Wastewater treatment plants are designed to collect waste from populations. When individuals are exposed to chemicals or pathogens, a fraction of the agent is typically excreted either in its original form or as a metabolite via urine or faeces. Many of these can be identified and quantified in wastewater. Systematic collection and analysis of wastewater has rapidly evolved to provide spatial and temporal information on consumption of illicit drugs in catchment populations. The concept is rapidly advancing to provide further insights into population exposure and health. Here I will provide an overview of key areas of applications for the use of chemical and biological markers linked to exposure and health.
We will broadcast this at https://connect.sunet.se/contaminantscience
