1. The analysis of illicit drugs
Lisbon Addiction 2017, 2nd European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies, October 24-26, 2017
The analysis of illicit drugs
in Sydney wastewater
Anne Bannwarth1, Marie Morelato2, Olivier Delémont1, Pierre Esseiva1, Lisa Benaglia1, Claude Roux2
1 School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland,
2 Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia

2. Illicit drug problem
The illicit drug problem is persistent and different authorities are fighting this problem.
Information about the Australian illicit drug market are obtained from different sources like surveys, cryptomarkets, the analysis of syringes, seizures and the analysis of wastewater.
This presentation is about the analysis of illicit drugs in wastewater.

3. Why wastewater analysis?
First of all, it must be clear why we are analysis wastewater.
If a person consumes/takes drugs, the substance passes the body with different steps.
First it is absorbed and distributed throughout the body, then it is transformed to metabolites to be better excreted at the end.
The excreted products (unchanged and metabolised) will end up in the sewage treatment plant where we are collecting our samples.
OH-THC
Metabolites
Parent
THC

4. Aim
To study the possibility to measure drug consumption in the Sydney area for a given time period
Evaluation of geographical and temporal trends
Three areas in Sydney (WWTP-1 South, WWTP-2 East, WWTP-3 North)
Collection of specimens in WWTP-1 every day over two weeks
National comparison of Australian drug consumption
International comparison to reveal similarities/differences between Sydney and different European cities
The aim of this study was to obtain an understanding of the illicit drug consumption in different areas in Sydney.
Three different objectives were differentiated:
The evaluation of geographical and temporal trends by collecting samples in different areas (north, south and east) and during different time periods
A comparison with other Australian studies about the wastewater analysis
International comparison to reveal similarities/differents between Sydney and different European cities

5. How can we measure consumption?
SAMPLING
Analysis
CONCENTRATION of target compounds in waste water (ng/L)
Volume (m3/day)
DAILY LOAD of target compound at the Sewage Treatment Plant (g/day)
Metabolism & degradation
AMOUNT OF DRUGS consumed daily (g/day)
Population estimation
NORMALISED DAILY AMOUNT of drugs (mg/day/1000 inhab)
Daily doses
NORMALISED NUMBER OF DAILY DOSES (doses/1000 inhab)
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Perspectives on drugs. Wastewater analysis and drugs: a European multi-city study, (last accessed 7/8/17)

6. Amphetamine-type substances
Target compounds
Pharmacologically active substance and/or its metabolite
Conventional illicit drugs
New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)
Class
Illicit drug
Metabolite
Cocainics
Cocaine
Benzoylecgonine
Opioids
Morphine -
Methadone
EDDP
Amphetamine-type substances
MDMA
Amphetamine
Methamphetamine
NPS
BZP
Mephedrone
Methylone
Our analytical method (not published yet) targeted 4 classes of illicit drugs. When possible, we were also targeting the metabolite to ensure the consumption of an illicit drug.
Once a metabolite is detected, we can be ensured that the illicit drug was actually consumed and not discharged differently.

7. Geographical Analysis
Methamphetamine
In general, the Eastern part of Sydney (WWTP-2) showed the highest amount of the targeted illicit drugs and their metabolites. The only exception is methamphetamine. The North shows the lowest illicit drug consumption
The high consumption of stimulants in the Southern and Eastern part can be explained by the fact that the areas covered by the two WWTP are very popular for young people, backpackers and surfers, whereas the area of WWTP3 is a calmer location and mostly visited by families.

8. Temporal Analysis
Methamphetamine loads per day per 1000 inhabitants [mg/day/1000 inhabitants]
Some of the values of methamphetamine exceeded the calibraton curve and are therefore not considered here.
Temporal analysis showed that loads of methamphetamine, BE and MDMA are higher during the first week and weekend then the second one.
Consumption of these three substances is remarkably high on first Sunday which could be due a high consumption of these substances from Saturday to Sunday.
MDMA and Cocaine/BE show peaks during the two weekends analysed: are substances often consumed during parties/festivals.
These events often happens during weekends and thus an increase of these substances and their metabolites during the weekend is explainable

9. National comparison – Methamphetamine
Rural areas
National average
The national comparison for methamphetamine demonstrated that the consumption of methamphetamine in Sydney is in the upper range of the Australian methamphetamine consumption.
A slight discrepancy between my results and the ones of Lai et al can be observed for methamphetamine, as the consumption of this substance in NSW is slightly lower than observed in my study.
This can be due to the fact that the studies have been conduted in two different years and seasons and/or the cities analysed in NSW (by Lai et al.) do not include Sydney.
Lai, F.Y. et al., Science of the Total Environment, vol. 568, pp
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, National wastewater drug monitoring program, Commonwealth of Australia.
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, 2017, National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program

10. International comparison - Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine detected in wastewater in 2016 in Europe and Sydney
The comparison with international wastewater analysis, revealed that the highest amount of methamphetamine detected in wastewater is in slovakian cities followed by Sydney, the Czech Republic and Germany.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Perspectives on drugs. Wastewater analysis and drugs: a European multi-city study, (last accessed 7/8/17)

11. International comparison – Cocaine
Cocaine detected in wastewater in 2016 in Europe and Sydney
Looking at the amount of cocaine detected in wastewate, it can be observed that Sydney is only on the 31st place. Thus, this is an illicit drug that is rather consumed in Europe compared to Sydney.
This is a completely different pattern compared to the amount of methamphetamine in wastewater.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Perspectives on drugs. Wastewater analysis and drugs: a European multi-city study, (last accessed 10/10/17)

12. Prevention / Harm Reduction / Control / Repression
Triangulation of data
Fragmented nature of forensic traces → results should be combined with data from other sources (e.g. law enforcement seizures and arrests, cryptomarkets, population surveys)
To provide more solid information to guide illicit drug policies:
Prevention / Harm Reduction / Control / Repression
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Australian Crime Intelligence Commission, Illicit Drug Data Report 2015–16, 2017.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, National Drug Strategy Household Survey detailed report Drug statistics series no. 28. Cat. No. PHE 183, 2014, Canberra: AIHW.

13. Conclusion
Wastewater analysis of illicit drugs provides an objective estimation of consumption
Methamphetamine: most consumed illicit drug among the targeted compounds and in the areas investigated in Sydney
National comparison: similar findings obtained
Differences in the international illicit drug consumption
Wastewater analysis cannot be used as a standalone approach: combination of different approaches is required to understand the market structure
Thes results for methamphetamine correspond to the most recent illicit drug data report of the australian gouvernment which indicates that seizures of Methamphetamine are
the highest recorded within Australia and at borders .
Wastewater analysis is important as it provides complementary informatin regarding the illicit drug phenomenon which is essential for forensic intelligence purposes.

14. Acknowledgments Sydney Water
Ian McKenzie, former Business Manager at Sydney Water Monitoring Services
UTS Chancellor’s postdoctoral fellowship, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne
Thes results for methamphetamine correspond to the most recent illicit drug data report of the australian gouvernment which indicates that seizures of Methamphetamine are
the highest recorded within Australia and at borders .
Wastewater analysis is important as it provides complementary informatin regarding the illicit drug phenomenon which is essential for forensic intelligence purposes.