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Ceolotto N, Jagadeesan K, Xu L, Standerwick R, Robertson M, Barden R, Barnett J, Kasprzyk-Hordern B. Understanding treatment of pain during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a two-year intercity longitudinal study using wastewater-based epidemiology. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134121. [PMID: 38636235 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134121] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a significant impact on the society, economy, and health of people around the world with consequences that need to be better understood for future pandemic preparedness. This manuscript provides insights into the usage of pharmaceuticals for pain treatment management throughout SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Four towns and cities with a total population of > 1 million people covering an area of 2000 km2 in South West England were monitored for twenty-four months. Results showed different patterns in pain pharma usage, with small towns having higher population normalised daily loads (PNDLs) than big cities for majority of pain killers studied. This is likely due to demographics of these cities with smaller cities having older population. Per capita consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increased compared to pre-pandemic usage in line with SARS-CoV-2 infections (ibuprofen and acetaminophen), while body pain drugs (diclofenac and naproxen) decreased in line with restrictions and closure of sports facilities. Changes in population normalised daily intake (PNDI) of pain killers were particularly apparent during the 1st and 3rd national lockdown. Comparison of PNDIs with prescriptions highlighted differences related to medication availability (OTC drugs) and patients' nonadherence (prescribed drugs). In addition, several instances of direct disposal events across the catchments were observed which raises an issue of lack of pharma compliance and general understanding of potential environmental impacts from pharma usage.
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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
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2
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Vogel E, Neyra M, Larsen DA, Zeng T. Target and Nontarget Screening to Support Capacity Scaling for Substance Use Assessment through a Statewide Wastewater Surveillance Network in New York. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:8518-8530. [PMID: 38693060 PMCID: PMC11097395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01251] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been widely implemented around the world as a complementary tool to conventional surveillance techniques to inform and improve public health responses. Currently, wastewater surveillance programs in the U.S. are evaluating integrated approaches to address public health challenges across multiple domains, including substance abuse. In this work, we demonstrated the potential of online solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry to support targeted quantification and nontargeted analysis of psychoactive and lifestyle substances as a step toward understanding the operational feasibility of a statewide wastewater surveillance program for substance use assessment in New York. Target screening confirmed 39 substances in influent samples collected from 10 wastewater treatment plants with varying sewershed characteristics and is anticipated to meet the throughput demands as the statewide program scales up to full capacity. Nontarget screening prioritized additional compounds for identification at three confidence levels, including psychoactive substances, such as opioid analgesics, phenethylamines, and cathinone derivatives. Consumption rates of 12 target substances detected in over 80% of wastewater samples were similar to those reported by previous U.S.-based WBE studies despite the uncertainty associated with back-calculations. For selected substances, the relative bias in consumption estimates was sensitive to variations in monitoring frequency, and factors beyond human excretion (e.g., as indicated by the parent-to-metabolite ratios) might also contribute to their prevalence at the sewershed scale. Overall, our study marks the initial phase of refining analytical workflows and data interpretation in preparation for the incorporation of substance use assessment into the statewide wastewater surveillance program in New York.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily
J. Vogel
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Milagros Neyra
- Department
of Public Health, Syracuse University, 444 White Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - David A. Larsen
- Department
of Public Health, Syracuse University, 444 White Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Teng Zeng
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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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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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.
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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
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Ceolotto N, Dollamore P, Hold A, Balne B, Jagadeesan KK, Standerwick R, Robertson M, Barden R, Kasprzyk-Hordern B. A new Wastewater-Based Epidemiology workflow to estimate community wide non-communicable disease prevalence using pharmaceutical proxy data. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132645. [PMID: 37793253 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132645] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
This manuscript introduces a new wastewater-based epidemiology workflow for estimation of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevalence by using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and pharmaceuticals/their metabolites as proxies for NCDs prevalence. 83 targets were selected (54 parent pharmaceuticals and 29 metabolites). Three critical aspects were tested: (i) Solid-Phase Extraction - Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry (SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS) method performance, (ii) biomarker stability under variable storage conditions (during sampling and long-term storage) and (iii) accounting for human metabolism in WBE back-calculations. High stability of most analytes was observed under tested storage conditions. A few exceptions include diazepam, dihydroketoprofen and 5-hydroxy-lansoprazole. Analyte recoveries varied between 75% and 125% for most analytes. MDLs ranged from 0.2 ng L-1 to 5.6 ng L-1, while MQLs from 0.2 ng L-1 to 16.8 ng L-1. The overall average method accuracy and precision were: 99.5% and 4.0% respectively. A fully validated method was tested using community wastewater in the Southwest of England to estimate pharmaceutical usage, test metabolism correction factors established and compare results with prescription data. The new WBE method for NCD approximation allowed for the estimation of the daily usage/intake of 69 NCD targets with a standardized approach and a consistent reporting format.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Ceolotto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Chemical Technologies, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Institute for Sustainability, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | | | - Angus Hold
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Bethany Balne
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | | | - Richard Standerwick
- Wessex Water Service Ltd., Claverton Down, BA2 7WW, Bath, UK; Environment Agency, Bristol, UK
| | - Megan Robertson
- Wessex Water Service Ltd., Claverton Down, BA2 7WW, Bath, UK
| | - Ruth Barden
- Wessex Water Service Ltd., Claverton Down, BA2 7WW, Bath, UK
| | - Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Chemical Technologies, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Institute for Sustainability, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Water and Innovation Research Centre, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
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Lee CS, Wang M, Nanjappa D, Lu YT, Meliker J, Clouston S, Gobler CJ, Venkatesan AK. Monitoring of over-the-counter (OTC) and COVID-19 treatment drugs complement wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023:10.1038/s41370-023-00613-2. [PMID: 38052940 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00613-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of wastewater-based epidemiology to track the outbreak and prevalence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in communities has been tested and validated by several researchers across the globe. However, the RNA-based surveillance has its inherent limitations and uncertainties. OBJECTIVE This study aims to complement the ongoing wastewater surveillance efforts by analyzing other chemical biomarkers in wastewater to help assess community response (hospitalization and treatment) during the pandemic (2020-2021). METHODS Wastewater samples (n = 183) were collected from the largest wastewater treatment facility in Suffolk County, NY, USA and analyzed for COVID-19 treatment drugs (remdesivir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)) and their human metabolites. We additionally monitored 26 pharmaceuticals including common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Lastly, we developed a Bayesian model that uses viral RNA, COVID-19 treatment drugs, and pharmaceuticals data to predict the confirmed COVID-19 cases within the catchment area. RESULTS The viral RNA levels in wastewater tracked the actual COVID-19 case numbers well as expected. COVID-19 treatment drugs were detected with varying frequency (9-100%) partly due to their instability in wastewater. We observed a significant correlation (R = 0.30, p < 0.01) between the SARS-CoV-2 genes and desethylhydroxychloroquine (DHCQ, metabolite of HCQ). Remdesivir levels peaked immediately after the Emergency Use Authorization approved by the FDA. Although, 13 out of 26 pharmaceuticals assessed were consistently detected (DF = 100%, n = 111), only acetaminophen was significantly correlated with viral loads, especially when the Omicron variant was dominant. The Bayesian models were capable of reproducing the temporal trend of the confirmed cases. IMPACT In this study, for the first time, we measured COVID-19 treatment and pharmaceutical drugs and their metabolites in wastewater to complement ongoing COVID-19 viral RNA surveillance efforts. Our results highlighted that, although the COVID-19 treatment drugs were not very stable in wastewater, their detection matched with usage trends in the community. Acetaminophen, an OTC drug, was significantly correlated with viral loads and confirmed cases, especially when the Omicron variant was dominant. A Bayesian model was developed which could predict COVID-19 cases more accurately when incorporating other drugs data along with viral RNA levels in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Shiuan Lee
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Mian Wang
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Deepak Nanjappa
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Yi-Ta Lu
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jaymie Meliker
- Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Sean Clouston
- Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Christopher J Gobler
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Arjun K Venkatesan
- New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
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Lawrence TI, Sims N, Kasprzyk-Hordern B, Jonnalagadda SB, Martincigh BS. Wastewater profiling of illicit drugs, an estimation of community consumption: A case study of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 335:122270. [PMID: 37516292 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122270] [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: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Estimation of community-wide consumption of illicit drugs through wastewater analysis is a new concept in Africa although widely applied in developed nations as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). It is an important tool that can be used in understanding supply and demand patterns of illicit drug use on a local, national, and international scale. Information on illicit drug use is currently limited in Africa, because of a lack of monitoring structures by governments and financial constraints. This study hopes to bridge that gap by contributing to Africa's baseline information on illicit drug use. This study provides the first application of wastewater analysis to quantitatively evaluate daily illicit drug use in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa by quantifying the major urinary excreted metabolites, called drug target residues (DTRs), in raw wastewater from four major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) sampled for a week. The results showed that cocaine was the dominant illicit drug consumed in the catchment followed by amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, with a per capita use of 360-3000 mg day-1 1000 inh-1, 47-800 mg day-1 1000 inh-1, 19-120 mg day -1 1000 inh-1, not detected (ND) to 4.9 mg day-1 1000 inh-1, and ND to 410 g day-1 1000 inh-1 respectively. The weekly usage patterns between the four WWTPs differed probably due to the lifestyle of the populace serving the different WWTPs. These results provide useful data on illicit drug use in eThekwini that can be utilised by public health agencies to implement suitable response strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tolulope I Lawrence
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
| | - Natalie Sims
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sreekantha B Jonnalagadda
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Bice S Martincigh
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
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Asadi A, Fakhri Y, Salimi Y, Daglioglu N, Tahmasebifard M, Aghajarinezhad M. Nicotine consumption rate through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review, meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:63416-63426. [PMID: 37084052 PMCID: PMC10119841 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27017-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), as a rapid tool, is used to measure and monitor illicit drug consumption in the population. This method is also used to bridge biomarkers of exposure, contaminants, and human health. Smoking cigarettes and tobacco use are everyday habits in nowadays community. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to calculate nicotine consumption globally. The related studies were retrieved within international databases including Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, up to February 2021. It included twenty-one articles containing 87 measurements covering 275.3 million people with total wastewater samples of 2250. Results showed that the highest and lowest nicotine consumption rate (mg/1000 inh./day) was in Portugal (5860) and Vietnam (1201), respectively. The global pooled nicotine consumption rate was 2476 mg/1000 inh./day (95% CI (2289-2663). Based on WBE results, the average daily cigarette smoked per smoker is 14 (95% CI: 10-18 cigarettes/inh./day), close to the value of 14.2 reported by the survey and interview studies. Risk assessment of the nicotine consumption rate through WBE was calculated by the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. In total, 82% of nicotine consumption measurements were located in the "risk" level (MOE < 100), and 18% of the MOE values were between 100-1000. The results reveal that nicotine consumption risks need immediate global and local action strategies. Finally, these findings are helpful for healthcare agencies and policy-makers to take action against tobacco use prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvar Asadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Yadolah Fakhri
- Food Health Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Yahya Salimi
- Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Nebile Daglioglu
- Institute of Forensic Sciences, Department of Forensic Toxicology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mina Tahmasebifard
- Students Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Maryam Aghajarinezhad
- Students Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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Xu L, Lu YT, Wu DF, Li X, Song M, Hang TJ, Su MX. Application of the metal ions as potential population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology: estimating tobacco consumption in Southern China. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37060434 PMCID: PMC10105154 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01558-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an objective approach for the estimation of population-level exposure to a wide range of substances, in which the use of a population biomarker (PB) could significantly reduce back-calculation errors. Although some endogenous or exogenous compounds such as cotinine and other hormones have been developed as PBs, more PBs still need to be identified and evaluated. This study aimed to propose a novel method to estimate population parameters from the mass load of metal ion biomarkers in wastewater, and estimate the consumption of tobacco in 24 cities in Southern China using the developed method. Daily wastewater samples were collected from 234 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 24 cities in Southern China. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was applied to determine the concentrations of common health-related metal ions in wastewater, including sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn), and compared them with the daily mass load of cotinine corresponding to catchment populations. The concentrations of cotinine in wastewater samples were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. There were clear and strong correlations between the target metal ion equivalent population and census data. The correlation coefficients (R) were RK = 0.78, RNa = 0.66, RCa = 0.81, RMg = 0.77, and RFe = 0.69, at p < 0.01 and R2 > 0.6. Subsequently, the combination of WBE and metal ion PBs was used to estimate tobacco consumption. Daily consumption of nicotine was estimated to be approximately 1.76 ± 1.19 mg/d/capita, equivalent to an average of 13.0 ± 8.75 cigarettes/d being consumed by smokers. The data on tobacco consumption in this study were consistent with those in traditional surveys in Southern China. The metal ion potassium is an appropriate PB for reflecting the real-time population and could be used to evaluate the tobacco consumption in WBE study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Ordos Central Hospital, No. 23 Yijinhuoluo Road, Ordos, 017000, China
| | - Yu-Ting Lu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Dong-Feng Wu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xuan Li
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Min Song
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Tai-Jun Hang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Meng-Xiang Su
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
- China National Narcotics Control Commission - China Pharmaceutical University Joint Laboratory on Key Technologies of Narcotics Control, No. 24 Tongjiaxiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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10
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Eaton CJ, Coxon S, Pattis I, Chappell A, Hewitt J, Gilpin BJ. A Framework for Public Health Authorities to Evaluate Health Determinants for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:125001. [PMID: 36520537 PMCID: PMC9754092 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is rapidly developing as a powerful public health tool. It can provide information about a wide range of health determinants (HDs), including community exposure to environmental hazards, trends in consumption of licit and illicit substances, spread of infectious diseases, and general community health. As such, the list of possible candidate HDs for WBE is almost limitless. Consequently, a means to evaluate and prioritize suitable candidates for WBE is useful, particularly for public health authorities, who often face resource constraints. OBJECTIVES We have developed a framework to assist public health authorities to decide what HDs may be appropriate for WBE and what biomarkers could be used. This commentary reflects the experience of the authors, who work at the interface of research and public health implementation. DISCUSSION To be suitable for WBE, a candidate HD should address a public health or scientific issue that would benefit from better understanding at the population level. For HDs where information on individual exposures or stratification by population subgroups is required, WBE is less suitable. Where other methodologies are already used to monitor the candidate HD, consideration must be given to whether WBE could provide better or complementary information to the current approach. An essential requirement of WBE is a biomarker specific for the candidate HD. A biomarker in this context refers to any human-excreted chemical or biological that could act as an indicator of consumption or exposure to an environmental hazard or of the human health state. Suitable biomarkers should meet several criteria outlined in this commentary, which requires background knowledge for both the biomarker and the HD. An evaluation tree summarizing key considerations for public health authorities when assessing the suitability of candidate HDs for WBE and an example evaluation are presented. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11115.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla J. Eaton
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Coxon
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Isabelle Pattis
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Chappell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Joanne Hewitt
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Porirua, New Zealand
| | - Brent J. Gilpin
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
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11
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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.
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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
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12
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Parra-Arroyo L, Martinez-Ruiz M, Lucero S, Oyervides-Muñoz MA, Wilkinson M, Melchor-Martínez EM, Araújo RG, Coronado-Apodaca KG, Velasco Bedran H, Buitrón G, Noyola A, Barceló D, Iqbal HM, Sosa-Hernández JE, Parra-Saldívar R. Degradation of viral RNA in wastewater complex matrix models and other standards for wastewater-based epidemiology: A review. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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13
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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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Severson MA, Cassada DA, Huber VC, Snow DD, McFadden LM. Population Health Metrics During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Correlative Pilot Study. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e40215. [PMID: 36219745 PMCID: PMC9578522 DOI: 10.2196/40215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has caused nearly 1 million deaths in the United States, not to mention job losses, business and school closures, stay-at-home orders, and mask mandates. Many people have suffered increased anxiety and depression since the pandemic began. Not only have mental health symptoms become more prevalent, but alcohol consumption has also increased during this time. Helplines offer important insight into both physical and mental wellness of a population by offering immediate, anonymous, cheap, and accessible resources for health and substance use disorders (SUD) that was unobstructed by many of the mandates of the pandemic. Further, the pandemic also launched the use of wastewater surveillance, which has the potential for tracking not only population infections but also consumption of substances such as alcohol. OBJECTIVE This study assessed the feasibility of using multiple public surveillance metrics, such as helpline calls, COVID-19 cases, and alcohol metabolites in wastewater, to better understand the need for interventions or public health programs in the time of a public health emergency. METHODS Ethanol metabolites were analyzed from wastewater collected twice weekly from September 29 to December 4, 2020, in a Midwestern state. Calls made to the helpline regarding housing, health care, and mental health/SUD were correlated with ethanol metabolites analyzed from wastewater samples, as well as the number of COVID-19 cases during the sampling period. RESULTS Correlations were observed between COVID-19 cases and helpline calls regarding housing and health care needs. No correlation was observed between the number of COVID-19 cases and mental health/SUD calls. COVID-19 cases on Tuesdays were correlated with the alcohol metabolite ethyl glucuronide (EtG). Finally, EtG levels were negatively associated with mental health/SUD helpline calls. CONCLUSIONS Although helpline calls provided critical services for health care and housing-related concerns early in the pandemic, evidence suggests helpline calls for mental health/SUD-related concerns were unrelated to COVID-19 metrics. Instead, COVID metrics were associated with alcohol metabolites in wastewater. Although this research was formative, with continued and expanded monitoring of population metrics, such as helpline usage, COVID-19 metrics, and wastewater, strategies can be implemented to create precision programs to address the needs of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie A Severson
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - David A Cassada
- Water Sciences Laboratory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Victor C Huber
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Daniel D Snow
- Water Sciences Laboratory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Lisa M McFadden
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
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15
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Xie R, Xu Y, Chen G, Zhang S. Experimental study on the effect of the split-type air-conditioner on the transmission of smoking pollutants in a room. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2022; 72:1113-1120. [PMID: 35862623 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2022.2104956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has become one of the most important sources of indoor air pollution. The study aimed to obtain the variation characteristics of typical air pollutant concentrations when people smoke in a closed room and explore the effect of the air-conditioner. A closed and air-conditioned room of 21 m2 was taken as the research object. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) were measured while 10 cigarettes were burnt in smoldering or smoking mode, with the air-conditioner on or off. The contents of nicotine in condensate samples were obtained by liquid chromatography. The impact of ETS on indoor air quality lasted for hours, causing typical pollutant concentrations to far exceed the Chinese standard. The PM2.5 produced by smoking was 11 times higher than by smoldering, but the TVOC produced by smoldering was more than by smoking. After one hour of the cigarette burning off, the PM2.5 concentration would be decreased by 96.1% with the air-conditioner on, in contrast to 67.9% with the air-conditioner off. Nicotine was detected in all samples of condensate from the air-conditioner. It is concluded that smoking cigarettes cannot be replaced by smoldering to evaluate the pollution of ETS. The air-conditioner has a positive effect on reducing the concentration of air pollutants produced by cigarette burning. More than 10% of the indoor nicotine may be taken away by condensate discharge, and its possible pollution should be paid attention to.Implications: This study provides new evidence of the effect of the split-type air-conditioner on ETS. The TVOC concentrations, which were less considered previously, were measured. PM2.5 concentration in human breathing zone can be reduced more quickly with the air-conditioner on. This study shows that there is a big difference in the concentrations of typical pollutants between smoking and smoldering. And it could be a guide for the formulation of relevant research methods. This study also demonstrates that the air conditioning condensate from the smoking room may contain nicotine. Attention should be paid to the recovery and utilization of such condensate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyi Xie
- Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiyang Xu
- Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Power Construction Corporation of China, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangming Chen
- Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaozhi Zhang
- Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
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16
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Jiménez-Rodríguez MG, Silva-Lance F, Parra-Arroyo L, Medina-Salazar DA, Martínez-Ruiz M, Melchor-Martínez EM, Martínez-Prado MA, Iqbal HMN, Parra-Saldívar R, Barceló D, Sosa-Hernández JE. Biosensors for the detection of disease outbreaks through wastewater-based epidemiology. Trends Analyt Chem 2022; 155:116585. [PMID: 35281332 PMCID: PMC8898787 DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) is a novel community-wide monitoring tool that provides comprehensive real-time data of the public and environmental health status and can contribute to public health interventions, including those related to infectious disease outbreaks (e.g., the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). Nonetheless, municipalities without centralized laboratories are likely still not able to process WBE samples. Biosensors are a potentially cost-effective solution to monitor the development of diseases through WBE to prevent local outbreaks. This review discusses the economic and technical feasibility of eighteen recently developed biosensors for the detection and monitoring of infectious disease agents in wastewater, prospecting the prevention of future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernando Silva-Lance
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, 64849, Mexico
| | - Lizeth Parra-Arroyo
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, 64849, Mexico
| | - D Alejandra Medina-Salazar
- Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto Tecnológico de Durango (TecNM-ITD), Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Blvd. Felipe Pescador 1830 Ote. Col. Nueva Vizcaya, Durango, Dgo, 34080, Mexico
| | - Manuel Martínez-Ruiz
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, 64849, Mexico
| | | | - María Adriana Martínez-Prado
- Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto Tecnológico de Durango (TecNM-ITD), Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Blvd. Felipe Pescador 1830 Ote. Col. Nueva Vizcaya, Durango, Dgo, 34080, Mexico
| | - Hafiz M N Iqbal
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, 64849, Mexico
| | | | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, C/Emili Grahit, 101, Edifici H2O, 17003, Girona, Spain
- College of Environmental and Resources Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
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17
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Preparation and application of nano petal-shaped covalent organic frameworks modified polystyrene-divinylbenzene- glycidylmethacrylate microspheres for the extraction of illicit drugs from wastewater. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1682:463505. [PMID: 36152484 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A novel nano petal-shaped covalent organic frameworks modified magnetic polystyrene-divinylbenzene-glycidylmethacrylate (NP-COF@Mag-PS/DVB/GMA) microsphere has been synthesized. It is a perfect combination of high productivity of PS/DVB/GMA microspheres and excellent enrichment efficiency of COF particles, and the excellent properties of NP-COF@Mag-PS/DVB/GMA microspheres are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The sorbent can extract illicit drugs via the reverse-phase interactions provided by benzene ring on the polymer backbone and the hydrogen bonding interactions provided by functional group (-NH-) on the COF particles. Based on using NP-COF@Mag-PS/DVB/GMA as sorbents, an easiness-to-handle of magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (Mag-dSPE) procedure is proposed for the simultaneous preconcentration of 12 illicit drugs from wastewater. The obtained results show high extraction efficiency of NP-COF@Mag-PS/DVB/GMA to illicit drugs with recoveries between 81.6 and 116%. Furthermore, a liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of 12 illicit drugs from wastewater at sub-ppt levels has been proposed and validated with the pretreatment of samples by Mag-dSPE. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for the 12 illicit drugs are between 0.40 and 4.90 ng/L. Validation results on linearity, specificity, trueness and precision, as well as on application to the analysis of 12 illicit drugs in ten real samples demonstrate the applicability to environment monitoring analysis.
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18
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Driver EM, Gushgari AJ, Steele JC, Bowes DA, Halden RU. Assessing population-level stress through glucocorticoid hormone monitoring in wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155961. [PMID: 35588803 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Stress is oftentimes overlooked in societies, despite its life-threatening impact. Here, we assessed the feasibility of measuring endogenous stress hormones to estimate population-level stress by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Two primary glucocorticoids, cortisol and cortisone, were monitored in wastewater by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to assess changes in these physiological markers of stress in a student population (n = 26,000 ± 7100) on a university campus in the southwestern U.S. Daily composite samples were collected for seven consecutive days each month during the Fall (Autumn) 2017 and Spring 2018 academic semesters (n = 134). Reproducible weekly patterns were seen in stress hormone excretion, with the highest levels occurring on Mondays (124 ± 44 μg d-1 per person) and Tuesdays (127 ± 54 μg d-1 per person) and the lowest on Sundays (87 ± 32 μg d-1 per person). Stress levels on weekdays (defined by class schedules Monday-Thursday) were significantly higher than on weekends (p < 0.05). During both Fall and Spring semesters, per person stress levels of these hormones were significantly higher (p < 0.05) during the first two months of each semester, 162 ± 28 μg d-1 per person (August), 104 ± 29 μg d-1 per person (September), 180 ± 14 μg d-1 per person (January), and 114 ± 54 μg d-1 per person (February) than in the remaining measured weeks in the semester, including finals week captured in both semesters. Overall Spring semester stress levels (113 ± 45 μg d-1 per person) were significantly higher than the Fall (94 ± 42 μg d-1 per person), p < 0.01. This study is the first to demonstrate the utility of endogenous biomarkers, specifically glucocorticoid hormones, to monitor population health status (in this instance community stress) in near real-time by wastewater assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Driver
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Adam J Gushgari
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Joshua C Steele
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Devin A Bowes
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; OneWaterOneHealth, The Arizona State University Foundation, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, 800 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
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19
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Bowes DA, Driver EM, Halden RU. A framework for wastewater sample collection from a sewage cleanout to inform building-scale wastewater-based epidemiology studies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155576. [PMID: 35504397 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155576] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a public health tool utilized for drug surveillance, and more recently, infectious disease monitoring of SARS-CoV-2. Sample collection is historically performed at a wastewater treatment plant, however, at this spatial resolution, much information related to actionable and contextually relevant community health data may be lost. Sampling from within the sewer collection system is now being employed more widely, bringing unique challenges, including health and safety concerns related to sample collection. As proof of concept, we tested the efficacy of sampling at the building-level from a sewer cleanout at an undisclosed location in Greater Phoenix, AZ, USA, to (i) test the feasibility of wastewater sample collection from this alternative access point, (ii) assess the advantages and limitations experienced for both maintenance-hole and cleanout-level sampling, (iii) screen for chemical analytes to evaluate detectability, and (iv) create a sampling framework for future near-source WBE investigations. Results indicate that use of a sewer cleanout compared to a maintenance hole is cost-effective, practical, and safe, while still preserving the anonymity and privacy for the contributing population. Additionally, of the 37 biomarkers screened over two sampling events, 20 were detected that cover a wide range of human behavior, exposure, and activity, indicating use of a sewer cleanout to be entirely feasible for downstream analysis. This reported success of sewer cleanout sampling for WBE and corresponding framework may allow practitioners to isolate specific complexes or buildings of interest, while avoiding challenges that can arise from maintenance hole sampling, thus allowing for widescale implementation of WBE for public health purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin A Bowes
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Erin M Driver
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, AZ 85287-8101, USA; OneWaterOneHealth, The Arizona State University Foundation, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, 800 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
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20
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Driver EM, Bowes DA, Halden RU, Conroy-Ben O. Implementing wastewater monitoring on American Indian reservations to assess community health indicators. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153882. [PMID: 35304015 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Healthcare access and health-related information for American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) communities is often limited. A potential solution to acquire additional population level health data is through wastewater-derived measurements, a method termed wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), however, due to often remote locations with rudimentary wastewater infrastructure, the feasibility of implementing WBE on an AIAN reservation is unclear. In this study, we i) performed a preliminary assessment of percent connectivity of the top 10 most populous tribal reservations using available wastewater treatment facility information from the Environmental Protection Agency Enforcement and Compliance History Online database and satellite imagery, and ii) performed a sampling campaign on a select tribal reservation to measure common WBE indicators of health and behavior. Results indicate that, on average, approximately 81 ± 23% of tribal residents are connected to some form of aggregated wastewater collection system. On the sampled reservation, 6 communities comprising 7500 people were sampled across 160 km of reservation land using active samplers successfully deployed within the sewer network upstream of terminal lagoon systems. Results showed detectable levels of 7 opioids, 1 opioid maintenance medication, 5 stimulants, 1 hallucinogen, and chemical indicators of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and an over-the-counter cough suppressant. These results illustrated the feasibility in implementing WBE in rural and remote communities where information on community health may be lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Driver
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America
| | - Devin A Bowes
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America; School for the Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America; School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 660 S Campus Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States of America; OneWaterOneHealth, The Arizona State University Foundation, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States of America; Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, 800 S. Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States of America
| | - Otakuye Conroy-Ben
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 660 S Campus Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States of America.
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21
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Duan L, Zhang Y, Wang B, Yu G, Gao J, Cagnetta G, Huang C, Zhai N. Wastewater surveillance for 168 pharmaceuticals and metabolites in a WWTP: Occurrence, temporal variations and feasibility of metabolic biomarkers for intake estimation. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 216:118321. [PMID: 35339048 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is amply used for mining information about public health such as the estimation of consumption/intake of certain substances. Yet, proper biomarker selection is critical to obtain reliable data. This study measured a broad range of pharmaceuticals and metabolites in a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China, and evaluated their suitability as consumption estimation biomarkers. Wastewater sampling was conducted during a normal week and two holiday weeks to assess the impact of the holiday on population normalized daily mass loads (PNDLs). One hundred and forty-nine out of 168 pharmaceuticals were detected, with 94 analytes being quantified in all sampling events. Moreover, digestive drug cimetidine (<MDL∼672 ng L - 1) and anabolic steroid trenbolone (<MDL∼53 ng L - 1) were only detected during holiday weeks. PNDLs of some substances showed disparities between weekdays and weekends during the normal week. This study proposed a framework to diagnose whether a parent compound or its metabolite is suitable for intake/prevalence rate estimation. Our results support that not all the metabolites can be employed as biomarkers for back-calculation when the in-sewer stability of these compounds is unclear, such as metoprolol acid and O-desmethyl venlafaxine. Public healthcare data for drug utilization were applied to validate the prevalence of average substance use in this study. As a popular anti-epileptic ranging from hundreds to thousands of ng L - 1 in this study, the parent compound levetiracetam is more appropriate to be used in WBE under our framework, referring to public healthcare data. This WBE study illustrates the changes in pharmaceutical use and population lifestyle that stem from holidays and commutes. In addition, it can provide data support for the selection of more suitable biomarkers in WBE studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Duan
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Yizhe Zhang
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
| | - Gang Yu
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Jianfa Gao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Giovanni Cagnetta
- Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Nannan Zhai
- Shanghai Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co., Ltd Beijing Branch Company, Beijing 100015, China
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22
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Adhikari S, Halden RU. Opportunities and limits of wastewater-based epidemiology for tracking global health and attainment of UN sustainable development goals. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 163:107217. [PMID: 35395576 PMCID: PMC9815123 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) emerged as a powerful, actionable health management tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hypothesizing future uses, we explored its potential for real-time, tracking of progress in attaining United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally as a non-expensive method using existing infrastructure. We inventoried (i) literature-documented sewerage infrastructure, (ii) demographics of populations served, and (iii) WBE markers informative of 9 SDGs. Among the 17 different sustainable development goals listed by the UN 2030 agenda, more than half of these may be monitored by using WBE monitoring at centralized treatment infrastructure as tabulated in this study. Driven mainly by COVID-19, WBE currently is practiced in at least 55 countries, reaching about 300 million people. Expansion of WBE to 109,000 + treatment plants inventoried in 129 countries would increase global coverage 9-fold to 34.7% or 2.7 billion, leaving out 5 billion people not served by centralized sewerage systems. Associations between population demographics and present-day infrastructure are explored, and geospatial regions particularly vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks are identified. The results suggest that difference in the differential outcomes in well-being is an outcome of the sanitation infrastructure inequalities and lack of sanitation infrastructure creates doubly disadvantaged populations at risk of poor hygiene and cut off from the early-warning benefits of conventional WBE. This is the first study to explore the feasibility and potential barriers to the use of WBE for tracking the attainment of SDGs globally with at least 9 out of 17 SDGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeet Adhikari
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Biodesign Center for Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the 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.
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23
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Zheng Q, Chan GCK, Wang Z, Connor JP, Ren Y, Thai PK. Assessing alcohol consumption in a Chinese urban population and a university town using high temporal resolution wastewater-based epidemiology. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 230:109178. [PMID: 34864567 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality in China. Understanding drinking patterns provides important data to inform public health policies in alcohol control, especially in specific groups like university students. This study aims to assess the alcohol consumption patterns and level of use in an urban population and a university town in a Chinese city using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). METHODS Daily wastewater sample was collected from an urban catchment (n = 270) and every Wednesday's sample from a university town of 10 university campus (n = 43) in 2017-2018. Concentration of alcohol consumption biomarker in wastewater, ethyl sulfate, was measured by direct injection LC-MS/MS analysis. Per capita daily alcohol consumption was then back calculated for assessment purposes. RESULTS Per capita daily alcohol consumption was 1.4 ± 0.6 mL/ person aged 15 + /day (EPD) (range: 0.2-4.9) in the urban catchment and 1.3 ± 0.6 EPD (range: 0.3-2.6) in the university town. Trends of alcohol consumption were stable in both catchments in 2017-2018. Alcohol consumption on weekends (1.5 EPD) and weekdays (1.4 EPD) were at a similar level. Additionally, no difference was observed between holidays (1.5 EPD) and non-holidays (1.4 EPD). CONCLUSION There is a stable weekly drinking level in the studied urban population, which is different compared to studies conducted in Western countries. Our study suggested a similar consumption level between the urban population and university students. Drinking during weekdays could negatively affect China's economic productivity and future public health policies could be adapted to reflect this pattern of drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Gary C K Chan
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhe Wang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jason P Connor
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Yuan Ren
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Brisbane, Australia
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24
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Rozhanets VV, Thai PK, Silantyev AS, Gandlevskiy NA, Connor JP, Eganov AA, Jang M, Pirogov AV, Shpigun OA, Priadka A, Nosyrev AE. Estimating population-level of alcohol, tobacco and morphine use in a small Russian region using wastewater-based epidemiology. Drug Alcohol Rev 2021; 40:1186-1194. [PMID: 34105188 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use combined are the largest modifiable health risk factors. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach for monitoring substance use in the population. In this study we applied WBE technique to a community in the Moscow region to estimate population-level consumption of alcohol, tobacco and morphine. METHODS Wastewater sampling was carried out over 47 days, in 2018 and 2019, including the New Year period. Analysis of the samples for consumption biomarkers (ethyl sulphate, cotinine and morphine) were undertaken using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Daily consumption estimates were then compared with sales/production/prescription data and between different days of the week using Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS Alcohol consumption was significantly higher on Sundays and during the New Year and Russian Christmas period compared to weekdays and Saturdays. Tobacco consumption estimates were largely consistent throughout the week. Morphine was detected by WBE during the monitoring period but was inconsistent with prescription record data. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence for the feasibility of conducting WBE in Russia. Estimates of alcohol consumption derived from WBE were higher than average alcohol sales data for the country. The estimated consumption of nicotine is generally consistent with the production data, with estimates higher than in most other countries. Our results also suggest potential illegal use of opioids (morphine-based) in the population. Given the considerable health and economic costs of substance use in Russia, more extensive WBE testing is recommended to inform and evaluate public health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir V Rozhanets
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, National Research Center on Addictions, Branch of V. Serbsky NMRCPN, Moscow, Russia
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Artemy S Silantyev
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, National Research Center on Addictions, Branch of V. Serbsky NMRCPN, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikita A Gandlevskiy
- Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology, National Research Center on Addictions, Branch of V. Serbsky NMRCPN, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jason P Connor
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Mongjoo Jang
- Genome & Company, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Andrey V Pirogov
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg A Shpigun
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksey Priadka
- All-Russian Research Institute of Physical, Technical and Radio Engineering Measurements, Moscow, Russia
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25
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Wang Z, Zheng Q, Gartner C, Chan GCK, Ren Y, Wang D, Thai PK. Comparison of tobacco use in a university town and a nearby urban area in China by intensive analysis of wastewater over one year period. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 206:117733. [PMID: 34653796 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding smoking patterns in the population is essential for formulating public health and tobacco control policies. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable complementary approach to conventional survey methods to measure tobacco use, providing non-invasive information in an objective and cost-effective manner. This study estimates tobacco use in an urban population at daily resolution and in a university town at weekly resolution in China. Wastewater samples were collected daily in an urban catchment (n = 279) and every week from a university town located within 13 km of the urban catchment (n = 43) in 2017-2018. The tobacco-related biomarkers, cotinine and hydroxycotinine, and nicotine were analyzed via direct injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Per capita daily tobacco use was back-estimated based on cotinine in wastewater. Over the year of sampling, we observed an increasing trend in tobacco use in the urban catchment that corroborated with sales statistics in 2017-2018. Tobacco use in the urban area was estimated to be 1.16 cigarettes/person aged 15+/day, while it was estimated to be 0.60 cigarettes/person aged 15+/day in the university town. The level of tobacco use in the university town remained stable over the year in contrast to the urban area. The difference of tobacco use in the two catchments may be attributed to their demographic differences. Furthermore, the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy would be a possible reason for the lower level of tobacco use in the university town.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, No. 1 Linghai Road, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia.
| | - Coral Gartner
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia; NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Gary C K Chan
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yuan Ren
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Degao Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, No. 1 Linghai Road, Dalian 116026, China
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia
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26
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Cotinine Hydroxylase CotA Initiates Biodegradation of Wastewater Micropollutant Cotinine in Nocardioides sp. Strain JQ2195. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0092321. [PMID: 34232707 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00923-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cotinine is a stable toxic contaminant, produced as a by-product of smoking. It is of emerging concern due to its global distribution in aquatic environments. Microorganisms have the potential to degrade cotinine; however, the genetic mechanisms of this process are unknown. Nocardioides sp. strain JQ2195 is a pure-culture strain that has been reported to degrade cotinine at micropollutant concentrations. This strain utilizes cotinine as its sole carbon and nitrogen source. In this study, a 50-kb gene cluster (designated cot), involved in cotinine degradation, was predicted based on genomic and transcriptomic analyses. A novel three-component cotinine hydroxylase gene (designated cotA1A2A3), which initiated cotinine catabolism, was identified and characterized. CotA from Shinella sp. strain HZN7 was heterologously expressed and purified and was shown to convert cotinine into 6-hydroxycotinine. H218O-labeling and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis confirmed that the hydroxyl group incorporated into 6-hydroxycotinine was derived from water. This study provides new molecular insights into the microbial metabolism of heterocyclic chemical pollutants. IMPORTANCE In the human body, cotinine is the major metabolite of nicotine, and 10 to 15% of generated cotinine is excreted in urine. Cotinine is a structural analogue of nicotine and is much more stable than nicotine. Increased tobacco consumption has led to high environmental concentrations of cotinine, which may have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Nocardioides sp. strain JQ2195 is a unique cotinine-degrading bacterium. However, the underlying genetic and biochemical foundations of cotinine degradation are still unknown. In this study, a 50-kb gene cluster (designated cot) was identified by genomic and transcriptomic analyses as being involved in the degradation of cotinine. A novel three-component cotinine hydroxylase gene (designated cotA1A2A3) catalyzed cotinine to 6-hydroxy-cotinine. This study provides new molecular insights into the microbial degradation and enzymatic transformation of cotinine.
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27
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Fuschi C, Pu H, Negri M, Colwell R, Chen J. Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic. ACS ES&T WATER 2021; 1:1352-1362. [PMID: 37566353 PMCID: PMC8130627 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is shed by COVID-19 patients and can be detected in wastewater. Thus, testing wastewater for the virus provides a depiction of disease prevalence in a community. Virus concentration data can be utilized to monitor infection trends, identify hot spots, and inform decision makers regarding reopening efforts and directing resources. This perspective aims to shed light on the current situation relating to SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater system and the opportunity to utilize wastewater to collect useful epidemiological data. First, the survivability of SARS-CoV-2 in different water matrices is examined through the lens of surrogate viruses. Second, the effect of wastewater treatment processes on SARS-CoV-2 is investigated. Current standards for sufficient reduction of the virus and the risk of exposure that arises at each stage in the wastewater treatment process are discussed. Third, the immense potential of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is analyzed. Studies that have tested wastewater or sludge for SARS-CoV-2 are discussed, and results are tabulated. Lastly, the current limitations of WBE and opportunities of future research are explored. Using the wealth of knowledge that the scientific community now has about WBE, wastewater testing should be considered by regional governments and private institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Fuschi
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering,
The University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Haihui Pu
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering,
The University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois 60637, United States
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Directorate, Argonne National
Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439,
United States
| | - Maria Negri
- The Environmental Science Division, Computing,
Environment, and Life Sciences Directorate, Argonne National
Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439,
United States
| | - Rita Colwell
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health,
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742,
United States
| | - Junhong Chen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering,
The University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois 60637, United States
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Directorate, Argonne National
Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439,
United States
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28
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Melchor-Martínez EM, Jiménez-Rodríguez MG, Martínez-Ruiz M, Peña-Benavides SA, Iqbal HMN, Parra-Saldívar R, Sosa-Hernández JE. Antidepressants surveillance in wastewater: Overview extraction and detection. CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2021; 3:100074. [PMID: 38620655 PMCID: PMC7969484 DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2020.100074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges worldwide. The psychological disorders associated with the pandemic causing depression, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety reduce emotional stability. Different antidepressant drugs with several mechanisms of action are used with a prescription. The excretion of the compounds and their metabolites reach municipal wastewaters and enter sewage treatment plants with a low rate of remotion of pharmaceutical compounds and the releasing on the environment. Several effects on aquatic species exposed to antidepressants have been reported as the impact in gene transcription, reproduction cycles, predator defense, and motility. The aim of this work is to resume the common antidepressants detected in wastewater around the world and show the increment of its use during SARS-CoV-2 crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elda M Melchor-Martínez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Mildred G Jiménez-Rodríguez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Manuel Martínez-Ruiz
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Samantha Ayde Peña-Benavides
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Hafiz M N Iqbal
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Roberto Parra-Saldívar
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernández
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
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29
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Asicioglu F, Kuloglu Genc M, Tekin Bulbul T, Yayla M, Simsek SZ, Adioren C, Mercan S. Investigation of temporal illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco trends in Istanbul city: Wastewater analysis of 14 treatment plants. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 190:116729. [PMID: 33341037 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based drug monitoring is a complementary tool that has been used worldwide in recent years, and many cities have periodically reported monitoring results. However, this study is the first to analyze drugs in wastewater in a single city with a high population during four periods simultaneously from 14 treatment plants. The aim was to estimate the consumption of conventional illicit drugs [amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (METH), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cannabis, cocaine, and heroin], tobacco, and alcohol in 2019 for quarterly periods in Istanbul city, which has a population of almost 20 million, to aid in implementing evidence-based measures. Additionally, the seasonal variations among the 14 wastewater treatment plants and their weekday/weekend comparison of drug use patterns and consumption per substance were examined. Solid phase extraction was followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and a previously validated method was enhanced by adding new parameters (morphine, cotinine, and ethyl sulfate), and satisfactory results were obtained. In this study, alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis had the highest estimated per capita consumption with mean values of 29655.3 mL/1000 inh/day, 5507.6 mg/1000 inh/day and 3607.0 mg/1000 inh/day, respectively. These results were followed by heroin and cocaine consumption with mean values of 557.0 and 200.9 mg/1000 inh/day, respectively, whereas AMP-type stimulants had the lowest values among the targeted substances. METH and cannabis were also highly consumed drugs when compared with the results of other metropolitan cities, whereas heroin consumption was remarkably high owing to Turkey's location on a possible heroin trafficking route. Because Istanbul is the business center of the country and has the potential to attract tourists in all four seasons, meaningful seasonal consumption differences were not observed for all substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Asicioglu
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Medicine, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - M Kuloglu Genc
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - T Tekin Bulbul
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - M Yayla
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - S Z Simsek
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - C Adioren
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - S Mercan
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Institute of Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine, Department of Science, 34500, Buyukcekmece, Istanbul, Turkey.
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30
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Li D, O'Brien JW, Tscharke BJ, Choi PM, Ahmed F, Thompson J, Mueller JF, Sun H, Thomas KV. Trends in artificial sweetener consumption: A 7-year wastewater-based epidemiology study in Queensland, Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142438. [PMID: 33254907 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A 7-year temporal trend study of artificial sweetener consumption was performed by determining per capital mass loads in 293 influent wastewater samples collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Australia between 2012 and 2018. Population-weighted per capita mass loads of the four detected artificial sweeteners ranged from 2.4 ± 0.8 mg d-1 p-1 for saccharin to 7.8 ± 2.0 mg d-1 p-1 for acesulfame over the study period. Negligible intra-week fluctuations were observed, however the consumption of acesulfame was seen to be significantly influenced by season with the highest consumption in summer. The consumption of sucralose and saccharin significantly increased with an annual increase rate of 10% and 6.0%. Cyclamate consumption declined over the same period with average annual decrease rate of 11%, which agrees with data from market surveys. Sucrose equivalence of total artificial sweeteners consumption showed an increase between 2012 and 2016, then decreased in 2018. This is the first long-term trend study of artificial sweetener consumption by wastewater analysis and highlights the feasibility to quantitatively measure artificial sweeter consumption over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hongwen Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia.
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Yavuz Guzel E, Atasoy A, Gören İE, Daglioglu N. Estimation of alcohol and nicotine consumption in 11 cities of Turkey using wastewater-based epidemiology. Drug Test Anal 2021; 13:853-861. [PMID: 33201572 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol and tobacco are the most frequently consumed substances in the world. Both are significantly associated with the increasing number of different diseases. Thus, monitoring nicotine and alcohol use is vital for public health planning and intervention strategies. This study aimed to calculate estimates of alcohol and nicotine use in 11 cities of Turkey using wastewater-based epidemiology. In 2019, daily composite wastewater samples from 18 wastewater treatment plants were collected for a week per season. The 24-h composite samples were collected via auto-samplers. Sample preparation for wastewater samples collected was done using liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction. Nicotine and ethyl sulfate (EtS) were analyzed using validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The estimated average nicotine consumption was 2.84 mg/p/day, and the average alcohol consumption was 3.46 ± 1.83 ml/p/day. The highest nicotine consumption was observed in Kayseri city; the highest alcohol consumption was calculated for Mersin city. In this study, the cigarette and alcohol consumption estimate obtained by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was found to be higher than the Turkey Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority report. To our knowledge, this study is the most comprehensive one so far applied using WBE for 11 cities in Turkey and evaluates alcohol and nicotine use together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evsen Yavuz Guzel
- Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Aslı Atasoy
- Institute of Addiction and Forensic Science, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - İsmail Ethem Gören
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Nebile Daglioglu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
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How ZT, Gamal El-Din M. A critical review on the detection, occurrence, fate, toxicity, and removal of cannabinoids in the water system and the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115642. [PMID: 33032096 PMCID: PMC7489229 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoids are a group of organic compounds found in cannabis. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the two major constituents of cannabinoids, and their metabolites are contaminants of emerging concern due to the limited information on their environmental impacts. As well, their releases to the water systems and environment are expected to increase due to recent legalization. Solid-phase extraction is the most common technique for the extraction and pre-concentration of cannabinoids in water samples as well as a clean-up step after the extraction of cannabinoids from solid samples. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is the most common technique used for the analysis of cannabinoids. THC and its metabolites have been detected in wastewater, surface water, and drinking water. In particular, 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) has been detected at concentrations up to 2590 and 169 ng L-1 in untreated and treated wastewater, respectively, 79.9 ng L-1 in surface water, and 1 ng L-1 in drinking water. High removal of cannabinoids has been observed in wastewater treatment plants; this is likely a result of adsorption due to the low aqueous solubility of cannabinoids. Based on the estrogenicity and cytotoxicity studies and modelling, it has been predicted that THC and THC-COOH pose moderate risk for adverse impact on the environment. While chlorination and photo-oxidation have been shown to be effective in the removal of THC-COOH, they also produce by-products that are potentially more toxic than regulated disinfection by-products. The potential of indirect exposure to cannabinoids and their metabolites through recreational water is of great interest. As cannabinoids and especially their by-products may have adverse impacts on the environment and public health, more studies on their occurrence in various types of water and environmental systems, as well as on their environmental toxicity, would be required to accurately assess their impact on the environment and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 1H9
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 1H9.
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Zheng Q, Gartner C, Tscharke BJ, O'Brien JW, Gao J, Ahmed F, Thomas KV, Mueller JF, Thai PK. Long-term trends in tobacco use assessed by wastewater-based epidemiology and its relationship with consumption of nicotine containing products. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 145:106088. [PMID: 32911244 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Measurement of population tobacco use via wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides objective data to evaluate the efficacy of tobacco control strategies. However, current WBE tobacco-use estimates based on nicotine metabolites (cotinine and hydroxycotinine) can be masked by use of non-tobacco nicotine-containing products. To better understand nicotine and tobacco use, we analysed tobacco-specific biomarkers, anabasine and anatabine, as well as nicotine metabolites, cotinine and hydroxycotinine, in wastewater samples collected for 6 weeks per year over 6 years (2012-2017) from an Australian wastewater treatment plant serving approximately 100,000 people. Population-normalised mass loads were used to estimate tobacco and nicotine use trends and were compared with surveys and taxation statistics. Significant annual declines were observed for anabasine, anatabine, cotinine and hydroxycotinine of -3.0%, -2.7%, -2.4%, and -2.1%, respectively. The results corresponded with the annual declining trends reported from surveys (-5%) and taxation statistics (-4%). Significant annual decreases in the ratios of anabasine to cotinine (-1.2%) and anatabine to cotinine (-1.0%) suggested a relative increase in the use of non-tobacco nicotine products at the same time that tobacco use was declining. Monitoring tobacco use with anabasine and anatabine removed influence from nicotine-containing products, showing larger reductions in this Australian city than via nicotine biomarkers, whilst also demonstrating their suitability for monitoring long-term trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Coral Gartner
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- 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
| | - Jianfa Gao
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- 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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Zheng Q, Eaglesham G, Tscharke BJ, O'Brien JW, Li J, Thompson J, Shimko KM, Reeks T, Gerber C, Thomas KV, Thai PK. Determination of anabasine, anatabine, and nicotine biomarkers in wastewater by enhanced direct injection LC-MS/MS and evaluation of their in-sewer stability. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140551. [PMID: 32653706 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used to estimate tobacco use in the population. However, the increased use of nicotine replacement therapies and e-cigarettes contributes to the load of nicotine metabolites in wastewater, causing over-estimation of tobacco use if nicotine metabolites were used in WBE back-estimation. This study aims to develop a rapid method for determining the tobacco-specific biomarkers, anabasine and anatabine, in wastewater and to evaluate their in-sewer stability for better estimation of tobacco use by WBE. An enhanced direct injection LC-MS/MS was developed to quantify anabasine and anatabine as well as nicotine biomarkers (nicotine, cotinine and hydroxycotinine). The method was optimal when wastewater was filtered through 0.2 μm RC syringe filters and a pre-conditioned SPE cartridge (Oasis HLB 1 cc, 30 mg) before 50 μL was injected into the LC-MS/MS system. Limits of quantification varied between 2.7 and 54.9 ng/L with recoveries from 76% to 103% for all five compounds. In sewer reactors, anabasine and anatabine were less stable than cotinine and hydroxycotinine. They were more stable in the gravity sewer reactor with <20% loss in 12 h than in the rising main sewer reactor with ~30% loss in the same period. We then applied the new method to 42 daily wastewater influent samples collected from an Australian wastewater treatment plant. The five biomarkers were detected in all samples with concentrations ranging from 9.2 to 7430 ng/L. All five compounds were positively correlated with one another. Our results suggested a high throughput analytical method for feasible application in anabasine and anatabine as biomarkers of tobacco use in routine wastewater monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia.
| | - Geoff Eaglesham
- 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
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Jiaying Li
- Advanced Water Management Center, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Katja M Shimko
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Tim Reeks
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Cobus Gerber
- Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- 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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Montes R, Rodil R, Rico A, Cela R, González-Mariño I, Hernández F, Bijlsma L, Celma A, Picó Y, Andreu V, de Alda ML, López-García E, Postigo C, Pocurull E, Marcé RM, Rosende M, Olivares M, Valcárcel Y, Quintana JB. First nation-wide estimation of tobacco consumption in Spain using wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140384. [PMID: 32603944 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become a very useful tool to monitor a population's drug consumption or exposure to environmental and food contaminants. In this work, WBE has been applied to estimate tobacco consumption in seven Spanish regions. To this end, 24 h composite wastewater samples were taken daily for one week in 17 wastewater treatment plants, covering altogether a population of ca. 6 million inhabitants. The samples were treated by enzymatic deconjugation and the wastewater content of two human-specific nicotine metabolites (namely, cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine) was measured to estimate the daily consumption of nicotine. The population-weighted average nicotine consumption in the seven analyzed regions was 2.2 g/(day∙1000 inh.), without any daily pattern. This average estimated nicotine consumption value agreed with the value derived from official tobacco sales data. Differences in consumption among the seven studied regions were found, being Galicia, the region with the lowest rate, and the Basque Country and Catalonia those with the highest rates. However, no conclusive correlation was found between those values and the prevalence data taken from two different national surveys, nor sociodemographic and health data. This study demonstrates that this tool can complement other indicators in order to accurately assess tobacco consumption rates at regional and national levels and provides the most extensive application of the approach in the Spanish territory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Montes
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Rosario Rodil
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Andreu Rico
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Avenida Punto Com, 2, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cela
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Iria González-Mariño
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Félix Hernández
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Lubertus Bijlsma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Alberto Celma
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Yolanda Picó
- Food and Environmental Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV) - CIDE (CSIC-UV-GV), University of Valencia, 46113 Moncada, Spain
| | - Vicente Andreu
- Food and Environmental Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV) - CIDE (CSIC-UV-GV), University of Valencia, 46113 Moncada, Spain
| | - Miren López de Alda
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry Unit (ENFOCHEM), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester López-García
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry Unit (ENFOCHEM), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Postigo
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry Unit (ENFOCHEM), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Pocurull
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Rosa María Marcé
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - María Rosende
- FI-TRACE Group, Department of Chemistry, University of the Balearic Islands, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7.5, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Maitane Olivares
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Yolanda Valcárcel
- Risk Assessment for the Environment and Health, Group (RiSAMA), Rey Juan Carlos University, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Benito Quintana
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Assessing alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: Spain as a case study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 215:108241. [PMID: 32892109 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, an alternative and complementary method to those approaches currently used to estimate alcohol consumption by the population is described. This method, known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), allows back-calculating the alcohol consumption rate in a given population from the concentrations of a selected biomarker measured in wastewater. METHODS Composite (24-h) wastewater samples were collected at the inlet of 17 wastewater treatment plants located in 13 Spanish cities for seven consecutive days in 2018. The sampled area covered 12.8% of the Spanish population. Wastewater samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of ethyl sulfate, the biomarker used to back-calculate alcohol consumption. RESULTS Alcohol consumption ranged from 4.5 to 46 mL/day/inhabitant. Differences in consumption were statistically significant among the investigated cities and between weekdays and weekends. WBE-derived estimates of alcohol consumption were comparable to those reported by its corresponding region in the Spanish National Health Survey in most cases. At the national level, comparable results were obtained between the WBE-derived annual consumption rate (5.7 ± 1.2 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+)) and that reported by the National Health Survey (4.7 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+)). CONCLUSIONS This is the largest WBE study carried out to date in Spain to estimate alcohol consumption rates. It confirms that this approach is useful for establishing spatial and temporal patterns of alcohol consumption, which could contribute to the development of health care management plans and policies. Contrary to established methods, it allows obtaining information in a fast and relatively economical way.
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Daglioglu N, Atasoy A, Asadi A, Guzel EY, Dengiz H. Estimating alcohol consumption by using wastewater-based epidemiology in Adana Province, Turkey. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:31884-31891. [PMID: 32506405 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09056-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Increased alcohol consumption, especially among young people, is a major concern in Turkey as it is around the world due to negative effects on public health and safety. Regarding this, it is pivotal to monitor and therefore control alcohol use in public. In this case, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which is the in-depth analysis of wastewater and a relatively new method, can deliver complementary information concerning the abuse of different substances. The proven potential of the WBE approach offers new promises in the process of monitoring alcohol use, namely the monitoring of the levels of ethyl sulfate (EtS) as a urinary biomarker of alcohol consumption, and it is a powerful mean to estimate alcohol use at the community level. In this study, raw 24-h composite wastewater samples were collected from Seyhan and Yüregir wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Adana Province for one week per season (October 2016-August 2017). The fast and validated analytical method was performed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and therefore applied to the analysis of ethyl sulfate (EtS). Obtained concentration values were back-calculated, and regional and temporal social usage rates were determined. Higher values were calculated for both WWTPs on Sunday. Alcohol consumption in the region served by Seyhan WWTP was higher than Yüregir WWTP. The results showed that the levels of alcohol consumption during given periods in Adana ranged from 659.8 to 8998.7 mL/day/1000 per person with an average value of 4983.9 and 3924.2 mL/day/1000 inhabitant in Seyhan WWTP and Yüregir WWTP, respectively. This study shows that weekly and annual trends in alcohol consumption can be detected quickly from wastewater analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nebile Daglioglu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
| | - Asli Atasoy
- Institute of Addiction and Forensic Sciences, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey
| | - Anvar Asadi
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Evsen Yavuz Guzel
- Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Cukurova, 01330, Adana, Turkey
| | - Huseyin Dengiz
- Institute of Addiction and Forensic Sciences, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey
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Hart OE, Halden RU. Computational analysis of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 surveillance by wastewater-based epidemiology locally and globally: Feasibility, economy, opportunities and challenges. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 730:138875. [PMID: 32371231 PMCID: PMC7175865 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 342] [Impact Index Per Article: 85.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
With the economic and practical limits of medical screening for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 coming sharply into focus worldwide, scientists are turning now to wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a potential tool for assessing and managing the pandemic. We employed computational analysis and modeling to examine the feasibility, economy, opportunities and challenges of enumerating active coronavirus infections locally and globally using WBE. Depending on local conditions, detection in community wastewater of one symptomatic/asymptomatic infected case per 100 to 2,000,000 non-infected people is theoretically feasible, with some practical successes now being reported from around the world. Computer simulations for past, present and emerging epidemic hotspots (e.g., Wuhan, Milan, Madrid, New York City, Teheran, Seattle, Detroit and New Orleans) identified temperature, average in-sewer travel time and per-capita water use as key variables. WBE surveillance of populations is shown to be orders of magnitude cheaper and faster than clinical screening, yet cannot fully replace it. Cost savings worldwide for one-time national surveillance campaigns are estimated to be in the million to billion US dollar range (US$), depending on a nation's population size and number of testing rounds conducted. For resource poor regions and nations, WBE may represent the only viable means of effective surveillance. Important limitations of WBE rest with its inability to identify individuals and to pinpoint their specific locations. Not compensating for temperature effects renders WBE data vulnerable to severe under-/over-estimation of infected cases. Effective surveillance may be envisioned as a two-step process in which WBE serves to identify and enumerate infected cases, where after clinical testing then serves to identify infected individuals in WBE-revealed hotspots. Data provided here demonstrate this approach to save money, be broadly applicable worldwide, and potentially aid in precision management of the pandemic, thereby helping to accelerate the global economic recovery that billions of people rely upon for their livelihoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga E Hart
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA; OneWaterOneHealth, Arizona State University Foundation, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA; AquaVitas, LLC, 9260 E. Raintree Dr., Ste 140, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA.
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Hart OE, Halden RU. Simulated 2017 nationwide sampling at 13,940 major U.S. sewage treatment plants to assess seasonal population bias in wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 727:138406. [PMID: 32334208 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an economical technique for monitoring and managing the health and behavior of human populations. Using 2017 nationwide data on geospatial population demographics as a test case, we simulated repeated sampling at all major U.S. wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs; n = 13,940) under constant biomarker loading conditions, to explore the potential sensitivity of WBE for generating skewed data. Simulation of repeated sewage sampling over all four seasons of 2017 yielded a number of expected, inter-dependent phenomena triggered by cooler wintertime temperatures compared to summertime results, including relatively (i) slower in-sewer biomarker decay, (ii) longer distal reach of WBE, (iii) larger effective sewershed monitoring areas, and (iv) an increase in the population represented. Additional important but not necessarily anticipated simulation outcomes included (v) distinct, non-random changes in demographic parameters of monitored subpopulations (e.g., by household income, educational attainment, military service, unemployment, and lack of health insurance), (vi) recurring observation of the latter demographic patterns across various geospatial scales and regions, and (vii) more evenly distributed results in the winter. In contrast, data obtainable by WBE in the summertime were dominated by households residing closest to the WWTP and subpopulations of relatively lesser wealth, educational achievement, healthcare access and employability. The analytical approach presented here should be readily applicable to other regions worldwide and may help to improve the design, robustness and interpretation of future WBE studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga E Hart
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA.
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40
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Driver EM, Gushgari A, Chen J, Halden RU. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine consumption on a public U.S. university campus determined by wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 727:138492. [PMID: 32334214 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine use in at-risk populations is a public health concern that claims over 550,000 lives annually. Self-reported surveys from college students often reveal overconsumption of these substances. Unfortunately, the costs of these surveys are high, and consequently, the results from few studies are often extrapolated across the entire target population. Here we employed wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to directly measure the levels of these three psychotropic substances and their metabolites in sewage from a large public Southwestern U.S. university campus during the 2017-2018 academic year. Results showed per person alcohol consumption was 11.3 ± 7.5 g d-1 person-1 or 0.8 ± 0.5 drinks d-1 person-1, similar to averages of nationwide estimates from self-reporting of this subpopulation aged 18-25 years (10.1 ± 0.8 g d-1 person-1 or 0.7 ± 0.06 drinks d-1 person-1). Caffeine and nicotine consumption determined by WBE were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than nationwide estimates from self-reporting (caffeine: 114 ± 49 vs. 178 ± 19 mg d-1 person-1; nicotine: 627 ± 219 vs. 927 ± 243 μg d-1 person-1). Strong positive correlations were found for consumption of alcohol and nicotine (Spearman rs: 0.71; p < 0.01), and nicotine and caffeine (0.59, p < 0.01), but not alcohol and caffeine (0.17). Alcohol and nicotine consumption were significantly higher on weekends compared to weekdays (p < 0.01), while caffeine consumption was higher during the week (p < 0.05). This first U.S. WBE study on alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine use among U.S. college students demonstrated the feasibility and practicality of longitudinally tracking the behavior of an entire campus population of 60,000 students directly, repeatedly, and more inexpensively (US$0.58/person) compared to conventional questionnaires (US$127/person).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Driver
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute & School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Adam Gushgari
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute & School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Jing Chen
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute & School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, The Biodesign Institute & School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287-8101, USA.
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Gao J, Zheng Q, Lai FY, Gartner C, Du P, Ren Y, Li X, Wang D, Mueller JF, Thai PK. Using wastewater-based epidemiology to estimate consumption of alcohol and nicotine in major cities of China in 2014 and 2016. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 136:105492. [PMID: 31999969 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the use of alcohol and tobacco in the population is important for public health planning and evaluating the efficacy of intervention strategies. The aim of this study was to use wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to estimate alcohol and tobacco consumption in a number of major cities across China and compare WBE estimates with other data sources. Daily composite influent wastewater samples were collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across China in 2014 (n = 53) and 2016 (n = 45). The population-normalized daily consumption estimated by WBE were compared with other data sources where available. The average consumption of alcohol was 8.1 ± 7.0 mL ethanol/person aged 15+/day (EPD) in the investigated cities of 2016 while those involved in 2014 had an average consumption of 4.7 ± 3.0 EPD. The average tobacco consumption was estimated to be 3.7 ± 2.2 cigarettes/person aged 15+/day (CPD) in 2016 and 3.1 ± 1.9 CPD in 2014. The changes in the average consumption in those cities from 2014 to 2016 were supported by the results from a limited number of WWTPs where samples were collected in both years. Consumption of alcohol and tobacco in urban China is at a medium level compared with other countries on a per capita basis. WBE estimates of tobacco consumption were relatively comparable with results of traditional surveys and sales statistics. WBE estimates of alcohol consumption were lower than WHO survey results, probably due to EtS degradation and uncertainty in the EtS excretion factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfa Gao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; 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
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Coral Gartner
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Peng Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Yuan Ren
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Eco-Remediation of Guangdong Regular Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510006, China; The Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Xiqing Li
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Degao Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, 1 Linghai Road, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- 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
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New approach for the measurement of long-term alcohol consumption trends: Application of wastewater-based epidemiology in an Australian regional city. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 207:107795. [PMID: 31865059 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides complementary information to traditional self-report methods for estimating substance use within a population. WBE was applied to estimate the consumption of alcohol in an Australian rural city (population estimated 100,000) over 6 years. METHODS A total of 352 wastewater samples were analysed from a wastewater treatment plant located in South-East Queensland, Australia, from 2012 to 2017. The concentration of an alcohol biomarker, ethyl sulphate, was quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and used to estimate per-capita consumption. The WBE results were compared with alcohol consumption estimates based on national taxation data and self-reported national survey data in Australia. RESULTS Average daily alcohol consumption estimated by WBE was between 19 and 30 mL/person/day for the population aged 15 years and older during the six-year period. Alcohol consumption decreased 4 % per annum on average over the study period. Our data showed higher rates of consumption on weekends and public holidays when compared to consumption between Monday and Thursday. The comparative trend of WBE data was consistent with the national alcohol survey and taxation statistics on alcoholic beverages over the same period. CONCLUSIONS A clear decline in alcohol consumption in the catchment was observed during the sampling period, which reflected similar changes in consumption from taxation statistics and self-report survey data. Expected variations in weekly consumption and public holidays were also identified. This study demonstrates the potential of WBE for long-term monitoring of alcohol consumption in evaluating the effectiveness of local and national alcohol policies and prevention programs.
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