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Rainey AL, Loeb JC, Robinson SE, Lednicky JA, McPherson J, Colson S, Allen M, Coker ES, Sabo-Attwood T, Maurelli AT, Bisesi JH. Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in a small coastal community: Effects of tourism on viral presence and variant identification among low prevalence populations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112496. [PMID: 34902379 PMCID: PMC8820684 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology has been used to measure SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in cities worldwide as an indicator of community health, however, few longitudinal studies have followed SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in small communities from the start of the pandemic or evaluated the influence of tourism on viral loads. Therefore the objective of this study was to use measurements of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater to monitor viral trends and variants in a small island community over a twelve-month period beginning May 1, 2020, before the community re-opened to tourists. Wastewater samples were collected weekly and analyzed to detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 genome copies. Sanger sequencing was used to determine genome sequences from total RNA extracted from wastewater samples positive for SARS-CoV-2. Visitor data was collected from the local Chamber of Commerce. We performed Poisson and linear regression to determine if visitors to the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce were positively associated with SARS-CoV-2-positive wastewater samples and the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Results indicated that weekly wastewater samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 until mid-July when positive samples were recorded in four of five consecutive weeks. Additional positive results were recorded in November and December 2020, as well as January, March, and April 2021. Tourism data revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration in wastewater increased by 1.06 Log10 genomic copies/L per 100 tourists weekly. Sequencing from six positive wastewater samples yielded two complete sequences of SARS-CoV-2, two overlapping sequences, and two low yield sequences. They show arrival of a new variant SARS-CoV-2 in January 2021. Our results demonstrate the utility of wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in a small community. Wastewater surveillance and viral genome sequencing suggest that population mobility likely plays an important role in the introduction and circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants among communities experiencing high tourism and who have a small population size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Rainey
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Julia C Loeb
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Sarah E Robinson
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - John A Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - John McPherson
- Cedar Key Water and Sewer District, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA
| | - Sue Colson
- Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA
| | - Michael Allen
- Nature Coast Biological Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA
| | - Eric S Coker
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Tara Sabo-Attwood
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Anthony T Maurelli
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Joseph H Bisesi
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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2
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Zhang D, Duran SSF, Lim WYS, Tan CKI, Cheong WCD, Suwardi A, Loh XJ. SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: From detection to evaluation. MATERIALS TODAY. ADVANCES 2022; 13:100211. [PMID: 35098102 PMCID: PMC8786653 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtadv.2022.100211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 presence in wastewater has been reported in several studies and has received widespread attention among the Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) community. Such studies can potentially be used as a proxy for early warning of potential COVID-19 outbreak, or as a mitigation measure for potential virus transmission via contaminated water. In this review, we summarized the latest understanding on the detection, concentration, and evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Importantly, we discuss factors affecting the quality of wastewater surveillance ranging from temperature, pH, starting concentration, as well as the presence of chemical pollutants. These factors greatly affect the reliability and comparability of studies reported by various communities across the world. Overall, this review provides a broadly encompassing guidance for epidemiological study using wastewater surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danwei Zhang
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Solco S Faye Duran
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Wei Yang Samuel Lim
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Chee Kiang Ivan Tan
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Wun Chet Davy Cheong
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Ady Suwardi
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
| | - Xian Jun Loh
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634
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3
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Pilevar M, Kim KT, Lee WH. Recent advances in biosensors for detecting viruses in water and wastewater. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 410:124656. [PMID: 33308919 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
As there is a considerable number of virus particles in wastewater which cause numerous infectious diseases, it is necessary to eliminate viruses from domestic wastewater before it is released in the environment. In addition, on-site detection of viruses in wastewater can provide information on possible virus exposures in the community of a given wastewater catchment. For this purpose, the pre-detection of different strains of viruses in wastewaters is an essential environmental step. Epidemiological studies illustrate that viruses are the most challenging pathogens to be detected in water samples because of their nano sizes, discrete distribution, and low infective doses. Over the past decades, several methods have been applied for the detection of waterborne viruses which include polymerase chain reaction-based methods (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA). Although they have shown acceptable performance in virus measurements, their drawbacks such as complicated and time-consuming procedures, low sensitivity, and high analytical cost call for alternatives. Although biosensors are still in an early stage for practical applications, they have shown great potential to become an alternative means for virus detection in water and wastewater. This comprehensive review addresses the different types of viruses found in water and the recent development of biosensors for detecting waterborne viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Pilevar
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Keug Tae Kim
- Department of Environmental & Energy Engineering, The University of Suwon, 17 Wauan-gil, Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 18323, South Korea
| | - Woo Hyoung Lee
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
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4
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Zhu Y, Oishi W, Maruo C, Saito M, Chen R, Kitajima M, Sano D. Early warning of COVID-19 via wastewater-based epidemiology: potential and bottlenecks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 767:145124. [PMID: 33548842 PMCID: PMC7825884 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
An effective early warning tool is of great administrative and social significance to the containment and control of an epidemic. Facing the unprecedented global public health crisis caused by COVID-19, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been given high expectations as a promising surveillance complement to clinical testing which had been plagued by limited capacity and turnaround time. In particular, recent studies have highlighted the role WBE may play in being a part of the early warning system. In this study, we briefly discussed the basics of the concept, the benefits and critical points of such an application, the challenges faced by the scientific community, the progress made so far, and what awaits to be addressed by future studies to make the concept work. We identified that the shedding dynamics of infected individuals, especially in the form of a mathematical shedding model, and the back-calculation of the number of active shedders from observed viral load are the major bottlenecks of WBE application in the COVID-19 pandemic that deserve more attention, and the sampling strategy (location, timing, and interval) needs to be optimized to fit the purpose and scope of the WBE project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhu
- Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Wakana Oishi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Chikako Maruo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Mayuko Saito
- Department of Virology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Rong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'a University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North-13 West-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sano
- Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.
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5
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Hess S, Niessner R, Seidel M. Quantitative detection of human adenovirus from river water by monolithic adsorption filtration and quantitative PCR. J Virol Methods 2021; 292:114128. [PMID: 33716046 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Water contaminated with fecally derived viruses, also known as enteric viruses, represents a particularly high risk for human health. However, they have not been included in water quality regulations yet. The detection of these viruses is often more expensive and time-consuming compared to the analysis of conventional fecal indicator organisms. In addition, most methods are not sensitive enough to detect small viral loads that may already cause serious health issues if present in water. In this study, we established a workflow for the successful and direct enrichment of human adenovirus (HAdV) from artificially contaminated river water based on monolithic adsorption filtration (MAF) and quantitative polymerase reaction (qPCR). With a clear focus on efficiency, we used targeted synthetic DNA fragments as standard for the quantification of HAdV by qPCR, leading to accurate and robust results with a qPCR efficiency of 95 %, a broad working range over 6 orders of magnitude and an LOD of 1 GU/μL. We carried out a cascade of spiking experiments, enhancing the complexity of the spiking matrix with each step to progressively evaluate MAF for the direct concentration of HAdV. We found that negatively charged MAF using monoliths with hydroxyl groups (MAF-OH) showed a better reproducibility and a significantly faster turnaround time than skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) when concentrating HAdV35 from artificially contaminated, acidified mineral water. We then validated positively charged MAF using monoliths with diethyl aminoethyl groups (MAF-DEAE) for the direct concentration of HAdV5 without pre-conditioning of water samples using tap water as spiking matrix with a less defined and controlled water chemistry. Finally, we evaluated MAF-DEAE for the direct concentration of HAdV5 from surface water using river water as representative matrix with an undefined water chemistry. We found, that MAF-DEAE achieved reproducible recoveries of HAdV5, independently of the spiked concentration level or sample volume. Furthermore, we showed, that MAF-DEAE drastically reduced the limit of detection (LOD) of HAdV5 by a factor of 115 from 6.0 ∙ 103 GU/mL before to 5.2 ∙ 101 GU/mL after MAF-DEAE. We identified that recoveries increased for smaller processing volumes with a peak at 0.5 L of 84.0 % and showed that recovery efficiency depends on sample volume and matrix type. The here presented workflow based on MAF-DEAE and qPCR offers an easy-to-implement and highly efficient alternative to existing approaches and allows for a fast detection of HAdV in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Hess
- Institute of Hydrochemistry, Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Reinhard Niessner
- Institute of Hydrochemistry, Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Seidel
- Institute of Hydrochemistry, Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Elisabeth-Winterhalter-Weg 6, 81377 Munich, Germany.
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6
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Corpuz MVA, Buonerba A, Vigliotta G, Zarra T, Ballesteros F, Campiglia P, Belgiorno V, Korshin G, Naddeo V. Viruses in wastewater: occurrence, abundance and detection methods. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 745:140910. [PMID: 32758747 PMCID: PMC7368910 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents an updated and comprehensive review on the different methods used for detection and quantification of viruses in wastewater treatment systems. The analysis of viability of viruses in wastewater and sludge is another thrust of this review. Recent studies have mostly focused on determining the abundance and diversity of viruses in wastewater influents, in samples from primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment stages, and in final effluents. A few studies have also examined the occurrence and diversity of viruses in raw and digested sludge samples. Recent efforts to improve efficiency of virus detection and quantification methods in the complex wastewater and sludge matrices are highlighted in this review. A summary and a detailed comparison of the pre-treatment methods that have been utilized for wastewater and sludge samples are also presented. The role of metagenomics or sequencing analysis in monitoring wastewater systems to predict disease outbreaks, to conduct public health surveillance, to assess the efficiency of existing treatment systems in virus removal, and to re-evaluate current regulations regarding pathogenic viruses in wastewater is discussed in this paper. Challenges and future perspectives in the detection of viruses, including emerging and newly emerged viruses such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in wastewater systems are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Vermi Aizza Corpuz
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
| | - Antonio Buonerba
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Giovanni Vigliotta
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
| | - Tiziano Zarra
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Florencio Ballesteros
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines; Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Belgiorno
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Gregory Korshin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352700, Seattle, WA 98105-2700, United States.
| | - Vincenzo Naddeo
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
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7
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Almakki A, Jumas-Bilak E, Marchandin H, Licznar-Fajardo P. Antibiotic resistance in urban runoff. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 667:64-76. [PMID: 30826682 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems subjected to anthropogenic pressures are places of rapid evolution of microbial communities and likely hotspots for selection and emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In urban settings, water quality and the risk of infection are generally assessed in sewers and in effluents of wastewater treatment plants. Physical and chemical parameters as well as the presence of antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes of resistance are driven by urban activities, with adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. In this paper we review the environmental pressures exerted on bacterial communities in urban runoff waters and discuss the impact of these settings on antibiotic resistance. Considering the worrisome epidemiology of infectious diseases and estimated mortality due to antimicrobial resistance in the coming decades, there is an urgent need to identify all environmental reservoirs of resistant bacteria and resistance genes to complete our knowledge of the epidemiological cycle and of the dynamics of urban antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayad Almakki
- HSM, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France; Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Iraq
| | - Estelle Jumas-Bilak
- HSM, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Département d'Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Marchandin
- HSM, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France, Département de Microbiologie, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Patricia Licznar-Fajardo
- HSM, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Département d'Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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8
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Schwarz KR, Sidhu JPS, Toze S, Li Y, Lee E, Gruchlik Y, Pritchard DL. Decay rates of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., F-specific bacteriophage MS2, somatic coliphage and human adenovirus in facultative pond sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 154:62-71. [PMID: 30771708 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a waste stabilization pond (WSP) system to reduce pathogen contaminants in sludge. This included examining the factors that influence the fate and concentration of human pathogens and their indicators in two sludge layers. The decay rates of five study microorganisms were determined under in-situ conditions at a WSP. The background levels of fecal origin microorganisms were consistently detected (ranging: Escherichia coli 104 to 106, enterococci 101 to 103, F-specific bacteriophage (MS2) 101 to 103 and somatic coliphage 101 to 104 colony-forming units (CFU) mL-1, as well as 101 to 102 human adenovirus gene copies mL-1) in the primary facultative pond. Among microorganisms tested, the bacteria generally decayed faster than adenovirus and bacteriophage, particularly in the upper sludge layer. Due to the observed regrowth of E. coli, it may have a limited value as an indicator for pathogen removal in the wastewater stabilization ponds. The abundance of E. coli numbers within the pond biome followed changes in pond temperature over time. The results of the study suggest that viruses could survive for a long time, particularly in deeper layers (>1 metre) in the sludge, during winter months (T90 = 156 d). The presence of human pathogens in WSP sludge, in particular viruses, may be a barrier to its beneficial reuse in agriculture. The results indicate that additional treatment of sludge may be required to mitigate potential public health risks from reuse of sludge for agricultural purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Schwarz
- Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987 Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia; CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, 41 Boggo Road, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
| | - J P S Sidhu
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, 41 Boggo Road, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
| | - S Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, 41 Boggo Road, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, 4102, Australia.
| | - Y Li
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia.
| | - E Lee
- Water Corporation, 629 Newcastle St, Leederville, WA, 6007, Australia.
| | - Y Gruchlik
- Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987 Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia.
| | - D L Pritchard
- Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987 Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia.
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9
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Gerba CP, Betancourt WQ, Kitajima M, Rock CM. Reducing uncertainty in estimating virus reduction by advanced water treatment processes. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 133:282-288. [PMID: 29407709 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of wastewater for potable reuse requires the reduction of enteric viruses to levels that pose no significant risk to human health. Advanced water treatment trains (e.g., chemical clarification, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, advanced oxidation) have been developed to provide reductions of viruses to differing levels of regulatory control depending upon the levels of human exposure and associated health risks. Importance in any assessment is information on the concentration and types of viruses in the untreated wastewater, as well as the degree of removal by each treatment process. However, it is critical that the uncertainty associated with virus concentration and removal or inactivation by wastewater treatment be understood to improve these estimates and identifying research needs. We reviewed the critically literature to assess to identify uncertainty in these estimates. Biological diversity within families and genera of viruses (e.g. enteroviruses, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, reoviruses, noroviruses) and specific virus types (e.g. serotypes or genotypes) creates the greatest uncertainty. These aspects affect the methods for detection and quantification of viruses and anticipated removal efficiency by treatment processes. Approaches to reduce uncertainty may include; 1) inclusion of a virus indicator for assessing efficiency of virus concentration and detection by molecular methods for each sample, 2) use of viruses most resistant to individual treatment processes (e.g. adenoviruses for UV light disinfection and reoviruses for chlorination), 3) data on ratio of virion or genome copies to infectivity in untreated wastewater, and 4) assessment of virus removal at field scale treatment systems to verify laboratory and pilot plant data for virus removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles P Gerba
- University of Arizona, Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, 2959 W. Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA.
| | - Walter Q Betancourt
- University of Arizona, Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, 2959 W. Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA.
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
| | - Channah M Rock
- University of Arizona, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, Maricopa Agricultural Center, 37860, W. Smith-Enke Road, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA.
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10
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Sidhu JPS, Sena K, Hodgers L, Palmer A, Toze S. Comparative enteric viruses and coliphage removal during wastewater treatment processes in a sub-tropical environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 616-617:669-677. [PMID: 29103646 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbiological safety of reclaimed water is one of the most important issues in managing potential health risks related to wastewater recycling. Presence and removal of human adenovirus (HAdV), human polyomavirus (HPyV), human torque teno virus (HTtV) and somatic coliphage family Microviridae in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia was investigated. All three WWTPs employ activated sludge process with added on Bardenpho process for nutrient removal. HPyV, HAdV, HTtV and Microviridae were consistently detected in the influent (105 to 106 Genomic copies (GC) L-1) and secondary treated effluent (102 to 103GCL-1). The results of this study suggest that, under appropriate conditions, WWTPs with activated sludge process in sub-tropical climate could be an effective treatment barrier with >3 log10 removal of enteric virus. The geometric mean of pooled data for each virus from all sites showed the highest removal for HPyV (3.65 log10) and lowest for HAdV (2.79 log10) which was statistically significant (p=0.00001). Whereas, the removal rate of HTtV and Microviridae was identical (2.81 log10). A poor correlation between the presence of enteric virus in influent or effluent with routinely monitored physicochemical parameters suggests limited use of physicochemical parameters as predictors of enteric virus presence. High prevalence of HAdV in influent and effluent combined with comparatively low removal suggest that it could be used as a model microorganism for determining enteric virus removal efficacy. Additional tertiary treatment may be required prior to effluent reuse for non-potable purposes or discharge into the recreational waters to prevent exposure of people to health hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P S Sidhu
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecoscience Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane 4102, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia.
| | - K Sena
- Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - L Hodgers
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecoscience Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane 4102, Australia
| | - A Palmer
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecoscience Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane 4102, Australia
| | - S Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecoscience Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane 4102, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Qld 4006, Australia
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11
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Dias E, Ebdon J, Taylor H. The application of bacteriophages as novel indicators of viral pathogens in wastewater treatment systems. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 129:172-179. [PMID: 29149672 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Many wastewater treatment technologies have been shown to remove bacterial pathogens more effectively than viral pathogens and, in aquatic environments, levels of traditional faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) do not appear to correlate consistently with levels of human viral pathogens. There is, therefore, a need for novel viral indicators of faecal pollution and surrogates of viral pathogens, especially given the increasing importance of indirect and direct wastewater reuse. Potential candidates include bacteriophages (phages) and the study described here sought to elucidate the relationship between three groups of phages (somatic coliphages (SOMPH), F-RNA coliphages (F-RNAPH) and human-specific phages infecting B. fragilis (Bf124PH) - enumeration using double layer agar technique) and viral pathogens (human adenovirus (HuAdV) and norovirus (NoV) - enumeration using molecular methods) through full-scale municipal wastewater treatment processes. FIB (faecal coliforms (FC) and intestinal enterococci (ENT) - enumeration using membrane filtration) were also monitored. Samples were collected every fortnight, during a twelve-month period, at each stage of four full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in southern England (two activated sludge (AS) and two trickling filter (TF) plants) (n = 360 samples). FIB and SOMPH were consistently found in all samples tested, whereas F-RNAPH, Bf124PH and HuAdV were less frequently detected, especially following AS treatment. The detection rate of NoV was low and consequently discussion of this group of viruses is limited. Concentrations of SOMPH and FIB were statistically higher (p value < 0.05) than concentrations of F-RNAPH, Bf124PH and HuAdV in raw wastewater. FIB were more effectively removed than phages in both systems. Removal rates of HuAdV were similar to those of phages at the secondary treatment stage of both systems. In TF systems, HuAdV were removed at the same rate as F-RNAPH, but at lower rates than SOMPH and Bf124PH. The findings suggest that phages (in particular SOMPH) are better indicators of the fate of viral pathogens in WWTP than existing FIB and that these organisms may have a useful role to play in future sanitation safety planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgard Dias
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-330, Brazil; The Environment and Public Health Research Group (EPHReG), School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UK.
| | - James Ebdon
- The Environment and Public Health Research Group (EPHReG), School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UK.
| | - Huw Taylor
- The Environment and Public Health Research Group (EPHReG), School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UK.
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12
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Sidhu JPS, Ahmed W, Palmer A, Smith K, Hodgers L, Toze S. Optimization of sampling strategy to determine pathogen removal efficacy of activated sludge treatment plant. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:19001-19010. [PMID: 28656581 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9557-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale wastewater schemes rely on multi-barrier approach for the production of safe and sustainable recycled water. In multi-barrier wastewater reclamation systems, conventional activated sludge process (ASP) often constitutes a major initial treatment step. The main aim of this research was to determine most appropriate sampling approach to establish pathogen removal efficacy of ASP. The results suggest that ASP is capable of reducing human adenovirus (HAdV) and polyomavirus (HPyV) by up to 3 log10. The virus removal data suggests that HAdV removal is comparable to somatic bacteriophage belonging to Microviridae family. Due to the high removal of Escherichia coli (>3 log10) and very poor correlation with the enteric virus, it is not recommended that E. coli be used as a surrogate for enteric virus removal. The results also demonstrated no statistically significant differences (t test, P > 0.05) in calculated log removal values (LRVs) for HAdV, HPyV, and Microviridae from samples collected on hydraulic retention time (HRT) or simultaneous paired samples collected for influent and effluent. This indicates that a more practical approach of simultaneous sampling for influent and effluent could be used to determine pathogen removal efficiency of ASP. The results also suggest that a minimum of 10, preferably 20 samples, are required to fully capture variability in the removal of virus. In order to cover for the potential seasonal prevalence of viruses such as norovirus and rotavirus, sampling should be spread across all seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatinder P S Sidhu
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia.
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
| | - Andrew Palmer
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
| | - Kylie Smith
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
| | - Leonie Hodgers
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
| | - Simon Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia
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13
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Rames E, Roiko A, Stratton H, Macdonald J. Technical aspects of using human adenovirus as a viral water quality indicator. WATER RESEARCH 2016; 96:308-26. [PMID: 27065054 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite dramatic improvements in water treatment technologies in developed countries, waterborne viruses are still associated with many of cases of illness each year. These illnesses include gastroenteritis, meningitis, encephalitis, and respiratory infections. Importantly, outbreaks of viral disease from waters deemed compliant from bacterial indicator testing still occur, which highlights the need to monitor the virological quality of water. Human adenoviruses are often used as a viral indicator of water quality (faecal contamination), as this pathogen has high UV-resistance and is prevalent in untreated domestic wastewater all year round, unlike enteroviruses and noroviruses that are often only detected in certain seasons. Standard methods for recovering and measuring adenovirus numbers in water are lacking, and there are many variations in published methods. Since viral numbers are likely under-estimated when optimal methods are not used, a comprehensive review of these methods is both timely and important. This review critically evaluates how estimates of adenovirus numbers in water are impacted by technical manipulations, such as during adenovirus concentration and detection (including culturing and polymerase-chain reaction). An understanding of the implications of these issues is fundamental to obtaining reliable estimation of adenovirus numbers in water. Reliable estimation of HAdV numbers is critical to enable improved monitoring of the efficacy of water treatment processes, accurate quantitative microbial risk assessment, and to ensure microbiological safety of water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rames
- Genecology Research Centre, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Dr, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia
| | - Anne Roiko
- School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia; Smart Water Research Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Edmund Rice Drive, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Helen Stratton
- Smart Water Research Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Edmund Rice Drive, Queensland, 4222, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Griffith University, Australia
| | - Joanne Macdonald
- Genecology Research Centre, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Dr, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia; Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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14
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Removal of Fecal Indicators, Pathogenic Bacteria, Adenovirus, Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts in Waste Stabilization Ponds in Northern and Eastern Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13010096. [PMID: 26729150 PMCID: PMC4730487 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Maturation ponds are used in rural and regional areas in Australia to remove the microbial loads of sewage wastewater, however, they have not been studied intensively until present. Using a combination of culture-based methods and quantitative real-time PCR, we assessed microbial removal rates in maturation ponds at four waste stabilization ponds (WSP) with (n = 1) and without (n = 3) baffles in rural and remote communities in Australia. Concentrations of total coliforms, E. coli, enterococci, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., F+ RNA coliphage, adenovirus, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia (oo) cysts in maturation ponds were measured at the inlet and outlet. Only the baffled pond demonstrated a significant removal of most of the pathogens tested and therefore was subjected to further study by analyzing E. coli and enterococci concentrations at six points along the baffles over five sampling rounds. Using culture-based methods, we found a decrease in the number of E. coli and enterococci from the initial values of 100,000 CFU per 100 mL in the inlet samples to approximately 1000 CFU per 100 mL in the outlet samples for both bacterial groups. Giardia cysts removal was relatively higher than fecal indicators reduction possibly due to sedimentation.
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15
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Distributions of Fecal Markers in Wastewater from Different Climatic Zones for Human Fecal Pollution Tracking in Australian Surface Waters. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 82:1316-1323. [PMID: 26682850 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03765-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Recreational and potable water supplies polluted with human wastewater can pose a direct health risk to humans. Therefore, sensitive detection of human fecal pollution in environmental waters is very important to water quality authorities around the globe. Microbial source tracking (MST) utilizes human fecal markers (HFMs) to detect human wastewater pollution in environmental waters. The concentrations of these markers in raw wastewater are considered important because it is likely that a marker whose concentration is high in wastewater will be more frequently detected in polluted waters. In this study, quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were used to determine the concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp., HFMs Bacteroides HF183, human adenoviruses (HAdVs), and polyomaviruses (HPyVs) in raw municipal wastewater influent from various climatic zones in Australia. E. coli mean concentrations in pooled human wastewater data sets (from various climatic zones) were the highest (3.2 × 10(6) gene copies per ml), followed by those of HF183 (8.0 × 10(5) gene copies per ml) and Enterococcus spp. (3.6 × 10(5) gene copies per ml). HAdV and HPyV concentrations were 2 to 3 orders of magnitude lower than those of FIB and HF183. Strong positive and negative correlations were observed between the FIB and HFM concentrations within and across wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To identify the most sensitive marker of human fecal pollution, environmental water samples were seeded with raw human wastewater. The results from the seeding experiments indicated that Bacteroides HF183 was more sensitive for detecting human fecal pollution than HAdVs and HPyVs. Since the HF183 marker can occasionally be present in nontarget animal fecal samples, it is recommended that HF183 along with a viral marker (HAdVs or HPyVs) be used for tracking human fecal pollution in Australian environmental waters.
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16
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Schwarz KR, Sidhu JPS, Pritchard DL, Li Y, Toze S. Decay of enteric microorganisms in biosolids-amended soil under wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivation. WATER RESEARCH 2014; 59:185-197. [PMID: 24793663 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 02/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing need for better assessment of health risks associated with land-applied biosolids. This study investigated in-situ decay of seeded human adenovirus (HAdV), Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and bacteriophage (MS2) in biosolids-amended soil under wheat cultivation. The biosolids seeded with microorganisms were placed in decay chambers which were then placed in the topsoil (10 cm depth) at three different sites. Sites were selected in arid wheat-growing regions of Australia with loamy-sand soil type (Western Australia) and sandy soil (South Australia). Seeded E. coli and S. enterica had a relatively short decay time (T90 = 4-56 days) in biosolids-amended soil compared to un-amended soil (T90 = 8-83 days). The decreasing soil moisture over the wheat-growing season significantly (P < 0.05) influenced survival time of both bacteria and MS2 at Western Australia (Moora) and South Australia (Mt Compass) sites, particularly in the un-amended soils. Increasing soil temperature also significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the decay of MS2 at these sites. In this study, no notable decline in HAdV numbers (PCR detectable units) was observed in both biosolids-amended and the un-amended soils at all three sites. The HAdV decay time (T90 ≥ 180 days) in biosolids-amended and un-amended soils was significantly higher than MS2 (T90 = 22-108 days). The results of this study suggest that adenovirus could survive for a longer period of time (>180 days) during the winter in biosolids-amended soil. The stability of adenovirus suggests that consideration towards biosolids amendment frequency, time, rates and appropriate withholding periods are necessary for risk mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Schwarz
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
| | - J P S Sidhu
- CSIRO Land and Water, EcoSciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Queensland 4102, Australia.
| | - D L Pritchard
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
| | - Y Li
- CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - S Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, EcoSciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Queensland 4102, Australia; School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
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17
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Ahmed W, Gyawali P, Sidhu J, Toze S. Relative inactivation of faecal indicator bacteria and sewage markers in freshwater and seawater microcosms. Lett Appl Microbiol 2014; 59:348-54. [DOI: 10.1111/lam.12285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water; Ecosciences Precinct; Brisbane Qld Australia
- Faculty of Science, Health and Education; University of the Sunshine Coast; Maroochydore DC Qld Australia
| | - P. Gyawali
- CSIRO Land and Water; Ecosciences Precinct; Brisbane Qld Australia
- School of Population Health; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - J.P.S. Sidhu
- CSIRO Land and Water; Ecosciences Precinct; Brisbane Qld Australia
- Faculty of Science, Health and Education; University of the Sunshine Coast; Maroochydore DC Qld Australia
| | - S. Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water; Ecosciences Precinct; Brisbane Qld Australia
- School of Population Health; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld Australia
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18
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Sidhu JPS, Ahmed W, Gernjak W, Aryal R, McCarthy D, Palmer A, Kolotelo P, Toze S. Sewage pollution in urban stormwater runoff as evident from the widespread presence of multiple microbial and chemical source tracking markers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2013; 463-464:488-96. [PMID: 23831795 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Revised: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The concurrence of human sewage contamination in urban stormwater runoff (n=23) from six urban catchments across Australia was assessed by using both microbial source tracking (MST) and chemical source tracking (CST) markers. Out of 23 stormwater samples human adenovirus (HAv), human polyomavirus (HPv) and the sewage-associated markers; Methanobrevibacter smithii nifH and Bacteroides HF183 were detected in 91%, 56%, 43% and 96% of samples, respectively. Similarly, CST markers paracetamol (87%), salicylic acid (78%) acesulfame (96%) and caffeine (91%) were frequently detected. Twenty one samples (91%) were positive for six to eight sewage related MST and CST markers and remaining two samples were positive for five and four markers, respectively. A very good consensus (>91%) observed between the concurrence of the HF183, HAv, acesulfame and caffeine suggests good predictability of the presence of HAv in samples positive for one of the three markers. High prevalence of HAv (91%) also suggests that other enteric viruses may also be present in the stormwater samples which may pose significant health risks. This study underscores the benefits of employing a set of MST and CST markers which could include monitoring for HF183, adenovirus, caffeine and paracetamol to accurately detect human sewage contamination along with credible information on the presence of human enteric viruses, which could be used for more reliable public health risk assessments. Based on the results obtained in this study, it is recommended that some degree of treatment of captured stormwater would be required if it were to be used for non-potable purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P S Sidhu
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia; Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, DC, Qld 4558, Australia.
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