Deadly synthetic opioids up to 40 times more potent than fentanyl have been detected in Australian wastewater for the first time, according to new research. The study, led by the University of Queensland's Dr Richard Bade and published in the journal Addiction, found two variants of nitazene—protonitazene and etonitazepyne—at a treatment plant in Australia and four in the United States.
Nitazenes were developed in the 1950s as a morphine alternative but never marketed due to toxicity and overdose risks. They emerged on the illicit drug market in the late 2010s and are now one of the fastest-growing groups of new psychoactive substances globally. Protonitazene is about three times as strong as fentanyl, while etonitazepyne is 40 times more powerful, according to Bade.
The Australian wastewater plant where nitazenes were detected cannot be named due to confidentiality agreements. However, Bade noted that consumption may not be limited to that location. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) considers nitazenes a greater threat than fentanyl, warning that even a milligram can be fatal. The drugs are often sold as or mixed into other substances like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, leading to unwitting consumption.
Fatal overdoses linked to nitazenes have been reported globally, including in Australia. In July 2023, police confirmed synthetic opioids were found in four people who died in a Melbourne home. The Victorian health department had earlier warned about cocaine laced with protonitazene, which it said was 100 times more potent than heroin. Australian Border Force detected 46 imports of nitazenes between January 2023 and September 2024.
Bade said the Australian wastewater results did not correlate with other data, leading researchers to suspect the nitazenes were directly disposed of rather than consumed. He emphasised the value of wastewater surveillance as an early warning system for new drugs. The ACIC noted that trafficking is linked to organised crime but also involves motivated individuals and drug-using networks.
