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Cocaine and other illicit drugs in airborne particulates in urban environments: A reflection of social conduct and population size

Abstract

Levels of cocaine and other psychoactive substances in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) were determined in urban environments representing distinct social behaviours with regard to drug abuse: night-life, university and residential areas. Three cities (with population >1 million and <0.3 million inhabitants) were selected. Mean daily levels of drugs in PM were 11-336 pg/m{sup 3} for cocaine, 23-34 pg/m{sup 3} for cannabinoids, and 5-90 pg/m{sup 3} for heroin. The highest levels were recorded on weekends, with factors with respect to weekdays of 1-3 for cocaine, 1-2 for cannabinoids and 1.1-1.7 for heroin. Higher levels were detected in the night-life areas, pointing towards consumption and trafficking as major emission sources, and possibly ruling out drug manufacture. The similarities in temporal trends at all sites suggested a city-scale transport of psychoactive substances. Correlations were detected between cocaine and amphetamine consumption (r{sup 2} = 0.98), and between heroin and cannabinoids (r{sup 2}>0.82). - Highlights: > Cocaine, heroin, cannabis and related illicit drugs are found in detectable amounts in urban air. > Illicit drug consumption and small-scale trafficking are the major emission sources. > Illicit drugs remain in atmospheric particles and are transported across cities during at least 5 days. > Levels of illicit drugs  More>>
Authors:
Viana, M; [1]  Postigo, C; [1]  Querol, X; [1]  Alastuey, A; [1]  Lopez de Alda, M.J., E-mail: mlaqam@cid.csic.es; [1]  Barcelo, D; [1]  King Saud University, Box 2454, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)]; Artinano, B; [2]  Lopez-Mahia, P; [3]  Garcia Gacio, D., E-mail: dgarcia@udc.es; [3]  Cots, N [4] 
  1. Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona (Spain)
  2. Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology Research (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain)
  3. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of A Coruna, Campus A Zapateira, 15071 A Coruna (Spain)
  4. Department of the Environment, Catalonia Regional Government, Av. Diagonal 525, 08193 Barcelona (Spain)
Publication Date:
May 15, 2011
Product Type:
Journal Article
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Environmental Pollution (1987); Journal Volume: 159; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032; PII: S0269-7491(11)00054-6; Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; AIR; AMPHETAMINES; COCAINE; CORRELATIONS; DRUG ABUSE; HEROIN; PARTICULATES; URBAN AREAS; ALKALOIDS; AMINES; ANALEPTICS; ANESTHETICS; ANTIDEPRESSANTS; AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS; DRUGS; FLUIDS; GASES; NARCOTICS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PARTICLES; PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS; SYMPATHOMIMETICS
OSTI ID:
21543364
Country of Origin:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: ISSN 0269-7491; ENPOEK; TRN: GB11R2420022456
Availability:
Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032
Submitting Site:
GBN
Size:
page(s) 1241-1247
Announcement Date:
Apr 16, 2012

Citation Formats

Viana, M, Postigo, C, Querol, X, Alastuey, A, Lopez de Alda, M.J., E-mail: mlaqam@cid.csic.es, Barcelo, D, King Saud University, Box 2454, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)], Artinano, B, Lopez-Mahia, P, Garcia Gacio, D., E-mail: dgarcia@udc.es, and Cots, N. Cocaine and other illicit drugs in airborne particulates in urban environments: A reflection of social conduct and population size. United Kingdom: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032.
Viana, M, Postigo, C, Querol, X, Alastuey, A, Lopez de Alda, M.J., E-mail: mlaqam@cid.csic.es, Barcelo, D, King Saud University, Box 2454, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)], Artinano, B, Lopez-Mahia, P, Garcia Gacio, D., E-mail: dgarcia@udc.es, &amp; Cots, N. Cocaine and other illicit drugs in airborne particulates in urban environments: A reflection of social conduct and population size. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032
Viana, M, Postigo, C, Querol, X, Alastuey, A, Lopez de Alda, M.J., E-mail: mlaqam@cid.csic.es, Barcelo, D, King Saud University, Box 2454, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)], Artinano, B, Lopez-Mahia, P, Garcia Gacio, D., E-mail: dgarcia@udc.es, and Cots, N. 2011. "Cocaine and other illicit drugs in airborne particulates in urban environments: A reflection of social conduct and population size." United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032.
@misc{etde_21543364,
title = {Cocaine and other illicit drugs in airborne particulates in urban environments: A reflection of social conduct and population size}
author = {Viana, M, Postigo, C, Querol, X, Alastuey, A, Lopez de Alda, M.J., E-mail: mlaqam@cid.csic.es, Barcelo, D, King Saud University, Box 2454, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)], Artinano, B, Lopez-Mahia, P, Garcia Gacio, D., E-mail: dgarcia@udc.es, and Cots, N}
abstractNote = {Levels of cocaine and other psychoactive substances in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) were determined in urban environments representing distinct social behaviours with regard to drug abuse: night-life, university and residential areas. Three cities (with population >1 million and <0.3 million inhabitants) were selected. Mean daily levels of drugs in PM were 11-336 pg/m{sup 3} for cocaine, 23-34 pg/m{sup 3} for cannabinoids, and 5-90 pg/m{sup 3} for heroin. The highest levels were recorded on weekends, with factors with respect to weekdays of 1-3 for cocaine, 1-2 for cannabinoids and 1.1-1.7 for heroin. Higher levels were detected in the night-life areas, pointing towards consumption and trafficking as major emission sources, and possibly ruling out drug manufacture. The similarities in temporal trends at all sites suggested a city-scale transport of psychoactive substances. Correlations were detected between cocaine and amphetamine consumption (r{sup 2} = 0.98), and between heroin and cannabinoids (r{sup 2}>0.82). - Highlights: > Cocaine, heroin, cannabis and related illicit drugs are found in detectable amounts in urban air. > Illicit drug consumption and small-scale trafficking are the major emission sources. > Illicit drugs remain in atmospheric particles and are transported across cities during at least 5 days. > Levels of illicit drugs increase from residential to night-life areas, and maximise on weekends. > Correlations between illicit drugs were detected, suggesting differences in consumer groups. - The presence of illicit drugs in atmospheric particles can be used to track illicit drug abuse.}
doi = {10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.032}
journal = []
issue = {5}
volume = {159}
place = {United Kingdom}
year = {2011}
month = {May}
}