Innovative Sampling Strategies for Improved Wastewater-based Epidemiology

Misuse of illicit drugs is a global problem with severe societal consequences including increased crime rates, negative effects on the economy, and loss of lives or health by the users. To develop interventions and prevention campaigns, it is important for policy makers to collect representative information on illicit drug use, such as spatial and temporal patterns across a country. An approach that has been used in the last two decades is wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which has gained much attention recently as an early warning system in the COVID-19 pandemic to trace viral fragments of SARS-CoV-2.

Although many studies have reported illicit drug consumption trends across the globe, they are generally limited to larger communities (i.e., cities) as they require a well-established infrastructure for sampling. Smaller communities in rural or remote regions are rarely included because active sampling is not available or feasible due to a lack of equipment, resources, and staff. The project aims to extend WBE by providing sampling tools, such as passive samplers to help better understand illicit and licit drug consumption in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia and illuminate the data shadows where previous data has been limited.

Outcomes

This project validated and developed new sampling strategies that help assist current monitoring programs around Australia. These sampling tools have also opened up possibilities to be used in sewer systems upstream in the future, and in long-term monitoring programs.

Research Outputs

Verhagen, R., Tscharke, B.J., Clokey, J., Gerber, C., Ghetia, M., Kaserzon, S.L., Thomas, K.V. and Mueller, J.F., 2021. Multisite calibration of a microporous polyethylene tube passive sampler for quantifying drugs in wastewater. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(19), pp.12922-12929.

Verhagen, R., Kaserzon, S.L., Tscharke, B.J., Shukla, P., Clokey, J., Vrana, B., Thomas, K.V. and Mueller, J.F., 2020. Time-integrative passive sampling of very hydrophilic chemicals in wastewater influent. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 7(11), pp.848-853.

Hawker, D.W., Clokey, J., Gorji, S.G., Verhagen, R. and Kaserzon, S.L., 2022. Monitoring techniques–Grab and passive sampling. In Emerging Freshwater Pollutants (pp. 25-48). Elsevier.

Conference Abstracts

Verhagen, R., Tscharke, B. J., Thomas, K. V., Mueller, J. F., Kaserzon, S. L. Passive sampling as a tool for wastewater-based epidemiology, International Passive Sampling Workshop and Symposium. Boston, USA, 11 – 13 September 2019.

Verhagen, R., Tscharke, B.J., Clokey, J., Kaserzon, S.L., Thomas, K.V., Mueller, J.F. Exploring the potential of passive sampling technologies as a supplementary sampling technique in wastewater-based epidemiology, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Australasia Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 30 August - 2 September 2021.

Verhagen, R., Kaserzon, S.L., Thomas, K.V., Mueller, J.F., Tscharke, B.J. Advancing sampling capabilities of the Australia National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program using passive sampling techniques, Testing the waters 5, Brisbane, Australia, 28 September – 1 October 2021.

Verhagen, R., Tscharke, B. J., Thomas, K. V., Mueller, J. F., Kaserzon, S. L. Advancing sampling capabilities of the Australia National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program using passive sampling techniques, International Passive Sampling Workshop and Symposium, 4 – 5 November 2021.

Verhagen, R., Tscharke, B.J., Clokey, J., Kaserzon, S.L., Thomas, K.V., Mueller, J.F. Developing a passive sampler for the uptake of very hydrophilic chemicals, International Passive Sampling Workshop and Symposium, September 2022.