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Walker DI, Witt J, Rostant W, Burton R, Davison V, Ditchburn J, Evens N, Godwin R, Heywood J, Lowther JA, Peters N, Porter J, Posen P, Wickens T, Wade MJ. Piloting wastewater-based surveillance of norovirus in England. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 263:122152. [PMID: 39096810 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122152] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) gained widespread use as a tool for supporting clinical disease surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is now significant interest in the continued development of WBE for other pathogens of clinical significance. In this study, approximately 3,200 samples of wastewater from across England, previously collected for quantification of SARS-CoV-2, were re-analysed for the quantification of norovirus genogroup I (GI) and II (GII). Overall, GI and GII were detected in 93% and 98% of samples respectively, and at least one of the genogroups was detected in 99% of samples. GI was found at significantly lower concentrations than GII, but the proportion of each genogroup varied over time, with GI becoming more prevalent than GII in some areas towards the end of the study period (May 2021 - March 2022). Using relative strength indices (RSI), it was possible to study the trends of each genogroup, and total norovirus over time. Increases in norovirus levels appeared to coincide with the removal of COVID-19 related lockdown restrictions within England. Local Moran's I analyses indicated several localised outbreaks of both GI and GII across England, notably the possible GI outbreak in the north of England in early 2022. Comparisons of national average norovirus concentrations in wastewater against concomitant norovirus reported case numbers showed a significant linear relationship. This highlights the potential for wastewater-based monitoring of norovirus as a valuable approach to support surveillance of norovirus in communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David I Walker
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK.
| | - Jessica Witt
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Wayne Rostant
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Robert Burton
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Vicki Davison
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Jackie Ditchburn
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Nicholas Evens
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Reg Godwin
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Jane Heywood
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - James A Lowther
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Nancy Peters
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Jonathan Porter
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Paulette Posen
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Tyler Wickens
- Environment Agency, National Monitoring Laboratories, Staplake Mount, Starcross, Devon, UK
| | - Matthew J Wade
- Data Analytics & Surveillance Group, UK Health Security Agency, 10 South Colonnade, London, UK
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2
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Fontanals N, Marcé RM, Montes R, Rodil R, González-Mariño I, Valcárcel Y, Rodríguez-Mozaz S, Borrull F, Quintana JB, Pocurull E. Wastewater-based epidemiology to assess pharmaceutical consumption. Spanish perspective. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176108. [PMID: 39265683 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a well-established approach that can provide objective and real-time data on the consumption of substances such as pharmaceuticals. However, most of the studies reported so far compares consumption data obtained using WBE with those derived from prescription data from public health systems, which is often incomplete and might represent a source of uncertainty. This study aims to compare the measured pharmaceutical consumption back calculated with the WBE approach with consumption derived from dispensed pharmaceuticals in two regions of Spain, managed by two different Health Systems. To do so, a group of 17 pharmaceuticals, including the most representative ones of every therapeutic family, were monitored in influent wastewater (IWW) samples collected over a week campaign in spring 2022 at four different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Spain: two WWTPs in Madrid city (center of Spain) and two WWTPs in Catalonia (Northeast of Spain). Population-normalized daily loads (PNDL) revealed that the patterns of pharmaceutical occurrence in the different WWTPs are very similar, being acetaminophen, 4-acetamidoantipyrine and valsartan the pharmaceuticals with the highest PNDL values: 17162 ± 1457 mg day-1 1000 inh-1 for acetaminophen, 2365 ± 696 and 2429 ± 263 mg day-1 1000 inh-1 for 4-acetamidoantipyrine, 2006 ± 541 and 2041 ± 352 mg day-1 1000 inh-1 for valsartan. Pharmaceutical PNLDs were then transformed into measured pharmaceutical consumption (MC) and compared with dispensed consumption (DC) data obtained from the pharmacies in the catchment area where the WWTPs are located. A ratio MC/DC within 0.8 to 1.2 was obtained for 11 out of the 17 studied pharmaceuticals. Highlighting a match in all the cardiovascular system pharmaceuticals, with the exception of losartan (1.29-1.39 ratio) and valsartan (1.35-1.43) in all WWTPs. In summary, the degree of correlation between MC/DC is higher than those previously reported comparing with the prescribed pharmaceutical consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Fontanals
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Rosa Maria Marcé
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Rosa Montes
- Aquatic One Health Research Center (ARCUS) & Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rosario Rodil
- Aquatic One Health Research Center (ARCUS) & Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Iria González-Mariño
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Yolanda Valcárcel
- Grupo de Evaluación de Riesgos en Salud y Medioambiente, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Rodríguez-Mozaz
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Girona, Spain; University of Girona (UdG), Girona, Spain
| | - Francesc Borrull
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Tarragona, Spain
| | - José Benito Quintana
- Aquatic One Health Research Center (ARCUS) & Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Eva Pocurull
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, Tarragona, Spain
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Haalck I, Székely A, Ramne S, Sonestedt E, von Brömssen C, Eriksson E, Lai FY. Are we using more sugar substitutes? Wastewater analysis reveals differences and rising trends in artificial sweetener usage in Swedish urban catchments. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108814. [PMID: 38917625 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108814] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The market for artificial sweeteners as substitutes for conventional sugar (sucrose) is growing, despite potential health risks associated with their intake. Estimating population usage of artificial sweeteners is therefore crucial, and wastewater analysis can serve as a complement to existing methods. This study evaluated spatial and temporal usage of artificial sweeteners in five Swedish communities based on wastewater analysis. We further compared their levels measured in wastewater with the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden and assessed health risks to the Swedish population. Influent wastewater samples (n = 194) collected in March 2019-February 2022 from communities in central and southern Sweden were analyzed for acesulfame, saccharin, and sucralose using liquid-chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Spatial differences in loads for individual artificial sweetener were observed, with sucralose being higher in Kalmar (southern Sweden), and acesulfame and saccharin in Enköping and Östhammar (central Sweden). Based on sucrose equivalent doses, all communities showed a consistent prevalence pattern of sucralose > acesulfame > saccharin. Four communities with relatively short monitoring periods showed no apparent temporal changes in usage, but the four-year monitoring in Uppsala revealed a significant (p < 0.05) annual increase of ∼19 % for sucralose, ∼9 % for acesulfame and ∼8 % for saccharin. This trend showed no instant or delayed effects from COVID-19 restrictions, reflecting positively on the studied population which retained similar exposure to the artificial sweeteners despite potential pandemic stresses. Among the three artificial sweeteners, only acesulfame's levels were at the lower end of the health-related threshold for consumption of artificially sweetened beverages; yet, all were far below the acceptable daily intake, indicating no appreciable health risks. Our study provided valuable, pilot insights into the spatio-temporal usage of artificial sweeteners in Sweden and their associated health risks. This shows the usefulness of wastewater analysis for public health authorities wishing to assess future relevant interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Haalck
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE 75007, Sweden; Department of Exposure Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Székely
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE 75007, Sweden
| | - Stina Ramne
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Nutritional Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Emily Sonestedt
- Nutritional Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Food and Meal Science and the Research Environment MEAL, Faculty of Natural Science, Kristianstad University, SE 29188 Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Claudia von Brömssen
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE 75007, Sweden
| | - Elin Eriksson
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE 75007, Sweden
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE 75007, Sweden.
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Bleotu C, Matei L, Dragu LD, Necula LG, Pitica IM, Chivu-Economescu M, Diaconu CC. Viruses in Wastewater-A Concern for Public Health and the Environment. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1430. [PMID: 39065197 PMCID: PMC11278728 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071430] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater monitoring provides essential information about water quality and the degree of contamination. Monitoring these waters helps identify and manage risks to public health, prevent the spread of disease, and protect the environment. Standardizing the appropriate and most accurate methods for the isolation and identification of viruses in wastewater is necessary. This review aims to present the major classes of viruses in wastewater, as well as the methods of concentration, isolation, and identification of viruses in wastewater to assess public health risks and implement corrective measures to prevent and control viral infections. Last but not least, we propose to evaluate the current strategies in wastewater treatment as well as new alternative methods of water disinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coralia Bleotu
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), University of Bucharest, 060023 Bucharest, Romania
- The Academy of Romanian Scientist, 050711 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Lilia Matei
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
| | - Laura Denisa Dragu
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
| | - Laura Georgiana Necula
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
| | - Ioana Madalina Pitica
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
| | - Mihaela Chivu-Economescu
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
| | - Carmen Cristina Diaconu
- Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; (C.B.); (L.M.); (L.D.D.); (L.G.N.); (I.M.P.); (C.C.D.)
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5
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Hu K, Zhou W, Yang C, Wang Y, Jiang RW, Zhang Z, Pawliszyn J. Rapid screening of drugs in environmental water using metal organic framework/Ti 3C 2T x composite coated blade spray-mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134609. [PMID: 38759280 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134609] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Simultaneous rapid screening of multiple drugs of abuse in environmental water facilitates effective monitoring and trend assessments. Herein, a novel porphyrin-based metal organic frameworks modified Ti3C2Tx nanosheets (Cu-TCPP/Ti3C2Tx) composite was prepared and utilized as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coating for the simultaneous analysis of 21 drugs from water samples. The composite was embedded with matrix-compatible polyacrylonitrile binder to prepare a coated blade with thin and uniform coating layer. Ambient mass spectrometry (MS) technique was used to create a coated blade spray-MS (CBS-MS) method for the quantitative determination of drugs in water samples. High throughput and automated sample preparation were achieved with the use of a Concept 96-well plate system, enabling analysis of 21 drugs of abuse within 1 min per sample, while using only 8 µL of organic solvent for desorption and CBS-MS detection. The developed method showed favorable linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9983) in the range of 0.05 to 10 ng mL-1, low limits of detection (1.5-9.0 ng L-1), sufficient recovery (67.6-133.2%), as well as satisfactory precision (RSDs≤13.5%). This study not only delivers a novel and efficient SPME coating composite, but also demonstrates the excellent performance of a high-throughput, efficient, and green analytical method for determination of drugs in environmental water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Hu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Cheng Yang
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yuanpeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Runshan Will Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Zhenqiang Zhang
- Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Janusz Pawliszyn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
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6
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Ribeiro AVC, Mannarino CF, Novo SPC, Prado T, Lermontov A, de Paula BB, Fumian TM, Miagostovich MP. Assessment of crAssphage as a biological variable for SARS-CoV-2 data normalization in wastewater surveillance. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae177. [PMID: 39013607 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to assess the use of cross-assembled phage (crAssphage) as an endogenous control employing a multivariate normalization analysis and its application as a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) data normalizer. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 188 twelve-hour composite raw sewage samples were obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) during a 1-year monitoring period. Employing the N1 and N2 target regions, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 94% (177) and 90% (170) of the samples, respectively, with a global median of 5 log10 genomic copies per liter (GC l-1). CrAssphage was detected in 100% of the samples, ranging from 8.29 to 10.43 log10 GC l-1, with a median of 9.46 ± 0.40 log10 GC l-1, presenting both spatial and temporal variabilities. CONCLUSIONS Although SARS-CoV-2 data normalization employing crAssphage revealed a correlation with clinical cases occurring during the study period, crAssphage normalization by the flow per capita per day of each WWTP increased this correlation, corroborating the importance of normalizing wastewater surveillance data in disease trend monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Vinicius Costa Ribeiro
- Department of Sanitation and Environmental Health, Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Camille Ferreira Mannarino
- Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Shênia Patrícia Corrêa Novo
- Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Prado
- Laboratory of Respiratory, Exanthematic, Enteroviruses and Viral Emergencies, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - André Lermontov
- Chemical and Biochemical Process Technology, School of Chemistry/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - EQ/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Bruna Barbosa de Paula
- Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Tulio Machado Fumian
- Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Marize Pereira Miagostovich
- Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
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7
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Hill R, Stentiford GD, Walker DI, Baker-Austin C, Ward G, Maskrey BH, van Aerle R, Verner-Jeffreys D, Peeler E, Bass D. Realising a global One Health disease surveillance approach: insights from wastewater and beyond. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5324. [PMID: 38909028 PMCID: PMC11193741 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49417-4] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
One Health is a recognition of the shared environment inhabited by humans, animals and plants, and the impact of their interactions on the health of all organisms. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a framework of pathogen surveillance in a tractable One Health paradigm to allow timely detection and response to threats to human and animal health. We present case studies centered around the recent global approach to tackle antimicrobial resistance and the current interest in wastewater testing, with the concept of "one sample many analyses" to be further explored as the most appropriate means of initiating this endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Hill
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Genomics Facility, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Grant D Stentiford
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - David I Walker
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Craig Baker-Austin
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK.
| | - Georgia Ward
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Benjamin H Maskrey
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - Ronny van Aerle
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | | | - Edmund Peeler
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
| | - David Bass
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, Dorset, UK
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8
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Andrade HND, Oliveira JFD, Siniscalchi LAB, Costa JDD, Fia R. Global insight into the occurrence, treatment technologies and ecological risk of emerging contaminants in sanitary sewers: Effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171075. [PMID: 38402973 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171075] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused changes in the consumption of prescribed/non-prescribed drugs and the population's habits, influencing the detection and concentration of emerging contaminants (ECs) in sanitary sewage and harming environmental and health risks. Therefore, the present work sought to discuss current literature data on the effects of the "COVID-19 pandemic factor" on the quality of raw sewage produced over a five-year period (2018-2019: pre-pandemic; 2020-2022: during the pandemic) and biological, physical, chemical and hybrid treatment technologies, influencing factors in the removal of ECs and potential ecological risks (RQs). Seven hundred thirty-one publications correlating sewage and COVID-19 were identified: 184 pre-pandemic and 547 during the pandemic. Eight classes and 37 ECs were detected in sewage between 2018 and 2022, with the "COVID-19 pandemic factor" promoting an increase in estrogens (+31,775 %), antibiotics (+19,544 %), antiepileptics and antipsychotics (+722 %), pesticides (+200 %), analgesics, anti-inflammatories and anticoagulants (+173 %), and stimulant medications (+157 %) in sanitary sewage. Among the treatment systems, aerated reactors integrated into biomembranes removed >90 % of cephalexin, clarithromycin, ibuprofen, estrone, and 17β-estradiol. The absorption, adsorption, and biodegradation mechanisms of planted wetland systems contributed to better cost-benefit in reducing the polluting load of sewage ECs in the COVID-19 pandemic, individually or integrated into the WWTP. The COVID-19 pandemic factor increased the potential ecological risks (RQs) for aquatic organisms by 40 %, with emphasis on clarithromycin and sulfamethoxazole, which changed from negligible risk and low risk to (very) high risk and caffeine with RQ > 2500. Therefore, it is possible to suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic intensified physiological, metabolic, and physical changes to different organisms in aquatic biota by ECs during 2020 and 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloisa Nascimento de Andrade
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region, UFERSA, Pau dos Ferros, Rio Grande do Norte 59900-000, Brazil
| | - Jacineumo Falcão de Oliveira
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region, UFERSA, Pau dos Ferros, Rio Grande do Norte 59900-000, Brazil.
| | | | - Joseane Dunga da Costa
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region, UFERSA, Pau dos Ferros, Rio Grande do Norte 59900-000, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Fia
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Lavras, UFLA, Minas Gerais 37200-000, Brazil
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9
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Ensor KB, Schedler JC, Sun T, Schneider R, Mulenga A, Wu J, Stadler LB, Hopkins L. Online trend estimation and detection of trend deviations in sub-sewershed time series of SARS-CoV-2 RNA measured in wastewater. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5575. [PMID: 38448481 PMCID: PMC10918082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56175-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance has proven a cost-effective key public health tool to understand a wide range of community health diseases and has been a strong source of information on community levels and spread for health departments throughout the SARS- CoV-2 pandemic. Studies spanning the globe demonstrate the strong association between virus levels observed in wastewater and quality clinical case information of the population served by the sewershed. Few of these studies incorporate the temporal dependence present in sampling over time, which can lead to estimation issues which in turn impact conclusions. We contribute to the literature for this important public health science by putting forward time series methods coupled with statistical process control that (1) capture the evolving trend of a disease in the population; (2) separate the uncertainty in the population disease trend from the uncertainty due to sampling and measurement; and (3) support comparison of sub-sewershed population disease dynamics with those of the population represented by the larger downstream treatment plant. Our statistical methods incorporate the fact that measurements are over time, ensuring correct statistical conclusions. We provide a retrospective example of how sub-sewersheds virus levels compare to the upstream wastewater treatment plant virus levels. An on-line algorithm supports real-time statistical assessment of deviations of virus level in a population represented by a sub-sewershed to the virus level in the corresponding larger downstream wastewater treatment plant. This information supports public health decisions by spotlighting segments of the population where outbreaks may be occurring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine B Ensor
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005, USA.
| | - Julia C Schedler
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Thomas Sun
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Rebecca Schneider
- Houston Health Department, 8000 N. Stadium Dr., Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Anthony Mulenga
- Houston Health Department, 8000 N. Stadium Dr., Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Jingjing Wu
- Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Lauren B Stadler
- Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Loren Hopkins
- Houston Health Department and Department of Statistics, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005, USA
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Motteau S, Deborde M, Gombert B, Karpel Vel Leitner N. Non-target analysis for water characterization: wastewater treatment impact and selection of relevant features. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:4154-4173. [PMID: 38097837 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30972-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Non-target analyses were conducted to characterize and compare the molecular profiles (UHPLC-HRMS fingerprint) of water samples from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Inlet and outlet samples were collected from three campaigns spaced 6 months apart in order to highlight common trends. A significant impact of the treatment on the sample fingerprints was shown, with a 65-70% abatement of the number of features detected in the effluent, and more polar, smaller and less intense molecules found overall compared to those in WWTP influent waters. Multivariate analysis (PCA) associated with variations of the features between inlets and outlets showed that features appearing or increasing were correlated with effluents while those disappearing or decreasing were correlated with influents. Finally, effluent features considered as relevant to a potentially adverse effect on aqueous media (i.e. those which appeared or increased or slightly varied from the influent) were highlighted. Three hundred seventy-five features common with the 3 campaigns were thus selected and further characterized. For most of them, elementary composition was found to be C, H, N, O (42%) and C, H, N, O, P (18%). Considering the MS2 spectra and several reference MS2 databases, annotations were proposed for 35 of these relevant features. They include synthetic products, pharmaceuticals and metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solène Motteau
- University of Poitiers, Institut de Chimie Des Milieux Et Des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP UMR CNRS 7285), Equipe Eaux Biomarqueurs Contaminants Organiques Milieux (E.BICOM), 1 Rue Marcel Doré, Bâtiment B1, TSA 41105 86073, Cedex, Poitiers, France
| | - Marie Deborde
- University of Poitiers, Institut de Chimie Des Milieux Et Des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP UMR CNRS 7285), Equipe Eaux Biomarqueurs Contaminants Organiques Milieux (E.BICOM), 1 Rue Marcel Doré, Bâtiment B1, TSA 41105 86073, Cedex, Poitiers, France.
- University of Poitiers, UFR Médecine Et de Pharmacie, 6 Rue de La Milétrie, Bâtiment D1, TSA 51115, 86073, Cedex 9, Poitiers, France.
| | - Bertrand Gombert
- University of Poitiers, Institut de Chimie Des Milieux Et Des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP UMR CNRS 7285), Equipe Eaux Biomarqueurs Contaminants Organiques Milieux (E.BICOM), 1 Rue Marcel Doré, Bâtiment B1, TSA 41105 86073, Cedex, Poitiers, France
| | - Nathalie Karpel Vel Leitner
- University of Poitiers, Institut de Chimie Des Milieux Et Des Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP UMR CNRS 7285), Equipe Eaux Biomarqueurs Contaminants Organiques Milieux (E.BICOM), 1 Rue Marcel Doré, Bâtiment B1, TSA 41105 86073, Cedex, Poitiers, France
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