Comparison of illicit drug use in three selected towns in Slovakia by wastewater analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse illicit drugs and their metabolites in wastewater from three selected wastewater treatment plants: Bratislava-Central, Bratislava-Petržalka and Piešťany. Urinary bio-markers of methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine, cannabis and ecstasy use were analysed by LC-MS/MS. The presented study shows that the highest consumption of methamphetamine among the surveyed sites is in Petržalka (149 mg/day/1000 inhabitants), followed by Piešťany (124 mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Bratislava (119 mg/day/1000 inhabitants). It was determined that the consumption of cocaine increases over the weekend and that the drug is consumed mainly in areas with a higher population like Bratislava (86 mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Petržalka (56 mg/day/1000 inhabitants), compared to areas with fewer inhabitants such as Piešťany (9 mg/day/1000 inhabitants). Ecstasy consumption in areas with higher population also significantly increased over the weekend (e.g. Bratislava on Wednesday - 2 mg/day/1000 inhabitants, on Sunday - 9 mg/day/1000 inhabitants).