title: Occurrence and behavior of illicit drugs and metabolites in sewage water from the Spanish Mediterranean coast (Valencia region).
abstract: In this work, a study on the occurrence and behavior of illicit drugs and metabolites in sewage water systems has been made. A comprehensive dataset was obtained by analyzing illicit drugs daily in influent and effluent waters from three sewage treatment plants (STPs), over three different weeks. To complete this dataset, monitoring was conducted during an international pop/rock festival, an interesting facet within this study. The STPs selected were sited along the Spanish Mediterranean coast (Castellón province, Valencia region) and represent towns of different sizes, with appreciable variations in the population in the summer period. Illicit drug concentrations in the influents were low, except during the celebration of the music festival, when the levels of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, amphetamine, MDA and MDMA increased. Comparing the influent and effluent concentration data allowed the rough estimation of the removal of illicit drugs and metabolites by each STP. Removal efficiencies were estimated between 75 and 100% for most of the analytes under investigation. The loads discharged into the aquatic ecosystem were also calculated from effluent data. Weekly discharges of drugs and metabolites via effluent sewage waters presented values commonly below 10 g for each individual drug, with the exception of benzoylecgonine, which usually exceeded this level. The increase in population and drug consumption during the music event led to a notable increase in the weekly discharges, reaching values up to 406 g of MDMA and 122 g of benzoylecgonine.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Lubertus
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bijlsma
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Roque
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Área I+D+I, Facsa, C/Enmedio 9-11 entlo., 12001 Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.affiliation: Área I+D+I, Facsa, C/Enmedio 9-11 entlo., 12001 Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tormos
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s/n, E-12071 Castellón, Spain. Electronic address: felix.hernandez@uji.es.
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernández
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Environmental loads; Illicit drugs; STP removal; Sewage water