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A Taste for New Psychoactive Substances: Wastewater Analysis Study of 10 Countries
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    Ecotoxicology and Public Health

    A Taste for New Psychoactive Substances: Wastewater Analysis Study of 10 Countries
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    • Richard Bade
      Richard Bade
      Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
      More by Richard Bade
    • Jason M. White
      Jason M. White
      Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
    • Maulik Ghetia
      Maulik Ghetia
      Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
    • Santosh Adiraju
      Santosh Adiraju
      Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
    • Sangeet Adhikari
      Sangeet Adhikari
      School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
      Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
    • Lubertus Bijlsma
      Lubertus Bijlsma
      Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
    • Tim Boogaerts
      Tim Boogaerts
      Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
    • Daniel A. Burgard
      Daniel A. Burgard
      Department of Chemistry, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington 98416, United States
    • Sara Castiglioni
      Sara Castiglioni
      Department of Environmental Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156 Milan, Italy
    • Alberto Celma
      Alberto Celma
      Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
    • Andrew Chappell
      Andrew Chappell
      Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR), Christchurch Science Centre: 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
    • Adrian Covaci
      Adrian Covaci
      Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
    • Erin M. Driver
      Erin M. Driver
      Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
    • Rolf U. Halden
      Rolf U. Halden
      School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
      Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
      OneWaterOneHealth, Arizona State University Foundation, 1001 S. McAllister Avenue, Tempe, Arizona 85287-8101, United States
    • Felix Hernandez
      Felix Hernandez
      Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda, Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
    • Heon-Jun Lee
      Heon-Jun Lee
      Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
      More by Heon-Jun Lee
    • Alexander L. N. van Nuijs
      Alexander L. N. van Nuijs
      Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
    • Jeong-Eun Oh
      Jeong-Eun Oh
      Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
      More by Jeong-Eun Oh
    • Marco A. Pineda Castro
      Marco A. Pineda Castro
      Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C5, Canada
    • Noelia Salgueiro-Gonzalez
      Noelia Salgueiro-Gonzalez
      Department of Environmental Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156 Milan, Italy
    • Bikram Subedi
      Bikram Subedi
      Department of Chemistry, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky 42071-3300, United States
    • Xue-Ting Shao
      Xue-Ting Shao
      College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, No. 1 Linghai Road, Dalian 116026, P. R. China
    • Viviane Yargeau
      Viviane Yargeau
      Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C5, Canada
    • Ettore Zuccato
      Ettore Zuccato
      Department of Environmental Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, 20156 Milan, Italy
    • Cobus Gerber*
      Cobus Gerber
      Health and Biomedical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia
      *Email: [email protected]
      More by Cobus Gerber
    Other Access OptionsSupporting Information (1)

    Environmental Science & Technology Letters

    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2022, 9, 1, 57–63
    Click to copy citationCitation copied!
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00807
    Published December 8, 2021
    Copyright © 2021 American Chemical Society

    Abstract

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    New psychoactive substances (NPS) are compounds designed to mimic both licit and illicit drugs, and these substances are being discovered each year through forensic toxicology, drug enforcement agencies, and health authorities. However, there is limited information surrounding their international popularity. In this work, influent wastewater samples (n = 144) were collected from 25 sites in 10 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Fiji, Italy, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Spain, and the United States over the 2020–2021 New Year period. All samples were extracted in the country of origin then shipped and analyzed centrally at the University of South Australia using validated liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. This study focused on 28 NPS stimulants, with 11 detected. The emerging substances eutylone and 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) were detected most frequently and with the highest mass loads, indicating international popularity. Interestingly, the “older” generation stimulants, para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA), methylone, and mephedrone, were also detected. From the sites monitored in this work, areas in New Zealand had the highest loads of NPS stimulant consumption. Results here show that wastewater analysis can elucidate the dynamic nature of the NPS market, providing near real-time information on changing consumption patterns whose information can be used to minimize public risk.

    Copyright © 2021 American Chemical Society

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    Supporting Information

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    The Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00807.

    • Population, sampling mode, and flow rates for all sites in this study (Table S1). Additional information on sample collection (Section S1). Limits of detection and quantification and recovery for all substances in the method (Table S2). Analytical precision for all compounds in the method (Table S3). Estimated excreted mass loads for all NPS found in this study (Tables S4–S14). Figure of estimated excreted mass loads for mephedrone and 3-MMC in the NZ sites (Figure S1). (PDF)

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    Cited By

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    This article is cited by 32 publications.

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    Environmental Science & Technology Letters

    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2022, 9, 1, 57–63
    Click to copy citationCitation copied!
    https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00807
    Published December 8, 2021
    Copyright © 2021 American Chemical Society

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