Occurrence and sources of residues of drugs of abuse in an urban aquifer: Chemical analysis and solute transport modelling

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence and potential sources of residues of drugs of abuse in an urban aquifer beneath the City of Ljubljana using water analysis and a solute transport model designed to predict nitrogen distribution. Samples were collected from three sources: 28 wastewater samples (24-h composites), 4 aquifer-recharging river samples (grab), and 22 groundwater samples. The samples were analysed for residues of commonly (ab)used licit drugs (nicotine and alcohol), medications of abuse (morphine, methadone, codeine, and ketamine), and illicit drugs (tetrahydrocannabinol – THC, cocaine, amphetamines, and heroin) using liquid-liquid (alcohol residue) and solid-phase extraction, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Additionally, we used solute transport modelling to predict the spatial distribution of drug residues in the aquifer and their potential sources. Nicotine (up to 45,7 ng/L), cotinine (up to 5.86 ng/L), trans-3′-hydroxycotinine (up to 0.528 ng/L) and benzoylecgonine (up to 0.572 ng/L) were the most commonly detected drug residues in groundwater, followed by cocaine (<LOQ). In comparison, methadone (0.054 ng/L) was detected only once. A higher prevalence of residues of drugs of abuse was observed in samples obtained at the south-eastern edge of the aquifer, downgradient from the main zone of urbanisation, agreeing with model predictions. Although drug residues were detected in river water, modelling suggests that the city's leaky sewer system is the primary source of drug residues.