This study investigates the potential contamination of cash register employees in the Slovak Republic with 148 selected pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and their metabolites. Of these, 42 substances were detected, and it was found that the target group-cashiers-regularly handle large volumes of banknotes, increasing their exposure to contaminants compared to the general population. This study revealed that commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medications significantly contribute to the contamination of cash registers. This study found that cashiers exhibited notably higher detection rates of antibiotics, including penicillin-V (2×), azithromycin (23×), and erythromycin (up to 64×), than the general population. Additionally, there was an alarming increase in illegal substances, with methamphetamine levels rising fivefold and cocaine up to fifteenfold. This study highlights a broader environmental concern, suggesting that routine handling of contaminated banknotes may lead to the transfer of micropollutants. Furthermore, personal hygiene practices, particularly handwashing, could play a role in introducing pharmaceuticals and narcotics into wastewater, potentially contributing several milligrams of contaminants daily.

• Klíčová slova
• LC-MS/MS analysis, banknote contamination, cashiers, environmental micropollutants, occupational exposure, pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs, surface transfer, wastewater pollution,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been already proposed by several authors for estimating the consumption of drugs, mainly the illicit ones. However, not much information is available about the actual reliability of this tool given the absence of comparison with the actual consumption. This work aims to evaluate the reliability of the WBE as a tool for estimating the consumption of pharmaceuticals in urban area. Measured consumption back-calculated with a WBE approach was compared with prescription of pharmaceutical products as "control." Moreover, seasonal influence on (i) pharmaceutical consumption, (ii) load of pharmaceutical products in the sewer system, and (iii) reliability of WBE was evaluated. Ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, metoprolol, carbamazepine, and citalopram were estimated by WBE with a difference respect to the "control" value lower than 0.2 order of magnitude while only trimethoprim and sotalol exceeded the 0.5 order of magnitude of difference but below the 1 order of magnitude. Sedatives were the best represented by WBE (on average 0.15 order of magnitude of difference compared to prescription data). However, further studies are suggested to fully estimate the influence of the type of APs on the reliability of the WBE. Seasonal patterns were found for the load of ciprofloxacin in the sewer and for the consumption of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim by population but seasonal changes did not have a significant impact (p > 0.05) on the reliability of WBE. Despite some gaps remained to optimize the reliability of the tool, WBE can be considered a valid method to estimate the consumption of prescribed drugs from the analysis of the sewer system.

• Klíčová slova
• Drug consumption, Emerging contaminants, Pharmaceutical products, Seasonal patterns, WBE, Wastewater treatment plant,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza   MeSH
• ciprofloxacin MeSH
• epidemiologie odpadních vod * MeSH
• léčivé přípravky MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• sulfamethoxazol MeSH
• trimethoprim MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• ciprofloxacin MeSH
• léčivé přípravky MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH
• sulfamethoxazol MeSH
• trimethoprim MeSH

The consumption of alcohol in a population is usually monitored through individual questionnaires, forensics, and toxicological data. However, consumption estimates have some biases, mainly due to the accumulation of alcohol stocks. This study's objective was to assess alcohol consumption in Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Samples of municipal wastewater were collected from three Slovak cities during the lockdown and during a successive period with lifted restrictions in 2020. The study included about 14% of the Slovak population. The urinary alcohol biomarker, ethyl sulfate (EtS), was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). EtS concentrations were used to estimate the per capita alcohol consumption in each city. The average alcohol consumption in the selected cities in 2020 ranged between 2.1 and 327 L/day/1000 inhabitants and increased during days with weaker restrictions. WBE can provide timely information on alcohol consumption at the community level, complementing epidemiology-based monitoring techniques (e.g., population surveys and sales statistics).

• Klíčová slova
• COVID-19, alcohol, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, lockdown, urban wastewater,
• MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová metody   MeSH
• COVID-19 * epidemiologie   MeSH
• epidemiologie odpadních vod * MeSH
• ethanol analýza   MeSH
• kontrola infekčních nemocí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pandemie MeSH
• pití alkoholu epidemiologie   MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie metody   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Názvy látek
• diethyl sulfate MeSH Prohlížeč
• ethanol MeSH

Within this study, we were interested in the effects of wastewater on the development of antimicrobial resistance. Microorganisms can relatively promptly adapt to evolutionary pressures of the environment, including antibiotics. Therefore, we tested how the adaptability of the model microorganism Salmonella enterica is affected by wastewater full of pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and other micropollutants. Wastewater samples had been taken from effluent of hospitals and from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Petržalka influent and effluent. In these samples, presence of 38 substances was monitored. The highest concentration was observed in case of tramadol, citalopram, venlafaxine, cotinine, atenolol, valsartan, carbamazepine, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin. According to this data, we focused also on individual pharmaceutical compounds presented in wastewater samples in elevated concentrations. Effect on resistance development of two pain relief medications (carbamazepine, tramadol), hypotensive medications (atenolol, valsartan), and the nicotine metabolite (cotinine) was also investigated. For this study, we employed concentrations presented in wastewater as well as in urine of patients and/or users. To determine the frequency of mutations leading to ciprofloxacin resistance, we applied the modified Ames test employing the strain Salmonella Typhimurium. Resistance index increased in the case of all wastewater samples from conventional hospitals where we observed a 1.22-1.69-fold increase of mutations leading to ciprofloxacin resistance. Tested compounds caused rise of resistance index in lower concentrations found in wastewater. The most significant increase of resistance index was detected after carbamazepine treatment.

• Klíčová slova
• Atenolol, Carbamazepine, Cotinine, Resistance, Salmonella enterica, Tramadol, Valsartan, Wastewater,
• MeSH
• antibiotická rezistence MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• léčivé přípravky * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• odpad tekutý - odstraňování MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• léčivé přípravky * MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH

Various types of micropollutants, e.g., pharmaceuticals and their metabolites and resistant strains of pathogenic microorganisms, are usually found in hospital wastewaters. The aim of this paper was to study the presence of 74 frequently used pharmaceuticals, legal and illegal drugs, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 5 hospital wastewaters in Slovakia and Czechia and to compare the efficiency of several advanced oxidations processes (AOPs) for sanitation and treatment of such highly polluted wastewaters. The occurrence of micropollutants and antibiotic-resistant bacteria was investigated by in-line SPE-LC-MS/MS technique and cultivation on antibiotic and antibiotic-free selective diagnostic media, respectively. The highest maximum concentrations were found for cotinine (6700 ng/L), bisoprolol (5200 ng/L), metoprolol (2600 ng/L), tramadol (2400 ng/L), sulfamethoxazole (1500 ng/L), and ranitidine (1400 ng/L). In the second part of the study, different advanced oxidation processes, modified Fenton reaction, ferrate(VI), and oxidation by boron-doped diamond electrode were tested in order to eliminate the abovementioned pollutants. Obtained results indicate that the modified Fenton reaction and application of boron-doped diamond electrode were able to eliminate almost the whole spectrum of selected micropollutants with efficiency higher than 90%. All studied methods achieved complete removal of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria present in hospital wastewaters.

• Klíčová slova
• Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Boron-doped diamond electrode, Fenton-like reaction, Ferrate(VI), Hospital effluents characterization, Wastewater,
• MeSH
• bakteriální léková rezistence MeSH
• bor MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
• diamant MeSH
• elektrody MeSH
• léčivé přípravky analýza   MeSH
• nemocnice MeSH
• odpad tekutý - odstraňování přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• odpadní voda analýza   chemie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• oxidace-redukce MeSH
• peroxid vodíku chemie   MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• zakázané drogy analýza   MeSH
• zdravotnický odpad MeSH
• železo chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Slovenská republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• bor MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• diamant MeSH
• Fenton's reagent MeSH Prohlížeč
• ferrate ion MeSH Prohlížeč
• léčivé přípravky MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH
• peroxid vodíku MeSH
• zakázané drogy MeSH
• zdravotnický odpad MeSH
• železo MeSH

The estimation of medication use is based on the statistical data from pharmacies and hospitals. Excessive use or misuse of some compounds, especially psychoactive medications, has not yet been monitored in Slovakia. Wastewater analysis provides useful data about the medication use and misuse in individual regions. This study is focused on the analysis of 23 substances in the wastewaters of Slovakia. The monitoring programme has included stimulants, opioid and morphine derivatives, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, drug precursors and their metabolites. Urinary markers of these compounds were analysed at WWTP influent in seven regions (Bratislava, Košice, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, Trenčín, Prešov a Piešťany) using LC-MS/MS technique. The analysis was performed from March to October 2013. The pattern in use of these compounds was also monitored. Tramadol and venlafaxine were found to be the most concentrated compounds among of all studied psychoactive pharmaceuticals. The highest specific loads of tramadol were detected in Piešťany (409 mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Zvolen (366 mg/day/1000 inhabitants). There is a considerable number of spa facilities (hotels) situated in these cities and this fact contributes to a higher occurrence of these psychoactive compounds in respective wastewaters.

• Klíčová slova
• Drugs, LC-MS/MS, Monitoring, Psychoactive pharmaceuticals, Wastewater,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
• léčivé přípravky analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• odpad tekutý - odstraňování metody   MeSH
• odpadní voda analýza   chemie   MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• léčivé přípravky MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH

The aim of this study was to compare estimation of nicotine use in Slovakia (SR) and the Czech Republic (CR) based on cotinine analysis in wastewater from seven selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with conventional estimation based on tobacco product sales. Urinary bio-markers of nicotine use were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The study was performed concurrently at all the WWTPs (from 11 to 18 March 2014). Representative 24 h composite samples were analyzed with on line SPE/LC-MS/MS method. Based on the average residence time of wastewater in the sewers and the average time in the sampling device, specific correction coefficients were designed to improve estimation of nicotine consumption. Nicotine ingestion level was back-calculated and expressed as mass of pure drug consumed per day and per 1000 inhabitants for selected cities of both countries (mean, 2.2 g for Piešťany and 8.0 g for Nitra, respectively). Consequently, the cigarette consumption results were recalculated for each country separately and compared with the data of both national statistical offices (2362 cigarettes/year/person--SR and 2088 cigarettes/year/person--CR). Our results highly correspond to the data of national statistical offices (up to 99.9% in SR and to 96% in CR). The average amount of money invested in cigarette sales was estimated in the capitals of both countries. It is about 1 million EUR/day for Prague and about 0.3 million EUR/day for Bratislava. The calculation of nicotine consumption, utilizing a specific correction coefficient, is the correct way to obtain more accurate data in drug studies of this kind, thus allowing a better drug abuse assessment.

• MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
• kouření epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nikotin analýza   MeSH
• nikotinoví agonisté analýza   MeSH
• odpadní voda analýza   MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Názvy látek
• nikotin MeSH
• nikotinoví agonisté MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH