The complexities associated with new psychoactive substances in influent wastewater: The case of 4‐ethylmethcathinone

Abstract

Consumption of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is an international problem for health, policing, forensic, and analytical laboratories. The transience of these substances in the community, combined with continual slight structural changes to evade legislation makes the elucidation of NPS an analytical challenge. This is amplified in a matrix as complex as wastewater. For that reason, suspect and non-target methodologies, employing high resolution mass spectrometry are the most appropriate current tool to facilitate the identification of new and existing compounds. In the current work, a qualitative screening method of influent wastewater using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry showed a strong signal at m/z 192.1382identical to that of two NPS standards that were in our method (pentedrone and 4-methylethcathinone), and with identical fragment ions, but the retention times did not match. This work shows the methodology followed to identify this compound, highlighting the challenges of the identifying "new" compounds in influent wastewater.

Presence of the ketamine analog of 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine residues in wastewater

“…Over the last decade, the synthesis, trafficking, and use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been recognized as a complex global phenomenon. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] It is difficult for many countries to monitor and control the development of NPS because of the complexity of its manufacturing, market, and types. 10,11 Moreover, NPS can cause immeasurable harm to users because it is often used in combination with other illicit drugs.…”

Integrated Approach for Synthetic Cathinone Drug Prioritization and Risk Assessment: In Silico Approach and Sub-Chronic Studies in Daphnia magna and Tetrahymena thermophila

“…Some studies reported the occurrence of SC in wastewaters as influents and effluents, but information about surface waters is scarce [ 13 , 14 , 37 , 38 ]. For instance, 4-MMC (up to 106.00 ng L −1 ), bk-MAP (up to 12.00 ng L −1 ), and MDPV (up to 6.00 ng L −1 ) were measured in influent wastewater samples from eight European countries [ 15 ].…”

“…Although recent advances in wastewater treatment increased the removal efficiency of hazardous contaminants, some contaminants are still not eliminated or removal rates are low [ 11 , 12 ]. Regarding SC, some studies have already reported their presence in influent samples, but there is little information about their degradation rates, effluents, or environmental levels [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Toxicity effects of NPS, including some SC, have also been reported on aquatic organisms.…”