undergoing a traditional sequence of treatmentsaluminumbased coagulants and flocculants, sand filters, ozone, nicotine. They also report that Researchers have documented and finally chlorination to keep the rivers carried up to 15 grams the flow of so-called drugs of a residual level of chlorine in (g) per day of cocaine and 195 abuse, such as cocaine, meththe distribution system that prog/day of benzoylecgonine, one amphetamine, and ecstasy, in tects the drinking water during of its metabolites. And although rivers and streams from Venice, final delivery. “The combination the team found two amphetItaly, to Florence, Ore. However, of oxidants and sorbents can reamine-like drugs, ecstasy new research published in ES&T move conventional contami(MDMA: 3,4-methylenedioxy-N(DOI 10.1021/es800768h) shows nants, as well as that conventional drinkemerging contaminants,” ing-water treatment sucincluding legal pharmacessfully removes these ceuticals and illegal drugs and others considdrugs, comments Stuart ered to be more benign, Krasner of the Metropolisuch as caffeine and tan Water District of nicotine. Southern California. AlThe researchers, from though the concentrathe University of Barcetions of these drugs in lona and the water corpothe environment are low, ration Grupo Agbar, tested Krasner adds, long-term water samples for a suite exposures to any small of illicit drugs that inamount of a contaminant cluded PCP, LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphet- A team of researchers, including (left to right) chemists Maria in drinking water raises concerns for humanamine, as well as several Huerta, Ventura, and Teresa Galceran, examined the occurhealth effects. metabolites. They also rence of illegal drugs in source waters and in treated drinking water in Spain. Other research shows looked for caffeine and that cocaine seems to be nicotine; nicotine recently particularly intransigent. It has shown promise as a methylamphetamine) and its has been found unchanged by biomarker of human activity (Enanalog MDA (3,4-methylenenatural processes in surface waviron. Sci. Technol. 2008, DOI dioxyamphetamine), the reters in Italy and the U.K. But the 10.1021/es800455q). Led by searchers did not detect PCP treatment at the Spanish water Francesc Ventura of Grupo Agbar, and some of the other drugs on utility plant showed that “the the team monitored the Llobretheir list. [drinking-water treatment] progat, a highly polluted river in But at the intake point of their cess can practically remove all Spain, and several of its test treatment plant, the scientists these compounds,” says Ventura. tributaries. noted several trends: concentra“Some questions still remain: Drugs can be detected in the tions of nicotine and caffeine rewhat happens when a more treated wastewater that is mained relatively steady yearsimple treatment is applied, and dumped into these water bodies round, with an increase in the which potential disinfection by more than 55 treatment summer and a slight dip in the byproducts are generated?” The plants. To track the contaminafall. Regular spikes in the levels of results also show that “drugs of tion, the team sampled river wacocaine and benzoylecgonine (60 abuse are commonly found in the ter at more than a dozen input and 770 nanograms per liter, reaquatic media at the same or sites during different seasons spectively) came after weekends. higher concentration levels than throughout a year. The reStill, they found “notable loads” other emerging contaminants searchers also took spot samples throughout the week, “indicating (i.e., pharmaceuticals),” he adds. at the same time every day for a a relatively constant pattern of week in December at a treat—NAOMI LUBICK use,” they wrote. But spikes in ment plant that provides drinkecstasy and cocaine occurred ing water for 1 million people. around Christmas and New They followed up with a year of Year’s, indicating a seasonal shift regular monitoring. in drug use. The researchers found that the However, the drinking water river basin is basically flooded was free from these drugs after with caffeine and trace levels of FERRAN MARTÍ
Cocaine from drains in Spain
10.1021/es8020606
2008 American Chemical Society
Published on Web 08/06/2008
September 15, 2008 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 9 6777
