Wastewater-based epidemiology based on consecutive monitoring of ingredients of over-the-counter drug by LC-MS/MS and retrospective analysis by LC-QTof/MS during COVID-19 pandemic.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H04925
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 63:Environmental analyses and evaluation and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Nakada Norihide 神奈川大学, 化学生命学部, 准教授 (00391615)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 竹内 悠 京都大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (70835272)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-05 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 環境鑑識 / ターゲット分析 / ノンターゲット分析 / 下水疫学 / COVID-19

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study was to establish a monitoring system to predict the spread of epidemic diseases by observing chemical substances in sewage systems named chemical wastewater-based epidemiology. We collected sewage from a municipal wastewater treatment plant continuously during COVID-19 pandemic and conducted targeted analysis of commercial drugs and non-targeted analysis (NTA) using a high-resolution mass spectrometer to explore the chemical substances (markers) that could be used as indicators. Chemical substances (markers) that could be used as indicators were evaluated from the results of NTA, as well as the examined methods for analyzing long-term, accurate mass spectrometry data.

Free Research Field

環境化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、分析対象を決めたターゲット分析だけでなく、高分解能質量分析計を用いたノンターゲット分析による環境モニタリングの可能性を、結果の解析・評価方法とともに示した。また、下水疫学については微生物のモニタリングが先行しているが、本研究は研究事例の少ない化学物質を指標とした手法の発展に資するものであり、今後のさらなる発展が期待される。