RAISING AWARENESS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN PAKISTAN, THE ROLE OF SEWAGE WASTEWATER ANALYSIS FOR DRUG DETECTION

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Ubaid Ullah Khan
Maham Noor
Sajid Hussain
Mehreen Ishtiaq
Inam Ullah
Zeeshan Abbas
Haseeb Ullah
Rehan Jamal
Abdul Wahab

Abstract

Background: The detection of illicit drugs in sewage water has emerged as a valuable epidemiological tool for assessing community drug consumption patterns. Traditional self-reported surveys often suffer from underreporting and social desirability bias, whereas wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides objective and real-time insights into substance use trends. This method offers a non-invasive and cost-effective approach to understanding drug abuse on a broader scale, aiding public health agencies in developing evidence-based intervention strategies.


Body: A range of advanced analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and immunoassay chromatogram techniques (ICT), are commonly employed to detect drug metabolites in wastewater. These methods enable researchers to estimate overall drug consumption, monitor emerging substance abuse trends, and identify potential public health threats, such as new psychoactive substances and overdose surges. However, despite its advantages, WBE has limitations, including its inability to pinpoint specific sources of drug metabolites or provide individualized consumption data. The ethical considerations of privacy protection and data interpretation remain critical in implementing this methodology responsibly.


Conclusion: Wastewater analysis has significant implications for public health monitoring, drug policy formulation, and law enforcement strategies. By integrating WBE with other epidemiological approaches, policymakers can develop more targeted and effective drug prevention programs. Future research should focus on refining detection methods, addressing ethical concerns, and expanding the application of wastewater analysis to broader public health challenges.

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Author Biographies

Ubaid Ullah Khan, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Maham Noor, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Sajid Hussain, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Mehreen Ishtiaq, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Inam Ullah, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Zeeshan Abbas, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Haseeb Ullah, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Pakistan.

Rehan Jamal, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Forensic Science, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Abdul Wahab, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.

Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Pakistan.