Estimating alcohol and tobacco consumption of university students and urban population in Ho Chi Minh city by wastewater-based epidemiology

Abstract

Abstract This study employed wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to assess alcohol and tobacco consumption of university students and urban residents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ethyl sulfate and cotinine were chosen to be the markers of alcohol and tobacco use, respectively. The estimation showed that on average a student consumed between 0.69 ± 0.13 mL of pure alcohol and 1.2 ± 0.2 mg nicotine per day. These values were significantly lower when compared to the consumption rates among urban residents, which were 2.41 ± 0.34 mL of pure alcohol and 4.34 ± 0.60 mg nicotine per day per person aged 15 and above. The estimated alcohol consumption in this study was substantially lower than previous survey-based reports, however, the tobacco consumption rate closely aligned with the findings of surveys conducted among current smokers. The degradation of biomaker within household on-site septic tanks was thought to take account for the low alcohol comsuption estimation. Further research is necessary to consider the correction factors of WBE method in the context of sewage system.