For the past 16 years, a new effort has been launched in the US to detect drug use by residents of a city through the analysis of its sewage.
A process that shows with numbers the use of drugs but also which substances are consumed in each city.
This research also took shape in Cyprus by the International Water Research Center "Nireas" and the team of the Environmental Engineering Laboratory "GAIA" of the University of Cyprus, which treats the urban wastewater of Cyprus - by city - a fact that proved that in In our country, wastewater contains drugs and hallucinogens as in other countries.
Since 2011
Since 2011, within the framework of the European SCORE program and under the auspices of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, research has been conducted by many European research bodies for the monitoring of drugs and their metabolites in urban wastewater.
The International Water-Nireas Research Center (IWRC-Nireas) of the University of Cyprus, under the direction of the Associate Professor of the University of Cyprus Dr. Despos Fatta-Kasinou, participates in this great European campaign since 2013.
In how many countries does the research take place?
This research is conducted in 18 European countries and specifically in 50 cities. From London to Nicosia and from Oslo to Lisbon.
Detection and quantification of 6 substances
In a communication we had with Dr. Despo Cassinou, in charge of this program, told us that this research aims to detect and quantify six drug compounds or their metabolites, namely amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA (extent), cocaine and a cocaine metabolite.
How the analyzes are done
The analyzes are carried out in the wastewater at the entrance of the treatment plants before they undergo any treatment. Then, from the concentrations determined for each drug and using a specific algorithm developed for the purposes of this Program, the amount of drug corresponding to consumption per 1000 inhabitants for the area served by the specific station is calculated.
In which city in Cyprus have more mg of drugs found in wastewater?
According to Dr. Cassinos in Cyprus so far samples have been taken from only two urban wastewater treatment plants: from the Limassol-Amathus station and from the station of the Anthoupolis area in Nicosia. In the future, the goal is to extend the study to other stations in Cyprus.
Rates are lower in Cyprus than in other cities
The concentrations of these drugs and in the specific areas we studied are very low compared to the concentrations found in other European cities with some exceptions, such as cocaine.
High Cocaine Rates - Higher than Athens
Cocaine concentrations were found to be 153 and 81,5 mg / 1000 people / day in the Limassol and Nicosia areas respectively, and appear to be higher than the corresponding concentrations found in other major European cities such as Athens (30,4 mg / 1000 people). / day) and Helsinki (16,4 mg / 1000 people / day).
Nevertheless, the cocaine concentration in Cyprus is much lower than the concentrations determined in Barcelona (699.1 mg / 1000 people / day) and Milan (306,6 mg / 1000 people / day).
Other substances
In contrast, the concentration of methamphetamine is reduced in both areas of Cyprus in 2016 compared to 2015 while amphetamine remains at the same levels in both 2015 and 2016. Indicatively, the concentration of methamphetamine in 2015 in the Limassol area was 32,3, 1000 mg / 2016 people / day, while in 14 it is 1000 mg / XNUMX people / day.
Reducing the use of ecstasy
Also in 2016 in most European cities there was an increase in the use of the substance "ecstasy" in contrast to the two cities in Cyprus where there was a decrease in its use.
The Limassol region in relation to the consumption of the substance "ecstasy" in the other 50 European cities that participated in this research, is in the forty-sixth place with a consumption of 3,4 mg / 1000 people / day and the Nicosia region in the forty-ninth place with a consumption of 1,5 , 1000 mg / XNUMX people / day.
Percentages in mg per drug found in Nicosia and Limassol
Both in the Limassol area - as Dr. told us. In Kassinou and in the Nicosia area, concentrations were measured for all five drug associations.
Increasing cocaine use in Limassol
In the area of Nicosia, while the specific compounds were found, no significant fluctuations were observed between 2015 and 2016 in contrast to the area of Limassol where an increase in cocaine and a decrease in the concentration of methamphetamine was observed.
Cocaine use rates
The cocaine concentration was determined at 153 mg / 1000 people / day and 81,5 mg / 1000 people / day in the Limassol and Nicosia areas, respectively.
Low rates of use of other substances
In contrast the other compounds, methamphetamine, amphetamine and the substance "ecstasy" occur in very low concentrations relative to cocaine.
In the Limassol area, amphetamine, methamphetamine and the substance "ecstasy" were found in concentrations of 8,1, 14 and 3,4 mg / 1000 people / day respectively, while in the Nicosia area the specific ones in concentrations of 4, 10,9 and 1,5, 1000 mg / XNUMX people / day.
What is the whole process of the research program
For the purposes of comparability of results - as stated by Dr. Cassino - Sampling is carried out at regular intervals (twenty-four hours a week) once a year and simultaneously in all participating countries.
Interlaboratory testing
The analysis protocol applied by the International Water-Nireas Research Center for the detection, identification and quantification of drugs was validated by in vitro testing.
In addition, prior to the analysis of each series of samples, control samples are sent by the program coordination team which are analyzed by all laboratories and if the results are accepted then and only then the laboratory analyzes the actual samples in its possession.
A complete sample of drug use cannot be given for all cities in Cyprus
So far, samples have been taken from only two municipal wastewater treatment plants in Cyprus and only for a limited number of days, and therefore the results cannot provide a complete picture of drug use.
For the specific time
According to Dr. Cassinou, the results so far are a "photo" of the moment of sampling and show the use of specific drugs for the specific time only.
Extension of the program
If in the future the program is extended and covers not only all the cities of Cyprus but also different seasons of the year then a more complete picture will be obtained not only of the types of drugs used but also the approximate quantities.
Useful tool
These data - as stated by Dr. Cassino - can be a useful tool for official bodies to develop relevant policies and actions to address the use of these substances.
Source: onlycy