RT Journal Article
T1 Tracing illicit and prescription drug use in a Spanish prison by combining wastewater analysis and pharmaceutical dispensing data
A1 Egaña, Iker
A1 Nogales-García, Maite
A1 Akhrimenko, Vladimir
A1 González Gómez, Xiana
A1 Rodil Rodríguez, María del Rosario
A1 Montes Goyanes, Rosa
A1 Quintana Álvarez, José Benito
A1 Mestre-Pintó, Juan Ignacio
A1 Orive, Gorka
A1 Lertxundi, Unax
K1 Wastewater based epidemiology
K1 Drugs & prison
K1 Drug trafficking
K1 Gabapentinoids
K1 Illicit drugs
K1 Alcohol
AB Background and aimWe combined wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and pharmaceutical dispensing records to distinguish between illicit and prescription drug use.MethodsWe collected 24-h composite wastewater samples during three one-week campaigns in a prison in northern Spain. Samples were analysed for pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, nicotine and alcohol. Population-normalised daily loads (PNDLs) were converted to consumption estimates and compared with Spanish population WBE estimates and pharmacy dispensing data.ResultsWastewater analysis showed high use of several pharmaceuticals, with the highest average PNDL for gabapentinoids. Pregabalin and gabapentin estimates from wastewater exceeded pharmacy dispensing, suggesting internal diversion. Cannabis consumption was about four times higher than community estimates and cocaine was also higher in all campaigns. Ketamine and MDMA use were above community medians during the February campaign and nicotine use was nearly ten times higher than community levels.ConclusionWBE identifies prescription drug diversion, illicit drug markets and quantifies licit substance use in prisons.
PB Elsevier
YR 2026
FD 2026-04-12
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46828
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46828
LA eng
NO I. Egaña et al. Tracing illicit and prescription drug use in a Spanish prison by combining wastewater analysis and pharmaceutical dispensing data. Environmental Toxicoloy and Pharmacology 124 (2026) 105021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2026.105021
NO This work was financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RD21/0009/0012, RD24/0003/0020 & RD24/0003/0001 – RIAPAd Network) and the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (RED2022–134363-T & PID2024–156804OB-C32), which were co-funded by the European Union (ERDF and/or Next Generation funds), Consellería de Cultura, Educación y Universidades da Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2025/21), Fundación Vital (Vitoria-Gasteiz), and the Araba Mental Health Network.idered as potential competing interests:
DS Minerva
RD 6 may 2026