Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: emgracia@ucm.es.
2 papers in the library · 80 citations · publishing 2023
An international wastewater surveillance program analyzed influent samples from up to 47 sites in 16 countries between 2019 and 2022, detecting 18 new psychoactive substances (NPS) across at least one site. Synthetic cathinones were the most common class, followed by phenethylamines and designer benzodiazepines. Two ketamine analogues, the plant-based NPS mitragynine, and methiopropamine were also quantified. Use varied by region: mitragynine mass loads were highest in US sites, eutylone increased in New Zealand, and 3-methylmethcathinone rose in several European countries. The ketamine analogue 2F-deschloroketamine emerged recently and was quantified in sites including one in China, where it is considered a drug of most concern. Some NPS initially detected in specific regions spread to additional sites over time, demonstrating that wastewater surveillance can reveal temporal and spatial trends in NPS use.
During New Year celebrations and a summer festival in a large Spanish city, wastewater samples revealed high consumption of both new psychoactive substances (NPS) and traditional illicit drugs. Eleven NPS—including synthetic cathinones, benzodiazepines, plant-based NPS, and dissociatives—plus seven illicit drugs were detected across both events. Consumption peaked at each event, and drug use patterns shifted markedly over the six months between them. Statistically significant differences were observed for 3-MMC, eutylone, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, and pseudoephedrine when comparing the two events or a normal week. Wastewater-based epidemiology offers a cost-effective, timely, and ethically straightforward way to monitor drug use and complement public health surveillance.