Is Air Pollution in Spanish Cities Fueled by Drugs?

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A recent study by the Superior Council of Scientific Investigations in Spain has revealed the presence of cocaine and other drugs in the air of Madrid and Barcelona. The research detected cocaine concentrations ranging from 29 to 850 picograms per cubic meter, along with trace amounts of amphetamines, opiates, cannabinoids, and lysergic acid. This finding highlights the sensitivity of modern air quality testing equipment, prompting discussions about the implications of drug contamination in urban environments. While some view the results as alarming, others suggest they reflect the capabilities of advanced testing methods rather than a significant public health crisis. The study raises questions about air quality and the potential for further technological advancements in detecting substances in the environment.
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Spanish study shows cocaine in the air in 2 cities
May 14, 2009 11:52 AM (5 hrs ago) By CIARAN GILES, AP

MADRID (Map, News) -
Air pollution has long been a fact of life in Spanish cities, but scientists now say it is not just smog that chokes people as they walk to work or stroll through the park. A new study has found the air in Madrid and Barcelona is also laced with at least five drugs - most prominently cocaine.

The Superior Council of Scientific Investigations, a government scientific institute, said on its Web site Thursday that in addition to cocaine, they found trace amounts of amphetamines, opiates, cannabinoids and lysergic acid -a relative of LSD - in two air-quality control stations, one in each city.
http://www.examiner.com/a-2015314~Spanish_study_shows_cocaine_in_the_air_in_2_cities.html

That's getting pretty outre chic. So much pot smoking, cocaine and LSD that it shows up in air quality tests?
 
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Well, the issue is half that and half air quality testers bragging about the sensitivity of their equipment. There was a similarly useless news story last year about poisons in the drinking water in many US cities...measured in ppb.
 
On a similar 'note'
http://i.livescience.com/images/080805-world-currency-02.jpg
 
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mgb_phys said:
On a similar 'note'
http://i.livescience.com/images/080805-world-currency-02.jpg
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I've actually observed people licking their money before handing it to a cashier...sadly more than on one occasion.
 
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WhoWee said:
I've actually observed people licking their money before handing it to a cashier...sadly more than on one occasion.

You're kidding right?? That's disgusting. Safer than licking a strangers palm, but not much different.
 
I wish I was kidding. Have you ever noticed "rolled up" bills...those are the ones they really want.
 
WhoWee said:
I wish I was kidding. Have you ever noticed "rolled up" bills...those are the ones they really want.

Hahaha...right. Anyway, that's probably the most incomprehensible chart layout I've ever laid eyes on.
 
I think this is more an indication of the sensitivity of mass spectrometers than anything else.

The research found cocaine in concentrations ranging between 29 and 850 picograms per cubic meter of air. A picogram is one-trillionth of a gram.

The density of air is about 1.2 kg/m^3, so the range is 24 - 708 ppq ("parts per quadrillion").
 
signerror said:
The density of air is about 1.2 kg/m^3, so the range is 24 - 708 ppq ("parts per quadrillion").

That's interesting. I wonder if our sensors would be powerful enough to hunt down a person in real time based on an electronic nose..well I guess dogs can do it. Hmm. I wonder why this kind of technology hasn't been made.
 

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