Comprehensive monitoring of the occurrence of 22 drugs of abuse and transformation products in airborne particulate matter in the city of Barcelona

In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed as a tool to estimate community drug use. Measurement of drugs of abuse (DAs) in airborne particulate is currently being explored as an additional tool to evaluate drug use patterns in time and space, a...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The Science of the total environment 2015-11, Vol.532, p.344-352
Main Authors:	Mastroianni, Nicola, Postigo, Cristina, López de Alda, Miren, Viana, Mar, Rodríguez, Aureli, Alastuey, Andrés, Querol, Xavier, Barceló, Damià
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Air Pollutants - analysis Airborne particulate matter Cannabinoids Cocaine Drugs Drugs of abuse Environmental monitoring Environmental Monitoring - methods Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry Liquids Monitors Particulate emissions Particulate Matter - analysis PM10 Prescription drugs Sampling Spain - epidemiology Street Drugs - analysis Substance Abuse Detection - methods Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology Transformations
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed as a tool to estimate community drug use. Measurement of drugs of abuse (DAs) in airborne particulate is currently being explored as an additional tool to evaluate drug use patterns in time and space, and identify potential emission sources. In this study, we comprehensively monitor the occurrence of 22 licit and illicit DAs and transformation products, belonging to 6 different chemical groups, in airborne particulate matter (PM10) in the city of Barcelona. In order to study spatial and temporal variations, samples were collected from 12 different selected locations on one weekday (Wednesday) and one weekend day (Saturday), during five consecutive weeks. A previously developed analytical methodology, based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) determination, was adapted for analysis of the target compounds with satisfactory performance, ensuring reliability of results. Among the investigated compounds, cannabinol (CBN), cocaine (COC), and methamphetamine (MA) were found to be the most ubiquitous and abundant compounds in PM10 with concentrations ranging from 0.7pg/m3 (MA) to 6020pg/m3 (CBN). Significant differences in total DA concentrations in PM10 were observed across sampling days and locations. DA emissions were identified in highly densely populated areas, where popular commercial and nightlife zones are located. Psychoactive effects due to inhalation of measured concentrations are probably negligible; however, potential health effects due to chronic exposure have not been explored yet. [Display omitted] •114 PM10 samples collected in Barcelona were analyzed for drugs of abuse (DAs).•Cannabinol, cocaine and methamphetamine were the most ubiquitous and abundant DAs.•Cocainics and cannabinoids were the main contributing DA classes to total levels.•D9 (airport) showed lower concentrations than most of the studied districts.•DA emissions were associated with highly densely populated areas.
ISSN:	0048-9697 1879-1026