Abstract
The detection and monitoring of illicit drug concentrations in environmental waters is of increasing interest. This study aimed to determine if illicit and regulated compounds, their potential pre-cursors, and metabolites varied in amount discharged into the environment from treated wastewater at different facilities. Water samples were taken from discharge points of four different tertiary wastewater treatment plants discharging directly into the Hawkesbury-Nepean River (Australia) on two different occasions and analysed to determine the concentrations of compounds including: ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and benzoylecgonine. Here, we show that detectable levels of illicit drug and metabolites are being emitted on a consistent basis after having persisted through the wastewater treatment process. The concentrations of methamphetamine are in excess of previously reported surface water concentrations. The estimated total load of compounds being discharged on a daily basis is greater than similar sized catchment areas. The results presented here are of concern from both an ecological and human health perspective.
Highlights
Illicit and regulated compounds are considered to be contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) due to the potential negative impacts on the environment and human health [1]
Wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) are generally not required to remove illicit and regulated CECs and these compounds are reported to last through the wastewater treatment process [7,8,9]
Concentrations in August were higher across all sites for pseudoephedrine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and benzoylecgonine with all other compounds varying between August and April
Summary
Illicit and regulated compounds are considered to be contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) due to the potential negative impacts on the environment and human health [1]. Excreted as either the parent compound or as metabolites, these CECs have been reported to persist into the wider environment [2,3,4,5,6]. Receiving water bodies can be considered to be the most susceptible environmental for contamination by CECs [10]. Untreated wastewater influent has been used to estimate the use of illicit drugs by a population [4,5,11]. A study of 23 countries with reported data for methylamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) highlighted that Australia has the second highest total estimated consumption overall after the United States of America [12]
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