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RUSMIDDEL-Rusmiddelforskning

A biomarker-based tool to monitor community drug use and abuse in Norway: Monitoring of substances of abuse in wastewater effluents

Awarded: NOK 4.3 mill.

Project Number:

185523

Application Type:

Project Period:

2008 - 2012

Funding received from:

Location:

An estimate of the Norwegian situation for addictive drugs is based mainly on the following input: - Death and disease associated with the use of drugs - Crime associated with drugs (e.g. number of seizures of different drugs, amount of confiscated drugs and blood samples from drivers suspected for driving under the influence of drugs (see www.fhi.no for more information)) - Treatment (e.g. number of opiate abusers in medicine assisted rehabilitation) - Drug analysis of blood samples from fatally injured drivers - Drug analysis of saliva samples from drivers, obtained by random roadside collection - Sale of addictive medication - Studies of young people?s use of drugs and other questionnaire and interview-based studies - Interviews with local police and social workers The use of any potential biomarker-based tool would serve well to complement the data generated through the above processes. One option is to determine the level of drugs and their metabolites in wastewater effluents and using models to b ack calculate the level of use in the community. This has become increasingly feasible as research in the area of drugs as environmental contaminants has developed. Illicit drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and heroin have recently been monitored in th e aquatic environment. They are likely to enter receiving waters via the same pathways as prescription pharmaceuticals, either through excretion via wastewater treatment processes or via illegal disposal. A pilot study in Oslo demonstrated measurable conc entrations of cocaine and other illegal substances in wastewater effluents from the city. Recent research has shown that through determining the occurrence of cocaine, and its principal metabolite benzoylecognine, in receiving waters and effluents it is p ossible to estimate the levels of use in the community . This is a powerful technique offering the ability to monitor local drug abuse trends in real time, whilst preserving the anonymity of individuals.

Funding scheme:

RUSMIDDEL-Rusmiddelforskning