[Assessing illicit drugs in wastewater: a pilot study in Mexico]
- PMID: 31314209
- DOI: 10.21149/9819
[Assessing illicit drugs in wastewater: a pilot study in Mexico]
Abstract
Objective: Monitor drug use through wastewater metabolite measurement.
Materials and methods: Wastewater samples were obtained from 31 wastewater treatment plants and 95 sites with specific populations (38 schools, 42 units of addiction treatment and 15 penitentiaries). Using ultra high liquid chromatography, we measured nine metabolites from six drugs.
Results: Eight out of nine drug metabolites were identified in the samples. Marijuana (THC-COOH), cocaine (benzoylecgonine) and methamphetamine were identified in schools, centers of addiction treatment and penitentiaries. Nuevo Laredo, Culiacan and Torreon had the highest consumption of cocaine, marijuana, amphetamine and methamphetamine.
Conclusions: Monitoring drug use through wastewater is feasible in Mexico and could constitute a surveillance system to identify changes in the time.
Objective: Monitorear el consumo de drogas a través de la medición de sus metabolitos en aguas residuales.
Materials and methods: Se obtuvieron muestras de 31 plantas de tratamiento de agua residual y de 95 sitios con poblaciones específicas (38 escuelas, 42 unidades de tratamiento de adicciones y 15 centros de readaptación social). Usando cromatografía líquida de ultra-alta resolución, se midieron nueve metabolitos de seis drogas.
Results: Ocho de nueve metabolitos de drogas fueron identificados en aguas residuales. Los metabolitos de marihuana (THC-COOH), cocaína (benzoilecgonina) y metanfetamina fueron identificados en escuelas, centros de readaptación social y de tratamiento de adicciones. En Nuevo Laredo, Culiacán y Torreón se encontraron los consumos per cápita más elevados de cocaína, marihuana, anfetamina y metanfetamina.
Conclusions: El monitoreo del uso de drogas a través de aguas residuales es factible en México y podría constituir un sistema de vigilancia para identificar cambios de su consumo en el tiempo.
Keywords: Mexico; epidemiology; street drugs; wastewater.
Conflict of interest statement
Declaration of conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.