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Efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction, UPLC-MS/MS detection, and consumption assessment of five trace psychoactive substances

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Abstract

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become an objective and updated surveillance strategy for monitoring and estimating consumption trends of psychoactive substances (PSs) in the population. Firstly, magnetic shrimp shell biochar-based adsorbent (DZMBC) was synthesized and employed for extraction trace PSs from municipal wastewater. Proper pyrolysis temperature and increased KOH activator content favored the pore structure and surface area, thus facilitating extraction. DZMBC delivered exceptional extraction performance such as pH stability, anti-interference property, fast magnetic separation ability, reusability, and reproducibility. Then, a method based on magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) was developed, validated, and utilized for the quantitative determination of five PSs in real wastewater samples. Methodological validation results indicated a favorable linearity, low method limits of detection (1.00–4.75 ng/L), and good precisions (intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations < 4.8%). Finally, an objective snapshot of Chongqing drug use and consumption pattern was obtained. Methamphetamine (MAMP) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) were the prevalent illegal drugs in local. Both concentrations and per capita consumption of MDMA displayed a change (P < 0.05) between July and September, while no statistical differences were observed for each week.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. KJZD-M202200301, KJZD-M202300301, and KJZD-K202100301) and the Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (Grant No. cstc2021jcyj-msxmX0715).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Rong Zhu & Zhiqiong Chen

  2. Forensic Identification Center, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, 401120, China

    Shurui Cao, Hongtao Su & Yao Tang

  3. Criminal Investigation Law School, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing, 401120, China

    Shurui Cao

  4. The Inspection Technical Center of Chongqing Customs, Chongqing, 400020, China

    Dewang Ming

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  1. Rong Zhu
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  2. Shurui Cao
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  3. Hongtao Su
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  4. Dewang Ming
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  5. Yao Tang
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  6. Zhiqiong Chen
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Contributions

Rong Zhu: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, writing—original draft, writing—review and editing. Shurui Cao: conceptualization, resources, writing—review and editing, supervision. Hongtao Su, Dewang Ming, and Yao Tang: resources, investigation, visualization. Zhiqiong Chen: resources, writing—review and editing, supervision.

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Correspondence to Shurui Cao.

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Zhu, R., Cao, S., Su, H. et al. Efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction, UPLC-MS/MS detection, and consumption assessment of five trace psychoactive substances. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-33284-z

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