Monitoring psychoactive substance use at six European festivals through wastewater and pooled urine analysis

Bijlsma, Lubertus; Celma, Alberto; Castiglioni, Sara; Salgueiro‐González, Noelia; Bou-Iserte, Lledó; Baz-Lomba, José Antonio; Reid, Malcolm J.; Dias, Mário; Lopes, Álvaro; Matias, João; Pastor-Alcañiz, Laura; Radonić, Jelena; Sekulić, Maja Turk; Shine, Trevor; Nuijs, Alexander L.N. van; Hernández, Félix; Zuccato, Ettore

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138376

Cited by 67 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Generally, multiple samples are taken from various urine reservoirs, over a 12-hour period, and then mixed to form pooled urine samples. This sampling method can be applied in cities where stand-alone urinals are routinely used at weekends [19], but can also be used for monitoring specific night time settings or recreational events such as music festivals [20][21][22][23][24]. Sampling urine aliquots from urinals ensures the collection of anonymous and representative samples and results may reflect the direct use of NPS.…”

Section: Sample Collection and Sample Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although both pooled urine and wastewater analyses incorporate SPE, there is a much lower preconcentration factor needed for pooled urine, with initial volumes of 1-2 mL, due to the generally higher concentrations found [23,45,57]. Furthermore, lower pre-concentration results in less matrix effects and potentially an improved chromatographic performance.…”

Section: Sample Collection and Sample Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it seems to be the most suitable chromatographic technique to achieve generic and good chromatographic separation especially for wide-scope monitoring of NPS. Consequently, the vast majority of studies dealing with multi-residue methods in wastewater and/or pooled urine samples applied RPLC as the separation technique [13,23,25,64,65]. However, more polar (or ionic) substances such as amphetamine-like stimulants or synthetic cathinones and their metabolites, might require more specific methodologies.…”

Section: Chromatographic Separationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…quantitatively determined in pooled urine samples collected during weekends at specific night settings [25] or at music festivals [23]. Although data obtained from quantitative determination of NPS in pooled urine samples only gives an indication on the extent of use for an NPS compared to other substances found in a specific sample [23], these findings are still very valuable, as the application of these selective and sensitive target quantitative methods give high confidence and allows confirmation of the NPS identified at low concentration levels. Synthetic cathinones are by far the most studied group of NPS in wastewater, followed by synthetic cannabinoids and phenethylamines.…”

Section: Synthetic Cathinones Phenethylamines Tryptamines and Pipermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perspectives and challenges associated with the determination of new psychoactive substances in urine and wastewater – A tutorial

Bijlsma¹,

Bade

Béen

et al. 2021

Analytica Chimica Acta

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New psychoactive substances (NPS), often designed as (legal) substitutes to conventional illicit drugs, are constantly emerging in the drug market and being commercialized in different ways and forms. Their use continues to cause public health problems and is therefore of major concern in many countries. Monitoring NPS use, however, is arduous and different sources of information are required to get more insight of the prevalence and diffusion of NPS use. The determination of NPS in pooled urine and wastewater has shown great potential, adding a different and complementary light on this issue. However, it also presents analytical challenges and limitations that must be taken into account such as the complexity of the matrices, the high sensitivity and selectivity required in the analytical methods as a consequence of the low analyte concentrations as well as the rapid transience of NPS on the drug market creating a scenario with constantly moving analytical targets. Analytical investigation of NPS in pooled urine and wastewater is based on liquid chromatography hyphenated to mass spectrometry and can follow different strategies: target, suspect and non-target analysis. This work aims to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different data acquisition workflows and data exploration approaches in mass spectrometry, but also pays attention to new developments such as ion mobility and the use of in-silico prediction tools to improve the identification capabilities in high-complex samples. This tutorial gives an insight into this emerging topic of current concern, and describes the experience gathered within different collaborations and projects supported by key research articles and illustrative practical examples.

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Section: Sample Collection and Sample Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sample Collection and Sample Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Chromatographic Separationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Synthetic Cathinones Phenethylamines Tryptamines and Pipermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perspectives and challenges associated with the determination of new psychoactive substances in urine and wastewater – A tutorial

Bijlsma¹,

Bade

Béen

et al. 2021

Analytica Chimica Acta

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…In Western Europe, the most popular new psychoactives are methcathinones and phenethylamines, drugs that mimic the effects of cocaine and ecstasy [7]. For this reason, discourse on NPS use in Western Europe has tended to focus on young people using new psychoactives in nightlife settings, clubs or music festivals [8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New psychoactive substances in Eurasia: a qualitative study of people who use drugs and harm reduction services in six countries

Kurcevič¹,

Lines

2020

Harm Reduct J

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Background This study examines the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and the harm reduction response in six Eurasian countries: Belarus, Moldova, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia. The aim is to identify current patterns of NPS use and related harms in each country through recording the perspectives and lived experience of people who use drugs and people who provide harm reduction services in order to inform the harm reduction response. Methodology The study involved desk-based research and semi-structured interviews/focus groups with 124 people who use drugs and 55 health and harm reduction service providers across the six countries. Results People who use drugs in all countries were aware of NPS, primarily synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids. NPS users generally reflected two groups: those with no prior history of illicit drug use (typically younger people) and those who used NPS on an occasional or regular basis due to the lack of availability of their preferred drug (primarily opiates). In many cases, these respondents reported they would not use NPS if traditional opiates were available. Common factors for choosing NPS included cost and accessibility. Respondents in most countries described NPS markets that use the DarkNet and social media for communication, secretive methods of payment and hidden collection points. A recurring theme was the role of punitive drug policies in driving NPS use and related harms. Respondents in all countries agreed that current harm reduction services were important but needed to be enhanced and expanded in the context of NPS. Conclusions The study identified patterns and drivers of NPS use, risk behaviours and drug-related harms. It identified gaps in the current harm reduction response, particularly the needs of non-injectors and overdose response, as well as the harmful effects of punitive drug policies. These findings may inform and improve current harm reduction services to meet the needs of people who use NPS.

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Presence of the ketamine analog of 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine residues in wastewater

Shao

Lin

et al. 2021

Drug Testing and Analysis

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Ketamine (KET) analogs are increasingly emerging as new psychoactive substances (NPS). The present report describes the first detection of the KET analog, 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine (2F‐DCK), in influent samples collected from nine wastewater treatment plants in seven major Chinese cities from 2018 to 2020 by wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE). An analytical method based on solid‐phase extraction and subsequent gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was developed for the detection of 2F‐DCK and KET. The stability experiments showed that 2F‐DCK and KET remained stable in wastewater for 15 days at room and frozen temperatures, and at two pH values (pH = 7 and pH = 2), with residue amounts between 90% and 110%. KET was detected in all samples, whereas 2F‐DCK was detected in only four samples: from Guangzhou in 2018, Shenzhen in 2019, and Quanzhou and Nanning in 2020, indicating that 2F‐DCK has been used as early as 2018 in China. The renal clearance of 2F‐DCK was predicted based on the quantitative structure–pharmacokinetic relationship model, which was used to calculate an excretion factor of 3.7. The 2F‐DCK consumption in four cities ranged from 3.71 ± 0.05 to 55 ± 0.09 mg/day/1000 inh, and KET ranged from 1.3 ± 0.04 to 76.5 ± 4.63 mg/day/1000 inh. This is the first study to investigate 2F‐DCK by WBE, which provides relevant real‐time data on the growth of NPS use, as well as useful information for the government to develop new policies.

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Monitoring psychoactive substance use at six European festivals through wastewater and pooled urine analysis

Cited by 67 publications

References 39 publications

Perspectives and challenges associated with the determination of new psychoactive substances in urine and wastewater – A tutorial

Perspectives and challenges associated with the determination of new psychoactive substances in urine and wastewater – A tutorial

New psychoactive substances in Eurasia: a qualitative study of people who use drugs and harm reduction services in six countries

Presence of the ketamine analog of 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine residues in wastewater

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