The value of wastewater-based epidemiology in the estimation of alcohol consumption

The present review discusses the value of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to estimate alcohol consumption in a given population. It gives an overview of the works conducted in this respect to date and the comparability of the WBE-derived data with official estimates provided by the World Health Organization, generated after surveys and alcohol sales data. Finally, it provides insights into the main advantages and limitations of the WBE approach over traditional methods and aspects/knowledge to be improved/investigated.