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Monleon AJC, Gill LW. Pepper mild mottle virus as an effective tool in microbial source tracking for deficient domestic on-site water treatment systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 939:173229. [PMID: 38763202 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173229] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Pollution from domestic on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) is a significant contaminant pressure in many rural catchments. However, due to their design, and dispersed proliferation, it is difficult to assess their impact. Water testing methodologies employ bacterial culturing methods and chemical analysis which may lose resolution and/or specificity being confounded by diffuse agricultural sources within a rural environment. In this study, we successfully assessed the applicability of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) as a human faecal source tracker for deficient on-site wastewater treatment systems. The transport of PMMoV was first studied in the effluent of a 30 cm deep soil column which was dosed for 510 days with primary influent from a conventional septic system. The removal of PMMoV through the 30 cm deep soil column was quantified with a 5-day seeding trial employing primary influent mixed with PMMoV sourced from Tabasco pepper product ®. The trial was then carried out at field scale with the seeding solution dosed into an operational percolation trench receiving septic tank effluent which had been instrumented for porewater sampling. Samples were taken at depths of 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm across the length of the trench at distances of 1 m, 7.5 m, and 17.5 m from the inlet of the trench. PMMoV was detected on all days of the trial, with a peak concentration of 1 × 106 found at the rear of the trench on day 2 of the seeding trial. Finally, to assess the effectiveness of PPMoV as a microbial source tracking tool from a water receptor perspective, three rural catchments with high densities of OWTSs were sampled and analysed for hourly variations in biological parameters which included total coliforms, Escherichia coli, PMMoV, and chemical parameters total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total carbon. PMMoV was detected in all river samples over a 24-hour period, thereby indicating its suitability as a tracer of human wastewater effluent in such environments with multiple diffuse sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Javier Criado Monleon
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Laurence W Gill
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
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2
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Hernández-Zepeda C, Negrete-Alcalde LJ, Rosiles-González G, Carrillo-Jovel VH, Abney SE, Betancourt WQ, Gerba CP, Chaidez-Quiroz C, Wilson AM. Human adenovirus-associated health risk in the recreational waters of the Yal-ku lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2024; 22:372-384. [PMID: 38421631 PMCID: wh_2024_309 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The study objective was to evaluate human faecal contamination impacts in the Yal-ku lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean and to estimate adenovirus infection and illness risks associated with recreational exposure during water activities. A total of 20 water samples (10 from each site × two sites) (50 L) were collected monthly over a period of 12 months from two selected sampling sites in the swimming area of the Yal-ku lagoon. The occurrence of faecal-associated viruses was explored, and human adenovirus (HAdV) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) concentrations were quantified. A quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model was used to estimate exposure and subsequent adenovirus infection and illness risk for 1 h of swimming or snorkelling. Somatic and F + -specific coliphages occurred in 100% of the samples. Both HAdV and PMMoV were detected at a 60% frequency thereby indicating persistent faecal inputs. PMMoV concentrations (44-370 GC/L) were relatively lower than the concentrations of HAdV (64-1,000 GC/L). Estimated mean adenovirus risks were greater for snorkelling than for swimming by roughly one to two orders of magnitude and estimated mean illness risks for snorkelling were >32/1,000. Human faecal contamination is frequent in the Yal-ku lagoon, which is associated with human gastrointestinal illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Hernández-Zepeda
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8, No 39, Mz 29, SM 64, CP 77524, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México E-mail:
| | - Luis Jorge Negrete-Alcalde
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8, No 39, Mz 29, SM 64, CP 77524, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Gabriela Rosiles-González
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8, No 39, Mz 29, SM 64, CP 77524, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Victor Hugo Carrillo-Jovel
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8, No 39, Mz 29, SM 64, CP 77524, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Sarah E Abney
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 West Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | - Walter Q Betancourt
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 West Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | - Charles P Gerba
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 West Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | - Cristóbal Chaidez-Quiroz
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C., Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Inocuidad Alimentaria, Culiacán, Sinaloa, México
| | - Amanda M Wilson
- Department of Community, Environment, & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Meuchi Y, Nakada M, Kuroda K, Hanamoto S, Hata A. Applicability of F-specific bacteriophage subgroups, PMMoV and crAssphage as indicators of source specific fecal contamination and viral inactivation in rivers in Japan. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288454. [PMID: 37450468 PMCID: PMC10348522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, several microbes have been proposed as potential source-specific indicators of fecal pollution. 16S ribosomal RNA gene markers of the Bacteroidales species are the most widely applied due to their predominance in the water environment and source specificity. F-specific bacteriophage (FPH) subgroups, especially FRNA phage genogroups, are also known as potential source-specific viral indicators. Since they can be quantified by both culture-based and molecular assays, they may also be useful as indicators for estimating viral inactivation in the environment. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and crAssphage, which are frequently present in human feces, are also potentially useful as human-specific indicators of viral pollution. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of FPH subgroups, PMMoV, and crAssphage as indicators of source-specific fecal contamination and viral inactivation using 108 surface water samples collected at five sites affected by municipal and pig farm wastewater. The host specificity of the FPH subgroups, PMMoV, and crAssphage was evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) along with other microbial indicators, such as 16S ribosomal RNA gene markers of the Bacteroidales species. The viabilities (infectivity indices) of FRNA phage genogroups were estimated by comparing their numbers determined by infectivity-based and molecular assays. The PCA explained 58.2% of the total information and classified microbes into three groups: those considered to be associated with pig and human fecal contamination and others. Infective and gene of genogroup IV (GIV)-FRNA phage were assumed to be specific to pig fecal contamination, while the genes of GII-FRNA phage and crAssphage were identified to be specific to human fecal contamination. However, PMMoV, infective GI-FRNA phage, and FDNA phage were suggested to not be specific to human or pig fecal contamination. FRNA phage genogroups, especially the GIV-FRNA phage, were highly inactivated in the warm months in Japan (i.e., July to November). Comparing the infectivity index of several FRNA phage genogroups or other viruses may provide further insight into viral inactivation in the natural environment and by water treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuno Meuchi
- Graduate School of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Miu Nakada
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Keisuke Kuroda
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
| | - Seiya Hanamoto
- Environment Preservation Center, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Akihiko Hata
- Faculty of Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Imizu, Toyama, Japan
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Eifan S, Maniah K, Nour I, Hanif A, Yassin MT, Al-Ashkar I, Abid I. Pepper Mild Mottle Virus as a Potential Indicator of Fecal Contamination in Influents of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041038. [PMID: 37110461 PMCID: PMC10144068 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several indicators of fecal pollution in water resources are continuously monitored for their reliability and, of particular interest, their correlation to human enteric viruses-not justified by traditional bacterial indicators. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) has recently been proposed as a successful viral surrogate of human waterborne viruses; however, in Saudi Arabia there are no available data in terms of its prevalence and concentration in water bodies. The concentration of PMMoV in three different wastewater treatment plants (King Saud University (KSU), Manfoha (MN), and Embassy (EMB) wastewater treatment plants (WWTP)) was measured using qRT-PCR during a one-year period and compared to the human adenovirus (HAdV), which is highly persistent and considered an indicator for viral-mediated fecal contamination. PMMoV was found in ~94% of the entire wastewater samples (91.6-100%), with concentrations ranging from 62 to 3.5 × 107 genome copies/l (GC/l). However, HAdV was detected in 75% of raw water samples (~67-83%). The HAdV concentration ranged between 1.29 × 103 GC/L and 1.26 × 107 GC/L. Higher positive correlation between PMMoV and HAdV concentrations was detected at MN-WWTP (r = 0.6148) than at EMB-WWTP (r = 0.207). Despite the lack of PMMoV and HAdV seasonality, a higher positive correlation (r = 0.918) of PMMoV to HAdV was recorded at KSU-WWTP in comparison to EMB-WWTP (r = 0.6401) around the different seasons. Furthermore, meteorological factors showed no significant influence on PMMoV concentrations (p > 0.05), thus supporting the use of PMMoV as a possible fecal indicator of wastewater contamination and associated public health issues, particularly at MN-WWTP. However, a continuous monitoring of the PMMoV distribution pattern and concentration in other aquatic environments, as well as its correlation to other significant human enteric viruses, is essential for ensuring its reliability and reproducibility as a fecal pollution indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Eifan
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Maniah
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Islam Nour
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Atif Hanif
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Taha Yassin
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Al-Ashkar
- Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Islem Abid
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Pepper Mild Mottle Virus: An Infectious Pathogen in Pepper Production and a Potential Indicator of Domestic Water Quality. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020282. [PMID: 36851496 PMCID: PMC9962380 DOI: 10.3390/v15020282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Pepper (Capsicum spp.; Family: Solanaceae; 2n = 24) is an important crop cultivated worldwide for the consumption of its fresh and dried processed fruits. Pepper fruits are used as raw materials in a wide variety of industrial processes. As a multipurpose vegetable crop, there is a need to increase the yield. However, yield productivity of pepper is severely constrained by infectious plant pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. The pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is currently one of the most damaging pathogens associated with yield losses in pepper production worldwide. In addition to impacts on pepper productivity, PMMoV has been detected in domestic and aquatic water resources, as well as in the excreta of animals, including humans. Therefore, PMMoV has been suggested as a potential indicator of domestic water quality. These findings present additional concerns and trigger the need to control the infectious pathogen in crop production. This review provides an overview of the distribution, economic impacts, management, and genome sequence variation of some isolates of PMMoV. We also describe genetic resources available for crop breeding against PMMoV.
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Hsu SY, Bayati M, Li C, Hsieh HY, Belenchia A, Klutts J, Zemmer SA, Reynolds M, Semkiw E, Johnson HY, Foley T, Wieberg CG, Wenzel J, Johnson MC, Lin CH. Biomarkers selection for population normalization in SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 223:118985. [PMID: 36030667 PMCID: PMC9376872 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been one of the most cost-effective approaches to track the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) levels in the communities since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020. Normalizing SARS-CoV-2 concentrations by the population biomarkers in wastewater is critical for interpreting the viral loads, comparing the epidemiological trends among the sewersheds, and identifying the vulnerable communities. In this study, five population biomarkers, pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), creatinine (CRE), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), caffeine (CAF) and its metabolite paraxanthine (PARA) were investigated and validated for their utility in normalizing the SARS-CoV-2 loads through two normalizing approaches using the data from 64 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Missouri. Their utility in assessing the real-time population contributing to the wastewater was also evaluated. The best performing candidate was further tested for its capacity for improving correlation between normalized SARS-CoV-2 loads and the clinical cases reported in the City of Columbia, Missouri, a university town with a constantly fluctuating population. Our results showed that, except CRE, the direct and indirect normalization approaches using biomarkers allow accounting for the changes in wastewater dilution and differences in relative human waste input over time regardless flow volume and population of the given WWTP. Among selected biomarkers, PARA is the most reliable population biomarker in determining the SARS-CoV-2 load per capita due to its high accuracy, low variability, and high temporal consistency to reflect the change in population dynamics and dilution in wastewater. It also demonstrated its excellent utility for real-time assessment of the population contributing to the wastewater. In addition, the viral loads normalized by the PARA-estimated population significantly improved the correlation (rho=0.5878, p < 0.05) between SARS-CoV-2 load per capita and case numbers per capita. This chemical biomarker complements the current normalization scheme recommended by CDC and helps us understand the size, distribution, and dynamics of local populations for forecasting the prevalence of SARS-CoV2 within each sewershed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yu Hsu
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Mohamed Bayati
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Chenhui Li
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Hsin-Yeh Hsieh
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Anthony Belenchia
- Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Jessica Klutts
- Water Protection Program, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Sally A Zemmer
- Water Protection Program, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Melissa Reynolds
- Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth Semkiw
- Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Hwei-Yiing Johnson
- Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Trevor Foley
- Missouri Department of Corrections, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Chris G Wieberg
- Water Protection Program, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Jeff Wenzel
- Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology, Division of Community and Public Health, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA
| | - Marc C Johnson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, School of Medicine and the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Chung-Ho Lin
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA; Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA.
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Dhakar V, Geetanjali AS. Role of pepper mild mottle virus as a tracking tool for fecal pollution in aquatic environments. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:513. [PMID: 35864362 PMCID: PMC9303839 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03121-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The plant pathogen pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) has recently been proposed as a water quality indicator, it is a RNA virus belonging to the genus Tobamovirus in the family Virgoviridae that causes harm to the pepper crops. After consuming processed food products containing infected peppers, such as hot sauces, PMMoV is excreted in high concentrations in feces; therefore, this is the most common RNA virus, constantly found in the feces of humans. The fecal-oral pathway is emerging as an environmental problem. The presence of high concentrations of pathogens associated with human excreta in environmental waters or water reuse supplies poses a threat to public health. Due to the difficulty in determining the presence of pathogens effectively in water, attempts to monitor microbial water quality often use surrogates or indicator organisms that can be easily detected; therefore, PMMoV is used as a viral surrogate in aquatic environment. This paper describes the incidence and persistence of PMMoV in aquatic environments and in waste treatment plants and its usefulness for quantifying virus reductions by advanced water treatment technologies. In recent research, SARS-CoV-2 was reported to be found in wastewater and utilized for the purpose of monitoring coronavirus illness outbreaks. Since PMMoV is readily identified in the human feces and can also serve as an indicator of human waste, the determined PMMoV concentrations may be utilized to give the normalized report of the SARS-CoV-2 concentration, so that, the amount of human waste found in the wastewater can be taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Dhakar
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu India
| | - A. Swapna Geetanjali
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu India
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Rosiles-González G, Carrillo-Jovel VH, Alzate-Gaviria L, Betancourt WQ, Gerba CP, Moreno-Valenzuela OA, Tapia-Tussell R, Hernández-Zepeda C. Environmental Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Groundwater in Quintana Roo, Mexico. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2021; 13:457-469. [PMID: 34415553 PMCID: PMC8378111 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-021-09492-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater has been reported as a result of fecal shedding of infected individuals. In this study, the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was explored in primary-treated wastewater from two municipal wastewater treatment plants in Quintana Roo, Mexico, along with groundwater from sinkholes, a household well, and submarine groundwater discharges. Physicochemical variables were obtained in situ, and coliphage densities were determined. Three virus concentration methods based on adsorption-elution and sequential filtration were used followed by RNA isolation. Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 was done by RT-qPCR using the CDC 2020 assay, 2019-nCoV_N1 and 2019-nCoV_N2. The Pepper mild mottle virus, one of the most abundant RNA viruses in wastewater was quantified by RT-qPCR and compared to SARS-CoV-2 concentrations. The use of three combined virus concentration methods together with two qPCR assays allowed the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in 58% of the wastewater samples analyzed, whereas none of the groundwater samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater were from 1.8 × 103 to 7.5 × 103 genome copies per liter (GC l-1), using the N1 RT-qPCR assay, and from 2.4 × 102 to 5.9 × 103 GC l-1 using the N2 RT-qPCR assay. Based on PMMoV prevalence detected in all wastewater and groundwater samples tested, the three viral concentration methods used could be successfully applied for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in further studies. This study represents the first detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in southeast Mexico and provides a baseline for developing a wastewater-based epidemiology approach in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Rosiles-González
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8 No 39 SM 64 Mz 29 77500, Cancún, Quintana Roo México
| | - Victor Hugo Carrillo-Jovel
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8 No 39 SM 64 Mz 29 77500, Cancún, Quintana Roo México
| | - Liliana Alzate-Gaviria
- Unidad de Energía Renovable, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, 97302 Mérida, Yucatán México
| | - Walter Q. Betancourt
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 West Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745 USA
| | - Charles P. Gerba
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 West Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745 USA
| | - Oscar A. Moreno-Valenzuela
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43, No 130, 97205 Mérida, Yucatán México
| | - Raúl Tapia-Tussell
- Unidad de Energía Renovable, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, 97302 Mérida, Yucatán México
| | - Cecilia Hernández-Zepeda
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Calle 8 No 39 SM 64 Mz 29 77500, Cancún, Quintana Roo México
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Moreno-Pérez PA, Hernández-Téllez M, Bautista-Gálvez A. In Danger One of the Largest Aquifers in the World, the Great Mayan Aquifer, Based on Monitoring the Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 81:189-198. [PMID: 34250569 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-021-00869-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aquifer flowing beneath the Yucatan Peninsula, México, is one of the largest in the world and is in direct contact with the surface through "cenotes" (sinkholes) that have been documented to be contaminated with various classes of pollutants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental status of the Great Mayan Aquifer through a review of data published on pollution of the cenotes. Approximately 1000 known georeferenced cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula were geographically located. A map was generated using the geographic information system software. High-resolution satellite images were processed to complement the "QuickMap Services" and the formatting service of the Environmental Systems Research Institute. From the literature, 173 cenotes were identified as being sampled for various pollutants, and of these, one or more classes of pollutants were detected in 160 (i.e., greater than 92%) of the cenotes. Pollutants reported to be present included bacteria and viruses of human origin, fecal sterols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and personal care products. From the review of the literature, only 13 cenotes were reported to be free of the target pollutants. From this study, it can be concluded that the aquifer system with the Yucatan Peninsula is vulnerable to contamination from pollutants originating from wastewater, as well as surface runoff and infiltration from urban and agricultural lands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Antonio Moreno-Pérez
- Laboratory of Medical and Environmental Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Av. Paseo Tollocan, Calle Jesús Carranza, Moderna de La Cruz, 50180, Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico.
| | - Marivel Hernández-Téllez
- Inter-American Institute of Technology and Water Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, 10 Toluca. Carretera Toluca-Ixtlahuaca km. 14.5 San Cayetano Morelos, CP. 50120, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Arely Bautista-Gálvez
- Mayan Faculty of Agricultural Studies of the Autonomous University of Chiapas, Carretera Catazaja-Palenque 14 Km 4, CP. 29960, Catazaja, Chiapas, Mexico
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D'Aoust PM, Graber TE, Mercier E, Montpetit D, Alexandrov I, Neault N, Baig AT, Mayne J, Zhang X, Alain T, Servos MR, Srikanthan N, MacKenzie M, Figeys D, Manuel D, Jüni P, MacKenzie AE, Delatolla R. Catching a resurgence: Increase in SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA identified in wastewater 48 h before COVID-19 clinical tests and 96 h before hospitalizations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021. [PMID: 33508669 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145319l] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Curtailing the Spring 2020 COVID-19 surge required sweeping and stringent interventions by governments across the world. Wastewater-based COVID-19 epidemiology programs have been initiated in many countries to provide public health agencies with a complementary disease tracking metric and non-discriminating surveillance tool. However, their efficacy in prospectively capturing resurgences following a period of low prevalence is unclear. In this study, the SARS-CoV-2 viral signal was measured in primary clarified sludge harvested every two days at the City of Ottawa's water resource recovery facility during the summer of 2020, when clinical testing recorded daily percent positivity below 1%. In late July, increases of >400% in normalized SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal in wastewater were identified 48 h prior to reported >300% increases in positive cases that were retrospectively attributed to community-acquired infections. During this resurgence period, SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal in wastewater preceded the reported >160% increase in community hospitalizations by approximately 96 h. This study supports wastewater-based COVID-19 surveillance of populations in augmenting the efficacy of diagnostic testing, which can suffer from sampling biases or timely reporting as in the case of hospitalization census.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M D'Aoust
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Tyson E Graber
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Elisabeth Mercier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Danika Montpetit
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Ilya Alexandrov
- ActivSignal LLC., 27 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760, United States
| | - Nafisa Neault
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Aiman Tariq Baig
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Janice Mayne
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Tommy Alain
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Mark R Servos
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Malcolm MacKenzie
- ActivSignal LLC., 27 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760, United States
| | - Daniel Figeys
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Douglas Manuel
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Peter Jüni
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Alex E MacKenzie
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Robert Delatolla
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada.
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11
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D'Aoust PM, Graber TE, Mercier E, Montpetit D, Alexandrov I, Neault N, Baig AT, Mayne J, Zhang X, Alain T, Servos MR, Srikanthan N, MacKenzie M, Figeys D, Manuel D, Jüni P, MacKenzie AE, Delatolla R. Catching a resurgence: Increase in SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA identified in wastewater 48 h before COVID-19 clinical tests and 96 h before hospitalizations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 770:145319. [PMID: 33508669 PMCID: PMC7826013 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Curtailing the Spring 2020 COVID-19 surge required sweeping and stringent interventions by governments across the world. Wastewater-based COVID-19 epidemiology programs have been initiated in many countries to provide public health agencies with a complementary disease tracking metric and non-discriminating surveillance tool. However, their efficacy in prospectively capturing resurgences following a period of low prevalence is unclear. In this study, the SARS-CoV-2 viral signal was measured in primary clarified sludge harvested every two days at the City of Ottawa's water resource recovery facility during the summer of 2020, when clinical testing recorded daily percent positivity below 1%. In late July, increases of >400% in normalized SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal in wastewater were identified 48 h prior to reported >300% increases in positive cases that were retrospectively attributed to community-acquired infections. During this resurgence period, SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal in wastewater preceded the reported >160% increase in community hospitalizations by approximately 96 h. This study supports wastewater-based COVID-19 surveillance of populations in augmenting the efficacy of diagnostic testing, which can suffer from sampling biases or timely reporting as in the case of hospitalization census.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M D'Aoust
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Tyson E Graber
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Elisabeth Mercier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Danika Montpetit
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Ilya Alexandrov
- ActivSignal LLC., 27 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760, United States
| | - Nafisa Neault
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Aiman Tariq Baig
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Janice Mayne
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Tommy Alain
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Mark R Servos
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Malcolm MacKenzie
- ActivSignal LLC., 27 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760, United States
| | - Daniel Figeys
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Douglas Manuel
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Peter Jüni
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Alex E MacKenzie
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Robert Delatolla
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada.
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12
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Bonanno Ferraro G, Suffredini E, Mancini P, Veneri C, Iaconelli M, Bonadonna L, Montagna MT, De Giglio O, La Rosa G. Pepper Mild Mottle Virus as Indicator of Pollution: Assessment of Prevalence and Concentration in Different Water Environments in Italy. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2021; 13:117-125. [PMID: 33432501 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-020-09458-6] [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: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), a plant pathogenic virus belonging to the family Virgoviridae, has been proposed as a potential viral indicator for human faecal pollution in aquatic environments. The present study investigated the occurrence, amount and diversity of PMMoV in water environments in Italy. A total of 254 water samples, collected between 2017 and 2019 from different types of water, were analysed. In detail, 92 raw sewage, 32 treated sewage, 16 river samples, 9 estuarine waters, 20 bathing waters, 67 groundwater samples and 18 drinking waters were tested. PMMoV was detected in 79% and 75% of untreated and treated sewage samples, respectively, 75% of river samples, 67% and 25% of estuarine and bathing waters and 13% of groundwater samples. No positive was detected in drinking water. The geometric mean of viral concentrations (genome copies/L) was ranked as follows: raw sewage (2.2 × 106) > treated sewage (2.9 × 105) > river waters (6.1 × 102) > estuarine waters (4.8 × 102) > bathing waters (8.5 × 101) > groundwater (5.9 × 101). A statistically significant variation of viral loads could be observed between raw and treated sewage and between these and all the other water matrices. PMMoV occurrence and viral loads did not display seasonal variation in raw sewage nor correlation with faecal indicator bacteria in marine waters and groundwater. This study represents the first report on the occurrence and quantification PMMoV in different water environments in Italy. Further studies are required to evaluate the suitability of PMMoV as a viral indicator for human faecal pollution and for viral pathogens in waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Bonanno Ferraro
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - E Suffredini
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - P Mancini
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - C Veneri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - M Iaconelli
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - L Bonadonna
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - M T Montagna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Hygiene, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - O De Giglio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Hygiene, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - G La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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13
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Montagna MT, De Giglio O, Calia C, Pousis C, Triggiano F, Murgolo S, De Ceglie C, Bagordo F, Apollonio F, Diella G, Narracci M, Acquaviva MI, Ferraro GB, Mancini P, Veneri C, Brigida S, Grassi T, De Donno A, Di Iaconi C, Caputo MC, Cavallo RA, La Rosa G, Mascolo G. Microbiological and Chemical Assessment of Wastewater Discharged by Infiltration Trenches in Fractured and Karstified Limestone (SCA.Re.S. Project 2019-2020). Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9121010. [PMID: 33266323 PMCID: PMC7759865 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the environmental contamination of groundwater as a consequence of the discharge of treated wastewater into the soil. The investigation focused on a wastewater treatment plant located in an area fractured by karst in the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy). Water samples were collected at four sites (raw wastewater, treated wastewater, infiltration trench, and monitoring well), monthly from May to December 2019 (with the exception of August), and were tested for (1) panel of bacteria; (2) enteric viruses; and (3) chemical substances. A gradual reduction in the concentration of bacteria, viruses and contaminants of emerging concern was observed across the profile of soil fissured by karst. All monitored bacteria were absent from the monitoring well, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pepper mild mottle virus and adenovirus were detected at all sampling sites. Personal care products and X-ray contrast media showed the greatest decrease in concentration from infiltration trench to the monitoring well, while the highest residual concentrations in the monitoring well were found for anticonvulsants (78.5%), antimicrobials (41.3%), and antipsychotic drugs (38.6%). Our results show that parameters provided by current law may not always be sufficient to evaluate the sanitary risk relating to the discharge of treated wastewater to the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Montagna
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Osvalda De Giglio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-080-5478476
| | - Carla Calia
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Chrysovalentinos Pousis
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Francesco Triggiano
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Sapia Murgolo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Cristina De Ceglie
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Francesco Bagordo
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Francesca Apollonio
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Giusy Diella
- Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.T.M.); (C.C.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (F.A.); (G.D.)
| | - Marcella Narracci
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria Immacolata Acquaviva
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Giusy Bonanno Ferraro
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Pamela Mancini
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Carolina Veneri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Silvia Brigida
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Antonella De Donno
- Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (F.B.); (T.G.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Claudio Di Iaconi
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Maria Clementina Caputo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Rosa Anna Cavallo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), S.S. di Taranto, via Roma 3, 74123 Taranto, Italy; (M.N.); (M.I.A.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.B.F.); (P.M.); (C.V.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Giuseppe Mascolo
- National Research Council (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), via F. De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy; (S.M.); (C.D.C.); (S.B.); (C.D.I.); (M.C.C.); (G.M.)
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14
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Assessing the Karst Groundwater Quality and Hydrogeochemical Characteristics of a Prominent Dolomite Aquifer in Guizhou, China. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Karst groundwater is one of the primary water resources in most provinces of Southwestern China where karst topography is strongly featured. In Guizhou Province, a prominent geologic sedimentary formation is the dolomite stratum which exists as the restricted platform facies and potentially provides a large reservoir for drinking water. A proper understanding and evaluation of its hydrogeochemical characteristics and water quality is the key to ensuring the drinking water safety. In the present study, groundwater samples were collected from 25 locations of the dolomite aquifer across Guizhou to determine their major chemical compounds, including the cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and the anions (HCO3−, F−, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−), as well as the pH, total hardness, and total dissolved solids. HCO3− and Ca2+ were found to be the dominant anion and cation, respectively, which is characteristic of typical karst groundwater and supports the overall observation of a slightly weak acid to weak alkaline environment in the studied groundwater, as the pH measurements ranged from 6.80 to 8.37. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate the groundwater quality based on typical drinking water safety standard. The results show that the groundwater in most of the studied aquifers is of reasonably good quality. However, in some aquifers, concentrations of NO3− and/or SO42− were found to be excessively high. Overall, the studied dolomite aquifer in its natural environment as investigated in the present study can be considered as a potential geological stratum for water resources exploitation in Guizhou.
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15
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A multi-approach assessment of land use effects on groundwater quality in a karstic aquifer. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03970. [PMID: 32514480 PMCID: PMC7266785 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Groundwater represents almost half of the drinking water worldwide and more than one third of water used for irrigation. Agro-industrial activities affect water resources in several manners; one of the most important is leaching of agrochemical residues. This research identifies the major contributors of changes in groundwater quality comparing two contrasting land uses in a karstic area of the Yucatan peninsula as case study. Using a multiple approach, we assess the impact of land use with physicochemical data, multivariate analyses, hydrogeochemistry and nitrate isotopic composition. We confirmed that agricultural land use has a greater impact on groundwater quality, observed in higher concentration of nitrates, ammonium, potassium and electrical conductivity. Seasonality has an influence on phosphates and the chemical composition of the groundwater, increasing the concentration of dissolved substances in the rainy season. There was a clear effect of manure application in the agricultural zone and the nitrate isotopic composition of groundwater points toward recharge in certain areas. We consider that seasonality and land use effects are intertwined and sometimes difficult to separate, likely because of land use intensity and hydrogeochemical process at a local scale. Finally, we observed poor groundwater quality in the agricultural area during the wet season; thus, it is desirable to maintain non-agricultural areas that provide groundwater of appropriate quality.
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16
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Rosiles-González G, Ávila-Torres G, Moreno-Valenzuela OA, Cháidez-Quiroz C, Hernández-Flores CI, Acosta-González G, Brown JK, Betancourt WQ, Gerba CP, Hernández-Zepeda C. Norovirus and human adenovirus occurrence and diversity in recreational water in a karst aquifer in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 127:1255-1269. [PMID: 31309647 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To determine the seasonal occurrence and diversity of norovirus (NoV) and human adenovirus (HAdV) in groundwater from sinkholes, and brackish water used for recreational activities in the karst aquifer of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. METHODS AND RESULTS Hollow fibre ultrafiltration was used to concentrate viruses and standard plaque assay methods were used to enumerate somatic and F+ specific coliphages as viral indicators. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to estimate the number of genome copies for NoV strains GI, and GII, and HAdVs. The predominant NoV genotypes and HAdV serotypes were identified by comparative sequence analysis. Somatic and male F+ specific coliphages were detected at concentrations up to 94 and 60 plaque-forming units per 100 ml respectively. The NoV genogroup I (GI) was associated with 50% of the sampled sites during the rainy season only, at concentrations ranging from 120 to 1600 genome copies per litre (GC l-1 ). The NoV genogroup II (GII) was detected in 30 and 40% of the sampled sites during the rainy and dry seasons, respectively, at concentrations ranging from 10 to 290 GC l-1 . During the rainy and dry seasons, HAdVs were detected in 20% of the sites, at concentrations ranging from 24 to 690 GC l-1 . Identification of viral types revealed the presence of NoV GI.2, GII.Pe, GII.P16 and GII.P17, and HAdV F serotypes 40 and 41. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that NoVs and HAdVs are prevalent as virus contaminants in the karst aquifer, representing potential health risks particularly during the rainy season, in one of the most important areas used for tourism in Mexico. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This is one of the few studies conducted in karst aquifers that provide a foundational baseline of the distribution, concentrations and diversity of NoVs and HadVs in these particular environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Rosiles-González
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - G Ávila-Torres
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - O A Moreno-Valenzuela
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - C Cháidez-Quiroz
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C., Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Inocuidad Alimentaria, Culiacán, Sinaloa, México
| | - C I Hernández-Flores
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - G Acosta-González
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
| | - J K Brown
- School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - W Q Betancourt
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - C P Gerba
- Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - C Hernández-Zepeda
- Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua, Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
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17
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Symonds EM, Nguyen KH, Harwood VJ, Breitbart M. Pepper mild mottle virus: A plant pathogen with a greater purpose in (waste)water treatment development and public health management. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 144:1-12. [PMID: 30005176 PMCID: PMC6162155 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.06.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
An enteric virus surrogate and reliable domestic wastewater tracer is needed to manage microbial quality of food and water as (waste)water reuse becomes more prevalent in response to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), a plant pathogen found at high concentrations in domestic wastewater, is a promising surrogate for enteric viruses that has been incorporated into over 29 water- and food-related microbial quality and technology investigations around the world. This review consolidates the available literature from across disciplines to provide guidance on the utility of PMMoV as either an enteric virus surrogate and/or domestic wastewater marker in various situations. Synthesis of the available research supports PMMoV as a useful enteric virus process indicator since its high concentrations in source water allow for identifying the extent of virus log-reductions in field, pilot, and full-scale (waste)water treatment systems. PMMoV reduction levels during many forms of wastewater treatment were less than or equal to the reduction of other viruses, suggesting this virus can serve as an enteric virus surrogate when evaluating new treatment technologies. PMMoV excels as an index virus for enteric viruses in environmental waters exposed to untreated domestic wastewater because it was detected more frequently and in higher concentrations than other human viruses in groundwater (72.2%) and surface waters (freshwater, 94.5% and coastal, 72.2%), with pathogen co-detection rates as high as 72.3%. Additionally, PMMoV is an important microbial source tracking marker, most appropriately associated with untreated domestic wastewater, where its pooled-specificity is 90% and pooled-sensitivity is 100%, as opposed to human feces where its pooled-sensitivity is only 11.3%. A limited number of studies have also suggested that PMMoV may be a useful index virus for enteric viruses in monitoring the microbial quality of fresh produce and shellfish, but further research is needed on these topics. Finally, future work is needed to fill in knowledge gaps regarding PMMoV's global specificity and sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Symonds
- University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.
| | - Karena H Nguyen
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - V J Harwood
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - M Breitbart
- University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.
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18
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Sassi HP, Tuttle KD, Betancourt WQ, Kitajima M, Gerba CP. Persistence of Viruses by qPCR Downstream of Three Effluent-Dominated Rivers in the Western United States. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2018; 10:297-304. [PMID: 29679283 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-018-9343-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This study was designed to determine the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) signal persistence of viruses in three effluent-dominated streams. Samples were collected from the effluent outfall of three wastewater treatment plants in the Western United States and downstream at different locations. All samples were tested for the presence of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), adenoviruses, norovirus GI and GII, Aichi virus, and enteroviruses using qPCR. PMMoV was detected most frequently in 54/57 (94.7%) samples, followed by adenoviruses which was detected in 21/57 (36.8%) samples. PMMoV was detected at all locations downstream and up to 32 km from the discharge point. This study demonstrated that the detection signal of PMMoV was able to persist in wastewater discharges to a greater degree than human enteric viruses in effluent-dominated rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah P Sassi
- Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Koiya D Tuttle
- Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Walter Q Betancourt
- Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8628, Japan
| | - Charles P Gerba
- Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
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Occurrence of Traditional and Alternative Fecal Indicators in Tropical Urban Environments under Different Land Use Patterns. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.00287-18. [PMID: 29776926 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00287-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the geospatial distribution of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (i.e., Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp.) and the alternative fecal indicator pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in tropical freshwater environments under different land use patterns. Results show that the occurrence and concentration of microbial fecal indicators were higher for urban than for parkland-dominated areas, consistent with land use weightage. Significant positive correlations with traditional FIB indicate that PMMoV is a suitable indicator of fecal contamination in tropical catchments waters (0.549 ≤ rho ≤ 0.612; P < 0.01). PMMoV exhibited a strong significant correlation with land use weightage (rho = 0.728; P < 0.01) compared to traditional FIB (rho = 0.583; P < 0.01). In addition, chemical tracers were also added to evaluate the potential relationships with microbial fecal indicators. The relationships between diverse variables (e.g., environmental parameters, land use coverage, and chemical tracers) and the occurrence of FIB and PMMoV were evaluated. By using stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR), the empirical experimental models substantiate the impact of land use patterns and anthropogenic activities on microbial water quality, and the output results of the empirical models may be able to predict the sources and transportation of human fecal pollution or sewage contamination. In addition, the high correlation between PMMoV data obtained from quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and viral metagenomics data supports the possibility of using viral metagenomics to relatively quantify specific microbial indicators for monitoring microbial water quality (0.588 ≤ rho ≤ 0.879; P < 0.05).IMPORTANCE The results of this study may support the hypothesis of using PMMoV as an alternative indicator of human fecal contamination in tropical surface waters from the perspective of land use patterns. The predictive result of the occurrence of human fecal indicators with high accuracy may reflect the source and transportation of human fecal pollution, which are directly related to the risk to human health, and thereafter, steps can be taken to mitigate these risks.
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