0000000000853415
AUTHOR
Axel Meierjohann
The anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac, naproxen and ibuprofen are found in the bile of wild fish caught downstream of a wastewater treatment plant.
Pharmaceutical residues are ubiquitous in rivers, lakes, and at coastal waters affected by discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants. In this study, the presence of 17 different pharmaceuticals and six different phase I metabolites was determined in the bile of two wild fish species, bream (Abramis brama) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). The fish were caught from a lake that receives treated municipal wastewater via a small river. Prior to analyses, the bile content was enzymatically hydrolyzed to convert the glucuronide metabolites into the original pharmaceuticals or phase I metabolites. The solid phase extracts of hydrolyzates were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass sp…
Spatial differences and temporal changes in illicit drug use in Europe quantified by wastewater analysis
Aims To perform wastewater analyses to assess spatial differences and temporal changes of illicit drug use in a large European population. Design Analyses of raw wastewater over a 1-week period in 2012 and 2013. Setting and Participants Catchment areas of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Europe, as follows: 2012: 25 WWTPs in 11 countries (23 cities, total population 11.50 million); 2013: 47 WWTPs in 21 countries (42 cities, total population 24.74 million). Measurements Excretion products of five illicit drugs (cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, cannabis) were quantified in wastewater samples using methods based on liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrom…
Comparing illicit drug use in 19 European cities through sewage analysis
Abstract: The analysis of sewage for urinary biomarkers of illicit drugs is a promising and complementary approach for estimating the use of these substances in the general population. For the first time, this approach was simultaneously applied in 19 European cities, making it possible to directly compare illicit drug loads in Europe over a 1-week period. An inter-laboratory comparison study was performed to evaluate the analytical performance of the participating laboratories. Raw 24-hour composite sewage samples were collected from 19 European cities during a single week in March 2011 and analyzed for the urinary biomarkers of cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine and cannabis u…