Tacoma, be proud of your scientists. They know your urine, and a whole lot more

You can learn quite a lot about Tacoma — its health, well being and habits, especially the illicit kind — by peering into the depths of what it flushes down the toilet.

But only a handful of people have the innate curiosity, chemistry know-how and Inspector Gadget equipment needed to scrutinize our city’s wastewater. A high tolerance for the sticky, stinky stigma associated with studying strangers’ urine is also essential to the task.

Meet Dan Burgard, a 14-year professor of chemistry at the University of Puget Sound.

Using coolers full of samples that he and his students drew from two Tacoma sewage treatment plants, Burgard helped lead an analysis of cannabis consumption after Washington voters legalized marijuana in 2012.

The fascinating project exemplifies the leading-edge science Tacoma seldom gets noticed for, eclipsed as we are by Seattle’s major university research and high-tech reputation.

Don’t take our word for it. You can meet Burgard in person and hear about his team’s work on Tuesday (Dec. 10) at the Swiss Restaurant and Pub, part of the Grit City Think & Drink series sponsored by University of Washington Tacoma.

Don’t worry, he’ll be at the downtown hangout strictly for discussion; no restroom samples will be taken.

In an interview this week, Burgard told us why he thinks his research appeals to science students and the general public alike.

“It’s tangible chemistry, tangible science,” he said. “Everybody goes to the bathroom, and illicit drugs are something that everybody knows about.”

The research was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published last summer in the journal Addiction. Burgard’s team used metabolite levels in urine to conclude that THC consumption doubled from 2013-2016. But because that growth fell short of state-sanctioned pot sales, they surmised the black market was being absorbed into the new legal market.

Their work isn’t done. This year Burgard and his students are updating the data, intent on learning if the THC surge they found in late 2016 has continued. They’re in the process of analyzing samples they collected weekly in July, August and September.

What they’ve discovered through the years goes beyond marijuana and into the realm of illegal drugs, which they’re able to time stamp based on when they draw samples. Cocaine and ecstasy consumption is higher on weekends, he said, while methamphetamine use is more consistent throughout the week.

Some drugs are detectable after the body breaks them down, others by their active, unmetabolized ingredients. Alas, studying wastewater isn’t reliable for all drugs; Burgard says his research can’t contribute to a broader understanding of America’s opioid epidemic.

But his work certainly sheds new light on other drug consumption patterns, adding a layer of objective data that public health surveys don’t provide. People tend to lie; their pee doesn’t.

For Tacoma, the groundbreaking science being conducted here, and its potential for shaping public policy, should instill hometown pride. The wastewater analysis has put us on the international map; we’re the only Northwest participant in data collection spanning 40 countries.

It also underscores the value of public investments like the Center for Urban Waters, a collaboration of the City of Tacoma, UWT and the Puget Sound Partnership. The Center, which turns 10 next year, is a hub of applied research for preserving our region’s environment. It’s also where Burgard and his students access the spectrometers and other instruments needed for their work.

We respect every local scientist willing to plumb the depths of our city — all the way to its sewer plants when necessary. We respect them even more when they take their expertise out of the lab and into the community.

TO GO

WHAT: “Using sewers to tell us about drug use”

WHO: Dan Burgard, University of Puget Sound chemistry professor

WHEN: Dec. 10, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Swiss Restaurant and Pub, 1904 Jefferson Ave.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 6:30 AM.