1
|
Heida A, Maal-Bared R, Veillette M, Duchaine C, Reynolds KA, Ashraf A, Ogunseye OO, Jung Y, Shulman L, Ikner L, Betancourt W, Hamilton KA, Wilson AM. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) tool for modelling pathogen infection risk to wastewater treatment plant workers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 260:121858. [PMID: 38936269 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) provide vital services to the public by removing contaminants from wastewater prior to environmental discharge or reuse for beneficial purposes. WWTP workers occupationally exposed to wastewater can be at risk of respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases. The study objectives were to: (1) quantify pathogens and pathogen indicators in wastewater aerosols near different WWTP processes/unit operations, (2) develop a QMRA model for multi-pathogen and multi-exposure pathway risks, and (3) create a web-based application to perform and communicate risk calculations for wastewater workers. Case studies for seven different WWTP job tasks were performed investigating infection risk across nine different enteric and respiratory pathogens. It was observed that the ingestion risk among job tasks was highest for "walking the WWTP," which involved exposure from splashing, bioaerosols, and hand-to-mouth contact from touching contaminated surfaces. There was also a notable difference in exposure risk during peak (5:00am-9:00am) and non-peak hours (9:00am- 5:00am), with risks during the peak flow hours of the early morning assumed to be 5 times greater than non-peak hours. N95 respirator usage reduced median respiratory risks by 77 %. The developed tool performs multiple QMRA calculations to estimate WWTP workers' infection risks from accidental ingestion or inhalation of wastewater from multiple pathogens and exposure scenarios, which can inform risk management strategies to protect occupational health. However, more data are needed to reduce uncertainty in model estimates, including comparative data for pathogen concentrations in wastewater during peak and non-peak hours. QMRA tools will increase accessibility of risk models for utilization in decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Heida
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, 502 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Rasha Maal-Bared
- Bellevue Research and Testing Laboratory, CDM Smith, 14432 SE Eastgate Way Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98007, USA
| | - Marc Veillette
- Department of biochemistry, microbiology and bioinformatics, Université Laval, Canada Research Chair on Bioaerosols, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Caroline Duchaine
- Department of biochemistry, microbiology and bioinformatics, Université Laval, Canada Research Chair on Bioaerosols, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Kelly A Reynolds
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ahamed Ashraf
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Olusola O Ogunseye
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yoonhee Jung
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Lester Shulman
- Central Virology Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel; School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Luisa Ikner
- Department of Environmental Science, College of Agricultre, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Walter Betancourt
- Department of Environmental Science, College of Agricultre, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S. McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Amanda M Wilson
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Khoshakhlagh AH, Malakoutikhah M, Park J, Kodnoueieh MD, Boroujeni ZR, Bahrami M, Ramezani F. Assessing personal protective equipment usage and its correlation with knowledge, attitudes, performance, and safety culture among workers in small and medium-sized enterprises. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1987. [PMID: 39054522 PMCID: PMC11270978 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19517-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be a culture of a workplace, and deeply rooted in worker behavior and attitude during their practice. According to the recent studies only 64% of the workers use PPE properly. The present study aims to investigate the utilization of PPE among workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and its relationship with knowledge, attitude, performance, and safety culture among workers. METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out using a questionnaire tool across SMEs in Kashan city in year 2023. The used tool included three questionnaires: demographic, safety culture, and knowledge, attitude and performance. Study papulation was 529 SMEs. Totally, the sample size was 369 persons and questionnaires were distributed among the workers of SMEs. Finally, SPSS software was used for statistical analysis and structural equation modeling. Various statistical tests including T-Test, ANOVA, RMSEA, CFI, TLI, and the chi-square ratio were employed. RESULTS The mean values (standard deviation) of age and work experience were 35.19 (12.33), and 15.60 (1.69) years, respectively. Among the 369 participants, 267 participants (72.4%) indicated that they use some PPE, although not all types. However, 102 individuals (27.7%) do not employ any PPE. The lowest score for safety culture dimension was attributed to safety training at 1.58. The results of the final model indicate that the assumed relationships between variables, as outlined in the study objectives, were well established, with all connections proving statistically significant. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that the missing of inadequate legal supervision for small industries exists. Therefore, it can be inferred that if supervision and regulation are enhanced for safety training and implementation that may lead to increased usage of PPE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Khoshakhlagh
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Mahdi Malakoutikhah
- Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
| | - JeeWoong Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
| | | | | | - Maryam Bahrami
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ramezani
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Parkins MD, Lee BE, Acosta N, Bautista M, Hubert CRJ, Hrudey SE, Frankowski K, Pang XL. Wastewater-based surveillance as a tool for public health action: SARS-CoV-2 and beyond. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0010322. [PMID: 38095438 PMCID: PMC10938902 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00103-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has undergone dramatic advancement in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The power and potential of this platform technology were rapidly realized when it became evident that not only did WBS-measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA correlate strongly with COVID-19 clinical disease within monitored populations but also, in fact, it functioned as a leading indicator. Teams from across the globe rapidly innovated novel approaches by which wastewater could be collected from diverse sewersheds ranging from wastewater treatment plants (enabling community-level surveillance) to more granular locations including individual neighborhoods and high-risk buildings such as long-term care facilities (LTCF). Efficient processes enabled SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction and concentration from the highly dilute wastewater matrix. Molecular and genomic tools to identify, quantify, and characterize SARS-CoV-2 and its various variants were adapted from clinical programs and applied to these mixed environmental systems. Novel data-sharing tools allowed this information to be mobilized and made immediately available to public health and government decision-makers and even the public, enabling evidence-informed decision-making based on local disease dynamics. WBS has since been recognized as a tool of transformative potential, providing near-real-time cost-effective, objective, comprehensive, and inclusive data on the changing prevalence of measured analytes across space and time in populations. However, as a consequence of rapid innovation from hundreds of teams simultaneously, tremendous heterogeneity currently exists in the SARS-CoV-2 WBS literature. This manuscript provides a state-of-the-art review of WBS as established with SARS-CoV-2 and details the current work underway expanding its scope to other infectious disease targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Parkins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute of Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bonita E. Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Acosta
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Bautista
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Casey R. J. Hubert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Steve E. Hrudey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kevin Frankowski
- Advancing Canadian Water Assets, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiao-Li Pang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Provincial Health Laboratory, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen S, Chen J, Wang X, Li J, Dong B, Xu Z. Footprints of total coliforms, faecal coliforms and E. coli in a wastewater treatment plant and the probabilistic assessment and reduction of E. coli infection risks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165845. [PMID: 37506894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater contains various pathogenic microorganisms, and the disease of workers caused by exposure to wastewater at the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a growing concern. The footprints of total coliforms (TC), faecal coliforms (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in a conventional activated sludge WWTP during 12 consecutive months were clarified. It was found that TC, FC and E.coli in influent were significantly removed (log 4.71, log 4.43 and log 4.62, respectively) by WWTP with sand filtration playing a key role, and excess sludge was a major potential pathway for them flowing to the environment. Through quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA), hand-to-mouth ingestion of untreated wastewater and wastewater in secondary/efficient sedimentation tanks, as well as accidental ingestion of sludge in dewatering workshop presented the highest infection risks of pathogenic E.coli in the WWTP, considerably exceeded the U.S. EPA benchmark (≤1 × 10-4 pppy). PPE application and E.coli concentration reduction in wastewater or sludge were recommended to reduce the infection risks at these stages. Further, partial ozonation and dissolved ozone flotation thickening were investigated able to reduce the infection risks at the stages of secondary and tertiary treatment of wastewater or sludge treatment by 90- 98 %. The findings of this study would assist in selecting appropriate processes for the further sanitation of WWTPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Jiangfeng Chen
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, PR China
| | - Xiankai Wang
- YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, PR China
| | - Ji Li
- School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, PR China
| | - Bin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, PR China.
| | - Zuxin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cui B, An D, Li H, Luo X, Zhu H, Li M, Ai X, Ma J, Ali W, Yan C. Evaluating the threshold limit value of acceptable exposure concentration for exposure to bioaerosols in a wastewater treatment plant: Reverse-quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 452:130687. [PMID: 36989774 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Agitation operations produce numerous pathogenic bioaerosols in WWTPs1. QMRA2 can determine risks of persons exposed to these bioaerosols. However, QMRA framework cannot help stakeholders in immediately deciding whether a risk is intolerable. Thus, evaluating threshold of acceptable exposure concentration is an urgent issue but is still rarely addressed in WWTPs. This study analyzed TLV3 benchmarks of E. coli and S. aureus bioaerosols emitted from a WWTP by reverse-QMRA. Furthermore, variance of input parameters was clarified by sensitivity analysis. Results showed that, under conservative and optimistic estimates, TLV of technicians was 1.52-2.06 and 1.26-1.68 times as large as those of workers, respectively; wearing mask drive TLV up to 1-2 orders of magnitude; TLV of M4 was at most 1.33 and 1.31 times as large as that of RD5, respectively. For sensitivity analysis, removal fraction by equipping PPE enlarge TLV for effortlessly obtaining an acceptable assessment result; exposure time was dominant when without PPE excepting the scenario of technicians exposed to E. coli bioaerosol. This study helps establish threshold guidelines for bioaerosols in WWTPs and contribute innovative perspectives for stakeholders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Cui
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Dongzi An
- China Construction Eco-Environmental Group Co., Ltd, Beijing 100037, PR China
| | - Haojun Li
- Yunnan Design Institute Group Co., Ltd, Kunming 650100, PR China
| | - Xi Luo
- Yangtze Ecology and Environment Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Hao Zhu
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430040, PR China
| | - Ming Li
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430040, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Ai
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430040, PR China
| | - Jiaxin Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Wajid Ali
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Khan M, Li L, Haak L, Payen SH, Carine M, Adhikari K, Uppal T, Hartley PD, Vasquez-Gross H, Petereit J, Verma SC, Pagilla K. Significance of wastewater surveillance in detecting the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and other respiratory viruses in the community - A multi-site evaluation. One Health 2023; 16:100536. [PMID: 37041760 PMCID: PMC10074727 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral genome in wastewater has proven to be useful for tracking the trends of virus prevalence within the community. The surveillance also provides precise and early detection of any new and circulating variants, which aids in response to viral outbreaks. Site-specific monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants provides valuable information on the prevalence of new or emerging variants in the community. We sequenced the genomic RNA of viruses present in the wastewater samples and analyzed for the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as other respiratory viruses for a period of one year to account for seasonal variations. The samples were collected from the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area on a weekly basis between November 2021 to November 2022. Samples were analyzed to detect the levels of SARS-CoV-2 genomic copies and variants identification. This study confirmed that wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants can be used for community surveillance and early detection of circulating variants and supports wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a complement to clinical respiratory virus testing as a healthcare response effort. Our study showed the persistence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus throughout the year compared to a seasonal presence of other respiratory viruses, implicating SARS-CoV-2's broad genetic diversity and strength to persist and infect susceptible hosts. Through secondary analysis, we further identified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in the same wastewater samples and found WBE to be a feasible tool for community AMR detection and monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Majid Khan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, MS320, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, MS258, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Laura Haak
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, MS258, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Shannon Harger Payen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, MS320, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Madeline Carine
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, MS258, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Kabita Adhikari
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, MS320, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Timsy Uppal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, MS320, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Paul D. Hartley
- Nevada Genomics Center, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Hans Vasquez-Gross
- Nevada Bioinformatics Center (RRID:SCR_017802), University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Juli Petereit
- Nevada Bioinformatics Center (RRID:SCR_017802), University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Subhash C. Verma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, MS320, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Krishna Pagilla
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, MS258, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
GHASEMI F, DOOSTI-IRANI A, AGHAEI H. Applications, shortcomings, and new advances of Job Safety Analysis (JSA): findings from a systematic review. Saf Health Work 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
|
8
|
Ma J, An D, Cui B, Liu M, Zhu H, Li M, Ai X, Ali W, Yan C. What are the disease burden and its sensitivity analysis of workers exposing to Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol during warm and cold periods in a wastewater treatment plant? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:82938-82947. [PMID: 35754082 PMCID: PMC9243853 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21447-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biological treatment in wastewater treatment plants releases high amounts of pathogenic bioaerosols. Quantitative microbial risk assessment is a framework commonly used for quantitative risk estimation for occupational exposure scenarios. However, the quantitative contributions of health-risk-estimate inputted parameters remain ambiguous. Therefore, this research aimed to study the disease burden of workers exposed to Staphylococcus aureus bioaerosol during warm and cold periods and strictly quantify the contributions of the inputted parameters by sensitivity analysis on the basis of Monte Carlo simulation. Results showed that the disease health risk burden of workers in the warm period was 1.15-6.11 times higher than that of workers in the cold period. The disease health risk burden of workers without personal protective equipment was 23.83-36.55 times higher than that of workers with personal protective equipment. Sensitivity analysis showed that exposure concentration and aerosol ingestion rate were the first and second predominant factors, respectively; the sensitivity partitioning coefficient of the former was 1.17-1.35 times the value of the latter. In addition, no remarkable differences were revealed in the sensitivity percentage ratio between warm and cold periods. The findings could contribute to the mitigation measures for the management of public health risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongzi An
- China Construction Eco-Environmental Group Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100037, People's Republic of China
| | - Beibei Cui
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Manli Liu
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, HuBei Water Resources Technical College, Wuhan, 430202, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Zhu
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan, 430040, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Li
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan, 430040, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojun Ai
- POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan, 430040, People's Republic of China
| | - Wajid Ali
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Enhancing mechanical properties of flash-spun filaments by pressure-induced phase separation control in supercritical high-density polyethylene solution. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18030. [PMID: 36302836 PMCID: PMC9607727 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22781-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Flash-spun nonwoven (FS-NW) is gaining attention in the PPE field due to its excellent barrier and mechanical properties resulting from its non-uniform diameter distribution and unique filament morphology. The unique network structure of flash-spun filaments (FSF) comprising the FS-NW can be controlled by phase separation behavior in the supercritical fluid (SCF) process. This study proposes a simple method to control the microstructure of FSFs by controlling the pressure-induced phase separation (PIPS) process in polymer/SCF solution. This phase separation behavior of an HDPE/SCF solution was confirmed by using a high-pressure view cell. A multistage nozzle allowing for phase-separated pressure to form different phases was also designed. HDPE-FSFs were synthesized by flash-spinning, and their morphology, crystallinity, and mechanical properties were investigated. The results demonstrated that the filaments obtained by PSP control at 220 °C and with an HDPE concentration of 8 wt% showed a network structure composed of strands, wherein the diameters ranged from 1.39 to 40.9 μm. Optimal FSF was obtained at 76 bar, with a crystallinity of 64.0% and a tenacity of 2.88 g/d. The PIPS method can thus effectively control the microstructure more feasibly than temperature- or solvent-induced techniques and can allow the effective synthesis of various products.
Collapse
|
10
|
Amoah ID, Kumari S, Bux F. A probabilistic assessment of microbial infection risks due to occupational exposure to wastewater in a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:156849. [PMID: 35728649 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to pathogens during wastewater treatment could result in significant health risks. In this paper, a probabilistic approach for assessing the risks of microbial infection for workers in an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant is presented. A number of exposure routes were modelled, including hand-to-mouth and droplet ingestion of untreated wastewater, droplet ingestion and inhalation of aerosols after secondary treatment, and ingestion of sludge during drying. Almost all workers exposed to untreated wastewater could be infected with the three selected potential pathogens of pathogenic E. coli, Norovirus and Cryptosporidium spp. Hand-to-mouth ingestion is the single most significant route of exposure at the head of works. There is also a risk of infections resulting from ingestion of droplets or inhalation of aerosols at the aeration tanks or contaminated hands at the clarifiers during secondary wastewater treatment. For sludge, the risks of infection with Norovirus was found to be the highest due to accidental ingestion (median risks of 2.2 × 10-2(±3.3 × 10-3)). Regardless of the point and route of exposure, Norovirus and Cryptosporidium spp. presented the highest risks. The study finds that occupational exposure to wastewater at wastewater treatment plants can result in significant viral and protozoan infections. This risk assessment framework can be used to establish and measure the success of risk reduction measures in wastewater treatment plants. These measures could include the use of personal protective equipment and adherence to strict personal hygiene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Sheena Kumari
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Faizal Bux
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhang Y, Ha J, Kinyua M. Developing occupational and health susceptibility personas for wastewater personnel in the United States in the age of COVID-19. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2022; 94:e10778. [PMID: 36045581 PMCID: PMC9538245 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Compared with the public, wastewater personnel, are at an increased risk of infection and illness from wastewater pathogens due to work-related tasks. Unfortunately, current risk assessment approaches do not consider individual personnel factors (e.g., age and health conditions) that may influence their susceptibility to a health effect. The objective of this study is to establish a baseline level of occupational and health factors among the wastewater personnel population, quantify these factors using a susceptibility evaluation scoring system, and examine relevant susceptibility features using the concept of "Personas." Using survey data from 246 respondents and public health risk data on COVID-19 from the CDC, personnel clustered into three persona groups: "low susceptibility," "high occupational susceptibility," and "high health susceptibility." Results highlight the intersectionality between gender, age, underlying health conditions, job tasks, and level of exposure to wastewater and provide context for incorporating individual variables into risk assessment methodologies with the goal of protecting this essential workforce. PRACTITIONER POINTS: A risk assessment framework that combines health and occupational susceptibility factors was developed for wastewater treatment plant personnel. Wastewater personnel clustered into three persona groups: "low susceptibility," "high occupational susceptibility," and "high health susceptibility." The intersectionality between job related activities and individual health provides a holistic approach to risk assessment for wastewater personnel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yihan Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of California at DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jessica Ha
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of California at DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fahrenfeld NL, Morales Medina WR, D'Elia S, Deshpande AS, Ehasz G. Year-long wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 signals in combined and separate sanitary sewers. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2022; 94:e10768. [PMID: 35918060 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 wastewater-based epidemiology has been performed in catchments of various sizes and sewer types with many short-term studies available and multi-seasonal studies emerging. The objective of this study was to compare weekly observations of SARS-CoV-2 genes in municipal wastewater across multiple seasons for different systems as a factor of sewer type (combined, separate sanitary) and system size. Sampling occurred following the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 cases in the study region (June 2020) and continued through the third wave (May 2021), the period during which clinical testing was widely available and different variants dominated clinical cases. The strongest correlations were observed between wastewater N1 concentrations and the cumulative clinical cases reported in the 2 weeks prior to wastewater sampling, followed by the week prior, new cases, and the week after wastewater sampling. Sewer type and size did not necessarily explain the strength of the correlations, indicating that other non-sewer factors may be impacting the observations. In-system sampling results for the largest system sampled are presented for 1 month. Removing wet weather days from the data sets improved even the flow-normalized correlations for the systems, potentially indicating that interpreting results during wet weather events may be more complicated than simply accounting for dilution. PRACTITIONER POINTS: SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater correlated best with total clinical cases reported in 2 weeks before wastewater sampling at the utility level. Study performed when clinical testing was widespread during the year after the first COVID-19 wave in the region. Sewer type and size did not necessarily explain correlation strength between clinical cases and wastewater-based epidemiology results. Removing wet weather days improved correlations for 3/4 utilities studied, including both separate sanitary and combined sewers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Fahrenfeld
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - William R Morales Medina
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Stephanie D'Elia
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Aishwarya S Deshpande
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Genevieve Ehasz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Amahmid O, El Guamri Y, Rakibi Y, Ouizat S, Yazidi M, Razoki B, Kaid Rassou K, Asmama S, Bouhoum K, Belghyti D. Occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in excreta, sewage, and environment: epidemiological significance and potential risks. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1686-1706. [PMID: 33752527 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1901865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients' excreta raises the issue of its occurrence and fate in sewage. This review has focused on the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in human excreta, wastewater, sewage sludge, and river waters. It explored the potential use of the wastewater-based epidemiology approach to report on the situation of current and eventual future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks. The main concern of the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment is the public health risks at sites of sewage products disposal and reuse, especially in low-income countries with inadequate sanitation, where direct discharge and reuse of raw sewage are common practices. The review also addressed the role sewage-irrigated agriculture can have in SARS-CoV-2 spread in the environmental compartments reached through sewage products application. An overview was made on the interest of sewage management, water safety, and hygienic practices for controlling the environmental dissemination of SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omar Amahmid
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Change, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad Univesity, Marrakesh, Morocco
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco
| | - Youssef El Guamri
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco
| | - Youness Rakibi
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
- Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment (LIMOME), Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Saadia Ouizat
- Chemistry and Didactics Unit, Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Yazidi
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Bouchra Razoki
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Khadija Kaid Rassou
- Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (Biology/geology Research Units), Regional Centre for Careers of Education and Training CRMEF Marrakech-Safi, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Souad Asmama
- Laboratory of Biomedical Analysis, University Hospital Centre Mohammad VI, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Khadija Bouhoum
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Change, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad Univesity, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Driss Belghyti
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zieliński W, Korzeniewska E, Harnisz M, Drzymała J, Felis E, Bajkacz S. Wastewater treatment plants as a reservoir of integrase and antibiotic resistance genes - An epidemiological threat to workers and environment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106641. [PMID: 34015664 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Conventional mechanical and biological wastewater treatment is unable to completely eliminate all pollutants, which can therefore enter surface water bodies together with treated wastewater. In addition, bioaerosols produced during wastewater treatment can pose a threat to the health of the wastewater treatment plant staff. In order to control the impact of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on the surrounding environment, including its employees, samples of wastewater and water from a river which received treated wastewater were analysed in terms of their content of antibiotics and heavy metals, levels of selected physiochemical parameters, concentrations of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and genes of integrases. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of ARGs in the metagenomic DNA from nasal and throat swabs collected from the WWPT employees was made. Both untreated and treated wastewater samples were dominated by genes of resistance to sulphonamides (sul1, sul2), MLS group of drugs (ermF, ermB) and beta-lactams (blaOXA). A significant increase in the quantities of ARGs and concentrations of antibiotics was observed in the river following the discharge of treated wastewater in comparison to their amounts in the river water upstream from the point of discharge. Moreover, a higher concentration of ARGs was detected in the DNA from swabs obtained from the wastewater treatment plant employees than from ones collected from the control group. Many statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlations between the concentration of the gene of resistance to heavy metals cnrA versus ARGs, and between the ARGs content and the concentrations of heavy metals in both wastewater and river water samples were observed. The study has demonstrated that the mechanical and biological methods of wastewater treatment are not efficient and may affect the transmission of hazardous pollutants to the aquatic environment and to the atmospheric air. It has been shown that an activated sludge bioreactor can be a potential source of the presence of multi-drug resistant microorganisms in the air, which is a health risk to persons working in WWTPs. It has also been found that an environment polluted with heavy metals is where co-selection of antibiotic resistance may occur, in the development of which integrase genes play an essential role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wiktor Zieliński
- Department of Water Protection Engineering and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Ewa Korzeniewska
- Department of Water Protection Engineering and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Monika Harnisz
- Department of Water Protection Engineering and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Justyna Drzymała
- The Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8 Str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Ewa Felis
- The Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8 Str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; Environmental Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 2 Str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Sylwia Bajkacz
- The Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8 Str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; Department of Inorganic, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 6 Str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Islam A, Kalam MA, Sayeed MA, Shano S, Rahman MK, Islam S, Ferdous J, Choudhury SD, Hassan MM. Escalating SARS-CoV-2 circulation in environment and tracking waste management in South Asia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:61951-61968. [PMID: 34558044 PMCID: PMC8459815 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16396-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an exceptional drift of production, utilization, and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) and different microplastic objects for safety against the virus. Hence, we reviewed related literature on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA detected from household, biomedical waste, and sewage to identify possible health risks and status of existing laws, regulations, and policies regarding waste disposal in South Asian (SA) countries. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in sewage and wastewater samples of Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Besides, this review reiterates the enormous amounts of PPE and other single-use plastic wastes generated from healthcare facilities and households in the SA region with inappropriate disposal, landfilling, and/or incineration techniques wind-up polluting the environment. Consequently, the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in sewer treatment plant in India. Moreover, the overuse of non-biodegradable plastics during the pandemic is deteriorating plastic pollution condition and causes a substantial health risk to the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We recommend making necessary adjustments, adopting measures and strategies, and enforcement of the existing biomedical waste management and sanitation-related policy in SA countries. We propose to adopt the knowledge gaps to improve COVID-19-associated waste management and legislation to prevent further environmental pollution. Besides, the citizens should follow proper disposal procedures of COVID-19 waste to control the environmental pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariful Islam
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA.
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, 3216, Australia.
| | | | - Md Abu Sayeed
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Shahanaj Shano
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Md Kaisar Rahman
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Shariful Islam
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Jinnat Ferdous
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Shusmita Dutta Choudhury
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001-2320, USA
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, 4225, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Brisolara KF, Maal-Bared R, Sobsey MD, Reimers RS, Rubin A, Bastian RK, Gerba C, Smith JE, Bibby K, Kester G, Brown S. Assessing and managing SARS-CoV-2 occupational health risk to workers handling residuals and biosolids. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 774:145732. [PMID: 33611008 PMCID: PMC7869681 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Current wastewater worker guidance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommendations and states that no additional specific protections against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infections, are recommended for employees involved in wastewater management operations with residuals, sludge, and biosolids at water resource recovery facilities. The USEPA guidance references a document from 2002 that summarizes practices required for protection of workers handling class B biosolids to minimize exposure to pathogens including viruses. While there is no documented evidence that residuals or biosolids of any treatment level contain infectious SARS-CoV-2 or are a source of transmission of this current pandemic strain of coronavirus, this review summarizes and examines whether the provided federal guidance is sufficient to protect workers in view of currently available data on SARS-CoV-2 persistence and transmission. No currently available epidemiological data establishes a direct link between wastewater sludge or biosolids and risk of infection from the SARS-CoV-2. Despite shedding of the RNA of the virus in feces, there is no evidence supporting the presence or transmission of infectious SARS-CoV-2 through the wastewater system or in biosolids. In addition, this review presents previous epidemiologic data related to other non-enveloped viruses. Overall, the risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2, or any pathogen, decreases with increasing treatment measures. As a result, the highest risk of exposure is related to spreading and handling untreated feces or stool, followed by untreated municipal sludge, the class B biosolids, while lowest risk is associated with spreading or handling Class A biosolids. This review reinforces federal recommendations and the importance of vigilance in applying occupational risk mitigation measures to protect public and occupational health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kari Fitzmorris Brisolara
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States of America.
| | | | - Mark D Sobsey
- Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Robert S Reimers
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Environmental Solutions, Pinnacle Waste Solutions, LLC Richmond, TX, United States of America
| | - Albert Rubin
- North Carolina State University, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert K Bastian
- Retired - former USEPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Charles Gerba
- University of Arizona, Department of Environmental Science, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - James E Smith
- Retired - former USEPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | - Greg Kester
- California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Sacramento, CA, United States of America
| | - Sally Brown
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ji B, Zhao Y, Esteve-Núñez A, Liu R, Yang Y, Nzihou A, Tai Y, Wei T, Shen C, Yang Y, Ren B, Wang X, Wang Y. Where do we stand to oversee the coronaviruses in aqueous and aerosol environment? Characteristics of transmission and possible curb strategies. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL (LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND : 1996) 2021; 413:127522. [PMID: 33132743 PMCID: PMC7590645 DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.127522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
By 17 October 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused confirmed infection of more than 39,000,000 people in 217 countries and territories globally and still continues to grow. As environmental professionals, understanding how SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted via water and air environment is a concern. We have to be ready for focusing our attention to the prompt diagnosis and potential infection control procedures of the virus in integrated water and air system. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art information from available sources of published papers, newsletters and large number of scientific websites aimed to provide a comprehensive profile on the transmission characteristics of the coronaviruses in water, sludge, and air environment, especially the water and wastewater treatment systems. The review also focused on proposing the possible curb strategies to monitor and eventually cut off the coronaviruses under the authors' knowledge and understanding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Ji
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, PR China
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, PR China
| | - Yaqian Zhao
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, PR China
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, PR China
- Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | | | - Ranbin Liu
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Beijing Advanced Innovation Center of Future Urban Design, Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Beijing 100044, PR China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
- Engineering Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Ange Nzihou
- Université de Toulouse, IMT Mines Albi, RAPSODEE CNRS, UMR-5302, Jarlard, Albi 81013 Cedex 09, France
| | - Yiping Tai
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
- Engineering Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Ting Wei
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, PR China
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cheng Shen
- Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University Sci. & Technol./Zhejiang Prov, Key Lab. of Recycling & Ecotreatment Waste, Hangzhou 310023, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yan Yang
- Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Baimimng Ren
- Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- Université de Toulouse, IMT Mines Albi, RAPSODEE CNRS, UMR-5302, Jarlard, Albi 81013 Cedex 09, France
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Xingxing Wang
- Xi'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi 'an 710021, PR China
| | - Ya'e Wang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Maal-Bared R, Brisolara K, Munakata N, Bibby K, Gerba C, Sobsey M, Schaefer S, Swift J, Gary L, Sherchan S, Babatola A, Bastian R, Olabode L, Reimers R, Rubin A. Implications of SARS-CoV-2 on current and future operation and management of wastewater systems. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2021; 93:502-515. [PMID: 32866312 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While researchers have acknowledged the potential role of environmental scientists, engineers, and industrial hygienists during this pandemic, the role of the water utility professional is often overlooked. The wastewater sector is critical to public health protection and employs collection and treatment system workers who perform tasks with high potential for exposures to biological agents. While various technical guidances and reports have initially provided direction to the water sector, the rapidly growing body of research publications necessitates the constant review of these papers and data synthesis. This paper presents the latest findings and highlights their implications from a water and wastewater utility operation and management perspective. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Extrapolation from SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, as well as other surrogates, has helped predicting SARS-CoV-2 behavior and risk management. Data from treated wastewater effluent suggest that current processes are sufficient for SARS-CoV-2 control. Scientific evidence supports the possibility of fecal-oral transmission for SARS-CoV-2. Limited evidence supports the potential survival of infective SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces and in aerosols and the efficacy of control measures at reducing transmission. Protective practices and PPE can protect workers from SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens found in wastewater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kari Brisolara
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Naoko Munakata
- Supervising Engineer at the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Charles Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Mark Sobsey
- Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Lee Gary
- Tulane University and Instructor with the Basic Academy at the FEMA/Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, MD, USA
| | - Samendra Sherchan
- Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Akin Babatola
- Laboratory and Environmental Compliance Manager, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Lola Olabode
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Albert Rubin
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Muzaini K, Yasin SM, Ismail Z, Ishak AR. Systematic Review of Potential Occupational Respiratory Hazards Exposure Among Sewage Workers. Front Public Health 2021; 9:646790. [PMID: 33763402 PMCID: PMC7982603 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.646790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Sewage workers have a higher risk of exposure to various potential occupational respiratory hazards found in sewage plants. Although previous studies discuss occupational respiratory hazard concentration impacting sewage workers' respiratory health, the results are scarce and mixed. Hence, there is a need to identify the potential respiratory hazards in sewage plants so as to clarify the short- and long-term respiratory health effects. Therefore, this systematic review (SR) aims to critically review previous studies investigating potential respiratory hazards found at sewage plants and their effects on sewage workers' respiratory health. Methods: An SR was conducted using PubMed, EBSCO Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar on peer-reviewed studies published between January 1994 and October 2020 evaluating the impact of potential exposure to respiratory hazards and its effects on respiratory health among sewage workers. "Sewage treatment plant," "respiratory hazards," and "respiratory health effects" were the three main search terms chosen in this SR. The inclusion criteria were (1) studies on potential occupational respiratory hazard exposure among sewage workers, (2) manuscripts written in English, and (3) studies published in the peer-reviewed literature. The human observational studies' quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool. Results: We identified 5,660 articles through an initial database search. Only 26 items met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review; 15 human observational studies and 11 environmental assessment studies were conducted in the sewage industries. Most of the human observational studies were rated as moderate quality, two studies were rated as weak quality, and one study with strong quality was identified. Hydrogen sulfide, bioaerosols, particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) were found to be potential respiratory hazards. Most of the risks contributed to adverse outcomes on the sewage workers' respiratory health with some inconsistent findings on the relationship between respiratory hazard exposure and respiratory health effects. Conclusion: Our review finds that, although this area is of great importance, quality studies are still lacking. There is a need for additional studies to clarify the effects of respiratory hazard exposure on sewage workers and respiratory health, especially PM 2.5 and VOC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamarulzaman Muzaini
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Siti Munira Yasin
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Zaliha Ismail
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Razali Ishak
- Centre of Environmental Health and Safety, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Elsamadony M, Fujii M, Miura T, Watanabe T. Possible transmission of viruses from contaminated human feces and sewage: Implications for SARS-CoV-2. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142575. [PMID: 33022459 PMCID: PMC7522648 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Humanity has experienced outbreaks by viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1) in 2003, Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, Ebola virus in 2014 and nowadays SARS-CoV-2. While clinicians seek for a vaccine to reduce the epidemic outbreak, environmental engineers need to understand consequence of virus entity in sewage given the reported persistency of viruses in human feces and sewage environments for more than days. Herein, we discuss about concerns associated with virus occurrence in human feces and sewage, with attention to the possible SARS-CoV-2 transmission routes, based on the review of recent studies on SARS-CoV-2 as well as the previous pandemic events. Given the reported environmental stability of coronavirus, the feces- and sewage-derived transmission routes may be of importance to prevent unprecedented spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) particularly in developing countries. However, so far, limited number of studies detected infectious SARS-CoV-2 even in human feces, whereas a number of virus RNA copies were identified in both feces and sewage specimens. Therefore, uncertainty remains in the possibility of this transmission pathway, and further investigation is warranted in future studies, for example, by increasing the number of specimens, examining the effectiveness of methods for viral viability test, considering the patient medical history, and so forth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Elsamadony
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan; Department of Public Works Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, 31521 Tanta City, Egypt.
| | - Manabu Fujii
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
| | - Takayuki Miura
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, Wako, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
| | - Toru Watanabe
- Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, 1-23 Wakaba-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-8555, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Maal-Bared R, Loudon J. Strategies for managing N95 mask shortages at water resource recovery facilities during pandemics: a review. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2020; 82:2798-2812. [PMID: 33341771 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2020.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As the numbers of COVID-19 cases grew globally, the severe shortages of health care respiratory protective equipment impacted the ability of water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to acquire N95 masks for worker protection. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) encourages WRRFs to conduct job safety assessments to mitigate risks from bioaerosols, it does not provide clear guidance on respiratory protection requirements, leaving the use of N95 masks across the industry non-standardized and difficult to justify. Strategies need to be developed to cope with shortages during pandemics, and these should take into consideration a WRRF's size and disinfection equipment available. Our objective is to provide an overview of respiratory protection-related practices recommended for health care professionals that apply to WRRFs (e.g., elimination, substitution, extended use, reuse, disinfection). Reviewed N95 mask disinfection strategies included using hydrogen peroxide, autoclaving, moist heat, dry heat, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), ethylene oxide, chlorine and ethanol. Of these, dry heat, autoclaving and UVGI present the most promise for WRRFs, with UVGI being limited to larger utilities. We recommend that WRRFs work closely with disinfection technology manufacturers, mask providers, health and safety staff and inspectors to develop suitable programs to cope with N95 mask shortages during pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rasha Maal-Bared
- Senior Microbiologist, Scientific Services, EPCOR Water Services Inc., EPCOR Tower, 2000-10423 101 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5H 0E8, Canada E-mail:
| | - Jennifer Loudon
- Laboratory Supervisor, Raritan Township Municipal Utilities Authority, 365 Old York Road, Flemington, NJ 08822, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Medina WRM, Eramo A, Tu M, Fahrenfeld N. Sewer biofilm microbiome and antibiotic resistance genes as function of pipe material, source of microbes, and disinfection: field and laboratory studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE : WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 6:2122-2137. [PMID: 33033618 PMCID: PMC7537146 DOI: 10.1039/d0ew00265h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater systems are recognized pathways for the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria, but relatively little is known about the microbial ecology of the sewer environment. Sewer biofilm colonization by antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) carrying bacteria may impact interpretations of sewage epidemiology data, water quality during sewer overflows, and hazard to utility workers. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the (1) microbiome of real and simulated sewer biofilms and their potential to accumulate ARGs and (2) susceptibility of simulated sewer biofilms to bleach disinfection. First, biofilm samples were collected from sewer municipal systems. Next, an annular biofilm reactor was used to simulate the sewer environment while controlling the pipe material (concrete vs. PVC). The reactor was operated either as fed semi-batch with sewer sediment and synthetic wastewater (Sed-SB) or fed with a continuous flow of raw sewage (WW-CF). The abundance of ARGs, human fecal marker HF183, and 16S rRNA gene copies in these biofilm samples was measured with qPCR. Amplicon sequencing was performed to compare the prokaryotic diversity between samples. Finally, the susceptibility of reactor biofilm to a 4.6% bleach disnfection protocol was evaluated using viability qPCR and amplicon sequencing. Field and WW-CF biofilms contained the most ARG copies and the microbial community compositions varied between the different biofilm samples (field, Sed-SB, and WW-CF). Pipe material did not affect the abundance of ARGs in the reactor samples. However, log removal following bleach treatment suggested that the biofilm grown on PVC surface was primarily dislodged from the surface by the bleach treatment whereas more bacteria were lysed within the biofilm that remained on the concrete surface. Viable bacteria carrying ARGs were observed following 10 minutes of treatment. This study showed that sewer biofilms can accumulate bacteria carrying ARGs and that while bleach can reduce sewer biofilm density, the protocol tested here will not completely remove the biofilms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William R. Morales Medina
- Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 500 Bartholomew Dr, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Alessia Eramo
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 500 Bartholomew Dr, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Melissa Tu
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 500 Bartholomew Dr, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - N.L. Fahrenfeld
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 500 Bartholomew Dr, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|