Banknotes as a Source of Drug and Pharmaceutical Contamination of the Population
Nina Petrovičová,
Jarmila Látalová,
Paula Bimová,
Anna Krivjanská,
Veronika Svitková,
Ján Híveš,
Miroslav Gál,
Miroslav Fehér,
Andrea Vojs Staňová,
Alexandra Tulipánová,
Alexandra Paulína Drdanová,
Jozef Ryba,
Zuzana Imreová,
Peter Nemeček,
Barbora Jančiová,
Tomáš Mackuľak
Affiliations
Nina Petrovičová
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Jarmila Látalová
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Paula Bimová
Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Anna Krivjanská
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Veronika Svitková
Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Ján Híveš
Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Miroslav Gál
Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Miroslav Fehér
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Andrea Vojs Staňová
South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budejovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
Alexandra Tulipánová
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Alexandra Paulína Drdanová
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Jozef Ryba
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Zuzana Imreová
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
Peter Nemeček
Institute of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia
Barbora Jančiová
Institute of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia
Tomáš Mackuľak
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia
This study investigates the potential contamination of cash register employees in the Slovak Republic with 148 selected pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and their metabolites. Of these, 42 substances were detected, and it was found that the target group—cashiers—regularly handle large volumes of banknotes, increasing their exposure to contaminants compared to the general population. This study revealed that commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medications significantly contribute to the contamination of cash registers. This study found that cashiers exhibited notably higher detection rates of antibiotics, including penicillin-V (2×), azithromycin (23×), and erythromycin (up to 64×), than the general population. Additionally, there was an alarming increase in illegal substances, with methamphetamine levels rising fivefold and cocaine up to fifteenfold. This study highlights a broader environmental concern, suggesting that routine handling of contaminated banknotes may lead to the transfer of micropollutants. Furthermore, personal hygiene practices, particularly handwashing, could play a role in introducing pharmaceuticals and narcotics into wastewater, potentially contributing several milligrams of contaminants daily.
