Occurrence and risk assessment of psychoactive substances in tap water from China

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 261; p. 114163
• Main Authors: Wang, Zeyuan, Gao, Siyue, Dai, Qingying, Zhao, Meirong, Yang, Fangxing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2020
• Subjects: Benzodiazepine; Illicit drug; Psychoactive substance; Risk assessment; Tap water; Tap water; Illicit drug; Psychoactive substance; Risk assessment; Benzodiazepine
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114163

Psychoactive substances are becoming a new concern in aquatic environment along with the increase in use of these substances. In this study, 23 psychoactive substances were investigated in the tap water collected in 63 sites in China. Eighteen out of 23 psychoactive substances were detected at the range of < method detection limits (MDLs) to 24.9 ng L-1. It was found that diazepam and temazepam were the major psychoactive substances in the tap water with the median concentration of 1.0 and 0.06 ng L−1, respectively. The high exposure dose for each psychoactive substance was calculated from 0.6 to 855 pg kg−1 bw d−1 and showed an order of men ≥ boys ≥ girls ≥ women. Risk assessment revealed there was little risk of psychoactive substances on human health at current residual levels. [Display omitted] •Psychoactive substances were at wide ranges of detection frequency in tap water.•Diazepam was the major psychoactive substance in tap water.•The high exposure dose was in the range of 0.6–855 pg kg−1 bw day−1.•There was little risk of psychoactive substances on human health. Psychoactive substances are present in the tap water in China at the level of ng L-1 with low risk on human health.