Introduction
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is now an established approach in monitoring the consumption of a selection of illicit drugs. However, WBE can also become a valuable source of information about new drug-related threats, such as consumption of new psychoactive substances (NPS), licit and illicit opioids, as well as new trends in drug use (e.g., crack cocaine and cannabis). The goal of EUSEME is to further develop WBE as an early warning system to monitor emerging drug problems across Europe.
Work Packages
WP1
NPS and Opiods
Among emerging drug problems, new psychoactive substances (NPS) still represent one of the main issues. Objective of this work package is to strengthen the current knowledge about the extent of NPS use in the general population and within specific cohorts (i.e. festivals attendees), with a particular emphasis on illicit and prescription synthetic opioids in Europe. This will be performed by combining qualitative and quantitative direct analyses of urban wastewater, urine from hospitals emergency rooms, post-mortem as well as pooled urine samples from festivals with the focus on synthetic and prescriptions opioids. In this way, an overview of the spatial and temporal distribution of NPS consumption in various European cities can be given.
WP2
Crack and Cocaine
There are signs of increased use of crack cocaine in Europe, as consumption appears to be spreading from highly marginalized users to other groups. Similarly, there has been an increase in the number of treatments for cocaine use in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. The presence of specific crack cocaine biomarkers in wastewater in Italy has been reported, yet to date there has been no Europe-wide investigation about their levels in wastewater. By developing a comprehensive analytical method, by conducting thorough stability testing and by carrying out a broad sampling campaign, EuSeME aims at providing further insights about the consumption of crack cocaine, and its relation to conventional cocaine use, in various locations across Europe.
WP3
Cannabis
Cannabis remains the most predominantly consumed illicit drug in Europe and recent policy changes in the Americas have been followed by the development of new products and alternative administration forms. The prevalence of cannabis use remains high and in some EU states increases have been monitoring through WBE has been challenging due to the characteristics of its main biomarker, THC-COOH. Issues still remain due to the lack of information regarding the fraction of cannabis biomarkers adsorbed onto suspended solids that may lead to an underestimation of consumption through WBE. Through a thorough investigation of this aspect, the data obtained within EuSeME will allow reefing the estimations of cannabis consumption through wastewater analysis and provide a WBE method that is as straightforward, cost-effective and reliable for cannabis as for other conventional illicit drugs.
WP4
Europe-wide monitoring
The drug problem is a national, transnational and international issue which needs to be addressed on a global scale. By carrying out two European-wide sampling campaigns using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach, EuSeMe aims at providing a global overview about the situation of emerging (i.e. NPS, illicit and prescription opioids, crack cocaine and cannabis) and known (i.e. conventional illicit drugs) threats, which would be difficult to obtain otherwise. By covering various locations and spanning over multiple years, the outcomes will provide an ideal tool to better understand the drugs phenomenon, which could eventually be used to assess the impact of measures and policy changes, as well as to assess the size of drug markets.
Project Partners
KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein (the Netherlands). (KWR)
KWR is a leading research institute in the water sector and long-lasting and internationally reowned expertise. KWR currently collaborates in the field of WBE with the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), local and national police. KWR will be mainly responsible for conducting a literature review to identify additional crack cocaine biomarkers/pyrolizates, the development of methods for the analysis of relevant crack cocaine biomarkers in wastewater and the analysis of aliquots collected through the planned sampling campaigns. KWR will also play a role in the other work packages.
The Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milan (Italy). (MN)
MN is a non-profit organization for research, education and information on medical sciences. MN has a long experience in WBE and developed several different applications. MN will have a specific role focused on the issue of NPS and opioids (both illegal and prescription) by identifying biomarkers of illegal/synthetic opioids in urine and wastewater and develop methods for the analysis of NPS and prescription opioids in wastewater. MN will also play a role in the other work packages.
The Research Institute for Pesticides and Water of the University Jaume I, Castellon (Spain). (UJI)
UJI develops an intense research activity in the areas of analytical chemistry and hydrogeology. UJI will have a key role in refining the estimations of cannabis consumption through wastewater, in particular by studying the sorption of different biomarkers specific for cannabis and the possible role of suspended solids in wastewater. UJI will also play a role in the other work packages.
The Toxicological Centre of the University of Antwerp (Belgium). (UA)
UA has extensive knowledge in (bio)chemical analyses and forensic toxicology. UA will play a central role in the organization and coordination of the two Europe-wide sampling campaigns. In particular, UA will be responsible for managing the logistic aspects of the campaigns, communication with laboratories, data collection, interpretation and visualization. UA will also contribute in the other work packages.
News & Publications
SCORE – NORMAN joint initiative to facilitate data comparison between “sars-cov-2 in sewage” studies Since the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic, wastewater research groups around the world have been rushing to collect influent wastewater samples. This time-critical activity is particularly challenging as many laboratories are under lock-down and, with no standard sampling protocol or analytical…
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Within Watershare, we develop new insights and technologies to quantify the occurrence, the sources, the behaviour and the risks of emerging compounds in the water cycle. EuSeME (Europe-wide Sewage analysis to Monitor Emerging drug problems) is a project funded by the European Union’s Justice Programme’s Drugs Policy Initiatives. EuSeME aims to further develop Wastewater-Based Epidemiology…
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The partners of the EUSEME project came together on 19 and 20 November for the kick-off meetings. Researchers from KWR, the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Milan, the University of Antwerp and the Universitiy Jaume I in Castellón de la Plana came together for a two-day meeting. Delegates from the European Centre for…
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Justice Programme under grant agreement Nr 861602.