Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach to monitor alcohol consumption in the general population. This method measures concentrations of xenobiotic biomarkers (e.g., ethyl sulphate) in influent wastewater (IWW) and converts these to population-normalized mass loads (PNML, in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Environment International |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202200486X |
| _version_ | 1811207380099137536 |
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| author | Tim Boogaerts Xander Bertels Bram Pussig Maarten Quireyns Louis Toebosch Natan Van Wichelen Catalina Dumitrascu Catherina Matheï Lies Lahousse Bert Aertgeerts Hans De Loof Adrian Covaci Alexander L.N. van Nuijs |
| author_facet | Tim Boogaerts Xander Bertels Bram Pussig Maarten Quireyns Louis Toebosch Natan Van Wichelen Catalina Dumitrascu Catherina Matheï Lies Lahousse Bert Aertgeerts Hans De Loof Adrian Covaci Alexander L.N. van Nuijs |
| author_sort | Tim Boogaerts |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach to monitor alcohol consumption in the general population. This method measures concentrations of xenobiotic biomarkers (e.g., ethyl sulphate) in influent wastewater (IWW) and converts these to population-normalized mass loads (PNML, in g/day/1000 inhabitants) by multiplying with the flow rate and dividing by the catchment population. The aims of this case study were to: (i) investigate temporal trends in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) measure the effect of policy measures on alcohol consumption. Daily 24-h composite IWW samples (n = 735) were collected in the wastewater treatment plant of the university city of Leuven (Belgium) starting from September 2019 to September 2021. This is the first study that investigates alcohol use through WBE for a continuous period of two years on a daily basis. Mobile phone data was used to accurately capture population fluxes in the catchment area. Data was evaluated using a time series based statistical framework to graphically and quantitatively assess temporal differences in the measured PNML. Different WBE studies observed temporal changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the PNML of ethyl sulphate decreased during the first lockdown phase, potentially indicating that less alcohol was consumed at the Leuven area during home confinement. Contrastingly, alcohol use increased after the re-opening of the catering industry. Additionally, a decrease in alcohol use was observed during the exam periods at the University of Leuven and an increase during the holiday periods. The present study shows the potential of WBE to rapidly assess the impact of some policy measures on alcohol consumption in Belgium. This study also indicates that WBE could be employed as a complementary data source to fill in some of the current knowledge gaps linked to lifestyle behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:03:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9e96ec182bf441094d80e6e2982f58b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:03:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9e96ec182bf441094d80e6e2982f58b2022-12-22T03:48:40ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202022-12-01170107559Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in BelgiumTim Boogaerts0Xander Bertels1Bram Pussig2Maarten Quireyns3Louis Toebosch4Natan Van Wichelen5Catalina Dumitrascu6Catherina Matheï7Lies Lahousse8Bert Aertgeerts9Hans De Loof10Adrian Covaci11Alexander L.N. van Nuijs12Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Corresponding authors.Department of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg, 460, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumAcademic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumAcademic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Bioanalysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg, 460, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumAcademic Center for General Practice, Kapucijnenvoer, 7, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumToxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Corresponding authors.Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary approach to monitor alcohol consumption in the general population. This method measures concentrations of xenobiotic biomarkers (e.g., ethyl sulphate) in influent wastewater (IWW) and converts these to population-normalized mass loads (PNML, in g/day/1000 inhabitants) by multiplying with the flow rate and dividing by the catchment population. The aims of this case study were to: (i) investigate temporal trends in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) measure the effect of policy measures on alcohol consumption. Daily 24-h composite IWW samples (n = 735) were collected in the wastewater treatment plant of the university city of Leuven (Belgium) starting from September 2019 to September 2021. This is the first study that investigates alcohol use through WBE for a continuous period of two years on a daily basis. Mobile phone data was used to accurately capture population fluxes in the catchment area. Data was evaluated using a time series based statistical framework to graphically and quantitatively assess temporal differences in the measured PNML. Different WBE studies observed temporal changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the PNML of ethyl sulphate decreased during the first lockdown phase, potentially indicating that less alcohol was consumed at the Leuven area during home confinement. Contrastingly, alcohol use increased after the re-opening of the catering industry. Additionally, a decrease in alcohol use was observed during the exam periods at the University of Leuven and an increase during the holiday periods. The present study shows the potential of WBE to rapidly assess the impact of some policy measures on alcohol consumption in Belgium. This study also indicates that WBE could be employed as a complementary data source to fill in some of the current knowledge gaps linked to lifestyle behavior.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202200486XWastewater-based epidemiologyAlcoholTime seriesCOVID-19 interventionsTemporal analysis |
| spellingShingle | Tim Boogaerts Xander Bertels Bram Pussig Maarten Quireyns Louis Toebosch Natan Van Wichelen Catalina Dumitrascu Catherina Matheï Lies Lahousse Bert Aertgeerts Hans De Loof Adrian Covaci Alexander L.N. van Nuijs Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium Environment International Wastewater-based epidemiology Alcohol Time series COVID-19 interventions Temporal analysis |
| title | Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium |
| title_full | Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium |
| title_short | Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: A case study in Belgium |
| title_sort | evaluating the impact of covid 19 countermeasures on alcohol consumption through wastewater based epidemiology a case study in belgium |
| topic | Wastewater-based epidemiology Alcohol Time series COVID-19 interventions Temporal analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202200486X |
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