ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9336-9656
Current Organisations
University of Queensland
,
Universiteit van Amsterdam
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental Science and Management | Environmental Technologies | Environmental Chemistry (incl. Atmospheric Chemistry) | Environmental Monitoring | Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified | Health Information Systems (incl. Surveillance) | Analytical spectrometry | Analytical chemistry | Instrumental methods (excl. immunological and bioassay methods) | Separation science | Public Health and Health Services | Environmental Engineering | Microbial Ecology | Water Treatment Processes |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Environmental Health | Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences | Consumption Patterns, Population Issues and the Environment | Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified | Substance Abuse | Urban and Industrial Water Management | Disease Distribution and Transmission (incl. Surveillance and Response) | Health Policy Evaluation
Related Links
Publications
Population Socioeconomics Predicted Using Wastewater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 26-06-2020
Association between purity of drug seizures and illicit drug loads measured in wastewater in a South East Queensland catchment over a six year period
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.04.192
Abstract: This study aimed to examine associations between the annual average purity of seized illicit drugs and their corresponding load measured in wastewater. Daily loads (averaging 81 s les/year) and purity of seized meth hetamine (average 287 s les/year), cocaine (50/year) and MDMA (70/year) were collected from a catchment that serviced approximately 220,000 persons in Queensland, Australia during 2010-2015. Using regression models for mass load and purity data, we found a strong linear increase in the mass load of meth hetamine detected across study years (363-1126 mg/1000 people/day, R
The impact of COVID-19 on antidepressant sales and prescription dispensing in Australia
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 28-12-2021
Determining changes in new psychoactive substance use in Australia by wastewater analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2020
Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.152382
Abstract: This study investigated the occurrence and contribution of plastic particles associated with size fractionated biosolids to the total concentration in biosolids (treated sewage sludge) s les collected from 20 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) across Australia. This was achieved through sequential size fractionation of biosolids s les to quantify the mass concentration of 7 common plastics across a range of biosolids size fractions, including below 25 μm which has not been assessed in many previous studies. Quantitative analysis was performed by pressurized liquid extraction followed by pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Of the total quantified plastics (Σ
Per capita loads of organic UV filters in Australian wastewater influent
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.01.140
Abstract: Per capita loads of six UV filters were estimated in wastewater influent s les from 36 wastewater treatment plants in Australia collected over a weekend period during the 2016 Australian Census. Of the analysed s les, 99% contained at least one of the target compounds. Phenyl benzimidazole sulfonic acid (PBSA) was the most prevalent (99%), followed by benzophenone 4 (BP4) (97%), benzophenone 3 (BP3) (87%), benzophenone 1 (BP1) (84%), 4-methylbenzylidene c hor (4-MBC) (22%) and isoamyl 4-methoxycinnamate (IMC) (1.5%). The highest concentrations were 3780 and 5070 ng L
Evaluation of Monitoring Schemes for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology to Identify Drug Use Trends Using Cocaine, Methamphetamine, MDMA and Methadone
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-04-2016
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology is increasingly being used as a tool to monitor drug use trends. To minimize costs, studies have typically monitored a small number of days. However, cycles of drug use may display weekly and seasonal trends that affect the accuracy of monthly or annual drug use estimates based on a limited number of s les. This study aimed to rationalize s ling methods for minimizing the number of s les required while maximizing information about temporal trends. A range of s ling strategies were examined: (i) targeted days (e.g., weekends), (ii) completely random or stratified random s ling, and (iii) a number of s ling strategies informed by known weekly cycles in drug use data. Using a time-series approach, analysis was performed for four drugs (MDMA, meth hetamine, cocaine, methadone) collected through a continuous s ling program over 14 months. Results showed, for drugs with weekly cycles (MDMA, meth hetamine and cocaine in this s le), s ling strategies which made use of those weekly cycles required fewer s les to obtain similar information as s ling 5 days per week and had better accuracy than stratified random s ling techniques.
Determination of anabasine, anatabine, and nicotine biomarkers in wastewater by enhanced direct injection LC-MS/MS and evaluation of their in-sewer stability
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2020
Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-10-2023
A method and its application to determine the amount of cannabinoids in sewage sludge and biosolids
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-06-2021
The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-10-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12302-022-00680-6
Abstract: The NORMAN Association ( www.norman-network.com/ ) initiated the NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE ds/SLE/ ) in 2015, following the NORMAN collaborative trial on non-target screening of environmental water s les by mass spectrometry. Since then, this exchange of information on chemicals that are expected to occur in the environment, along with the accompanying expert knowledge and references, has become a valuable knowledge base for “suspect screening” lists. The NORMAN-SLE now serves as a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) chemical information resource worldwide. The NORMAN-SLE contains 99 separate suspect list collections (as of May 2022) from over 70 contributors around the world, totalling over 100,000 unique substances. The substance classes include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, pesticides, natural toxins, high production volume substances covered under the European REACH regulation (EC: 1272/2008), priority contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and regulatory lists from NORMAN partners. Several lists focus on transformation products (TPs) and complex features detected in the environment with various levels of provenance and structural information. Each list is available for separate download. The merged, curated collection is also available as the NORMAN Substance Database (NORMAN SusDat). Both the NORMAN-SLE and NORMAN SusDat are integrated within the NORMAN Database System (NDS). The in idual NORMAN-SLE lists receive digital object identifiers (DOIs) and traceable versioning via a Zenodo community ( ommunities/norman-sle ), with a total of 40,000 unique views, 50,000 unique downloads and 40 citations (May 2022). NORMAN-SLE content is progressively integrated into large open chemical databases such as PubChem ( pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ ) and the US EPA’s CompTox Chemicals Dashboard ( ashboard/ ), enabling further access to these lists, along with the additional functionality and calculated properties these resources offer. PubChem has also integrated significant annotation content from the NORMAN-SLE, including a classification browser ( lassification/#hid=101 ). The NORMAN-SLE offers a specialized service for hosting suspect screening lists of relevance for the environmental community in an open, FAIR manner that allows integration with other major chemical resources. These efforts foster the exchange of information between scientists and regulators, supporting the paradigm shift to the “one substance, one assessment” approach. New submissions are welcome via the contacts provided on the NORMAN-SLE website ( ds/SLE/ ).
Triplex Qpcr Assay for Campylobacter Jejuni and Coli in Wastewater with Campylobacter Sputorum as the Inhibition Control
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.2139/SSRN.4367447
Enantiomeric profiling of amphetamine and methamphetamine in wastewater: A 7-year study in regional and urban Queensland, Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.06.242
Abstract: Enantiomeric profiling was used in this study to investigate the consumption of hetamine and meth hetamine in regional and urban Southeast Queensland, Australia over a period of seven years. S(+) meth hetamine was predominantly consumed in both urban and regional areas, showing a two and three fold increase in urban and regional catchments respectively between 2011 and 2017. The ratio of hetamine to meth hetamine (AMP/METH) in wastewater reflected the expected excretion profile of meth hetamine consumption indicating the presence of hetamine in this study was primarily the result of meth hetamine metabolism. However, the occasional occurrence of R(-) hetamine in s les containing higher AMP/METH ratios, suggested the consumption of racemic hetamine. The R(-) meth hetamine enantiomer was also identified in several s les, possibly indicative that the phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) synthesis process rather than the more typical reduction of ephedrines was also being used to manufacture meth hetamine. Furthermore, we identified two s les with a significantly different enantiomer ratio for the METH and AMP as well as a much lower AMP/METH concentration ratio suggesting contribution from direct disposal of meth hetamine into the sewer. This study demonstrated that enantiomeric profiling in wastewater-based epidemiology can provide valuable information for evaluating the origin of hetamine in wastewater as either a metabolite of meth hetamine consumption or hetamine itself.
The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): Facilitating European and Worldwide Collaboration on Suspect Screening in High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-1902466/V1
Abstract: Background: The NORMAN Association (www.norman-network.com/) initiated the NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE ds/SLE/) in 2015, following the NORMAN collaborative trial on non-target screening of environmental water s les by mass spectrometry. Since then, this exchange of information on chemicals that are expected to occur in the environment, along with the accompanying expert knowledge and references, has become a valuable knowledge base for “suspect screening” lists. The NORMAN-SLE now serves as a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) chemical information resource worldwide. Results: The NORMAN-SLE contains 99 separate suspect list collections (as of May 2022) from over 70 contributors around the world, totalling over 100,000 unique substances. The substance classes include per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, pesticides, natural toxins, high production volume substances covered under the European REACH regulation (EC: 1272/2008), priority contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and regulatory lists from NORMAN partners. Several lists focus on transformation products (TPs) and complex features detected in the environment with various levels of provenance and structural information. Each list is available for separate download. The merged, curated collection is also available as the NORMAN Substance Database (NORMAN SusDat). Both the NORMAN-SLE and NORMAN SusDat are integrated within the NORMAN Database System (NDS). The in idual NORMAN-SLE lists receive digital object identifiers (DOIs) and traceable versioning via a Zenodo community (ommunities/norman-sle), with a total of ,000 unique views, ,000 unique downloads and 40 citations (May 2022). NORMAN-SLE content is progressively integrated into large open chemical databases such as PubChem (pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and the US EPA’s CompTox Chemicals Dashboard (ashboard/), enabling further access to these lists, along with the additional functionality and calculated properties these resources offer. PubChem has also integrated significant annotation content from the NORMAN-SLE, including a classification browser (lassification/#hid=101). Conclusions: The NORMAN-SLE offers a specialized service for hosting suspect screening lists of relevance for the environmental community in an open, FAIR manner that allows integration with other major chemical resources. These efforts foster the exchange of information between scientists and regulators, supporting the paradigm shift to the “one chemical, one assessment” approach. New submissions are welcome via the contacts provided on the NORMAN-SLE website (ds/SLE/).
Quantification of selected analgesics and their metabolites in influent wastewater by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
Cumulative Neutral Loss Model for Fragment Deconvolution in Electrospray Ionization High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 07-08-2023
Wastewater Analysis for Substance Abuse Monitoring and Policy Development
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 15-10-2020
Out of sight but not out of mind: Size fractionation of plastics bioaccumulated by field deployed oysters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
From Molecular Descriptors to Intrinsic Fish Toxicity of Chemicals: An Alternative Approach to Chemical Prioritization
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-12-2022
Uncertainties in estimating alcohol and tobacco consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
From descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: an alternative approach to chemical prioritization
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-06-2022
DOI: 10.26434/CHEMRXIV-2022-B8T79
Abstract: Most chemicals present in the human and environmental exposome are structurally unknown (i.e. ≤ 1%). The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and US Environmen- tal Protection Agency (EPA) have listed approximately 800k chemicals that must be further investigated for their potential environmental and/or human health risk. A sig- nificant number of these chemicals have large enough global volumes of consumption (e.g. industrial and agrochemical) to reach the limits of detection of our analytical chemistry methods and may be toxic. In this study we present a supervised classification model that directly connects the molecular descriptors of chemicals to their toxicity. As a proof of concept we used 907 experimentally defined LC50 values for acute fish toxicity. Our classification model explained ≈ 90% of variance in our data for the training set and ≈ 80% for the test set. Direct comparison of our classification model with the conventional strategy (i.e. QSAR regression models) resulted in a 5 fold decrease in the wrong chemical categorization for our model. This optimized model was employed to predict the toxicity categories of ≈ 32k chemicals (from the Norman SusDat). Finally, a comparison between the model based applicability domain (AD) vs the training set AD was performed, suggesting that the training set based AD is a more adequate way to avoid extrapolation when using such models. The better performance of our direct classification model compared to conventionally employed QSAR methods, makes this approach a viable tool for hazard identification and risk assessment of chemicals.
The underlying challenges that arise when analysing short-chain chlorinated paraffins in environmental matrices
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHROMA.2019.460550
Abstract: As short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are listed on several monitoring programs, validated methods are essential. However, their complexity and the lack of commercially available certified reference materials (RMs) hinder a proper validation of methods. Instead, one method is usually 'validated' by evaluating performances and results of spiked materials with that of one other method, which could easily lead to unreliable results. This study evaluated four analytical methods with different principles (i.e. comprehensive two dimensional GC coupled to a micro electron capture detector, developed for this study, chloride enhanced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization triple quadrupole time of flight MS (APCI-QToF-HRMS), GC coupled to an electron capture negative ion low resolution MS (GC-ECNI-LRMS) and carbon skeleton GC-MS), investigated the comparability in SCCP determination in spiked and naturally contaminated s les and determined SCCP amounts in candidate RMs for possible certification. The results cast doubt on the use of the most commonly applied method (i.e. GC-ECNI-LRMS), as well as using spiked materials for method validation. The APCI-QToF-HRMS method was found most promising as it achieves the required MS resolution (>21,000), is relatively fast and can detect also other CPs. The suitable identified SCCP levels in the candidate RMs and the agreement in results between the methods bring the first certification of a RM for SCCPs within reach.
LC-HRMS suspect screening to show spatial patterns of new psychoactive substances use in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.09.348
Abstract: New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are an ever-changing class of compounds designed to imitate the effects of current recreational drugs. Such a erse market is difficult to assess by traditional means, while collected information can become obsolete before it is available. Wastewater-based epidemiology is one technique which can capture information on where and when NPS appear at the community level. The aim of this study was to identify NPS in wastewater s les using a suspect screening approach. Weekend s les were collected from 50 wastewater treatment plants from Australian capital cities and regional areas across all eight States and Territories and screened against a database containing almost 200 NPS. A total of 22 different NPS were found across all regional and metropolitan wastewater treatment plants. Results showed that the most detected compounds were of the cathinone class, with both Alpha-PVP and methcathinone found in every region. In addition, five different synthetic cannabinoids were detected, at least once in half of the regions analysed. Herein, we report the first comprehensive nationwide analysis of NPS and show the utility of liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry screening for delivering spatial information of the NPS being consumed in communities.
Refining the uncertainties and expansion of wastewater-based epidemiology for assessing population exposure to chemicals
Publisher: University of Queensland Library
Refining the excretion factors of methadone and codeine for wastewater analysis - Combining data from pharmacokinetic and wastewater studies
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.05.033
Abstract: Analysing drug residues in wastewater (wastewater analysis) to monitor the consumption of those drugs in the population has become a complementary method to epidemiological surveys. In this method, the excretion factor of a drug (or the percentage of drug metabolites excreted through urine) is a critical parameter for the back-estimation of the consumption of a drug. However, this parameter is usually derived from a small database of human pharmacokinetic studies. This is true for methadone and codeine, the two most commonly used opioids and also common substances of abuse. Therefore, we aimed to refine the current excretion factors used for estimating methadone and codeine by analysing published data from the literature on the excretion of methadone, its main metabolite, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), and codeine. Our review included both human drug pharmacokinetic studies and wastewater analysis studies. We found that while the commonly used excretion factor of methadone (~27.5%) was relatively accurate, the excretion factor of EDDP, a better biomarker for methadone consumption in sewer epidemiology, should be twice that of methadone (i.e. 55%) instead of the current equal or half values. For codeine, the excretion factor should be ~30% instead of 63.5% or 10% as previously used in wastewater analysis studies. Data from wastewater analysis studies could be used in this way to refine the excretion factors of the drugs of interest.
Spatial variations in the consumption of illicit stimulant drugs across Australia: A nationwide application of wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.207
Abstract: Obtaining representative information on illicit drug use and patterns across a country remains difficult using surveys because of low response rates and response biases. A range of studies have used wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a complementary approach to monitor community-wide illicit drug use. In Australia, no large-scale WBE studies have been conducted to date to reveal illicit drug use profiles in a national context. In this study, we performed the first Australia-wide WBE monitoring to examine spatial patterns in the use of three illicit stimulants (cocaine, as its human metabolite benzoylecgonine meth hetamine and 3,4-methylendioxymeth hetamine (MDMA)). A total of 112 daily composite wastewater s les were collected from 14 wastewater treatment plants across four states and two territories. These covered approximately 40% of the Australian population. We identified and quantified illicit drug residues using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. There were distinctive spatial patterns of illicit stimulant use in Australia. Multivariate analyses showed that consumption of cocaine and MDMA was higher in the large cities than in rural areas. Also, cocaine consumption differed significantly between different jurisdictions. Meth hetamine consumption was more similar between urban and rural locations. Only a few cities had elevated levels of use. Extrapolation of the WBE estimates suggested that the annual consumption was 3tonnes for cocaine and 9tonnes combined for meth hetamine and MDMA, which outweighed the annual seizure amount by 25 times and 45 times, respectively. These ratios imply the difficulty of detecting the trafficking of these stimulants in Australia, possibly more so for meth hetamine than cocaine. The obtained spatial pattern of use was compared with that in the most recent national household survey. Together both WBE and survey methods provide a more comprehensive evaluation of drug use that can assist governments in developing policies to reduce drug use and harm in the communities.
Harnessing the Power of the Census: Characterizing Wastewater Treatment Plant Catchment Populations for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-07-2019
Abstract: Wastewater studies that provide per capita estimates of consumption (influent) or release (effluent) via wastewater systems rely heavily on accurate population data. This study evaluated the accuracy of Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) reported populations, as well as hydrochemical parameters, against accurate populations from a population census. 104 catchment maps were received from WWTPs, geolocated in geospatial software and overlaid with the smallest area unit of the Australian census, equating to 14.9 million Australians or 64% of the national population. We characterized each catchment for population counts, as well as by age profile, income profile, and education level. For a subset of sites, population estimates using hydrochemical parameters BOD, COD, and dissolved ammonia were evaluated for accuracy against census populations. Population estimates provided by WWTP personnel were on average 18% higher than census-based populations. Furthermore, hydrochemical-based population estimates had high RSD (>44%) for BOD, COD, and ammonium between sites, suggesting that their applicability for use in population estimation may not be appropriate for every WWTP. Catchment age distributions were evaluated and 46% of catchments had skewed age distributions: 6% were skewed older, and 40% were skewed younger. Through this process WWTP catchment populations can be characterized in a way that will enhance the interpretations of per capita estimates.
Wastewater-based epidemiology of Campylobacter spp.: A systematic review and meta-analysis of influent, effluent, and removal of wastewater treatment plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2023
Molecular Methods for Pathogenic Bacteria Detection and Recent Advances in Wastewater Analysis
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-12-2021
DOI: 10.3390/W13243551
Abstract: With increasing concerns about public health and the development of molecular techniques, new detection tools and the combination of existing approaches have increased the abilities of pathogenic bacteria monitoring by exploring new biomarkers, increasing the sensitivity and accuracy of detection, quantification, and analyzing various genes such as functional genes and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG). Molecular methods are gradually emerging as the most popular detection approach for pathogens, in addition to the conventional culture-based plate enumeration methods. The analysis of pathogens in wastewater and the back-estimation of infections in the community, also known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), is an emerging methodology and has a great potential to supplement current surveillance systems for the monitoring of infectious diseases and the early warning of outbreaks. However, as a complex matrix, wastewater largely challenges the analytical performance of molecular methods. This review synthesized the literature of typical pathogenic bacteria in wastewater, types of biomarkers, molecular methods for bacterial analysis, and their recent advances in wastewater analysis. The advantages and limitation of these molecular methods were evaluated, and their prospects in WBE were discussed to provide insight for future development.
Accumulation and fate of nano- and micro-plastics and associated contaminants in organisms
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
Current and future perspectives for wastewater-based epidemiology as a monitoring tool for pharmaceutical use
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Commentary on Ort etal. (2014): What next to deliver on the promise of large scale sewage-based drug epidemiology?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2014
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.12651
Self Adjusting Algorithm for the Nontargeted Feature Detection of High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Liquid Chromatography Profile Data.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 29-07-2019
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.ANALCHEM.9B02422
Abstract: Nontargeted feature detection in data from high resolution mass spectrometry is a challenging task, due to the complex and noisy nature of data sets. Numerous feature detection and preprocessing strategies have been developed in an attempt to tackle this challenge, but recent evidence has indicated limitations in the currently used methods. Recent studies have indicated the limitations of the currently used methods for feature detection of LC-HRMS data. To overcome these limitations, we propose a self-adjusting feature detection (SAFD) algorithm for the processing of profile data from LC-HRMS. SAFD fits a three-dimensional Gaussian into the profile data of a feature, without data preprocessing (i.e., centroiding and/or binning). We tested SAFD on 55 LC-HRMS chromatograms from which 44 were composite wastewater influent s les. Additionally, 51 of 55 s les were spiked with 19 labeled internal standards. We further validated SAFD by comparing its results with those produced via XCMS implemented through MZmine. In terms of ISs and the unknown features, SAFD produced lower rates of false detection (i.e., ≤ 5% and ≤10%, respectively) when compared to XCMS (≤11% and ≤28%, respectively). We also observed higher reproducibility in the feature area generated by SAFD algorithm versus XCMS.
Impact of in-Sewer Degradation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Population Markers on a Population Model
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-03-2017
Abstract: A key uncertainty of wastewater-based epidemiology is the size of the population which contributed to a given wastewater s le. We previously developed and validated a Bayesian inference model to estimate population size based on 14 population markers which: (1) are easily measured and (2) have mass loads which correlate with population size. However, the potential uncertainty of the model prediction due to in-sewer degradation of these markers was not evaluated. In this study, we addressed this gap by testing their stability under sewer conditions and assessed whether degradation impacts the model estimates. Five markers, which formed the core of our model, were stable in the sewers while the others were not. Our evaluation showed that the presence of unstable population markers in the model did not decrease the precision of the population estimates providing that stable markers such as acesulfame remained in the model. However, to achieve the minimum uncertainty in population estimates, we propose that the core markers to be included in population models for other sites should meet two additional criteria: (3) negligible degradation in wastewater to ensure the stability of chemicals during collection and (4) < 10% in-sewer degradation could occur during the mean residence time of the sewer network.
Measuring spatial and temporal trends of nicotine and alcohol consumption in Australia using wastewater-based epidemiology.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-02-2018
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.14157
Abstract: Tobacco and alcohol consumption remain priority public health issues world-wide. As participation in population-based surveys has fallen, it is increasingly challenging to estimate accurately the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an alternative approach for estimating substance use at the population level that does not rely upon survey participation. This study examined spatio-temporal patterns in nicotine (a proxy for tobacco) and alcohol consumption in the Australian population via WBE. Daily wastewater s les (n = 164) were collected at 18 selected wastewater treatment plants across Australia, covering approximately 45% of the total population. Nicotine and alcohol metabolites in the s les were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Daily consumption of nicotine and alcohol and its associated uncertainty were computed using Monte Carlo simulations. Nation-wide daily average and weekly consumption of these two substances were extrapolated using ordinary least squares and mixed-effect models. Nicotine and alcohol consumption was observed in all communities. Consumption of these substances in rural towns was three to four times higher than in urban communities. The spatial consumption pattern of these substances was consistent across the monitoring periods in 2014-15. Nicotine metabolites significantly reduced by 14-25% (P = 0.001-0.008) (2014-15) in some catchments. Alcohol consumption remained constant over the studied periods. Strong weekly consumption patterns were observed for alcohol but not nicotine. Nation-wide, the daily average consumption per person (aged 15-79 years) was estimated at approximately 2.5 cigarettes and 1.3-2.0 standard drinks (weekday-weekend) of alcohol. These estimates were close to the sale figure and apparent consumption, respectively. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a feasible method for objectively evaluating the geographic, temporal and weekly profiles of nicotine and alcohol consumption in different communities nationally.
Commentary on Burgard et al. (2019): Wastewater based estimates of the size of illicit markets for psychoactive drugs
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-07-2019
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.14716
National wastewater reconnaissance of artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
In-Sewer Stability Assessment of Anabolic Steroids and Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-01-2022
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology is a potential complementary technique for monitoring the use of performance- and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs), such as anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), within the general population. Assessing in-sewer transformation and degradation is critical for understanding uncertainties associated with wastewater analysis. An electrospray ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method for the quantification of 59 anabolic agents in wastewater influent was developed. Limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged from 0.004 to 1.56 μg/L and 0.01 to 4.75 μg/L, respectively. Method performance was acceptable for linearity (
Analysis of sugarcane herbicides in marine turtle nesting areas and assessment of risk using in vitro toxicity assays
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2017.07.029
Abstract: Agricultural processes are associated with many different herbicides that can contaminate surrounding environments. In Queensland, Australia, herbicides applied to agricultural crops may pose a threat to valuable coastal habitats including nesting beaches for threatened loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). This study 1) measured concentrations of herbicides in the beach sand of Mon Repos, an important marine turtle nesting beach in Australia that is adjacent to significant sugarcane crops, and 2) investigated the toxicity of these herbicides to marine turtles using a cell-based assay. S les of sand from turtle nest depth and water from surrounding agricultural drains and wetlands were collected during the wet season when herbicide runoff was expected to be the greatest and turtles were nesting. S les were extracted using solid phase extraction and extracts were analysed using chemical analysis targeting herbicides, as well as bioanalytical techniques (IPAM-assay and loggerhead turtle skin cell cytotoxicity assay). Twenty herbicides were detected in areas between sugarcane crops and the nesting beach, seven of which were also detected in the sand extracts. Herbicides present in the nearby wetland were also detected in the beach sand, indicating potential contamination of the nesting beach via the river outlet as well as ground water. Although herbicides were detected in nesting sand, bioassays using loggerhead turtle skin cells indicated a low risk of acute toxicity at measured environmental concentrations. Further research should investigate potentially more subtle effects, such as endocrine disruption and mixture effects, to better assess the threat that herbicides pose to this population of marine turtles.
Improving Wastewater-Based Tobacco Use Estimates Using Anabasine
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-05-2023
Application of catecholamine metabolites as endogenous population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Artificial sweeteners in end-use biosolids in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2021
In-sewer decay and partitioning of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and implications for their wastewater surveillance
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2023
Measuring selected PPCPs in wastewater to estimate the population in different cities in China
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.216
Abstract: S ling and analysis of wastewater from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has become a useful tool for understanding exposure to chemicals. Both wastewater based studies and management and planning of the catchment require information on catchment population in the time of monitoring. Recently, a model has been developed and calibrated using selected pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) measured in influent wastewater for estimating population in different catchments in Australia. The present study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of utilizing this population estimation approach in China. Twenty-four hour composite influent s les were collected from 31 WWTPs in 17 cities with catchment sizes from 200,000-3,450,000 people representing all seven regions of China. The s les were analyzed for 19 PPCPs using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry in direct injection mode. Eight chemicals were detected in more than 50% of the s les. Significant positive correlations were found between in idual PPCP mass loads and population estimates provided by WWTP operators. Using the PPCP mass load modeling approach calibrated with WWTP operator data, we estimated the population size of each catchment with good agreement with WWTP operator values (between 50-200% for all sites and 75-125% for 23 of the 31 sites). Overall, despite much lower detection and relatively high heterogeneity in PPCP consumption across China the model provided a good estimate of the population contributing to a given wastewater s le. Wastewater analysis could also provide objective PPCP consumption status in China.
Chlorinated paraffins in indoor dust from Australia: Levels, congener patterns and preliminary assessment of human exposure
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.05.170
Abstract: Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are a group of polychlorinated n-alkanes with high production volumes. Until now, there are only limited data on the levels of CPs in the environment, especially in the indoor environment. In this study, dust s les were collected from 44 indoor environments, including 27 private houses, 10 offices, and 7 vehicles. Short-, medium-, and long-chain CPs were detected in all dust s les. The median concentration of ∑CPs (C
Can wastewater analysis be used as a tool to assess the burden of pain treatment within a population?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Comparative measurement and quantitative risk assessment of alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: An international study in 20 cities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.04.138
Abstract: Quantitative measurement of drug consumption biomarkers in wastewater can provide objective information on community drug use patterns and trends. This study presents the measurement of alcohol consumption in 20 cities across 11 countries through the use of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), and reports the application of these data for the risk assessment of alcohol on a population scale using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Raw 24-h composite wastewater s les were collected over a one-week period from 20 cities following a common protocol. For each s le a specific and stable alcohol consumption biomarker, ethyl sulfate (EtS) was determined by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The EtS concentrations were used for estimation of per capita alcohol consumption in each city, which was further compared with international reports and applied for risk assessment by MOE. The average per capita consumption in 20 cities ranged between 6.4 and 44.3L/day/1000 inhabitants. An increase in alcohol consumption during the weekend occurred in all cities, however the level of this increase was found to differ. In contrast to conventional data (sales statistics and interviews), WBE revealed geographical differences in the level and pattern of actual alcohol consumption at an inter-city level. All the s led cities were in the "high risk" category (MOE<10) and the average MOE for the whole population studied was 2.5. These results allowed direct comparisons of alcohol consumption levels, patterns and risks among the cities. This study shows that WBE can provide timely and complementary information on alcohol use and alcohol associated risks in terms of exposure at the community level.
SARS-CoV-2 shedding sources in wastewater and implications for wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
From Centroided to Profile Mode: Machine Learning for Prediction of Peak Width in HRMS Data
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 29-11-2021
Naive Bayes classification model for isotopologue detection in LC-HRMS data
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Cumulative Neutral Loss Model for Fragment Deconvolution in Electrospray Ionization High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-2023
DOI: 10.26434/CHEMRXIV-2023-VKQ8Q
Abstract: Fragment deconvolution is a crucial step during componentization of non-targeted analysis (NTA) high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data, aiming to filter out false positive (FP) signals that do not belong to the component. Moreover, inclusion of FP fragments could lead to, for ex le, wrong identification further down the workflow. Commonly used methods for deconvolution of fragment signals rely on the presence of a time domain (e.g., peak apex retention time difference and correlation analysis). However, when there is no or insufficient MS2 information in the time domain, these methods are unusable and only the mass domain remains. A probability based cumulative neutral loss (CNL) model for fragment deconvolution using the mass domain information was thus developed to allow deconvolution for such cases. The optimized model, with a mass tolerance of 0.005 Da and a CNL score threshold of -0.95, was able to achieve true positive rate (TPr) of 95.0%, a false discovery rate (FDr) of 25.6%, and a reduction rate of 39.9%. Additionally, the CNL model was extensively tested on real s les containing predominantly pesticides at different concentration levels and with matrix effects. Overall, the model was able to obtain a TPr above 95% with FD rates between 45% and 77% and reduction rates between 10% and 24%. Finally, the CNL model was compared with the retention time difference method and peak shape correlation analysis, showing that a combination of correlation analysis and the CNL model was the most effective for fragment deconvolution, obtaining a TPr of 93.1%, a FDr of 57.2%, and a reduction rate of 42.6%.
Concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Australian urine samples and their contribution to the per capita loads in wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
The message on the bottle: Rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 09-07-2020
Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-03-2023
DOI: 10.1093/NTR/NTAC275
Abstract: Mixed findings have been reported about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking behavior in different populations. In this study, we aimed to quantify changes in smoking prevalence through the proxy of nicotine consumption in the Australian population from 2017 to 2020 inclusive. Estimates of nicotine consumption between 2017 and 2020 were retrieved from a national wastewater monitoring program that covers up to 50% of the Australian population. National sales data for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products from 2017 to 2020 were also acquired. Linear regression and pairwise comparison were conducted to identify data trends and to test differences between time periods. The average consumption of nicotine in Australia decreased between 2017 and 2019 but increased in 2020. Estimated consumption in the first half of 2020 was significantly higher (~30%) than the previous period. Sales of NRT products increased gradually from 2017 to 2020 although sales in the first half of the year were consistently lower than in the second half. Total nicotine consumption increased in Australia during the early stage of the pandemic in 2020. Increased nicotine consumption may be due to people managing higher stress levels, such as from loneliness due to control measures, and also greater opportunities to smoke/vape while working from home and during lockdowns in the early stage of the pandemic. Tobacco and nicotine consumption have been decreasing in Australia but the COVID-19 pandemic may have temporarily disrupted this trend. In 2020, the higher impacts of lockdowns and working from home arrangements may have led to a temporary reversal of the previous downward trend in smoking during the early stage of the pandemic.
Estimating Alcohol Consumption by Wastewater-Based Epidemiology: An Assessment of the Correction Factor for Ethyl Sulfate Using Large-Scale National Monitoring Data
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-02-2021
First confirmed detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater in Australia: A proof of concept for the wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 in the community
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2020
Critical assessment of the chemical space covered by LC-HRMS non-targeted analysis
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 15-05-2023
DOI: 10.26434/CHEMRXIV-2023-5X55C
Abstract: Non-targeted analysis (NTA) has emerged as a valuable approach for comprehensive monitoring of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in the exposome. The NTA approach, theoretically, is able to identify compounds with erse physicochemical properties and sources. Non-targeted analysis methods, even though generic and wide scoping, have been shown to have limitations in terms of their coverage of the chemical space, as the number of the identified chemicals in each s le is very low (e.g. 5%). Investigating the chemical space covered by each NTA assay is crucial for understanding the limitations and challenges associated with the workflow from experimental methods to the data acquisition and data processing. In this review, we examined recent NTA studies published between 2017 and 2023 that employed liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. The parameters used in each study were documented and reported chemicals at the confidence level 1 and 2 were retrieved. The chosen experimental setups and the quality of reporting were critically evaluated and discussed. The findings revealed that only around 2% of the estimated chemical space (i.e. Norman SusDat) was covered by the NTA studies investigated. Little to no trend was found between the experimental setup and the observed coverage, due to the generic and wide scope of NTA studies. The limited coverage of chemical space by the NTA studies highlights the necessity for a more comprehensive approach in experimental and data processing setups to enable the exploration of a broader range of chemical space, with the ultimate goal of protecting human and environmental health. Recommendations to further explore a wider range of the chemical space were given.
Long-term trends in tobacco use assessed by wastewater-based epidemiology and its relationship with consumption of nicotine containing products
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a sensitive and high-throughput method for the quantitative surveillance of antimicrobials in wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2023
Mining Population Exposure and Community Health via Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 10-08-2019
Social, demographic, and economic correlates of food and chemical consumption measured by wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 07-10-2019
Abstract: To date, wastewater-based epidemiology has focused on reporting drug and pharmaceutical consumption patterns by analyzing domestic wastewater. Here we explore the relationships between chemicals in wastewater and social, demographic, and economic parameters of the respective populations. We show the extent to which consumption of chemicals such as opioids and illicit drugs are associated with sociodemographics. We also examine chemicals that reflect in iduals’ consumption of food components in wastewater and show that disparities in diet are associated with educational level. Our study shows that chemicals in wastewater reflect the social, demographic, and economic properties of the respective populations and highlights the potential value of wastewater in studying the sociodemographic determinants of population health.
An assessment of quality assurance/quality control efforts in high resolution mass spectrometry non-target workflows for analysis of environmental samples
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Back-estimation of norovirus infections through wastewater-based epidemiology: A systematic review and parameter sensitivity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2022.118610
Abstract: The amount of norovirus RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) in raw wastewater, collected from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), can provide an indication of disease prevalence within the s led catchment. However, an accurate back-estimation might be impeded by the uncertainties from in-sewer/in-s le degradation of viral RNA, variable shedding magnitude, and difficulties in measurement within raw wastewater. The current study reviewed the published literature regarding the factors of norovirus shedding, viral RNA decay in wastewater, and the occurrence of norovirus RNA in raw wastewater based on molecular detection. Sensitivity analysis for WBE back-estimation was conducted using the reported data of the factors mentioned above considering different viral loads in wastewater s les. It was found that the back-estimation is more sensitive to analytical detection uncertainty than shedding variability for norovirus. Although seasonal temperature change can lead to variation of decay rates and may influence the sensitivity of this pathogen-specific parameter, decay rates of norovirus RNA contribute negligibly to the variance in estimating disease prevalence, based on the available data from decay experiments in bulk wastewater under different temperatures. However, the effects of in-sewer transportation on viral RNA decay and retardation by sewer biofilms on pipe surfaces are largely unknown. Given the highest uncertainty from analytical measurement by molecular methods and complexity of in-sewer processes that norovirus experienced during the transportation to WWTP, future investigations are encouraged to improve the accuracy of viral RNA detection in wastewater and delineate viral retardation/interactions with wastewater biofilms in real sewers.
Using quantitative wastewater analysis to measure daily usage of conventional and emerging illicit drugs at an annual music festival
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-06-2013
DOI: 10.1111/DAR.12061
Abstract: Wastewater analysis provides a non-intrusive way of measuring drug use within a population. We used this approach to determine daily use of conventional illicit drugs [cannabis, cocaine, meth hetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymeth hetamine (MDMA)] and emerging illicit psychostimulants (benzylpiperazine, mephedrone and methylone) in two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) at an annual music festival. Daily composite wastewater s les, representative of the festival, were collected from the on-site wastewater treatment plant and analysed for drug metabolites. Data over 2 years were compared using Wilcoxon matched-pair test. Data from 2010 festival were compared with data collected at the same time from a nearby urban community using equivalent methods. Conventional illicit drugs were detected in all s les whereas emerging illicit psychostimulants were found only on specific days. The estimated per capita consumption of MDMA, cocaine and cannabis was similar between the two festival years. Statistically significant (P < 0.05 Z = -2.0-2.2) decreases were observed in use of meth hetamine and one emerging illicit psychostimulant (benzyl piperazine). Only consumption of MDMA was elevated at the festival compared with the nearby urban community. Rates of substance use at this festival remained relatively consistent over two monitoring years. Compared with the urban community, drug use among festival goers was only elevated for MDMA, confirming its popularity in music settings. Our study demonstrated that wastewater analysis can objectively capture changes in substance use at a music setting without raising major ethical issues. It would potentially allow effective assessments of drug prevention strategies in such settings in the future.
Associations between Wastewater Microbiome and Population Smoking Rate Identified Using Wastewater-Based Epidemiology
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-10-2023
Population histamine burden assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology: The association of 1,4‑methylimidazole acetic acid and fexofenadine
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2018.08.009
Abstract: Systematic s ling and analysis of wastewater has become an important tool for monitoring consumption of drugs and other substances, and has been proposed as a method to evaluate aspects of population health using endogenous biomarkers. 1,4‑methylimidazoleacetic acid (MIAA) is an endogenous biomarker and metabolite of histamine turnover. Its urinary excretion is elevated in conditions such as mastocytosis, hay fever, hives, food allergies and anaphylaxis. The aim of this study was to develop and apply methods for MIAA in wastewater and compare its occurrence with antihistamine use in wastewater. Consecutive daily s les were collected from seven catchments serving populations from 3000 to 2 million and covering rural and urban communities during the 2016 Census in Australia. MIAA and the antihistamines (ranitidine, fexofenadine, cetirizine) were quantified consistently. Per capita excretion of MIAA (mg/d/capita) estimated from the WW concentrations were consistent with findings from previous clinical studies. We found significant positive correlations between loads of MIAA and fexofenadine (R
Systematic and day-to-day effects of chemical-derived population estimates on wastewater-based drug epidemiology
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 26-12-2015
DOI: 10.1021/ES503474D
Abstract: Population size is crucial when estimating population-normalized drug consumption (PNDC) from wastewater-based drug epidemiology (WBDE). Three conceptually different population estimates can be used: de jure (common census, residence), de facto (all persons within a sewer catchment), and chemical loads (contributors to the s led wastewater). De facto and chemical loads will be the same where all households contribute to a central sewer system without wastewater loss. This study explored the feasibility of determining a de facto population and its effect on estimating PNDC in an urban community over an extended period. Drugs and other chemicals were analyzed in 311 daily composite wastewater s les. The daily estimated de facto population (using chemical loads) was on average 32% higher than the de jure population. Consequently, using the latter would systemically overestimate PNDC by 22%. However, the relative day-to-day pattern of drug consumption was similar regardless of the type of normalization as daily illicit drug loads appeared to vary substantially more than the population. Using chemical loads population, we objectively quantified the total methodological uncertainty of PNDC and reduced it by a factor of 2. Our study illustrated the potential benefits of using chemical loads population for obtaining more robust PNDC data in WBDE.
Multi-year inter-laboratory exercises for the analysis of illicit drugs and metabolites in wastewater: Development of a quality control system
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Triplex qPCR assay for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli monitoring in wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
A wastewater-based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-11-2023
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.16083
Abstract: From 1 February 2018, codeine was rescheduled from an over‐the‐counter (OTC) to a prescription‐only medicine in Australia. We used wastewater‐based epidemiology to measure changes in population codeine consumption before and after rescheduling. We analysed 3703 wastewater s les from 48 wastewater treatment plants, taken between August 2016 and August 2019. Our s les represented 10.6 million people, 45% of the Australian population in state capitals and regional areas in each state or territory. Codeine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and converted to per‐capita consumption estimates using the site daily wastewater volume, catchment populations and codeine excretion kinetics. Average per‐capita consumption of codeine decreased by 37% nationally immediately after the rescheduling in February 2018 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.3–39.4%] and substantially in all states between 24 and 51% (95% CI = 22.4–27.0% and 41.8–59.4%). The decrease was sustained at the lower level to August 2019. Locations with least pharmacy access decreased by 51% (95% CI = 41.7–61.7%), a greater decrease than 37% observed for those with greater pharmacy access (95% CI = 35.1–39.4%). Regional areas decreased by a smaller margin to cities (32 versus 38%, 95% CI = 30.2–34.1% versus 34.9–40.4%, respectively) from a base per‐capita usage approximately 40% higher than cities. Wastewater analysis shows that codeine consumption in Australia decreased by approximately 37% following its rescheduling as a prescription‐only medicine in 2018. Wastewater‐based epidemiology can be used to evaluate changes in population pharmaceutical consumption in responses to changes in drug scheduling.
Assessment of drugs of abuse in a wastewater treatment plant in New Zealand with parallel secondary wastewater treatment train
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.12.167
Abstract: In this study, 24-hour composite wastewater s les were collected from a wastewater treatment plant of New Zealand with parallel secondary treatment units. The aim was to investigate the occurrence, removal, and consumption of 13 drugs of abuse (DOAs) including illicit drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and their metabolites. The filtered s les were analysed through direct injection on LC-MS/MS. Ethyl sulfate, one of the major metabolites of alcohol, was detected at the highest concentration (mean = 8300 ng/L) in wastewater influent. The mean concentrations of meth hetamine and hydroxycotinine in the influent were found to be 935 ng/L and 5000 ng/L, respectively. Amphetamine (383 ng/L) and cocaine (286 ng/L) were detected at the highest concentrations in the effluent. The removal efficiency of the treatment plant varied for DOAs: >99% for morphine, ethyl sulfate, and hydroxycotinine and <50% for methadone and 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP). Primary treatment did not show any significant removal of DOAs while the removal efficiencies of total monitored DOAs by Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Bardenpho processes were found to be similar (~95% removal). The population was estimated using hydrochemical parameters and human urine biomarkers and showed good agreement with wastewater treatment plant's estimates. Weekday-weekend variation in the consumption of alcohol and meth hetamine was found to be significant, with a higher estimated consumption during the weekends. Monitored DOAs in influent were present at highest concentrations during summer (23 μg/L), at low concentrations during winter (17 μg/L), and at lowest concentrations during heavy rainfall event (11 μg/L), possibly due to dilution. The population normalised mass loads of DOAs were found to correlate with their metabolites, and morphine was found to correlate with nicotine metabolites.
Effectiveness of Online Group-mindfulness and Acceptance‐based Therapy and Cognitive-behavioral Therapy on Misophonia
Publisher: Briefland
Date: 18-05-2022
DOI: 10.5812/IJPBS-120159
Abstract: Background: Misophonia is a disorder in which people show negative emotions such as anger, disgust, and anxiety about certain sounds, such as mouth and nose sounds, as well as some repetitive sounds. This disorder has a high prevalence and causes many problems for patients. Objectives: This study aimed to examine and compare the effectiveness of two therapies, including online group-mindfulness and acceptance‐based therapy (OG-MACT) and online group-cognitive-behavioral therapy (OG-CBT) in patients with misophonia. Methods: This study was a two-group random assignment pretest-posttest design. Thirty-eight participants were recruited using convenience s ling and randomly assigned to OG-CBT (n = 19) and OG-MACT (n = 19) groups. The statistical population included patients with misophonia (a score higher than seven on the Misophonia Questionnaire) referred to the Tehran Institute of Psychiatry from October to December 2019. They were asked to respond to online self-report questionnaires evaluating misophonia, distress tolerance, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and stress scale in three stages, including before treatment sessions, one week after the end of sessions, and during a three-month follow-up. Results: The difference in the mean scores of the scales at different times did not differ according to the type of treatment group (OG-CBT versus OG-MACT). The results showed that the effect of time was significant on misophonia scores. Over time, this finding also applies to depression, anxiety, and stress subscales in the distress tolerance questionnaire. However, there was no significant difference in the quality of life over time. The changes in misophonia were clinically significant in 53% of OG-MACT members and 69% of OG-CBT members. Discussion: According to the findings, the two online group therapies of CBT and MACT effectively reduced the symptoms of misophonia.
A comparison of trends in wastewater‐based data and traditional epidemiological indicators of stimulant consumption in three locations
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-11-2019
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.14852
Abstract: To compare long-term trends in wastewater data with other indicators of stimulant use in three locations and to test the reliability of estimates based on 1 week of s ling. Comparison of trends in quantities ('loads') of stimulants or their metabolites in wastewater with trends in other indicators of stimulant use (e.g. treatment, police, population survey data). Populations in Oslo (Norway), South-East Queensland (Australia) and Eindhoven (the Netherlands). Wastewater data were modelled for MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymeth hetamine), benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine), hetamine and meth hetamine in Oslo benzoylecgonine in Eindhoven and meth hetamine in South-East Queensland. Choice of stimulants modelled in each region was primarily determined by availability of useable data. In Oslo, wastewater data, driving under the influence of drugs statistics and seizure data all suggested increasing MDMA use between 2009 and 2017. In South-East Queensland, there was an estimated 31.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 29.4-32.9%] annual increase in daily loads of meth hetamine in wastewater between 2009 and 2016, compared with a 14.1% (95% CI = 10.9-17.3%) annual increase in seizures. Some of the increase in wastewater can be explained by increased purity. In Eindhoven, there was no evidence of a change in cocaine consumption from wastewater, but a reduction was observed in numbers in treatment for cocaine use from 2012 to 2017. In approximately half the cases examined in Oslo, credible intervals around estimates of annual average loads from a regression model versus estimates based on a single week of s ling did not overlap. Long-term trends in loads of stimulants in wastewater appear to be broadly consistent with trends in other indicators of stimulant use in three locations. Wastewater data should be interpreted alongside epidemiological indicators and purity data. One week of wastewater s ling may not be sufficient for valid inference about drug consumption.
InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 10-03-2023
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-2120496/V2
Abstract: Non-target analysis (NTA) employing high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) coupled with liquid chromatography is increasingly being used to identify chemicals of biological relevance. HRMS datasets are large and complex making the identification of potentially relevant chemicals extremely challenging. As they are recorded in vendor-specific formats, interpreting them is often reliant on vendor-specific software that may not accommodate the advancements in data processing. Here we present InSpectra, a vendor independent automated platform for the systematic detection of newly identified emerging chemical threats. InSpectra is web-based, open-source/access and modular providing highly flexible and extensible NTA and suspect screening workflows. As a cloud-based platform, InSpectra exploits parallel computing and big data archiving capabilities with a focus for sharing and community curation of HRMS data. InSpectra offers a reproducible and transparent approach for the identification, tracking and prioritisation of emerging chemical threats.
Wastewater treatment plants as a source of plastics in the environment: a review of occurrence, methods for identification, quantification and fate
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1039/C9EW00428A
Abstract: Plastics accumulate in the natural environment due to their durability and low recycling volumes.
InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 04-10-2022
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-2120496/V1
Abstract: Non-target analysis (NTA) employing high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) coupled with liquid chromatography is increasingly being used to identify chemicals of biological relevance. HRMS datasets are large and complex making the identification of potentially relevant chemicals extremely challenging. As they are recorded in vendor-specific formats, interpreting them is often reliant on vendor-specific software that may not accommodate the advancements in data processing. Here we present InSpectra , a vendor independent automated platform for the systematic detection of newly identified emerging chemical threats. InSpectra is web-based, open-source/access and modular providing highly flexible and extensible NTA and suspect screening workflows. As a cloud-based platform, InSpectra exploits parallel computing and big data archiving capabilities with a focus for sharing and community curation of HRMS data. InSpectra offers a reproducible and transparent approach for the identification, tracking and prioritisation of emerging chemical threats.
A National Wastewater Monitoring Program for a better understanding of public health: A case study using the Australian Census
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2018.12.003
Abstract: Wastewater contains a large range of biological and chemical markers of human activity and exposures. Through systematic collection and analysis of these markers within wastewater s les it is possible to measure the public health of whole populations. The analysis of effluent and biosolids can also be used to understand the release of chemicals from wastewater treatment plants into the environment. Wastewater analysis and comparison with catchment specific data (e.g. demographics) however remains largely unexplored. This manuscript describes a national wastewater monitoring study that combines influent, effluent and biosolids s ling with the Australian Census. An archiving program allows estimation of per capita exposure to and consumption of chemicals, public health information, as well as per capita release of chemicals into the environment. The paper discusses the study concept, critical steps in setting up a coordinated national approach and key logistical and other considerations with a focus on lessons learnt and future applications. The unique combination of archived s les, analytical data and associated census-derived population data will provide a baseline dataset that has wide and potentially increasing applications across many disciplines that include public health, epidemiology, criminology, toxicology and sociology.
New approach for the measurement of long-term alcohol consumption trends: Application of wastewater-based epidemiology in an Australian regional city
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.DRUGALCDEP.2019.107795
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides complementary information to traditional self-report methods for estimating substance use within a population. WBE was applied to estimate the consumption of alcohol in an Australian rural city (population estimated 100,000) over 6 years. A total of 352 wastewater s les were analysed from a wastewater treatment plant located in South-East Queensland, Australia, from 2012 to 2017. The concentration of an alcohol biomarker, ethyl sulphate, was quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and used to estimate per-capita consumption. The WBE results were compared with alcohol consumption estimates based on national taxation data and self-reported national survey data in Australia. Average daily alcohol consumption estimated by WBE was between 19 and 30 mL erson/day for the population aged 15 years and older during the six-year period. Alcohol consumption decreased 4 % per annum on average over the study period. Our data showed higher rates of consumption on weekends and public holidays when compared to consumption between Monday and Thursday. The comparative trend of WBE data was consistent with the national alcohol survey and taxation statistics on alcoholic beverages over the same period. A clear decline in alcohol consumption in the catchment was observed during the s ling period, which reflected similar changes in consumption from taxation statistics and self-report survey data. Expected variations in weekly consumption and public holidays were also identified. This study demonstrates the potential of WBE for long-term monitoring of alcohol consumption in evaluating the effectiveness of local and national alcohol policies and prevention programs.
Evaluating the stability of three oxidative stress biomarkers under sewer conditions and potential impact for use in wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2019.115068
Abstract: Wastewater contains a wealth of information about the population who contribute to it including biological and chemical markers of human activity and exposures. F
Systematic Evaluation of the In-Sample Stability of Selected Pharmaceuticals, Illicit Drugs, and Their Metabolites in Wastewater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-05-2021
Cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine residues in wastewater: Consumption trends (2009–2015) in South East Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.181
Abstract: Wastewater analysis, or wastewater-based epidemiology, has become a common tool to monitor trends of illicit drug consumption around the world. In this study, we examined trends in cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymeth hetamine (MDMA) and meth hetamine consumption by measuring their residues in wastewater from two wastewater treatment plants in Australia (specifically, an urban and a rural catchment, both in South East Queensland) between 2009 and 2015. With direct injection of the s les, target analytes were identified and quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cocaine and MDMA residues and metabolites were mainly quantifiable in the urban catchment while meth hetamine residues were consistently detected in both urban and rural catchments. There was no consistent trend in the population normalised mass loads observed for cocaine and MDMA at the urban site between 2009 and 2015. In contrast, there was a five-fold increase in meth hetamine consumption over this period in this catchment. For meth hetamine consumption, the rural area showed a very similar trend as the urban catchment starting at a lower baseline. The observed increase in per capita loads of meth hetamine via wastewater analysis over the past six years in South East Queensland provides objective evidence for increased meth hetamine consumption in the Australian population while the use of other illicit stimulants remained relatively stable.
A sensitive analytical method for the measurement of neurotransmitter metabolites as potential population biomarkers in wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHROMA.2019.460623
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology is a growing research field which provides valuable information on community drug use and chemical exposure. One parameter critical to estimations of drug use is the catchment area population. A population biomarker could be used to provide this information. This study evaluated the analytical suitability of three endogenous biomarkers of human activity: the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) which has previously been proposed and two further candidates, the catecholamine metabolites vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA). An analytical method involving derivatization was developed and validated for two candidates, 5-HIAA and HVA by liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. The best performance was obtained for VMA as the underivatized analyte. The derivatized extracts produced a 100 times better sensitivity. The three neurotransmitter metabolites were evaluated as population biomarkers in wastewater s les. All were stable in s le, not lost upon filtration and showed stable inter-day mass loads over seven days for a metropolitan wastewater treatment plant. When applied to a small community during a festival period, mass loads of both HVA and VMA reflected the increase in the catchment population, whilst 5-HIAA proved to be more variable.
National Wastewater Reconnaissance of Analgesic Consumption in Australia
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-01-2023
Quantification of selected microplastics in Australian urban road dust
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Plastics contamination of store-bought rice
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
The presence of selected UV filters in a freshwater recreational reservoir and fate in controlled experiments
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Artificial Cell Encapsulation for Biomaterials and Tissue Bio-Nanoengineering: History, Achievements, Limitations, and Future Work for Potential Clinical Applications and Transplantation
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 30-11-2021
DOI: 10.3390/JFB12040068
Abstract: Pancreatic β-cell loss and failure with subsequent deficiency of insulin production is the hallmark of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and late-stage type 2 diabetes (T2D). Despite the availability of parental insulin, serious complications of both types are profound and endemic. One approach to therapy and a potential cure is the immunoisolation of β cells via artificial cell microencapsulation (ACM), with ongoing promising results in human and animal studies that do not depend on immunosuppressive regimens. However, significant challenges remain in the formulation and delivery platforms and potential immunogenicity issues. Additionally, the level of impact on key metabolic and disease biomarkers and long-term benefits from human and animal studies stemming from the encapsulation and delivery of these cells is a subject of continuing debate. The purpose of this review is to summarise key advances in this field of islet transplantation using ACM and to explore future strategies, limitations, and hurdles as well as upcoming developments utilising bioengineering and current clinical trials.
Performance- and image-enhancing drug use in the community: use prevalence, user demographics and the potential role of wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Wastewater-based prevalence trends of gout in an Australian community over a period of 8 years
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
A Miniature Bioassay for Testing the Acute Phytotoxicity of Photosystem II Herbicides on Seagrass
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 12-02-2015
Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (CPs) Dominate in Australian Sewage Sludge
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 02-03-2017
Assessment of drugs and personal care products biomarkers in the influent and effluent of two wastewater treatment plants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.02.309
Abstract: Wastewater s les were collected at the influent and effluent of two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and then pooled to daily s les over multiple days using 6 hourly grab s les. The aim was to provide a first assessment of the occurrence, consumption, removal and release of a range of organic chemicals including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), illicit drugs, an artificial sweetener, tobacco and its metabolites and alcohol biomarkers (referred to here as DPCPBs). Nineteen DPCPBs were detected via direct measurement of filtered wastewater on LC-MS/MS with a concentration range of 0.05-38μg/L. Caffeine and paracetamol were the most prominent compounds detected in the influent, while acesulfame was found at the highest concentration in the effluent of both WWTPs. Mean concentrations of metabolites of tobacco (nicotine: 7.6μg/L, cotinine: 1.4μg/L and hydroxycotinine: 1.7μg/L) and alcohol (ethyl sulphate: 3.3μg/L) were lower than those of European countries. Consumption rates based on daily mass loads and catchment population data obtained from the WWTPs were 80% apparent removal rate from the wastewater, three chemicals showed apparent removal efficiency of approximately 50% and the removal efficiency could not be assessed for 5 compounds due to their low concentrations in the influent. Based on the fraction of treated and untreated wastewater (10:90) that is released into the receiving environment we estimated a total discharge of approximately 170kg per day of DPCPBs in Ho Chi Minh City.
Analysis of N,N‐dimethylamphetamine in wastewater – a pyrolysis marker and synthesis impurity of methamphetamine
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-07-2018
DOI: 10.1002/DTA.2419
Abstract: The increased availability of high purity crystalline meth hetamine (MA) in Australia raised concerns because of high dosages and its potential consumption through inhalation. The present work investigates the possibility of using wastewater levels of N,N-dimethyl hetamine (DMA), a pyrolysis by-product, as an indirect indicator of MA smoking. A dedicated liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS) method was set up to detect and quantify DMA in wastewater s les. Wastewater s les were collected from 8 locations across Australia during the period 2011-2016. Data about the abundance of DMA in MA seizures as well as in residues from drug paraphernalia were obtained from forensic laboratories in Australia. DMA/MA ratios measured in wastewater ranged from 0.0001 to 0.09 (median 0.007). DMA/MA ratios in bulk seizures are generally below 0.0025, with a median value of 0.0004, whilst residues in paraphernalia ranged from 0.031 to 3.37. DMA/MA ratios in wastewater decreased between 2011 and 2016, in parallel to an increase in MA loads. Furthermore, wastewater analyses highlighted a strong positive correlation between DMA/MA ratios and per capita MA use (Pearson's correlation ρ= 0.61, p-value <0.001). Nonetheless, geographical specificities could be highlighted between the investigated locations. The obtained data could help authorities detect hot spots of drug use as well as to plan specific intervention c aigns to tackle the issue. In future, simultaneous analysis of DMA and MA in both wastewater and seizures could improve our understanding about MA use and its consumption patterns.
Could wastewater analysis be a useful tool for China? — A review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JES.2014.09.025
Abstract: Analysing wastewater s les is an innovative approach that overcomes many limitations of traditional surveys to identify and measure a range of chemicals that were consumed by or exposed to people living in a sewer catchment area. First conceptualised in 2001, much progress has been made to make wastewater analysis (WWA) a reliable and robust tool for measuring chemical consumption and/or exposure. At the moment, the most popular application of WWA, sometimes referred as sewage epidemiology, is to monitor the consumption of illicit drugs in communities around the globe, including China. The approach has been largely adopted by law enforcement agencies as a device to monitor the temporal and geographical patterns of drug consumption. In the future, the methodology can be extended to other chemicals including biomarkers of population health (e.g. environmental or oxidative stress biomarkers, lifestyle indicators or medications that are taken by different demographic groups) and pollutants that people are exposed to (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, perfluorinated chemicals, and toxic pesticides). The extension of WWA to a huge range of chemicals may give rise to a field called sewage chemical-information mining (SCIM) with unexplored potentials. China has many densely populated cities with thousands of sewage treatment plants which are favourable for applying WWA/SCIM in order to help relevant authorities gather information about illicit drug consumption and population health status. However, there are some prerequisites and uncertainties of the methodology that should be addressed for SCIM to reach its full potential in China.
Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.133657
Abstract: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are known to be significant sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the environment. In this study, PFAS were measured in the influent of 76 municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving approximately 53% of the Australian population. Of fourteen target PFAS, twelve analytes including six C5-C10 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), four C4-10 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and two fluorotelomer sulfonates (6:2 and 8:2 FTS) were detected. Of these, PFOS, PFHxS and PFHxA had the highest median concentrations. The per capita background release of Σ
Release of Plastics to Australian Land from Biosolids End-Use.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 17-11-2020
Spatio‐temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from 7 years of international wastewater monitoring
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.14767
Naive Bayes classification model for isotopologue detection in LC-HRMS data
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-11-2021
DOI: 10.26434/CHEMRXIV-2021-V7V6G
Abstract: Isotopologue identification or removal is a necessary step to reduce the number of features that need to be identified in s les analyzed with non-targeted analysis. Currently available approaches rely on either predicted isotopic patterns or an arbitrary mass tolerance, requiring information on the molecular formula or instrumental error, respectively. Therefore, a Naive Bayes isotopologue classification model was developed that does not depend on any thresholds or molecular formula information. This classification model uses elemental mass defects of six elemental ratios and can successfully identify isotopologues in both theoretical isotopic patterns and wastewater influent s les, outperforming one of the most commonly used approaches (i.e., 1.0033 Da mass difference method - CAMERA).
Plastics in biosolids from 1950 to 2016: A function of global plastic production and consumption
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Response to Comment on “Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry”
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-11-2020
In-sewer stability of selected analgesics and their metabolites
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Can wastewater-based epidemiology be used to evaluate the health impact of temperature? – An exploratory study in an Australian population
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVRES.2017.03.023
Abstract: Ambient temperature is known to have impact on population health but assessing its impact by the traditional cohort approach is resource intensive. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) could be an alternative for the traditional approach. This study was to provide the first evaluation to see if WBE can be used to assess the impact of temperature exposure to a population in South East Queensland, Australia using selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) as biomarkers. Daily loads of eight PPCPs in wastewater collected from a wastewater treatment plant were measured from February 2011 to June 2012. Corresponding daily weather data were obtained from the closest weather station. Missing data of PPCPs were handled using the multiple imputation (MI) method, then we used a one-way between-groups analysis of variance to examine the seasonal effect on daily variation of PPCPs by seasons. Finally, an MI estimate was performed to evaluate the continuous relationship between daily average temperature and each multiply-imputed PPCP using time-series regression analysis. The results indicated that an increase of 1°C in average temperature associated with decrease at 1.3g/d (95% CI: -2.2 to (-0.4), p<0.05) for atenolol, increase at 36.5g/d (95% CI: 25.2-47.8, p<0.01) for acesulfame, and increase at 0.8g/d (95% CI: 0.02-1.55, p=0.05) for naproxen. No significant association was observed between temperature and the remaining PPCPs, comprising: caffeine, carbamazepine, codeine, hydrochlorothiazide, and salicylic acid. The findings suggested that consumption of sweetened drinks, risk of worsening cardiovascular conditions and pains are associated with variation in ambient temperature. WBE can thus be used as a complementary method to traditional cohort studies in epidemiological evaluation of the association between environmental factors and health outcomes provided that specific biomarkers of such health outcomes can be identified.
Evaluating the in-sewer stability of three potential population biomarkers for application in wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.03.231
Abstract: Endogenous chemicals specific to human metabolism have been suggested to be good candidates for markers of population size in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). So far, creatinine is the only endogenous chemical to be assessed against the criteria of in-sewer stability. This study thus aimed to evaluate the fate of three other endogenous compounds, 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid (5-HIAA), cortisol and androstenedione, under different sewer conditions using laboratory-scale sewer reactors. The results showed that while all compounds were stable in wastewater only (i.e. without biofilm), cortisol and androstenedione degraded quickly in sewers with the presence of sewer biofilms. The degradation followed first-order kinetics similar to that of creatinine. In contrast, 5-HIAA was relatively stable in sewer reactors. This study also recognised the impact of wastewater pH on the detectability of 5-HIAA using a LC-MS/MS direct injection method. In s les acidified to pH 2, the method did not allow routine detection/quantification of 5-HIAA whereas in non-acidified s les the method was sufficiently sensitive for routine quantification of 5-HIAA. The stability of 5-HIAA in sewers and the possibility to measure it using a simple and rapid analytical method corroborate that 5-HIAA may be a suitable biomarker for estimation of population size in WBE.
Using Prescription and Wastewater Data to Estimate the Correction Factors of Atenolol, Carbamazepine, and Naproxen for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology Applications
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-05-2021
Wastewater-based estimation of the prevalence of gout in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
Identification and quantification of selected plastics in biosolids by pressurized liquid extraction combined with double-shot pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
Annual release of selected UV filters via effluent from wastewater treatment plants in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2020.125887
Abstract: Studies conducted globally have identified wastewater effluent as a key source of UV filters released into the aquatic environment. We assessed the annual release of UV filters from wastewater treatment plant effluent in Australia and evaluated the removal of these chemicals during wastewater treatment. Effluent s les were collected from 33 sites alongside matching influent s les. S le collection predominately occurred during the Australian Census in August 2016, which allowed for accurate per capita normalisation of the results. A subset of sites was also s led over the Southern Hemisphere summer (December-February) period. Five UV filters were detected with at least one detected in 95% of effluent s les. The summed concentration of UV filters ranged from 130 ng L
Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Discovered in Cattle Exposed to AFFF-Impacted Groundwater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-08-2023
Removal of 293 organic compounds in 15 WWTPs studied with non-targeted suspect screening
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1039/D2EW00088A
Abstract: The influence of WWTP treatment standard on contaminant breakthrough is explored for 293 compounds.
Trends in nicotine consumption between 2010 and 2017 in an Australian city using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2019.01.053
Abstract: Monitoring smoking prevalence is key to assessing responses to tobacco control measures, and evaluating associated health and economic costs. Estimates of tobacco consumed in Australia are based on various data sources - tax excise clearances, sales, and self-report surveys. There are limitations with each of these data sources which makes triangulation of cigarette use estimates by multiple methods important. Wastewater-based epidemiology, the systematic s ling and analysis of wastewater, is now a routine method to measure and monitor human exposure to a range of chemicals. This study provides a high frequency long-term temporal assessment of exposure to nicotine, the main addictive component of tobacco, using this approach. 291 archived wastewater s les collected from a regional city catchment from 2010 to 2017 were analysed for human-specific nicotine metabolites (cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine), to estimate per capita nicotine use. Temporal trends in nicotine use determined by wastewater-based epidemiology were compared with national sales and survey data. Wastewater analysis showed a 25% reduction in the mean number of cigarette equivalents consumed from 2010 to 2017, representing a 3% annual decline. These findings are in good agreement with estimates based on surveys and sales data, indicating annual declines of 5% and 4%, respectively. Findings of this study demonstrate WBE to be a relatively cost-effective and objective approach to reporting long-term data on nicotine consumption. When combined with alternative data sources, and valuable sociodemographic information of surveys, wastewater-based epidemiology helps to refine our estimates and understanding of the total impacts of smoking.
Trends in artificial sweetener consumption: A 7-year wastewater-based epidemiology study in Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2022.107282
Abstract: Metformin is the most widely used drug to treat type 2 diabetes. Monitoring spatial patterns of metformin use could provide new insights into treatment of type 2 diabetes and the distribution among populations. This study applied a wastewater-based epidemiological (WBE) approach to estimate metformin use in different populations across Australia and compared these estimates with traditional approaches of surveys and prescription data. Twenty-four-hour influent s les were collected from 75 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Australia in 2016 and analysed for metformin. Metformin was detected in all s les ranging in concentration from 8.2 to 191 µg/L (median 58 µg/L). Concentrations were converted to population-weighted average consumption at the national level, resulting in an average consumption of 28.6 g/day/1000 people across Australia, which was within 7% of estimates from national prescription statistics. In addition, results for five out of seven states had an estimated prevalence of type 2 diabetes within 20% compared to the traditional epidemiology surveys. Spatial patterns were also observed between urban and rural settings, with higher consumption rates of metformin found in Major Cities (22.5 ± 10.9 g/d/1000 people) and Inner Regional cities (25.4 ± 13.4 g/d/1000 people) than in Outer Regional (17.0 ± 8.1 g/d/1000 people) and Remote areas (15.1 ± 7.4 g/d/1000 people). Consumption estimates were also correlated against socioeconomic factors of the specific catchment areas. Greater metformin use was correlated with populations of lower education and income levels, while positive correlations were found between metformin consumption and consumption of allopurinol, caffeine and venlafaxine. Our study provides more evidence on the distribution of metformin use across Australia, which can be used to develop public health strategies to reduce the overall burden of type 2 diabetes in specific regions.
InSpectra – A platform for identifying emerging chemical threats
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
A Model to Estimate the Population Contributing to the Wastewater Using Samples Collected on Census Day
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-12-2014
DOI: 10.1021/ES403251G
Abstract: An important uncertainty when estimating per capita consumption of, for ex le, illicit drugs by means of wastewater analysis (sometimes referred to as "sewage epidemiology") relates to the size and variability of the de facto population in the catchment of interest. In the absence of a day-specific direct population count any indirect surrogate model to estimate population size lacks a standard to assess associated uncertainties. Therefore, the objective of this study was to collect wastewater s les at a unique opportunity, that is, on a census day, as a basis for a model to estimate the number of people contributing to a given wastewater s le. Mass loads for a wide range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products were quantified in influents of ten sewage treatment plants (STP) serving populations ranging from approximately 3500 to 500 000 people. Separate linear models for population size were estimated with the mass loads of the different chemical as the explanatory variable: 14 chemicals showed good, linear relationships, with highest correlations for acesulfame and gabapentin. De facto population was then estimated through Bayesian inference, by updating the population size provided by STP staff (prior knowledge) with measured chemical mass loads. Cross validation showed that large populations can be estimated fairly accurately with a few chemical mass loads quantified from 24-h composite s les. In contrast, the prior knowledge for small population sizes cannot be improved substantially despite the information of multiple chemical mass loads. In the future, observations other than chemical mass loads may improve this deficit, since Bayesian inference allows including any kind of information relating to population size.
SARS-CoV-2 RNA monitoring in wastewater as a potential early warning system for COVID-19 transmission in the community: A temporal case study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Correction to Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 05-10-2020
Degradation of herbicides in the tropical marine environment: Influence of light and sediment
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 02-11-2016
Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-05-2023
A wastewater‐based assessment of the impact of a minimum unit price (MUP) on population alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory, Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.15631
Abstract: To test if there was a reduction in alcohol consumption in wastewater s les in the Northern Territory of Australia after the implementation of a minimum unit alcohol price policy (MUP) in October 2018. Between August 2016 and February 2020, wastewater s les were collected across 66 sites in the Northern Territory and all other states and territories in Australia. S les were collected every 2 months in capital cities and every 4 months in regional places during this period. Overall, 4917 s les were taken (2816 before MUP and 2101 after). The number of standard drinks per 1000 people per day in the respective catchment areas was estimated based on the concentration of an alcohol‐specific metabolite, ethyl sulphate in the s les (using the excretion factor of ethyl sulphate, the flow of wastewater entering the wastewater treatment plants and the population of each wastewater catchment). Results from a linear mixed model showed that there was a large drop in alcohol consumption immediately after the MUP in Northern Territory [estimated drop = 1231, 99% confidence interval (CI) = 830, 1633 38.75%]. There was no significant drop in all other states/territories except for Queensland, which showed a significant but much smaller drop (estimated drop: 310 99% CI = 114, 550). One year after the MUP, the drop narrowed to 520 (99% CI = 189, 851) and was no longer statistically significant in February 2020 (15 months after MUP estimated drop = 283, 99% CI = −114, 681). Per‐capita consumption of alcohol appears to have decreased substantially in the Northern Territory of Australia immediately after the implementation of a minimum unit price but consumption steadily recovered and almost returned to the pre‐MUP consumption level after 15 months.
Wastewater-based epidemiology biomarkers: past, present and future
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
Towards an efficient method for the extraction and analysis of cannabinoids in wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Critical Assessment of the Chemical Space Covered by LC–HRMS Non-Targeted Analysis
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-09-2023
Plastic particles in soil: state of the knowledge on sources, occurrence and distribution, analytical methods and ecological impacts
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1039/D0EM00312C
Abstract: Increased production and use of plastics has resulted in growth in the amount of plastic debris accumulating in the environment, potentially fragmenting into smaller pieces.
Socioeconomic status and public health in Australia: A wastewater-based study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2022.107436
Abstract: Analysis of untreated municipal wastewater is recognized as an innovative approach to assess population exposure to or consumption of various substances. Currently, there are no published wastewater-based studies investigating the relationships between catchment social, demographic, and economic characteristics with chemicals using advanced non-targeted techniques. In this study, fifteen wastewater s les covering 27% of the Australian population were collected during a population Census. The s les were analysed with a workflow employing liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry and chemometric tools for non-target analysis. Socioeconomic characteristics of catchment areas were generated using Geospatial Information Systems software. Potential correlations were explored between pseudo-mass loads of the identified compounds and socioeconomic and demographic descriptors of the wastewater catchments derived from Census data. Markers of public health (e.g., cardiac arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, anxiety disorder and type 2 diabetes) were identified in the wastewater s les by the proposed workflow. They were positively correlated with descriptors of disadvantage in education, occupation, marital status and income, and negatively correlated with descriptors of advantage in education and occupation. In addition, markers of polypropylene glycol (PPG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) related compounds were positively correlated with housing and occupation disadvantage. High positive correlations were found between separated and orced people and specific drugs used to treat cardiac arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Our robust non-targeted methodology in combination with Census data can identify relationships between biomarkers of public health, human behaviour and lifestyle and socio-demographics of whole populations. Furthermore, it can identify specific areas and socioeconomic groups that may need more assistance than others for public health issues. This approach complements important public health information and enables large-scale national coverage with a relatively small number of s les.
Measuring biomarkers in wastewater as a new source of epidemiological information: Current state and future perspectives
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.12.016
Abstract: The information obtained from the chemical analysis of specific human excretion products (biomarkers) in urban wastewater can be used to estimate the exposure or consumption of the population under investigation to a defined substance. A proper biomarker can provide relevant information about lifestyle habits, health and wellbeing, but its selection is not an easy task as it should fulfil several specific requirements in order to be successfully employed. This paper aims to summarize the current knowledge related to the most relevant biomarkers used so far. In addition, some potential wastewater biomarkers that could be used for future applications were evaluated. For this purpose, representative chemical classes have been chosen and grouped in four main categories: (i) those that provide estimates of lifestyle factors and substance use, (ii) those used to estimate the exposure to toxicants present in the environment and food, (iii) those that have the potential to provide information about public health and illness and (iv) those used to estimate the population size. To facilitate the evaluation of the eligibility of a compound as a biomarker, information, when available, on stability in urine and wastewater and pharmacokinetic data (i.e. metabolism and urinary excretion profile) has been reviewed. Finally, several needs and recommendations for future research are proposed.
Urea hydrolysis and long-term storage of source-separated urine for reuse as fertiliser is insufficient for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2022.118891
Abstract: Human and animal source-separated urine, stored and allowed to naturally hydrolyse (the bio-catalysed transformation of urea to ammonia and bicarbonate), has been used for millennia as a fertiliser in agriculture. In a context of growing water scarcity and climate uncertainty, source-separation of urine is facing a strong revival thanks to the emergence of cost-effective waterless collection systems. Concomitantly, urine source-separation can be used as a method for nutrient recovery and subsequent reuse. In its simplest form, such recovery consists of collection followed by urea hydrolysis and storage as sole treatment. Numerous guidelines, including by the World Health Organisation, consider that this is sufficient to stabilise the nutrients and inactivate any potential pathogens in the urine. However, it is still unclear whether said urine is effectively free from other compounds of concern, such as anthropogenic micropollutants with known toxicological effects. Moreover, it is also currently unknown if the metabolites produced by human consumption of these products behave in similar way during short- and long-term storage i.e. whether any changes in chemical structure mean that these could be sorbed and/or precipitated in a different way, or if they can potentially be degraded by the biomass inherently present in urine collection systems. Finally, there is currently no knowledge of whether the observed concentrations of micropollutants in stored hydrolysed urine could potentially have toxicological effects if/when applied to soils and edible crops. To fill these research gaps, 20 commonly consumed compounds were selected in this study and their concentrations in the liquid and solid phases studied in the short- and long-term (up to ≥ 2 years). During the initial process of urea hydrolysis (≤ 5 days), ethyl-glucuronide was the sole compound effectively removed (by deconjugation), while only two other compounds, erythromycin and its metabolite, saw a reduction in their concentration (likely due to biomass sorption). Subsequently, during early storage (≤ 15 days), only three additional compounds were removed: paracetamol (> 99%), acesulfame (11.5%) and carbamazepine-10,11 epoxide (40.7%). Finally, long-term storage of up to 24 months did not result in any further significant removal for any of the measured compounds, indicating that the procedure of hydrolysis + storage is not effective for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants. The results of this investigation raise strong concerns about the direct reuse of hydrolysed/stored human source-separated urine, and evidence the need for post-processing before implementation as fertiliser into edible crops due to the inherent toxicological risk, particularly to infants.
Impact of COVID-19 controls on the use of illicit drugs and alcohol in Australia
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-08-2021
In-Sample Stability of 52 Performance- and Image-Enhancing Drug Biomarkers in Wastewater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-02-2023
Airborne emissions of microplastic fibres from domestic laundry dryers
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2020.141175
Abstract: An emission source of microplastics into the environment is laundering synthetic textiles and clothing. Mechanical drying as a pathway for emitting microplastics, however, is poorly understood. In this study, emissions of microplastic fibres were s led from a domestic vented dryer to assess whether mechanical drying of synthetic textiles releases microplastic fibres into the surrounding air or are captured by the inbuilt filtration system. A blue polyester fleece blanket was repeatedly washed and dried using the 'Normal Dry' program of a common domestic dryer operated at temperatures between 56 and 59 °C for 20 min. Microfibres in the ambient air and during operation of the dryer were s led and analysed using microscopy for particle quantification and characterisation followed by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) for chemical characterisation. Blue fibres averaged 6.4 ± 9.2 fibres in the room blank (0.17 ± 0.27 fibres/m
A pilot wastewater‐based epidemiology assessment of anabolic steroid use in Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-05-2019
DOI: 10.1002/DTA.2591
Abstract: Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic compounds prohibited due to their performance-enhancing characteristics. The use of these substances is known to cause health-related issues, which highlights the importance of being able to evaluate the scale of consumption by the general population. However, most available research on the analysis of anabolic steroids is focused on animals and athletes in connection with doping. The potential of wastewater-based epidemiology as an intelligence tool for the assessment of community level use of anabolic steroids is presented herein. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the analysis of 10 anabolic-androgenic steroids and 14 endogenous hormones in influent wastewater. The validated method was applied to sixteen 24-hour composite wastewater influent s les that were collected over a period of five years from two wastewater treatment plants in Queensland, Australia. Nine investigated compounds were found to be present at concentrations between 14 and 611 ng L
Monitoring temporal changes in use of two cathinones in a large urban catchment in Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2015.12.038
Abstract: Wastewater analysis was used to examine prevalence and temporal trends in the use of two cathinones, methylone and mephedrone, in an urban population (>200,000 people) in South East Queensland, Australia. Wastewater s les were collected from the inlet of the sewage treatment plant that serviced the catchment from 2011 to 2013. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure mephedrone and methylone in wastewater s le using direct injection mode. Mephedrone was not detected in any s les while methylone was detected in 45% of the s les. Daily mass loads of methylone were normalized to the population and used to evaluate methylone use in the catchment. Methylone mass loads peaked in 2012 but there was no clear temporal trend over the monitoring period. The prevalence of methylone use in the catchment was associated with the use of MDMA, the more popular analogue of methylone, as indicated by other complementary sources. Methylone use was stable in the study catchment during the monitoring period whereas mephedrone use has been declining after its peak in 2010. More research is needed on the pharmacokinetics of emerging illicit drugs to improve the applicability of wastewater analysis in monitoring their use in the population.
Wastewater analysis of Census day samples to investigate per capita input of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers into wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2015.06.014
Abstract: The use of organophosphate esters (PFRs) as flame retardants and plasticizers has increased due to the ban of some brominated flame retardants. There is however some concern regarding the toxicity, particularly carcinogenicity and neurotoxicity, of some of the PFRs. In this study we applied wastewater analysis to assess use of PFRs by the Australian population. Influent s les were collected from eleven wastewater treatment plants (STPs) in Australia on Census day and analysed for PFRs using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Per capita mass loads of PFRs were calculated using the accurate Census head counts. The results indicate that tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) has the highest per capita input into wastewater followed by tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(isobutyl) phosphate (TIBP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP). Similar PFR profiles were observed across the Australian STPs and a comparison with European and U.S. STPs indicated similar PFR concentrations. We estimate that approximately 2.1 mg person(-1) day(-1) of PFRs are input into Australian wastewater which equates to 16 tonnes per annum.
Influence of population age and socioeconomics on chemical consumption and diet patterns measured by wastewater based epidemiology
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 10-2019
Calibration and validation of a microporous polyethylene passive sampler for quantitative estimation of illicit drug and pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) concentrations in wastewater influent
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.135891
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), the per capita normalised measurement of drugs, chemicals or metabolites in wastewater influent, relies on s ling and quantitative analysis to evaluate temporal and spatial trends of chemical consumption. Continuous, high-resolution, flow proportional composite s ling is optimal for accurate representations of chemical mass loads, but is rarely implemented, with conventional autos lers providing relatively low frequency time or volume proportional s les. However, due to equipment or resource constraints at many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), even this may not be feasible. Passive s ling may provide an alternative s ling strategy. To investigate this, s lers comprising hollow, cylindrical Microporous Polyethylene Tubes (MPTs) containing polymeric sorbent phases of Strata-X and Strata-X in agarose were simultaneously deployed in a municipal WWTP influent stream. S lers were extracted, analysed and evaluated for a range of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) after 4, 7, 15, 21, and 29 day deployments. The MPT s lers were calibrated against 24-hour time proportional composite grab s les that were collected in parallel. Diffusion through the MPT governed uptake, reducing or eliminating the influence of external flow rates that may fluctuate unpredictably in a WWTP environment. Calibration data for six illicit drugs and fourteen PPCPs, including meth hetamine, benzoylecgonine, MDMA, codeine and carbamazepine, demonstrated linear accumulation in the s lers (R
Trends in methamphetamine residues in wastewater in metropolitan and regional cities in south-east Queensland, 2009-2015.
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.5694/MJA15.01054
A cleaner river: Long term use of semipermeable membrane devices demonstrate that concentrations of selected organochlorines and PAHs in the Brisbane River estuary, Queensland have reduced substantially over the past decade
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2011.03.026
Abstract: We first used semipermeable membrane devices as s lers to evaluate concentrations of organochlorines and PAHs in the Brisbane River in 1998. Here we revisit this work and repeat the study a decade later in the same season (summer), also taking account of results from a similar study involving PAHs in the summer of 2001-2002. The accumulation of organochlorines and most PAHs in the s lers in the recent assessment was substantially less than in the 1998 deployment, suggesting that the ambient concentrations of these chemicals have decreased considerably over the last decade. In all cases there was high reproducibility of the mass of chemicals accumulated in the s ler. We used performance reference compounds in the later deployment, and assuming that the kinetics were similar in both deployment periods, we estimate that the concentration of dieldrin, the organochlorine found at highest concentrations, decreased from approximately 3.9 ng/L to about 1.4 ng/L. The decrease of most other analytes of interest including DDE and DDD was greater, potentially indicating that dieldrin is still entering the Brisbane River through run-off from urban areas where it was used widely for treatment of termites until 1995. DDT use in Australia ceased in the mid 1980s.
Wastewater treatment efficacy evaluated with in vitro bioassays
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
There's something in the air: A review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Is rotator cuff related shoulder pain a multidimensional disorder? An exploratory study
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 13-01-2020
Abstract: Rotator cuff related shoulder pain has been associated with factors from multiple dimensions such as strength changes, psychosocial measures, comorbidities and level of education. However, to date little research has been undertaken to evaluate which factors explain the greatest variance in pain and disability levels in people with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate which multidimensional examination findings were associated with higher pain and disability in a primary care cohort with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. This was an exploratory cross-sectional cohort study. Sixty-seven participants with rotator cuff related shoulder pain were assessed for: pain intensity, disability demographic, psychological, social and lifestyle characteristics, and isometric strength of shoulder internal and external rotator muscles. Univariable associations between pain intensity/disability and each variable were assessed using linear regression. Variables with univariable associations ( p 0.1) were entered into backwards stepwise multivariable regression models. The multivariable model for pain intensity included sleep and perceived persistence and explained 46.5% of the variance (37.6% uniquely by sleep, 5.4% uniquely by perceived persistence). The multivariable model for disability included sleep and sex and explained 26.8% of the variance (4.5% shared by predictors, 16.4% uniquely by sleep, 5.9% uniquely by sex). Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain and disability are associated with sleep disturbance, perceived symptom persistence and sex. Rotator cuff related shoulder pain may be considered a multidimensional disorder. Clinicians need to evaluate sleep and perceived symptom persistence in people with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. Future research may examine whether management strategies for RCRSP directed towards these factors afford improved treatment outcomes.
Urinary concentrations of bisphenols in the australian population and their association with the per capita mass loads in wastewater
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 29-07-2020
Temporal trends of perfluoroalkyl substances in an Australian wastewater treatment plant: A ten-year retrospective investigation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
Analyzing Wastewater Samples Collected during Census to Determine the Correction Factors of Drugs for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology: The Case of Codeine and Methadone
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 26-12-2019
Degradability of creatinine under sewer conditions affects its potential to be used as biomarker in sewage epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2014.02.035
Abstract: Creatinine was proposed to be used as a population normalising factor in sewage epidemiology but its stability in the sewer system has not been assessed. This study thus aimed to evaluate the fate of creatinine under different sewer conditions using laboratory sewer reactors. The results showed that while creatinine was stable in wastewater only, it degraded quickly in reactors with the presence of sewer biofilms. The degradation followed first order kinetics with significantly higher rate in rising main condition than in gravity sewer condition. Additionally, daily loads of creatinine were determined in wastewater s les collected on Census day from 10 wastewater treatment plants around Australia. The measured loads of creatinine from those s les were much lower than expected and did not correlate with the populations across the s led treatment plants. The results suggested that creatinine may not be a suitable biomarker for population normalisation purpose in sewage epidemiology, especially in sewer catchment with high percentage of rising mains.
Considerations for assessing stability of wastewater-based epidemiology biomarkers using biofilm-free and sewer reactor tests
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.136228
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology is an increasingly popular method for analysing drugs or metabolites excreted by populations. The in-sewer transformation of biomarkers is important but often receives little consideration in published studies. Many studies publish stability under biofilm-free conditions only, which do not represent actual sewer conditions. This study aims to fill a gap in the field by comparing the wastewater stability of 33 licit drug and pharmaceutical biomarkers in biofilm-free (BFF) conditions to stability in sewer biofilm reactors. All but one biomarker was stable under BFF conditions, whereas most transformed in sewer biofilm reactors. Sewer reactor results tended to overestimate the degradation in pilot and actual sewers, whereas BFF stability had no clear relationship to stability in pilot and actual sewers. Our results provide additional basis for more informed interpretation of biofilm-free and sewer reactor stability results for past and future WBE studies.
Do food and stress biomarkers work for wastewater-based epidemiology? A critical evaluation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Refining the estimation of amphetamine consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2022.119182
Abstract: Consumption of hetamine and meth hetamine, two common illicit drugs, has been monitored by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in many countries over the past decade. There is potential for the estimated amount of hetamine used to be skewed at locations where meth hetamine is also consumed, because hetamine is also excreted to wastewater following meth hetamine consumption. The present study aims to review the available data in the literature to identify an average ratio of hetamine/meth hetamine (AMP/METH) that is excreted to wastewater after meth hetamine consumption. This ratio could then be used to refine the estimation of hetamine consumption in catchments where there is both hetamine and meth hetamine use. Using data from more than 6000 wastewater s les from Australia where meth hetamine is the dominant illicit hetamine-type substance on the market, we were able to subtract the contribution of legal sources of hetamine contribution and obtain the median AMP/METH ratio in wastewater of 0.09. Using this value, the hetamine derived from meth hetamine consumption can be calculated and subtracted from the total hetamine mass loads in wastewater s les. Without considering the contribution of hetamine from meth hetamine use, selected European catchments with comparable consumption of hetamine and meth hetamine showed up to 83% overestimation of hetamine use. For catchments with AMP/METH ratio greater than 1.00, the impact of hetamine from meth hetamine would be negligible for catchments with AMP/METH ratio in the range of 0.04-0.19, it will be difficult to accurately estimate hetamine consumption.
Analytical performance comparison of four SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR primer-probe sets for wastewater samples
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2022
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