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Investigation of agreement between wastewater-based epidemiology and survey data on alcohol and nicotine use in a community.
- Source :
-
Drug and alcohol dependence [Drug Alcohol Depend] 2016 May 01; Vol. 162, pp. 170-5. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Mar 09. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Background/aims: Alcohol and nicotine are the two most used substances world-wide and associated with increased burden of disease. Since surveys on substance use may be difficult due to response biases, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was developed as a more objective measure of nicotine and alcohol use. This study compares estimates of nicotine and alcohol use from a wastewater sampling campaign in a medium-sized Belgian city with a concurrently executed population survey.<br />Methods: 29,083 letters about participation in an online survey study on weekly alcohol and tobacco use were sent to the inhabitants of Lier, Belgium. Wastewater samples were collected from the associated treatment plant in four bi-weekly periods. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Ethylsulfate was used as alcohol biomarker and cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine as nicotine biomarker.<br />Results: 263 (1%) surveys were filled out on average per week. According to survey data, alcohol and nicotine were used less than in the rest of Belgium and this was matched by the wastewater data. Nicotine use, but not alcohol use, showed a significant variation over the sampling periods. Both nicotine and alcohol showed increase use during the weekend while only alcohol showed a different use pattern throughout the week.<br />Conclusion: No correlation between WBE and survey data could be demonstrated, possibly due to small sample sizes. However, this study shows that weekly trends in alcohol and nicotine use can be quickly detected from wastewater analysis and the occurrence of major events such as festivals can be identified.<br /> (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Belgium epidemiology
Biomarkers analysis
Chromatography, Liquid methods
Cities epidemiology
Cotinine analogs & derivatives
Cotinine analysis
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Residence Characteristics
Sulfuric Acid Esters analysis
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Young Adult
Alcohol Drinking epidemiology
Ethanol analysis
Nicotine analysis
Smoking epidemiology
Wastewater analysis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1879-0046
- Volume :
- 162
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Drug and alcohol dependence
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26980372
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.03.002