National monitoring of nicotine use in Czech and Slovak Republic based on wastewater analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare estimation of nicotine use in Slovakia (SR) and the Czech Republic (CR) based on cotinine analysis in wastewater from seven selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with conventional estimation based on tobacco product sales. Urinary bio-markers of nicotine use were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The study was performed concurrently at all the WWTPs (from 11 to 18 March 2014). Representative 24 h composite samples were analyzed with on line SPE/LC-MS/MS method. Based on the average residence time of wastewater in the sewers and the average time in the sampling device, specific correction coefficients were designed to improve estimation of nicotine consumption. Nicotine ingestion level was back-calculated and expressed as mass of pure drug consumed per day and per 1000 inhabitants for selected cities of both countries (mean, 2.2 g for Piešťany and 8.0 g for Nitra, respectively). Consequently, the cigarette consumption results were recalculated for each country separately and compared with the data of both national statistical offices (2362 cigarettes/year/person--SR and 2088 cigarettes/year/person--CR). Our results highly correspond to the data of national statistical offices (up to 99.9% in SR and to 96% in CR). The average amount of money invested in cigarette sales was estimated in the capitals of both countries. It is about 1 million EUR/day for Prague and about 0.3 million EUR/day for Bratislava. The calculation of nicotine consumption, utilizing a specific correction coefficient, is the correct way to obtain more accurate data in drug studies of this kind, thus allowing a better drug abuse assessment.

Comparison of pharmaceutical, illicit drug, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine levels in wastewater with sale, seizure and consumption data for 8 European cities

“…In addition, a large amount of dipping tobacco is disposed of into urinals and toilets resulting in increased nicotine residues in Oslo´s wastewater influent. Cigarette consumption may vary greatly within countries [ 40 ] and other studies have shown a better agreement when comparing WBE with smoking prevalence data at regional level [ 6 , 7 , 29 , 52 ]. Nicotine metabolites have been proposed and used as quantitative biomarkers to estimate population size at local level [ 7 ] although the presented results and previous studies [ 53 ] demonstrate that the different tobacco culture-dependent and geographic behaviour may change between countries.…”

Measuring spatial and temporal trends of nicotine and alcohol consumption in Australia using wastewater‐based epidemiology

“…Nicotine absorption was estimated and cigarette consumption calculated based on the average absorption of nicotine from tobacco cigarettes . The approach has now been applied in Belgium, China, Czech and Slovak Republics, Portugal and Spain . Publications to date have concentrated mainly on European communities.…”

Potential impact of the sewer system on the applicability of alcohol and tobacco biomarkers in wastewater‐based epidemiology

“…Traditionally, survey methods and sales data have been used to monitor tobacco and alcohol consumption but recently wastewater analysis or wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE) has been used as an alternative method to estimate the consumption of chemicals at the population level . There are already some WBE studies that have monitored the consumption of alcohol and tobacco in different populations, from multiple cities to music festivals . These studies were based on the measurement of the unique metabolites of ethanol, ethyl sulfate (EtS), and ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and the metabolites of nicotine, cotinine (Cot), and trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine (HCot).…”

“…3 There are already some WBE studies that have monitored the consumption of alcohol and tobacco in different populations, from multiple cities to music festivals. [4][5][6][7] These studies were based on the measurement of the unique metabolites of ethanol, ethyl sulfate (EtS), and ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and the metabolites of nicotine, cotinine (Cot), and trans-3′-hydroxycotinine (HCot). In WBE, the use of metabolites like EtG, EtS, Cot, and HCot ( Figure 1) as biomarkers are preferable to the use of parent compounds, because it avoids the uncertainty caused by the potential direct disposal of alcohol and tobacco, cigarette stubs, or nicotine products into the sewer.…”