Monitoring the dynamics of ketamine analogues use in China through wastewater analysis: The emergence of 2-FDCNEK and 2-MDCK.
The Science of the total environment December 20, 2024 Huanbo Wang, Tingting Huo, Hongli Tao et al. 3 citations
Five ketamine analogues were detected in wastewater from 19 of 21 cities in Southwest China between 2022 and 2023, with four of these analogues found in wastewater for the first time. 2-fluoro deschloro-N-ethyl-ketamine (2-FDCNEK) was the most common, with a load up to 3.18 mg per day per 1000 inhabitants; other analogues had loads below 1 mg. 2-fluoro deschloroketamine (2-FDCK), a controlled substance since 2021, showed a clear downward trend, while 2-(methylamino)-2-(2-methyphenyl)-cyclohexanone (2-MDCK) disappeared quickly. In contrast, 2-FDCK and 2-FDCNEK persisted over two years, suggesting that analogues with halogen atoms on the phenyl group may have psychoactive effects similar to ketamine and high abuse potential. Wastewater analysis proved valuable for tracking the dynamic use of new psychoactive substances.