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National Drug Intelligence Bureau
Environmental Science and Research
A Joint Presentation
Wastewater Analysis for
Illicit Drug Use
Chemical Analysis of Wastewater Samples to Monitor the Use of Illicit Drugs
Ellen AshmoreMay 2017
Wastewater-based Epidemiology Approach
Drugs in wastewater comes under the discipline of wastewater-based epidemiology, which is the study of wastewater for factors related to health in the population. In this instance, the project studies drugs and metabolites as an indication of drug use in the community.
This complements existing methods of drug intelligence gathering.
Community Health ‐Drug Use
Community Health ‐Drug Use
Wastewater from CitiesWastewater from Cities
Laboratory Analysis
Laboratory Analysis
International Literature
International Literature
Population and Wastewater
Treatment Plant Statistics
Population and Wastewater
Treatment Plant Statistics
Collaboration at ESR
Forensic Group providing drug, metabolite and forensic advice:
ESR Area of Expertise Position and GroupAndrew Chappell Analytical Chemistry Scientist – Food ChemistryEllen Ashmore Analytical Chemistry Scientist – Risk and ResponseDr Brent Gilpin Water Microbiology, Molecular
EpidemiologyScience Leader – Food, Water and Biowastes
Dr David Wood Bioinformatics and Statistics Senior Scientist – Risk and ResponseDr Louise Weaver Wastewater and Groundwater
MicrobiologySenior Scientist – Food, Water and Biowastes
Seamus Watson Analytical Chemistry Technician – Food Chemistry
ESR Area of Expertise Position and GroupCameron Johnson Drugs of abuse, medicines and
psychoactive substancesSenior Scientist – Forensic Drug Chemistry
Ben Bogun Forensic investigation of suspected clandestine drug laboratories
Senior Scientist – ClandestineLaboratories
Hannah Partington Drugs of abuse, medicines and psychoactive substances
Team Leader – Forensic DrugChemistry
Diana Kappatos Forensic Toxicology Senior Scientist – Toxicology
Environmental Science Group providing chemistry, water science, mathematical, and wastewater treatment plant expertise:
Drugs in wastewater analysis around the WorldDrugs in wastewater as a estimation of drug use in the community has been studied all over the World, from Europe to Australia and now New Zealand. The concept started in Europe over 10 years ago and since then comprehensive testing of wastewater all over Europe continues to create important drug use data.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) are leaders in the field of drugs in wastewater research.
Screenshot of EMCDDA interactive map http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/activities/wastewate
r‐analysis
Estimation of drug usageEstimation of drug usage is based on analysis of wastewater and is dependent on the interaction of a number of factors:
Sample Collection
Extraction and analysis:Sample extraction by solid phase extraction (SPE) and analysed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) in laboratory
Determination of the concentration of drugs and metabolites in wastewater
Back calculations to determine population usage
Estimation of drug usageEstimation of drug usage is based on analysis of wastewater and is dependent on the interaction of a number of factors:
Drugs and metabolitesWe are studying five drugs and their associated metabolites. The metabolites were chosen based on suitability for analysis, excretion rates, uniqueness to the parent drug compound, and out of scientific interest.
Drug Metabolite(s)Methamphetamine 4‐hydroxy‐N‐methylamphetamine
CocaineBenzoylecgonineEcgonine methyl ester
α‐PVP Scientific literature has not identified any suitable metabolites
Heroin6‐monoacetylmorphine (6‐MAM)Morphine
MDMA/ecstasy(3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA)
Methamphetamine HeroinCocaine α-PVPMDMA
SamplingOne week, every month for a year
7 samples from each site every month
24-hour composite samples from Rosedale in Auckland, and Christchurch
Sample bottles are provided by ESR
Bottles contain 0.8 mL concentration HCl to ensure the drugs in the samples remain stable during transportation to ESR
Method adapted from Baker and Kasprzyk-Hordern (2011)
Each sample is filtered twice in the lab at ESR
GF/D filter - particle retention of approx. 2.7 µm
GF/F filter – particle retention of approx. 0.7 µm
Samples are acidified to pH 1.8-1.9
Deuterated analogue of each group of drugs (internal standard) is added to each sample to account for losses during extraction
Sample preparation
Baker DR, Kasprzyk‐Hordern B. (2011) Multi‐residue analysis of drugs of abuse in wastewater and surface water by solid‐phase extraction and liquid chromatography‐positive electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A; 1218(12): 1620‐1631.
Sample extractionSolid phase extraction (SPE) using Oasis MCX cartridgesAutomated column conditioning, sample extraction and column elution
Sample reconstitutionFurther concentration of the sample to increase method sensitivityWastewater is concentrated 400 times
Back Calculations
Weekly drug use (mg/week/1000 people)Summation of Day 1 to Day 7 Drug use
Daily drug use – population normalised (mg/day/1000 people)Adjust for population size that the WWPT serves
Total weekly drug load (g/week)Summation of Day 1 to Day 7 Loads
Load: excretion rate correction (g/day)Correction for excretion rate, taken from scientific literature
Load (g/day)Calculation adjusting for WWPT flow data
Concentration of drug or metabolite in wastewater (µg/L)Concentration factor applied to raw data to adjust for laboratory methods
Raw instrument dataAnalysis of samples by LC‐MS/MS
Results – Drug use (mg/week/1000 people)
0500
1000150020002500300035004000
Dec2016
Jan2017
Feb2017
Mar2017
Apr2017
May2017D
rug use (m
g/week/10
00 peo
ple)
Month
Methamphetamine
Christchurch
Auckland (Rosedale)
Results – Drug use (mg/week/1000 people)
0
100
200
300
400
500
Dec2016
Jan2017
Feb2017
Mar2017
Apr2017
May2017
Drug use (m
g/week/10
00 peo
ple)
Month
Cocaine
ChristchurchAuckland (Rosedale)
Results – Drug use (mg/week/1000 people)
0100200300400500600700800
Dec2016
Jan2017
Feb2017
Mar2017
Apr2017
May2017
Drug use (m
g/week/10
00 peo
ple)
Month
MDMA
ChristchurchAuckland (Rosedale)
Results – April 2017 (mg/day/1000 people)
0
100
200
300
400
500
Popu
latio
n no
rmalised
(m
g/day/10
00 peo
ple)
April 2017
Methamphetamine
ChristchurchAuckland (Rosedale)
Results – April 2017 (mg/day/1000 people)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Popu
latio
n no
rmalised
(m
g/day/10
00 peo
ple)
April 2017
Cocaine
ChristchurchAuckland (Rosedale)
Results – April 2017 (mg/day/1000 people)
0
50
100
150
200
Popu
latio
n no
rmalised
(m
g/day/10
00 peo
ple)
April 2017
MDMA
ChristchurchAuckland (Rosedale)
Information we are able to provide:Drug loads in the community (g/day)
Drug use per 1000 people (mg/day/1000 people)
After 6 months of testing, we can determine trends and patterns in drug use over the course of a week, especially important for ‘party’ drugs
Information that could be derived:Number of doses of drug consumed per 1000 people, based on the average mass of one dose (doses/day/1000 people)
The effectiveness of public health education
The effectiveness of re-classification of drugs
The effectiveness border security, drug seizures etc.
Comparisons with existing intelligence data
The Future:Expanding to different communities or events
Study more towns and cities
Study further illicit and prescribed drugs to the suite of analysis, for example, cannabis, amphetamine, ketamine, methadone etc.
Study the relationship between alcohol and drugs of abuse
Acknowledgements
Project Leader – Andrew ChappellSeamus Watson, Food Chemistry, ESR
All of the team members across ESR
The whole of ESR for their support of this project
Funding provided by the New Zealand Police, National Drug Intelligence Bureau.
Andrew ChappellT: 03 351 0095 E: [email protected]
© 2014 ESR
Ellen Ashmore
T: 03 351 0122 E: [email protected]
Contact details are also on our poster
More on results – Evidence Based DataTesting Site:
ChristchurchTotal Grams per Week
December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017
Methamphetamine 731 458 798 536 564
Cocaine Not detected 6 25 30 24
a-PVP Not detected Not detected Not detectedNot detected Not detected
MDMA 261 142 120 154 172
Heroin Not detected Not detected Not detected 0 Not detected
Testing Site:
AucklandTotal Grams per Week
December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017
Methamphetamine 734 648 730 865 657
Cocaine 92 40 49 60 69
a-PVP Not detected Not detected Not detectedNot detected
Not detected
MDMA 111 97 51 114 84
Heroin Not detected Not detected Not detectedNot detected
Not detected
Cocaine• Cocaine seizures are variable with few consistent year‐to‐year trends.
• 35 kilogram seizure of cocaine in 2016; the largest ever single seizure
• Increased seizures made in 2016 indicate demand is growing.
• Offshore Seizure in 2017 • 4.6kg seizure in April 2017• NDIB Assessment to be undertaken
Christchurch's secret: 'Very high' cocaine use in city, report says:
St John reports cocaine use has been "very high" in Christchurch since the earthquakes.
Dec 2016 - Nil result in WWJan 2017 - 6 gramsFeb 2017 - 25 grams March 2017 - 30 grams April 2017 -24 grams0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Grams
Annual Seizure Quantity
Police
Customs
MDMA • Level of MDMA in Christchurch of interest.
• Refocus of collection requirements
• Working with other agencies and NGO’s
• Three in court for Christchurch Airport drugs bust
Methamphetamine Operationalise the Data:
Developing the drug picture: Police SeizureCustoms SeizurePre CursorsWaste Water Human Source Data NGO Data Salvation Army etcHealth Needle Exchange University
Police SLT meeting Strategic Meeting with Health Line up Addiction service / Needle Exchange.
OUTCOME: Better Service / Better Education.
CIB – target imports before risk times – Fri, Sat, Sun.
0
100
200
300
400
500
Pop
ulat
ion
norm
alis
ed
(mg/
day/
1000
peo
ple)
April 2017
Methamphetamine consumption per 1000 people per day
Christchurch
Auckland(Rosedale)
Estimated average consumption of methylamphetamine for capital city sites and
regional sites by state/territory.
Estimated Australian national average consumption ~1000 mg/1000 people per day
Aussie NZ comparison
Estimated New Zealand daily consumption ranges between 170‐435 mg/1000 people per day
Benefits Establish an accurate measure of the drug use in the population by collecting,
prevalencedrug typestime patterns geographical area
Supplements and validates information collected from current monitoring systems.
Provide information into an early warning system.
Less resource intensive than surveys.
Non‐invasive and objective.
Inform treatment and enforcement policy and strategy in a timely manner.
Measure the efficacy of supply control/demand reduction intervention.
Compare with international data.
Other intel Seizure data
Surveys
Informant information
Hospital data
Mortality data
Intelligence holdings
International reporting
Helpline calls
Liaison officers
Drug Treatment Providers
One Piece of the Puzzle
Questions
