/day, respectively. In 2021, drug use was re-established to lower levels. The examination of weekly patterns during this year revealed higher weekend use of methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine. Our results suggest that both the implementation and the easing of COVID-19 related measures affected the availability and the use of drugs. This study also provides the first insight on the consumption of illicit drugs in the Republic of Cyprus during pre-, post- and pandemic times and demonstrates the importance of WBE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Psichoudaki
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - T Mina
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - M Savvidou
- Cyprus National Addictions Authority, 2027 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - C Mina
- Cyprus National Addictions Authority, 2027 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - C Michael
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - D Fatta-Kassinos
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Boogaerts T, Bertels X, Pussig B, Quireyns M, Toebosch L, Van Wichelen N, Dumitrascu C, Matheï C, Lahousse L, Aertgeerts B, De Loof H, Covaci A, van Nuijs ALN. Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107559. [PMID: 36209600 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach to monitor alcohol consumption in the general population. This method measures concentrations of xenobiotic biomarkers (e.g., ethyl sulphate) in influent wastewater (IWW) and converts these to population-normalized mass loads (PNML, in g/day/1000 inhabitants) by multiplying with the flow rate and dividing by the catchment population. The aims of this case study were to: (i) investigate temporal trends in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) measure the effect of policy measures on alcohol consumption. Daily 24-h composite IWW samples (n = 735) were collected in the wastewater treatment plant of the university city of Leuven (Belgium) starting from September 2019 to September 2021. This is the first study that investigates alcohol use through WBE for a continuous period of two years on a daily basis. Mobile phone data was used to accurately capture population fluxes in the catchment area. Data was evaluated using a time series based statistical framework to graphically and quantitatively assess temporal differences in the measured PNML. Different WBE studies observed temporal changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the PNML of ethyl sulphate decreased during the first lockdown phase, potentially indicating that less alcohol was consumed at the Leuven area during home confinement. Contrastingly, alcohol use increased after the re-opening of the catering industry. Additionally, a decrease in alcohol use was observed during the exam periods at the University of Leuven and an increase during the holiday periods. The present study shows the potential of WBE to rapidly assess the impact of some policy measures on alcohol consumption in Belgium. This study also indicates that WBE could be employed as a complementary data source to fill in some of the current knowledge gaps linked to lifestyle behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Boogaerts
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Xander Bertels
- Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg, 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bram Pussig
- Academic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maarten Quireyns
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Louis Toebosch
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Natan Van Wichelen
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Catalina Dumitrascu
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Catherina Matheï
- Academic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies Lahousse
- Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg, 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bert Aertgeerts
- Academic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hans De Loof
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hahn RZ, Bastiani MF, Lizot LDLF, Schneider A, da Silva Moreira IC, Meireles YF, Viana MF, do Nascimento CA, Linden R. Long-term monitoring of drug consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in a small-sized community in Brazil through wastewater-based epidemiology. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 302:134907. [PMID: 35561781 PMCID: PMC9090174 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The abuse of legal and illegal drugs is a global public health problem, also affecting the social and economic well-being of the population. Thus, there is a significant interest in monitoring drug consumption. Relevant epidemiological information on lifestyle habits can be obtained from the chemical analysis of urban wastewater. In this work, passive sampling using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) was used to quantify licit and illicit drugs biomarkers in wastewater for the application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). In this WBE study, a small urban community of approximately 1179 inhabitants was monitored from 18 March 2020 to 3 March 2021, covering the mobility restriction and flexibilization periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Consumption was estimated for amphetamine, caffeine, cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, nicotine, and THC. The highest estimated consumption among illicit drugs was for THC (2369 ± 1037 mg day-1 1000 inh-1) followed by cocaine (353 ± 192 mg day-1 1000 inh-1). There was a negative correlation between consumption of caffeine, cocaine, MDMA, nicotine, and THC with human mobility, expressed by cellular phone mobility reports (P-value = 0.0094, 0.0019, 0.0080, 0.0009, and 0.0133, respectively). Our study is the first long-term drug consumption evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic, with continuous sampling for almost a whole year. The observed reduction in consumption of both licit and illicit drugs is probably associated with stay-at-home orders and reduced access, which can be due to the closure of commercial facilities during some time of the evaluated period, smaller drug supply, and reduced income of the population due to the shutdown of companies and unemployment. The assay described in this study can be used as a complementary and cost-effective tool to the long-term monitoring of drug use biomarkers in wastewater, a relevant epidemiological strategy currently limited to short collection times.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Zilles Hahn
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Frank Bastiani
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Lilian de Lima Feltraco Lizot
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Anelise Schneider
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | | | - Yasmin Fazenda Meireles
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Mariana Freitas Viana
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Augusto do Nascimento
- Department of Production Engineering, Faculdades Integradas de Taquara, Av. Oscar Martins Rangel, nº 4500, CEP 95612-150, Taquara, Brazil
| | - Rafael Linden
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, Universidade Feevale, Rua Rubem Berta, nº 200, CEP 93525-080, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil; National Institute of Forensic Science and Technology (INCT Forense), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
West H, Fitzgerald JL, Hopkins KL, Leeming MG, DiRago M, Gerostamoulos D, Clark N, Dietze P, White JM, Ziogas J, Reid GE. Trace residue identification, characterization, and longitudinal monitoring of the novel synthetic opioid β-U10, from discarded drug paraphernalia. Drug Test Anal 2022; 14:1576-1586. [PMID: 35562123 PMCID: PMC9542064 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Empirical data regarding dynamic alterations in illicit drug supply markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the potential for introduction of novel drug substances and/or increased poly-drug combination use at the "street" level, that is, directly proximal to the point of consumption, are currently lacking. Here, a high-throughput strategy employing ambient ionization-mass spectrometry is described for the trace residue identification, characterization, and longitudinal monitoring of illicit drug substances found within >6,600 discarded drug paraphernalia (DDP) samples collected during a pilot study of an early warning system for illicit drug use in Melbourne, Australia from August 2020 to February 2021, while significant COVID-19 lockdown conditions were imposed. The utility of this approach is demonstrated for the de novo identification and structural characterization of β-U10, a previously unreported naphthamide analog within the "U-series" of synthetic opioid drugs, including differentiation from its α-U10 isomer without need for sample preparation or chromatographic separation prior to analysis. Notably, β-U10 was observed with 23 other drug substances, most commonly in temporally distinct clusters with heroin, etizolam, and diphenhydramine, and in a total of 182 different poly-drug combinations. Longitudinal monitoring of the number and weekly "average signal intensity" (ASI) values of identified substances, developed here as a semi-quantitative proxy indicator of changes in availability, relative purity and compositions of street level drug samples, revealed that increases in the number of identifications and ASI for β-U10 and etizolam coincided with a 50% decrease in the number of positive detections and an order of magnitude decrease in the ASI for heroin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henry West
- School of ChemistryThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - John L. Fitzgerald
- School of Social and Political ScienceThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Katherine L. Hopkins
- School of ChemistryThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- School of Social and Political ScienceThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Michael G. Leeming
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology InstituteThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Matthew DiRago
- Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineSouthbankVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Forensic MedicineMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Dimitri Gerostamoulos
- Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineSouthbankVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Forensic MedicineMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Nicolas Clark
- North Richmond Community HealthRichmondVictoriaAustralia
- Addiction Medicine ServiceRoyal Melbourne HospitalParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Paul Dietze
- National Drug Research Institute and enAble InstituteCurtin UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jonathan M. White
- School of ChemistryThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - James Ziogas
- Department of Biochemistry and PharmacologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Gavin E. Reid
- School of ChemistryThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Biochemistry and PharmacologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology InstituteThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Estévez-Danta A, Bijlsma L, Capela R, Cela R, Celma A, Hernández F, Lertxundi U, Matias J, Montes R, Orive G, Prieto A, Santos MM, Rodil R, Quintana JB. Use of illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco in Spain and Portugal during the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 as measured by wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155697. [PMID: 35523346 PMCID: PMC9065690 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly worldwide in the year 2020, which was initially restrained by drastic mobility restrictions. In this work, we investigated the use of illicit drugs (amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis), and licit substances of abuse (alcohol and tobacco) during the earlier months (March-July 2020) of the pandemic restrictions in four Spanish (Bilbao and its metropolitan area, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Castellón and Santiago de Compostela) and two Portuguese (Porto and Vila do Conde) locations by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). The results show that no methamphetamine was detected in any of the locations monitored, while amphetamine use was only detectable in the two locations from the Basque Country (Bilbao and its metropolitan area and Vitoria-Gasteiz), with high estimated average usage rates (700-930 mg day-1 1000 inhabitant-1). The remaining substances were detected in all the investigated catchment areas. In general, no remarkable changes were found in population normalized loads compared to former years, except for cocaine (i.e. its main metabolite, benzoylecgonine). For this drug, a notable decrease in use was discernible in Castellón, while its usage in Porto and Santiago de Compostela seemed to continue in a rising trend, already initiated in former years. Furthermore, two events of ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA) dumping in the sewage network were confirmed by enantiomeric analysis, one in Santiago de Compostela just prior the lockdown and the second one in the Bilbao and its metropolitan area in July after relieving the more stringent measures. The latter could also be associated with a police intervention. The comparison of WBE with (web) survey data, which do not provide information at a local level, points towards contradictory conclusions for some of the substances, thereby highlighting the need for stable WBE networks capable of near real-time monitoring drug use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Estévez-Danta
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Constantino Candeira S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Ricardo Capela
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Group of Endocrine Disrupter and Emerging Contaminants, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP-Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rafael Cela
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Constantino Candeira S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alberto Celma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Félix Hernández
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Unax Lertxundi
- Bioaraba Health Research Institute, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, Araba Mental Health Network, Araba Psychiatric Hospital, Pharmacy Service, c/Alava 43, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, Spain
| | - João Matias
- European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 1249-289 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rosa Montes
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Constantino Candeira S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Gorka Orive
- NanoBioCel Group, Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; University Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Oral Implantology - UIRMI (UPV/EHU-Fundación Eduardo Anitua), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Singapore Eye Research Institute, The Academia, 20 College Road, Discovery Tower, Singapore; Bioaraba, NanoBioCel Research Group, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Ailette Prieto
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Basque Country, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PIE), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Miguel M Santos
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Group of Endocrine Disrupter and Emerging Contaminants, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP-Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rosario Rodil
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Constantino Candeira S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - José Benito Quintana
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Constantino Candeira S/N, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Adhikari S, Kumar R, Driver EM, Perleberg TD, Yanez A, Johnston B, Halden RU. Mass trends of parabens, triclocarban and triclosan in Arizona wastewater collected after the 2017 FDA ban on antimicrobials and during the COVID-19 pandemic. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 222:118894. [PMID: 35917669 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobials like parabens, triclosan (TCS), and triclocarban (TCC) are of public health concern worldwide due to their endocrine-disrupting properties and ability to promote antimicrobial drug resistance in human pathogens. The overall use of antimicrobials presumably has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas TCS and TCC may have experienced reductions in use due to their recent ban from thousands of over-the-counter (OTC) personal care products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). No quantitative data are available on the use of parabens or the impact the FDA ban had on TCC and TCS. Here, we use wastewater samples (n = 1514) from 10 different communities in Arizona to measure the presence of the six different antimicrobial products (TCS, TCC, and four alkylated parabens [methylparaben (MePb), ethylparaben (EtPb), propylparaben (PrPb), butylparaben (BuPb)]) collected before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using a combination of solid-phase extraction, liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and isotope dilution for absolute quantitation. The average mass loadings of all antimicrobials combined (1,431 ± 22 mg/day per 1,000 people) after the onset of the local epidemic (March 2020 - October 2020) were significantly higher (945 ± 62 mg/day per 1,000 people; p < 0.05) than before the pandemic (January 2019 - February 2020). Overall, parabens (∑Pbs = 999 ± 16 mg/day per 1,000 people) were the most used antimicrobials, followed by TCS (117 ± 14 mg/day per 1,000 people) and TCC (117 ± 14 mg/day per 1,000 people). After the 2017 U.S. FDA ban, we found a statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the mass loadings of TCS (-89%) and TCC (-80%) but a rise in paraben use (+72%). Mass flows of 3 of a total of 4 parabens (MePb, EtPb, and PrPb) in wastewater were significantly higher upon the onset of the epidemic locally (p < 0.05). This is the first longitudinal study investigating the use of antimicrobials during the COVID-19 pandemic by employing wastewater-based epidemiology. Whereas an overall increase in the use of antimicrobials was evident from analyzing Arizona wastewater, a notable reduction in the use of TCS and TCC was evident during the pandemic, triggered by the U.S. FDA ban.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sangeet Adhikari
- School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Rahul Kumar
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Erin M Driver
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Tyler D Perleberg
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Allan Yanez
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Bridger Johnston
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; OneWaterOneHealth, Nonprofit Project of the Arizona State University Foundation, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, 800 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Perkons I, Tomsone LE, Sukajeva V, Neilands R, Kokina K, Pugajeva I. Qualitative fingerprinting of psychoactive pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and related human metabolites in wastewater: A year-long study from Riga, Latvia. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2022; 10:108110. [PMID: 35959232 PMCID: PMC9355412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2022.108110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has become an unprecedented public health emergency causing immense societal and socio-economic consequences. Multiple studies have outlined that interventions to curb the spread of the virus are likely to have an effect on substance use patterns. In this study, we explored the presence of psychoactive pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and related human metabolites in 24-h composite wastewater samples that were collected weekly in 2021 from the central WWTP of Riga, Latvia. The analysis was performed via suspect screening approach using three separate high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) workflows, which relied on reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and direct infusion HRMS. In total, 39 out of 149 substances were detected throughout the sampling period. These include pharmaceuticals (mainly antiepileptics, antidepressants and antipsychotics), illicit drugs (e.g., MDMA, MDEA, cocaine, etc.) and new psychoactive substances (alpha-PVP). The results were evaluated in relation to COVID-19 incidence rate and the severity of containment and closure policies. For some compounds we observed temporal changes that may be potentially linked to the state of the pandemic. For instance, higher detection rates were observed for several illicit drugs during periods, when restrictions on public events were relaxed. Meanwhile, some psychoactive pharmaceuticals and drugs used to treat upper respiratory tract infections displayed increased prevalence in weeks when the national COVID-19 incidence rates were higher. However, without baseline reference data from previous years, it is difficult to discern how much of the relationships seen are linked to pandemic progression and seasonal variability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ingus Perkons
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", Lejupes Street 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia
| | - Laura Elina Tomsone
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", Lejupes Street 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia
| | - Veronika Sukajeva
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", Lejupes Street 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia
| | - Romans Neilands
- Riga Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Water, Engineering and Technology, Kipsalas Street 6B, Riga LV-1048, Latvia
- Riga Water Ltd., Dzintara Street 60, Riga LV-1016, Latvia
| | - Kristina Kokina
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", Lejupes Street 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia
- Riga Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Water Research and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Paula Valdena Street 1, Riga LV-1048, Latvia
| | - Iveta Pugajeva
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR", Lejupes Street 3, Riga LV-1076, Latvia
| |
Collapse
|