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Alcohol and nicotine consumption trends in three U.S. communities determined by wastewater-based epidemiology.
- Source :
-
The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2019 Mar 15; Vol. 656, pp. 174-183. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Nov 24. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), an emerging tool for monitoring public health in near real-time, is used extensively in Europe but applications to U.S. populations are still scarce. In this longitudinal study, raw wastewater was collected monthly from three U.S. cities as 24-h weekday composites and analyzed for evidence of alcohol and tobacco consumption. Over the 11-month sampling period, biomarkers of stimulant use were detected in wastewater by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in units of μg/L (ethyl sulfate, 1.6-25.1; nicotine, 0.6-26.7; cotinine, 0.2-3.8; and 3‑hydroxycotinine, 0.3-3.8). Average consumption rates in the three communities were calculated using detected biomarker levels in conjunction with wastewater flow rates, metabolic excretion factors, and population size data. Computed average per-capita consumption rates estimated for the sub-population aged 15 and above for alcohol (13.4 ± 5.6 L/y/person) and daily consumption of nicotine by smokers (14.2 ± 3.6 cigarettes/d/person) were in good agreement with U.S. survey data (9.0 L/y/person; 14.2 cigarettes/d/smoker). The WBE approach also captured impacts of temporal population influx on substance consumption patterns. This first U.S. WBE study to track recreational use of stimulants longitudinally and concurrently in multiple American cities highlights opportunities for collecting robust public health information from wastewater anonymously, economically and in near real-time.<br /> (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Alcohol Drinking trends
Chromatography, Liquid
Cotinine analogs & derivatives
Cotinine analysis
Humans
Midwestern United States epidemiology
New England epidemiology
Nicotine analysis
Seasons
Smoking epidemiology
Smoking trends
Sulfuric Acid Esters analysis
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Alcohol Drinking epidemiology
Wastewater analysis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1879-1026
- Volume :
- 656
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30504019
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.350