PREDICTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL FATE OF METHYLAMPHETAMINE WASTE

摘要

The abuse of illicit drugs is cause for concern throughout the world. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that 3.3% to 6.1% of the world population aged 15-64 (149-272 million people) consumed illicit drugs in 2009.' The most widely abused drug globally is cannabis, followed by amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). ATS are synthetic drugs first manufactured in the late 1800s and early 1900s to treat asthma and for use as decongestants.1'2 The synthetic nature of these drugs means they ca be manufactured anywhere; unlike crop-dependent drugs such as cocaine and heroin, ATS are not confined to any particular region of the globe. Throughout the years, illicit ATS manufacture has been detected in over 60 countries.1 In 2009, a total of 10,598 illicit ATS laboratories were reported; 10,195 of those were reported as methylamphetamine laboratories. Methylamphetamine (also known as methamphetamine or metamfetamine, Figure 1) is the most commonly produced ATS worldwide. Methylamphetamine (MA) is typically manufactured in clandestine laboratories close to the consumer; inter-regional trafficking is uncommon.