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Lobos AE, Brandt AM, Gallard-Góngora JF, Korde R, Brodrick E, Harwood VJ. Persistence of sewage-associated genetic markers in advanced and conventional treated recycled water: implications for microbial source tracking in surface waters. mBio 2024; 15:e0065524. [PMID: 38864636 PMCID: PMC11253620 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00655-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Sewage contamination of environmental waters is increasingly assessed by measuring DNA from sewage-associated microorganisms in microbial source tracking (MST) approaches. However, DNA can persist through wastewater treatment and reach surface waters when treated sewage/recycled water is discharged, which may falsely indicate pollution from untreated sewage. Recycled water discharged from an advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) facility into a Florida stream elevated the sewage-associated HF183 marker 1,000-fold, with a minimal increase in cultured Escherichia coli. The persistence of sewage-associated microorganisms was compared by qPCR in untreated sewage and recycled water from conventional wastewater treatment (CWT) and AWT facilities. E. coli (EC23S857) and sewage-associated markers HF183, H8, and viral crAssphage CPQ_056 were always detected in untreated sewage (6.5-8.7 log10 GC/100 mL). Multivariate analysis found a significantly greater reduction of microbial variables via AWT vs CWT. Bacterial markers decayed ~4-5 log10 through CWT, but CPQ_056 was ~100-fold more persistent. In AWT facilities, the log10 reduction of all variables was ~5. In recycled water, bacterial marker concentrations were significantly correlated (P ≤ 0.0136; tau ≥ 0.44); however, CPQ_056 was not correlated with any marker, suggesting varying drivers of decay. Concentrations of cultured E. coli carrying the H8 marker (EcH8) in untreated sewage were 5.24-6.02 log10 CFU/100 mL, while no E. coli was isolated from recycled water. HF183 and culturable EcH8 were also correlated in contaminated surface waters (odds ratio β1 = 1.701). Culturable EcH8 has a strong potential to differentiate positive MST marker signals arising from treated (e.g., recycled water) and untreated sewage discharged into environmental waters. IMPORTANCE Genes in sewage-associated microorganisms are widely accepted indicators of sewage pollution in environmental waters. However, DNA persists through wastewater treatment and can reach surface waters when recycled water is discharged, potentially causing false-positive indications of sewage contamination. Previous studies have found that bacterial and viral sewage-associated genes persist through wastewater treatment; however, these studies did not compare different facilities or identify a solution to distinguish sewage from recycled water. In this study, we demonstrated the persistence of bacterial marker genes and the greater persistence of a viral marker gene (CPQ_056 of crAssphage) through varying wastewater treatment facilities. We also aim to provide a tool to confirm sewage contamination in surface waters with recycled water inputs. This work showed that the level of wastewater treatment affects the removal of microorganisms, particularly viruses, and expands our ability to identify sewage in surface waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo E. Lobos
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Amanda M. Brandt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Javier F. Gallard-Góngora
- Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ruchi Korde
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Eleanor Brodrick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Valerie J. Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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2
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Puchades-Colera P, Díaz-Reolid A, Girón-Guzmán I, Cuevas-Ferrando E, Pérez-Cataluña A, Sánchez G. Capsid Integrity Detection of Enteric Viruses in Reclaimed Waters. Viruses 2024; 16:816. [PMID: 38932109 PMCID: PMC11209584 DOI: 10.3390/v16060816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change, unpredictable weather patterns, and droughts are depleting water resources in some parts of the globe, where recycling and reusing wastewater is a strategy for different purposes. To counteract this, the EU regulation for water reuse sets minimum requirements for the use of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation, including a reduction in human enteric viruses. In the present study, the occurrence of several human enteric viruses, including the human norovirus genogroup I (HuNoV GI), HuNoV GII, and rotavirus (RV), along with viral fecal contamination indicator crAssphage was monitored by using (RT)-qPCR methods on influent wastewater and reclaimed water samples. Moreover, the level of somatic coliphages was also determined as a culturable viral indicator. To assess the potential viral infectivity, an optimization of a capsid integrity PMAxx-RT-qPCR method was performed on sewage samples. Somatic coliphages were present in 60% of the reclaimed water samples, indicating inefficient virus inactivation. Following PMAxx-RT-qPCR optimization, 66% of the samples tested positive for at least one of the analyzed enteric viruses, with concentrations ranging from 2.79 to 7.30 Log10 genome copies (gc)/L. Overall, most of the analyzed reclaimed water samples did not comply with current EU legislation and contained potential infectious viral particles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Gloria Sánchez
- VISAFELab, Department of Preservation and Food Safety Technologies, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, IATA-CSIC, Av. Agustín Escardino 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (P.P.-C.); (A.D.-R.); (A.P.-C.)
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3
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Hata A, Meuchi Y, Liu M, Torii S, Katayama H. Surfactant Treatment for Efficient Gene Detection of Enteric Viruses and Indicators in Surface Water Concentrated by Ultrafiltration. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2023; 15:8-20. [PMID: 36592278 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-022-09543-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The hollow fiber ultrafiltration (HFUF)-based microbial concentration method is widely applied for monitoring pathogenic viruses and microbial indicators in environmental water samples. However, the HFUF-based method can co-concentrate substances that interfere with downstream molecular processes-nucleic acid extraction, reverse transcription (RT), and PCR. These inhibitory substances are assumed to be hydrophobic and, therefore, expected to be excluded by a simple surfactant treatment before the silica membrane-based RNA extraction process. In this study, the efficacy and limitations of the sodium deoxycholate (SD) treatment were assessed by quantifying a process control and indigenous viruses using 42 surface water samples concentrated with HFUF. With some exceptions, which tended to be seen in samples with high turbidity (> 4.0 NTU), virus recovery by the ultrafiltration method was sufficiently high (> 10%). RNA extraction-RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) efficiency of the process control was insufficient (10%) for 30 of the 42 HFUF concentrates without any pretreatments, but it was markedly improved for 21 of the 30 inhibitory concentrates by the SD treatment. Detection rates of indigenous viruses were also improved and no substantial loss of viral RNA was observed. The SD treatment was particularly effective in mitigating RT-qPCR inhibition, although it was not effective in improving RNA extraction efficiency. The methodology is simple and easily applied. These findings indicate that SD treatment can be a good alternative to sample dilution, which is widely applied to mitigate the effect of RT-qPCR inhibition, and can be compatible with other countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Hata
- Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, 5180 Kurokawa, Imizu, Toyama, 939-0398, Japan.
| | - Yuno Meuchi
- Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, 5180 Kurokawa, Imizu, Toyama, 939-0398, Japan
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- Department of Urban Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shotaro Torii
- Department of Urban Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
- School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hiroyuki Katayama
- Department of Urban Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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4
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Zimmer-Faust AG, Griffith JF, Steele JA, Santos B, Cao Y, Asato L, Chiem T, Choi S, Diaz A, Guzman J, Laak D, Padilla M, Quach-Cu J, Ruiz V, Woo M, Weisberg SB. Relationship between coliphage and Enterococcus at southern California beaches and implications for beach water quality management. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 230:119383. [PMID: 36630853 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Coliphage have been suggested as an alternative to fecal indicator bacteria for assessing recreational beach water quality, but it is unclear how frequently and at what types of beaches coliphage produces a different management outcome. Here we conducted side-by-side sampling of male-specific and somatic coliphage by the new EPA dead-end hollow fiber ultrafiltration (D-HFUF-SAL) method and Enterococcus at southern California beaches over two years. When samples were combined for all beach sites, somatic and male-specific coliphage both correlated with Enterococcus. When examined categorically, Enterococcus would have resulted in approximately two times the number of health advisories as somatic coliphage and four times that of male-specific coliphage,using recently proposed thresholds of 60 PFU/100 mL for somatic and 30 PFU/100 mL for male-specific coliphage. Overall, only 12% of total exceedances would have been for coliphage alone. Somatic coliphage exceedances that occurred in the absence of an Enterococcus exceedance were limited to a single site during south swell events, when this beach is known to be affected by nearby minimally treated sewage. Thus, somatic coliphage provided additional valuable health protection information, but may be more appropriate as a supplement to FIB measurements rather than as replacement because: (a) EPA-approved PCR methods for Enterococcus allow a more rapid response, (b) coliphage is more challenging owing to its greater sampling volume and laboratory time requirements, and (c) Enterococcus' long data history has yielded predictive management models that would need to be recreated for coliphage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amity G Zimmer-Faust
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States.
| | - John F Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
| | - Joshua A Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
| | - Bryan Santos
- City of San Diego, Environmental Monitoring and Technical Services, United States
| | - Yiping Cao
- Orange County Sanitation District, United States
| | - Laralyn Asato
- City of San Diego, Environmental Monitoring and Technical Services, United States
| | - Tania Chiem
- Orange County Public Health Laboratory, United States
| | - Samuel Choi
- Orange County Sanitation District, United States
| | - Arturo Diaz
- Orange County Sanitation District, United States
| | - Joe Guzman
- Orange County Public Health Laboratory, United States
| | - David Laak
- Ventura County Public Works Agency, United States
| | | | | | - Victor Ruiz
- Los Angeles City Sanitation Department, United States
| | - Mary Woo
- California State University Channel Islands, Ventura, CA, United States
| | - Stephen B Weisberg
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
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Korajkic A, Kelleher J, Shanks OC, Herrmann MP, McMinn BR. Effectiveness of two wastewater disinfection strategies for the removal of fecal indicator bacteria, bacteriophage, and enteric viral pathogens concentrated using dead-end hollow fiber ultrafiltration (D-HFUF). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154861. [PMID: 35358531 PMCID: PMC9291237 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Primary influent and final effluent samples were collected from wastewater treatment plants using either chlorination or ultraviolet (UV) disinfection biweekly for one year. Paired measurements were determined for fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and enterococci), cultivated bacteriophages (somatic, F+, and CB-390 coliphage and GB-124 Bacteroides phage), human-associated viral markers (human polyomavirus [HPyV] and crAssphage), enteric pathogens (adenovirus, noroviruses genogroups I and II) as well as total infectious enteric virus. To increase the probability of detecting low concentration targets, both primary (10L) and final effluent wastewater samples (40-100 L) were concentrated using a dead-end hollow-fiber ultrafilter (D-HFUF). Despite seasonal temperature fluctuations, concentration shifts of FIB, bacteriophages, human-associated viruses, and viral pathogens measured in primary influent samples were minimal, while levels of infectious enteric virus were significantly higher in the spring and fall (P range: 0.0003-0.0409). FIB levels measured in primary influents were 1-2 log10 higher than bacteriophage, human-associated viral markers (except crAssphage) and viral pathogens measured. FIB displayed the greatest sensitivity to chlorine disinfection, while crAssphage, adenoviruses and infectious enteric viruses were significantly less sensitive (P ≤ 0.0096). During UV treatment, bacteriophages F+ and GB-124 were the most resistant of the culturable viruses measured (P ≤ 0.001), while crAssphage were the most resistant (P ≤ 0.0124) overall. When UV lamps were inactive, infectious enteric viruses were significantly more resilient to upstream treatment processes than all other targets measured (P ≤ 0.0257). Similar to infectious enteric viruses and adenoviruses; GB-124, F+, and crAssphages displayed the highest resistance to UV irradiation, signaling a potential applicability as pathogen surrogates in these systems. The use of D-HFUF enhanced the ability to estimate removal of viruses through wastewater treatment, with the expectation that future applications of this method will be used to better elucidate viral behavior within these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asja Korajkic
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
| | - Julie Kelleher
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
| | - Orin C Shanks
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
| | - Michael P Herrmann
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States
| | - Brian R McMinn
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States.
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6
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Occurrence and Reduction of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Wastewaters in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14142224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Inadequately treated effluents discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) severely affect the environment and the surrounding population. This study analyzed the presence of the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) genes, stx1, and stx2, and the E. coli gene, sfmD, in municipal WWTP A (n = 11) and B (n = 11) where the reductions were also evaluated; hospitals (n = 17), sewage treatment plants (STPs) (n = 4) and non-functional WWTPs (not-working WWTPs) (n = 5) in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The sfmD gene was detected in 100% of the samples in WWTPs, hospitals, and not-working WWTPs and 50% of STP samples. The highest detection of stx1 and stx2 was shown in the WWTP influents, followed by WWTP effluents, not-working WWTP wastewater, hospital wastewater, and STP wastewater. Log10 reduction values of sfmD, stx1, and stx2 in WWTP A were 1.7 log10, 1.7 log10, 1.4 log10, whereas those in WWTP B were 0.5 log10, 0.6 log10, 0.5 log10, respectively, suggesting the ineffective treatment of STEC in the wastewater in the Kathmandu Valley. The high concentrations of the stx genes in the wastewaters suggest the increasing presence of aggressive STEC in the Kathmandu Valley, which should be a major public health concern.
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7
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Zimmer‐Faust AG, Griffith J, Steele J, Asato L, Chiem T, Choi S, Diaz A, Guzman J, Padilla M, Quach‐Cu J, Ruiz V, Santos B, Woo M, Weisberg SB. Assessing cross‐laboratory performance for quantifying coliphage using
EPA
Method 1642. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:340-348. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.15523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - John Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority
| | - Joshua Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority
| | - Laralyn Asato
- City of San Diego, Environmental Monitoring and Technical Services
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bryan Santos
- City of San Diego, Environmental Monitoring and Technical Services
| | - Mary Woo
- California State University – Channel Islands
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8
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Monitoring coliphages to reduce waterborne infectious disease transmission in the One Water framework. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 240:113921. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.113921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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9
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Garcia A, Le T, Jankowski P, Yanaç K, Yuan Q, Uyaguari-Diaz MI. Quantification of human enteric viruses as alternative indicators of fecal pollution to evaluate wastewater treatment processes. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12957. [PMID: 35186509 PMCID: PMC8852272 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the potential use and quantification of human enteric viruses in municipal wastewater samples of Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) as alternative indicators of contamination and evaluated the processing stages of the wastewater treatment plant. During the fall 2019 and winter 2020 seasons, samples of raw sewage, activated sludge, effluents, and biosolids (sludge cake) were collected from the North End Sewage Treatment Plant (NESTP), which is the largest wastewater treatment plant in the City of Winnipeg. DNA (Adenovirus and crAssphage) and RNA enteric viruses (Pepper mild mottle virus, Norovirus genogroups GI and GII, Rotavirus Astrovirus, and Sapovirus) as well as the uidA gene found in Escherichia coli were targeted in the samples collected from the NESTP. Total nucleic acids from each wastewater treatment sample were extracted using a commercial spin-column kit. Enteric viruses were quantified in the extracted samples via quantitative PCR using TaqMan assays. Overall, the average gene copies assessed in the raw sewage were not significantly different (p-values ranged between 0.1023 and 0.9921) than the average gene copies assessed in the effluents for DNA and RNA viruses and uidA in terms of both volume and biomass. A significant reduction (p-value ≤ 0.0438) of Adenovirus and Noroviruses genogroups GI and GII was observed in activated sludge samples compared with those for raw sewage per volume. Higher GCNs of enteric viruses were observed in dewatered sludge samples compared to liquid samples in terms of volume (g of sample) and biomass (ng of nucleic acids). Enteric viruses found in gene copy numbers were at least one order of magnitude higher than the E. coli marker uidA, indicating that enteric viruses may survive the wastewater treatment process and viral-like particles are being released into the aquatic environment. Viruses such as Noroviruses genogroups GI and GII, and Rotavirus were detected during colder months. Our results suggest that Adenovirus, crAssphage, and Pepper mild mottle virus can be used confidently as complementary viral indicators of human fecal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Garcia
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tri Le
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Paul Jankowski
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Kadir Yanaç
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Qiuyan Yuan
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Hamadieh Z, Hamilton KA, Silverman AI. Systematic review of the relative concentrations of noroviruses and fecal indicator bacteria in wastewater: considerations for use in quantitative microbial risk assessment. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2021; 19:918-932. [PMID: 34874900 PMCID: wh_2021_068 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2021.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Human noroviruses are a leading cause of food- and water-borne disease, which has led to an interest in quantifying norovirus health risks using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Given the limited availability of quantitative norovirus data to input to QMRA models, some studies have applied a conversion factor to estimate norovirus exposure based on measured fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations. We conducted a review of peer-reviewed publications to identify the concentrations of noroviruses and FIB in raw, secondary-treated, and disinfected wastewater. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the ratios of norovirus-FIB pairs in each wastewater matrix and the variables that significantly impact these ratios. Norovirus-to-FIB ratios were found to be significantly impacted by the norovirus genotype, month of sample collection, geographic location, and the extent of wastewater treatment. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of using a FIB-to-virus conversion factor in QMRA and found that the choice of conversion ratio has a great impact on estimated health risks. For example, the use of a conversion ratio previously used in the World Health Organization Guidelines for the Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater predicted health risks that were significantly lower than those estimated with measured norovirus concentrations used as inputs. This work emphasizes the gold standard of using measured pathogen concentrations directly as inputs to exposure assessment in QMRA. While not encouraged, if one must use a FIB-to-virus conversion ratio to estimate norovirus dose, the ratio should be chosen carefully based on the target microorganisms (i.e., strain, genotype, or class), prevalence of disease, and extent of wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelfa Hamadieh
- Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA E-mail:
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Andrea I Silverman
- Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, USA E-mail: ; School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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11
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Buonerba A, Corpuz MVA, Ballesteros F, Choo KH, Hasan SW, Korshin GV, Belgiorno V, Barceló D, Naddeo V. Coronavirus in water media: Analysis, fate, disinfection and epidemiological applications. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 415:125580. [PMID: 33735767 PMCID: PMC7932854 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Considerable attention has been recently given to possible transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via water media. This review addresses this issue and examines the fate of coronaviruses (CoVs) in water systems, with particular attention to the recently available information on the novel SARS-CoV-2. The methods for the determination of viable virus particles and quantification of CoVs and, in particular, of SARS-CoV-2 in water and wastewater are discussed with particular regard to the methods of concentration and to the emerging methods of detection. The analysis of the environmental stability of CoVs, with particular regard of SARS-CoV-2, and the efficacy of the disinfection methods are extensively reviewed as well. This information provides a broad view of the state-of-the-art for researchers involved in the investigation of CoVs in aquatic systems, and poses the basis for further analyses and discussions on the risk associated to the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in water media. The examined data indicates that detection of the virus in wastewater and natural water bodies provides a potentially powerful tool for quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) and for wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for the evaluation of the level of circulation of the virus in a population. Assays of the viable virions in water media provide information on the integrity, capability of replication (in suitable host species) and on the potential infectivity. Challenges and critical issues relevant to the detection of coronaviruses in different water matrixes with both direct and surrogate methods as well as in the implementation of epidemiological tools are presented and critically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Buonerba
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, Fisciano, SA, Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Relevant Hazards (Centro Universitario per la Previsione e Prevenzione Grandi Rischi, C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Mary Vermi Aizza Corpuz
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Florencio Ballesteros
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Kwang-Ho Choo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University (KNU), 80 Daehak-ro, Bukgu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Shadi W Hasan
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gregory V Korshin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352700, Seattle, WA 98105-2700, United States
| | - Vincenzo Belgiorno
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Damià Barceló
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICR-CERCA), H2O Building, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Naddeo
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
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12
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Kiulia NM, Gonzalez R, Thompson H, Aw TG, Rose JB. Quantification and Trends of Rotavirus and Enterovirus in Untreated Sewage Using Reverse Transcription Droplet Digital PCR. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2021; 13:154-169. [PMID: 33591485 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-020-09455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The quantification and trends in concentrations for naturally occurring rotaviruses (RV) and enteroviruses (EV) in untreated sewage in various wastewater systems have not often been compared. There is now greater interest in monitoring the infections in the community including live vaccine efficacy by evaluating untreated sewage. The goals of this study were to 1) survey the concentrations of naturally occurring RV and EV in untreated sewage using a reverse transcription-droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-ddPCR) and 2) investigate the use of a new adsorption elution (bag-mediated filtration system (BMFS) using ViroCap filters) against more traditional polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation for virus concentration. Sewage samples were collected from lagoons in Kenya and Michigan (MI), the United States (USA) and from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the USA. RVs were detected at geometric mean concentrations in various locations, California (CA) 1.31 × 105 genome copies/L (gc/L), Kenya (KE) 2.71 × 104 gc/L and Virginia (VA) 1.48 × 105 gc/L, and EVs geometric means were 3.72 × 106 gc/L (CA), 1.18 × 104 gc/L (Kenya), and 6.18 × 103 gc/L (VA). The mean RV concentrations using BMFS-ViroCap in split samples compared to PEG precipitation methods demonstrated that the levels were only 9% (#s BMFS/PEG) in the Michigan lagoons which was significantly different (p < 0.01). This suggests that RV concentrations in Kenya are around 1.69 × 106 gc/L. Overall, there was no difference in concentrations for the other sampling locations across the methods of virus recovery (i.e., PEG precipitation and HA filters) using one-way ANOVA (F = 1.7, p = 0.2739) or Tukey-Kramer pairwise comparisons (p > 0.05). This study provides useful data on RV and EV concentrations in untreated sewage in Kenya and the USA. It also highlights on the usefulness of the RT-ddPCR for absolute quantification of RV and EV in sewage samples. The BMFS using ViroCap filters while less efficient compared to the more traditional PEG precipitation method was able to recover RVs and EVs in untreated sewage and may be useful in poor resource settings while underestimating viruses by 1 to 1.5 logs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Kiulia
- The Water Quality, Environmental and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Enteric Pathogens and Water Research Laboratory, Institute of Primate Research, P.O. Box 24481-00502, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA, 23455, USA
| | - Hannah Thompson
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA, 23455, USA
| | - Tiong Gim Aw
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Joan B Rose
- The Water Quality, Environmental and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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Gonzalez R, Curtis K, Bivins A, Bibby K, Weir MH, Yetka K, Thompson H, Keeling D, Mitchell J, Gonzalez D. COVID-19 surveillance in Southeastern Virginia using wastewater-based epidemiology. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 186:116296. [PMID: 32841929 PMCID: PMC7424388 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used to analyze markers in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent to characterize emerging chemicals, drug use patterns, or disease spread within communities. This approach can be particularly helpful in understanding outbreaks of disease like the novel Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) when combined with clinical datasets. In this study, three RT-ddPCR assays (N1, N2, N3) were used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in weekly samples from nine WWTPs in southeastern Virginia. In the first several weeks of sampling, SARS-CoV-2 detections were sporadic. Frequency of detections and overall concentrations of RNA within samples increased from mid March into late July. During the twenty-one week study, SARS-CoV-2 concentrations ranged from 101 to 104 copies 100 mL-1 in samples where viral RNA was detected. Fluctuations in population normalized loading rates in several of the WWTP service areas agreed with known outbreaks during the study. Here we propose several ways that data can be presented spatially and temporally to be of greatest use to public health officials. As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, it is likely that communities will see increased incidence of small, localized outbreaks. In these instances, WBE could be used as a pre-screening tool to better target clinical testing needs in communities with limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States.
| | - Kyle Curtis
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Mark H Weir
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University,1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH43210, United States
| | - Kathleen Yetka
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Hannah Thompson
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - David Keeling
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Jamie Mitchell
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Dana Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
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Gonzalez D, Keeling D, Thompson H, Larson A, Denby J, Curtis K, Yetka K, Rondini M, Yeargan E, Egerton T, Barker D, Gonzalez R. Collection system investigation microbial source tracking (CSI-MST): Applying molecular markers to identify sewer infrastructure failures. J Microbiol Methods 2020; 178:106068. [PMID: 32980335 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Collection System Investigation Microbial Source Tracking (CSI-MST) is a novel, sensitive approach for identifying sewer infrastructure deficiencies using molecular markers. This method requires both a detailed understanding of collection and conveyance system infrastructure and quickly turned around molecular data to advise an adaptive, targeted in-pipe approach to detect deficiencies. Here we explain the CSI-MST approach and provide several case study examples of how this approach can be adapted to different scale watersheds to identify potential sewer infrastructure issues. This approach has been used to locate and confirm the remediation of numerous needed infrastructure repairs in the southeastern Virginia region. The selected case studies presented here serve as a proof of concept-this methodology can be adopted by other utilities and municipalities to address necessary wastewater infrastructure repairs in different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - David Keeling
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | | | - Allison Larson
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - Jack Denby
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - Kyle Curtis
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - Kathleen Yetka
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Danny Barker
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA.
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Tandukar S, Sherchan SP, Haramoto E. Reduction of Pathogenic and Indicator Viruses at a Drinking Water Treatment Plant in Southern Louisiana, USA. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2020; 12:269-273. [PMID: 32666473 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-020-09436-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Monthly sampling was conducted at a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) in Southern Louisiana, USA from March 2017 to February 2018 to determine the prevalence and reduction efficiency of pathogenic and indicator viruses. Water samples were collected from the DWTP at three different treatment stages (raw, secondary-treated, and chlorinated drinking water) and subjected to quantification of seven pathogenic viruses and three indicator viruses [pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and crAssphage] based on quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Among the seven pathogenic viruses tested, only Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1) (7/12, 58%) and noroviruses of genogroup II (NoVs-GII) (2/12, 17%) were detected in the raw water samples. CrAssphage had the highest positive ratio at 78% (28/36), and its concentrations were significantly higher than those of the other indicator viruses for all three water types (P < 0.05). The reduction ratios of AiV-1 (0.7 ± 0.5 log10; n = 7) during the whole treatment process were the lowest among the tested viruses, followed by crAssphage (1.1 ± 1.9 log10; n = 9), TMV (1.3 ± 0.9 log10; n = 8), PMMoV (1.7 ± 0.8 log10; n = 12), and NoVs-GII (3.1 ± 0.1 log10; n = 2). Considering the high abundance and relatively low reduction, crAssphage was judged to be an appropriate process indicator during drinking water treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the reduction of crAssphage and TMV during drinking water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarmila Tandukar
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8511, Japan
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8511, Japan.
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Vanden Esschert KL, Mattioli MC, Hilborn ED, Roberts VA, Yu AT, Lamba K, Arzaga G, Zahn M, Marsh Z, Combes SM, Smith ES, Robinson TJ, Gretsch SR, Laco JP, Wikswo ME, Miller AD, Tack DM, Wade TJ, Hlavsa MC. Outbreaks Associated with Untreated Recreational Water - California, Maine, and Minnesota, 2018-2019. MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2020; 69:781-783. [PMID: 32584799 PMCID: PMC7316318 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6925a3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Outbreaks associated with fresh or marine (i.e., untreated) recreational water can be caused by pathogens or chemicals, including toxins. Voluntary reporting of these outbreaks to CDC's National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) began in 2009. NORS data for 2009-2017 are finalized, and data for 2018-2019 are provisional. During 2009-2019 (as of May 13, 2020), public health officials from 31 states voluntarily reported 119 untreated recreational water-associated outbreaks, resulting at least 5,240 cases; 103 of the outbreaks (87%) started during June-August. Among the 119 outbreaks, 88 (74%) had confirmed etiologies. The leading etiologies were enteric pathogens: norovirus (19 [22%] outbreaks; 1,858 cases); Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (19 [22%]; 240), Cryptosporidium (17 [19%]; 237), and Shigella (14 [16%]; 713). This report highlights three examples of outbreaks that occurred during 2018-2019, were caused by leading etiologies (Shigella, norovirus, or STEC), and demonstrate the wide geographic distribution of such outbreaks across the United States. Detection and investigation of untreated recreational water-associated outbreaks are challenging, and the sources of these outbreaks often are not identified. Tools for controlling and preventing transmission of enteric pathogens through untreated recreational water include epidemiologic investigations, regular monitoring of water quality (i.e., testing for fecal indicator bacteria), microbial source tracking, and health policy and communications (e.g., observing beach closure signs and not swimming while ill with diarrhea).
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Applicability of crAssphage, pepper mild mottle virus, and tobacco mosaic virus as indicators of reduction of enteric viruses during wastewater treatment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3616. [PMID: 32107444 PMCID: PMC7046655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60547-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the applicability of crAssphage, pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as indicators of the reduction of human enteric viruses during wastewater treatment. Thirty-nine samples were collected from three steps at a wastewater treatment plant (raw sewage, secondary-treated sewage, and final effluent) monthly for a 13-month period. In addition to the three indicator viruses, eight human enteric viruses [human adenoviruses, JC and BK polyomaviruses, Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1), enteroviruses, and noroviruses of genogroups I, II, and IV] were tested by quantitative PCR. Indicator viruses were consistently detected in the tested samples, except for a few final effluents for crAssphage and TMV. The mean concentrations of crAssphage were significantly higher than those of most tested viruses. The concentrations of crAssphage in raw sewage were positively correlated with the concentrations of all tested human enteric viruses (p <0.05), suggesting the applicability of crAssphage as a suitable indicator to estimate the concentrations of human enteric viruses in raw sewage. The reduction ratios of AiV-1 (1.8 ± 0.7 log10) were the lowest among the tested viruses, followed by TMV (2.0 ± 0.3 log10) and PMMoV (2.0 ± 0.4 log10). Our findings suggested that the use of not only AiV-1 and PMMoV but also TMV as indicators of reductions in viral levels can be applicable during wastewater treatment.
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An Electroporation Device with Microbead-Enhanced Electric Field for Bacterial Inactivation. INVENTIONS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/inventions5010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents an electroporation device with high bacterial inactivation performance (~4.75 log removal). Inside the device, insulating silica microbeads are densely packed between two mesh electrodes that enable enhancement of the local electric field strength, allowing improved electroporation of bacterial cells. The inactivation performance of the device is evaluated using two model bacteria, including one Gram-positive bacterium (Enterococcus faecalis) and one Gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) under various applied voltages. More than 4.5 log removal of bacteria is obtained for the applied electric field strength of 2 kV/cm at a flowrate of 4 mL/min. The effect of microbeads on the inactivation performance is assessed by comparing the performance of the microbead device with that of the device having no microbeads under same operating conditions. The comparison results show that only 0.57 log removal is achieved for the device having no microbeads—eightfold lower than for the device with microbeads.
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