Profiles of illicit drug use during annual key holiday and control periods in Australia: wastewater analysis in an urban, a semi-rural and a vacation area

  • Lai, Foon Yin
  • Bruno, Raimondo
  • Hall, Wayne
  • Gartner, Coral
  • Ort, Christoph
  • Kirkbride, Paul
  • Prichard, Jeremy
  • Thai, Phong K.
  • Carter, Steve
  • Mueller, Jochen F.
Publication date
March 2013
Publisher
Wiley

Abstract

Aims To examine changes in illicit drug consumption between peak holiday season (23 December3 January) in Australia and a control period two months later in a coastal urban area, an inland semi-rural area and an island populated predominantly by vacationers during holidays. Design Analysis of representative daily composite wastewater samples collected from the inlet of the major wastewater treatment plant in each area. Setting Three wastewater treatment plants. Participants Wastewater treatment plants serviced approximately 350000 persons in the urban area, 120000 in the semi-rural area and 11002400 on the island. Measurements Drug residues were analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. Per capita drug cons...

Extracted data

We use cookies to provide a better user experience.