Workflow to facilitate the detection of new psychoactive substances and drugs of abuse in influent urban wastewater

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133955
• Publication Date: 2024-03-05T17:14:01Z
• Authors: Richard Bade; Denice van Herwerden; Nikolaos Rousis; Sangeet Adhikari; Darren Allen; Christine Baduel; Lubertus Bijlsma; Tim Boogaerts; Dan Burgard; Andrew Chappell; Erin M. Driver; Fernando Fabriz S...; Despo Fatta-Kassinos; Emma Gracia-Lor; Elisa Gracia-Marín; Rolf U. Halden; Ester Heath; Emma Jaunay; Alex Krotulski; Foon Yin Lai; Arndís Sue Ching ...; Jake W. O’Brien; Jeong-Eun Oh; Daniel Pasin; Marco Pineda Castro; Magda Psichoudaki; Noelia Salgueiro-...; Cezar Silvino Gomes; Bikram Subedi; Kevin V. Thomas; Nikolaos Thomaidis; Degao Wang; Viviane Yargeau; Saer Samanipour; Jochen Mueller
• Keywords: Drugs of abuse

The complexity around the dynamic markets for new psychoactive substances (NPS) forces researchers to develop and apply innovative analytical strategies detect identify them in influent urban wastewater. In this work a comprehensive suspect screening workflow following liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry analysis was established utilising open-source InSpectra data processing platform HighResNPS library. total, 278 wastewater samples from 47 sites 16 countries were collected investigate presence of NPS other drugs abuse. A total 50 compounds detected at least one site. Most found prescription such as gabapentin (detection frequency 79%), codeine (40%) pregabalin (15%). However, cocaine most illicit drug (83%), all where apart Republic Korea China. Eight also identified with protocol: 3-methylmethcathinone 11%), eutylone (6%), etizolam (2%), 3-chloromethcathinone (4%), mitragynine phenibut 25I-NBOH (2%) trimethoxyamphetamine (2%). latter three have not previously been reported municipal samples. employed allowed prioritisation features be further investigated, reducing time gaining confidence their identification.