title: Occurrence of illicit drugs and selected pharmaceuticals in Slovak municipal wastewater.
abstract: We analyzed illicit drugs and their metabolites and pharmaceuticals in wastewater from 15 selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Slovakia. Our results indicate that methamphetamine is one of the most commonly used illegal drugs in all the regions of Slovakia monitored in this study. Compared with the international results, the Slovak cities of Dunajská Streda (479 mg/day/1000inh) and Trnava (354 mg/day/1000inh) are among the cities with the largest numbers of methamphetamine users in Europe. These results indicate an increase in the incidence of drugs in big cities and in the satellite cities (Trnava and Dunajská Streda) near Bratislava. These results also confirm the police statistics about production and use of illicit drugs in Slovakia. The highest specific loads of cocaine were found in Bratislava (112 mg/day/1000inh), followed by Petržalka (74 mg/day/1000inh). Compared with other European cities, Bratislava and the other Slovak cities in this study have a relatively low number of COC consumers. The ecstasy load in wastewater from larger cities also significantly increased over the weekend and during music festivals. The highest 2-year mean concentrations of THC-COOH, a cannabis biomarker, were observed in the sewage from BA-Petržalka and BA-Central (191 and 171 ng/L, respectively). A first complex monitoring of pharmaceuticals in all therapeutic groups was also realized in selected Slovak WWTPs. Occurrence of wide spectrum of pharmaceuticals with very high concentrations as well as consumptions were observed mainly in small Slovak cities. Considering all 120 monitored pharmaceuticals, Valsartan had the highest concentrations: 6000 ng/L, on average.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia. igor.bodik@stuba.sk.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bodík
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Tomáš
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mackuľak
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Milota
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fáberová
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ivanová
mesh_terms: D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000032:analysis; D002947:Cities; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000032:analysis; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D018154:Slovakia; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D003042:Cocaine; D008694:Methamphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Comparison of drug use; Illicit drugs analyze; Slovakia; Urban wastewater; Wastewater treatment plants