Estimating population size in wastewater-based epidemiology. Valencia metropolitan area as a case study.
Wastewater can provide a wealth of epidemiologic data on common drugs consumed and on health and nutritional problems based on the biomarkers excreted into community sewage systems. One of the biggest uncertainties of these studies is the estimation of the number of inhabitants served by the treatment plants. Twelve human urine biomarkers -5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), acesulfame, atenolol, caffeine, carbamazepine, codeine, cotinine, creatinine, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), naproxen, salicylic acid (SA) and hydroxycotinine (OHCOT)- were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to estimate population size. The results reveal that populations calculated from cotinine, 5-HIAA and caffeine are commonly in agreement with those calculated by the hydrochemical parameters. Creatinine is too unstable to be applicable. HCTZ, naproxen, codeine, OHCOT and carbamazepine, under or overestimate the population compared to the hydrochemical population estimates but showed constant results through the weekdays. The consumption of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and bufotenine in Valencia was estimated for a week using different population calculations.
Food and Environmental Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre (CIDE-UV, GV, CSIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellé s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
María
M
Rico
Food and Environmental Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre (CIDE-UV, GV, CSIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellé s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: m.jesus.andres@uv.es.
María Jesús
MJ
Andrés-Costa
Food and Environmental Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre (CIDE-UV, GV, CSIC), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellé s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Yolanda
Y
Picó
D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D011156:Population Density; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
LC–MS/MS; Population estimation; Urine biomarkers; Wastewater-based epidemiology