El análisis de aguas residuales con fines epidemiológicos: presente y futuro en España / Wastewater-based epidemiology: present and future in Spain

El análisis de aguas residuales con fines epidemiológicos es actualmente una herramienta fiable y complementaria a las metodologías basadas en indicadores tradicionales para el control de diferentes sustancias entre las que cabe destacar las drogas. Si bien varios países europeos la utilizan como herramienta de trabajo para la monitorización de drogas de abuso, en España su uso se limita principalmente a estudios realizados por diferentes grupos de investigación, tal y como se describe en el caso práctico puesto de ejemplo en el artículo. Sin embargo, el potencial de la metodología ha quedado evidenciado en los estudios científicos llevados a cabo tanto a nivel español como internacional y, aunque son necesarios más estudios para llegar a conocer todo su potencial, se prevé pueda ser incorporada como herramienta de trabajo complementaria a las que habitualmente se utilizan. En este sentido, la Red Española de Análisis de Aguas Residuales (ESAR-Net), creada en 2017 y formada por diferentes grupos de investigación españoles, pretende contribuir al conocimiento y aplicación de esta metodología en España a través de actividades científicas y de divulgación

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology is currently a reliable and complementary tool to methodologies based on traditional indicators for the control of various substances such as drugs. Although several European countries use it as a working tool for the monitoring of drugs of abuse, in Spain its use is mainly limited to studies carried out by different research groups, as described in the case study used as an example in the article. However, the potential of the methodology has been demonstrated in the scientific studies carried out both at the Spanish and international level and, although more studies are necessary to get to know its full potential, it is expected that it could be incorporated as a complementary work tool to those that are usually used. In this sense, the Red Española de Análisis de Aguas Residuales (ESAR-Net), created in 2017 and formed by different Spanish research groups, aims to contribute to the knowledge and application of this methodology in Spain through scientific and outreach activities

Matrix solid-phase dispersion followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of triclosan and methyl triclosan in sludge and sediments.

An expeditious method for the determination of triclosan (TCS) and methyl triclosan (MTCS) in sludge and sediment samples is presented. Extraction and cleanup steps were integrated in the same process using matrix solid-phase dispersion as sample preparation technique. Effects of different variables on the efficiency and the selectivity of the sample preparation process are discussed. Under final working conditions, samples (0.5 g) were dispersed with diatomaceous earth (1 g) and transferred to a polypropylene syringe containing 2 g of silica impregnated with sulphuric acid (15%, w:w). Analytes were recovered with 10 mL of dichloromethane. After solvent exchange to ethyl acetate, TCS was converted into the tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivative, and the extract was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, without any additional cleanup. Obtained recoveries, for sludge and sediment samples spiked at different concentration levels, ranged from 86% to 113%, with associated standard deviations between 2 and 13%. Limits of quantification of the global method were 6 and 7 ng g(-1) for MTCS and TCS, respectively. Both compounds were detected in all the processed sludge samples with maximum concentrations of 191 ng g(-1) (MTCS) and 2,640 ng g(-1) (TCS). The parent bactericide was also found in some sediment samples at concentrations up to 200 ng g(-1).