INTRODUCTION: Illicit drug use is a largely hidden phenomenon, and population measures are notoriously problematic. Reliable and valid data for local, regional, and national public health and other interventions are needed. METHODS: To address this information, we examined temporal trends within and across weeks in methamphetamine (MA) in a single location in order to inform a sampling plan for understanding long-term trends in MA use based on sampling raw influent to wastewater treatment plants. The measured concentrations in the wastewater are used to estimate the total mass of MA consumed rather than the number of doses due to the uncertainty surrounding methamphetamine purity, mass of MA per dose, and the number of doses used per day. RESULTS: Results from a region with high levels of MA use indicate that MA levels do not differ significantly between weekdays and weekends (p = 0.1), consistent with a predominately regular, daily use pattern use. The potential contribution of legal sales of D: - and L: -MA to the mass of MA consumed within the community was estimated to range from 3-8%. Limitations and uncertainties associated with estimating the mass of MA consumption include small contributions of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are metabolized to MA as well as measurement and sampling variability.
INTRODUCTION: Illicit drug use is a largely hidden phenomenon, and population measures are notoriously problematic. Reliable and valid data for local, regional, and national public health and other interventions are needed. METHODS: To address this information, we examined temporal trends within and across weeks in methamphetamine (MA) in a single location in order to inform a sampling plan for understanding long-term trends in MA use based on sampling raw influent to wastewater treatment plants. The measured concentrations in the wastewater are used to estimate the total mass of MA consumed rather than the number of doses due to the uncertainty surrounding methamphetamine purity, mass of MA per dose, and the number of doses used per day. RESULTS: Results from a region with high levels of MA use indicate that MA levels do not differ significantly between weekdays and weekends (p = 0.1), consistent with a predominately regular, daily use pattern use. The potential contribution of legal sales of D: - and L: -MA to the mass of MA consumed within the community was estimated to range from 3-8%. Limitations and uncertainties associated with estimating the mass of MA consumption include small contributions of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are metabolized to MA as well as measurement and sampling variability.
Authors: Alexander L N van Nuijs; Isabela Tarcomnicu; Lieven Bervoets; Ronny Blust; Philippe G Jorens; Hugo Neels; Adrian Covaci Journal: Anal Bioanal Chem Date: 2009-08-16 Impact factor: 4.142
Authors: Alexander L N van Nuijs; Bert Pecceu; Laetitia Theunis; Nathalie Dubois; Corinne Charlier; Philippe G Jorens; Lieven Bervoets; Ronny Blust; Hugo Neels; Adrian Covaci Journal: Water Res Date: 2008-12-25 Impact factor: 11.236
Authors: Maria Huerta-Fontela; Maria Teresa Galceran; Jordi Martin-Alonso; Francesc Ventura Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2008-04-22 Impact factor: 7.963
Authors: C E Cook; A R Jeffcoat; B M Sadler; J M Hill; R D Voyksner; D E Pugh; W R White; M Perez-Reyes Journal: Drug Metab Dispos Date: 1992 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 3.922
Authors: Alex J Brewer; Christoph Ort; Caleb J Banta-Green; Jean-Daniel Berset; Jennifer A Field Journal: Environ Sci Technol Date: 2012-07-17 Impact factor: 9.028