Is Air Pollution in Spanish Cities Fueled by Drugs?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a study indicating the presence of drugs, particularly cocaine, in the air of Spanish cities, specifically Madrid and Barcelona. Participants explore the implications of these findings, the sensitivity of air quality testing equipment, and related observations about drug presence in other contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the presence of cocaine and other drugs in the air may reflect the sensitivity of air quality testing equipment rather than a significant public health concern.
  • One participant references a previous story about contaminants in drinking water, suggesting that such findings can be overstated.
  • Another participant discusses the specific concentrations of cocaine found in the air, providing technical details about measurements in picograms and ppq.
  • There are observations about the behavior of individuals with money, linking it to the broader theme of drug presence and contamination.
  • Some participants express curiosity about the potential for technology to detect drugs in real-time, comparing it to the capabilities of dogs in tracking scents.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the implications of the study, with some emphasizing the sensitivity of testing methods while others express concern about the findings. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the significance of the detected drug levels.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the potential overinterpretation of air quality data and the reliance on specific measurement techniques, which may not fully capture the broader context of air pollution and drug presence.

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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.