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Cai Y, Zhao Y, Wang C, Yadav AK, Wei T, Kang P. Ozone disinfection of waterborne pathogens: A review of mechanisms, applications, and challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34991-3. [PMID: 39392580 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34991-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Water serves as a critical vector for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms, playing a pivotal role in the emergence and propagation of numerous diseases. Ozone (O3) disinfection technology offers promising potential for mitigating the spread of these pathogens in aquatic environments. However, previous studies have only focused on the inactivated effect of O3 on a single pathogenic microorganism, lacking a comprehensive comparative analysis of various influencing factors and different types of pathogens, while the cost-effectiveness of O3 technology has not been mentioned. This review synthesized the migration characteristics of various pathogenic microorganisms in water bodies and examined the properties, mechanisms, and influencing factors of O3 inactivation. It evaluated the efficacy of O3 against diverse pathogens, namely bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi, and provided a comparative analysis of their sensitivities to O3. The formation and impact of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) during the O3 inactivation process were assessed, alongside an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of this method. Additionally, potential synergistic treatment processes involving O3 were proposed. Based on these findings, recommendations were made for optimizing the utilization of O3 in water inactivation in order to formulate better inactivation strategies in the post-pandemic eras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, School of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yaqian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China.
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, School of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China.
| | - Cong Wang
- Xi'an Aerospace City Water Environment Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710199, P.R. China
| | - Asheesh Kumar Yadav
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
- Environment & Sustainability Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751 013, Odisha, India
| | - Ting Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, School of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Peiying Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
- Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, School of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, P.R. China
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Shabana MR, Zaghloul AY, El Shaarawy TH, Elleboudy NS, Aboshanab KM. Monitoring the VDPV2 outbreak in Egypt during 2020-2021 highlights the crucial role of environmental surveillance and boosting immunization in combating Poliovirus. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:866. [PMID: 39187787 PMCID: PMC11348703 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09731-0] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poliovirus is a highly infectious enterovirus (EV) that primarily affects children and can lead to lifelong paralysis or even death. Vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs) are a great threat since they are derived from the attenuated virus in the Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV) and can mutate to a more virulent form. The purpose of this study was to identify VDPV serotype 2 through the year 2020-2021 via surveillance of sewage samples collected from different localities and governorates in Egypt and stool specimens from Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) cases. Both were collected through the national poliovirus surveillance system and according to the guidelines recommended by the WHO. METHODS A total of 1266 sewage samples and 3241 stool samples from January 2020 to December 2021 were investigated in the lab according to World Health Organization (WHO) protocol for the presence of Polioviruses by cell culture, molecular identification of positive isolates on L20B cell line was carried out using real-time polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR). Any positive isolates for Poliovirus type 2 and isolates suspected of Vaccine Derived Poliovirus Type 1 and type 3 screened by (VDPV1) or Vaccine Poliovirus Type 3 (VDPV3) assay in RT-PCR were referred for VP1 genetic sequencing. RESULTS The outbreak was caused by circulating VDPV2 (cVDPV2) strains started in January 2021. By the end of February 2021, a total of 11 cVDPV2s were detected in sewage samples from six governorates confirming the outbreak situation. One additional cVDPV2 was detected later in the sewage sample from Qena (June 2021). The first and only re-emergence of VDPV2 in stool samples during the outbreak was in contact with Luxor in June 2021. By November 2021, a total of 80 VDPVs were detected. The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP), in collaboration with the WHO, responded quickly by launching two massive vaccination campaigns targeting children under the age of five. Additionally, surveillance systems were strengthened to detect new cases and prevent further spread of the virus. CONCLUSION The continued threat of poliovirus and VDPVs requires ongoing efforts to prevent their emergence and spread. Strategies such as improving immunization coverage, using genetically stable vaccines, and establishing surveillance systems are critical to achieving global eradication of poliovirus and efficient monitoring of VDPVs outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menna R Shabana
- WHO Regional Reference lab for Diagnosis of Poliovirus and Enteroviruses, VACSERA Dokki, Giza, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amira Y Zaghloul
- WHO Regional Reference lab for Diagnosis of Poliovirus and Enteroviruses, VACSERA Dokki, Giza, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Tamer H El Shaarawy
- WHO Regional Reference lab for Diagnosis of Poliovirus and Enteroviruses, VACSERA Dokki, Giza, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nooran S Elleboudy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Organization of African Union, Ain Shams University, St. Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Khaled M Aboshanab
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Organization of African Union, Ain Shams University, St. Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt.
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Tandukar S, Thakali O, Baral R, Tiwari A, Haramoto E, Tuladhar R, Joshi DR, Sherchan SP. Application of wastewater-based epidemiology for monitoring COVID-19 in hospital and housing wastewaters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:171877. [PMID: 38531458 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
An alternative and complementary diagnostic method of surveillance is provided by wastewater-based surveillance (WBS), particularly in low-income nations like Nepal with scant wastewater treatment facilities and clinical testing infrastructure. In this study, a total of 146 water samples collected from two hospitals (n = 63) and three housing wastewaters (n = 83) from the Kathmandu Valley over the period of March 2021-Febraury 2022 were investigated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using quantitative reverse transcription TaqMan PCR assays targeting the N and E genes. Of the total, 67 % (98/146) samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA either by using N- or E-gene assay, with concentrations ranging from 3.6 to 9.1 log10 copies/L. There was a significant difference found between positive ratio (Chi-square test, p < 0.05) and concentration (t-test, p = 0.009) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected from hospital wastewater and housing waters. Wastewater data are correlated with COVID-19 active cases, indicating significance in specific areas like the Hospital (APFH) (p < 0.05). According to the application of a bivariate linear regression model (p < 0.05), the concentrations of N gene may be used to predict the COVID-19 cases in the APFH. Remarkably, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected prior to, during, and following clinical case surges, implying that wastewater surveillance could serve as an early warning system for public health decisions. The significance of WBS in tracking and managing pandemics is emphasized by this study, especially in resource-constrained settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarmila Tandukar
- Organization for Public Health and Environment Management, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Organization for Public Health and Environment Management, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Rakshya Baral
- Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based Epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America
| | - Ananda Tiwari
- Expert Microbiology Research Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio 70701, Finland
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Reshma Tuladhar
- Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Dev Raj Joshi
- Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Organization for Public Health and Environment Management, Lalitpur, Nepal; Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based Epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America; Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan; Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States of America.
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Solomon T, Idris O, Nwaubani D, Baral R, Sherchan SP. Comparative analysis of membrane filter diameters for detection of selected viruses in wastewater samples. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:173973. [PMID: 38876339 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater serves as a valuable source of information as it contains biological markers that have been shed by infected individuals and from other biological organisms such as plants and animals. Wastewater has been proven to indicate the presence of emerging pathogens in a community before the manifestation of clinical symptoms. Several methods of concentration and nucleic acid extraction have been employed all around the world without a unified method. One such method involves the use of the adsorption extraction method (AE-method), which involves the use of electronegative membrane filters of different pore sizes. The membrane filters also differ by diameter, but no study has been reported on the effect of diameter on capture efficiency. This study was aimed at evaluating the comparative capture efficiency of two different membrane filter diameters of 45 and 90 mm with pore sizes of 0.45 μm for the detection of indicator and pathogenic viruses. Primary influent samples were obtained from two wastewater treatment plants in Baltimore, Maryland, between April 27 and June 29, 2023. A total of twenty samples were processed using 45- and 90-mm membrane filters. Nucleic acids were extracted from the filters using the QIAmp Viral RNA Mini Kit and assayed for four different targets: PMMoV, Norovirus (GI and GII), and CrAssphage by RT-qPCR. The result showed that 45 mm membrane filters had a higher combined mean capture efficiency in log10 gene copies per liter (gc/l) for crAssphage (7.40) than 90 mm membrane filters (7.10). Similarly, the 45-mm filter had higher mean capture efficiency for Norovirus GI (4.67) than the 90-mm filter (1.84) and likewise for Norovirus GII (2.14, 1.04). On the contrary, 90-mm membrane filters were observed to have better capture of PMMoV (6.84) compared to 45-mm membrane filters (6.69). This result therefore implies that 45-mm membrane filters could be more efficient for wastewater surveillance studies through the AE method for indicator viruses like CrAssphage and human disease-causing viruses like Norovirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamunobelema Solomon
- Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America; BioEnvironmental Science Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America
| | - Oladele Idris
- BioEnvironmental Science Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America
| | - Daniel Nwaubani
- BioEnvironmental Science Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America
| | - Rakshya Baral
- BioEnvironmental Science Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater based epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America; BioEnvironmental Science Program, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States of America.
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Pedroza-Camacho LD, Ospina-Sánchez PA, Romero-Perdomo FA, Infante-González NG, Paredes-Céspedes DM, Quevedo-Hidalgo B, Gutiérrez-Romero V, Rivera-Hoyos CM, Pedroza-Rodríguez AM. Wastewater treatment from a science faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic by using ammonium-oxidising and heterotrophic bacteria. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:129. [PMID: 38601881 PMCID: PMC11003938 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03961-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
During and after the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the use of personal care products and disinfectants increased in universities worldwide. Among these, quaternary ammonium-based products stand out; these compounds and their intermediates caused substantial changes in the chemical composition of the wastewater produced by these institutions. For this reason, improvements and environmentally sustainable biological alternatives were introduced in the existing treatment systems so that these institutions could continue their research and teaching activities. For this reason, the objective of this study was to develop an improved culture medium to cultivate ammonium oxidising bacteria (AOB) to increase the biomass and use them in the treatment of wastewater produced in a faculty of sciences in Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. A Plackett Burman Experimental Design (PBED) and growth curves served for oligotrophic culture medium, and production conditions improved for the AOB. Finally, these bacteria were used with total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) for wastewater treatment in a pilot plant. Modification of base ammonium broth and culture conditions (6607 mg L-1 of (NH4)2SO4, 84 mg L-1 CaCO3, 40 mg L-1 MgSO4·7H2O, 40 mg L-1 CaCl2·2H2O and 200 mg L-1 KH2PO4, 10% (w/v) inoculum, no copper addition, pH 7.0 ± 0.2, 200 r.p.m., 30 days) favoured the growth of Nitrosomonas europea, Nitrosococcus oceani, and Nitrosospira multiformis with values of 8.23 ± 1.9, 7.56 ± 0.7 and 4.2 ± 0.4 Log10 CFU mL-1, respectively. NO2- production was 0.396 ± 0.0264, 0.247 ± 0.013 and 0.185 ± 0.003 mg L-1 for Nitrosomonas europea, Nitrosococcus oceani and Nitrosospira multiformis. After the 5-day wastewater treatment (WW) by co-inoculating the three studied bacteria in the wastewater (with their self-microorganisms), the concentrations of AOB and THB were 5.92 and 9.3 Log10 CFU mL-1, respectively. These values were related to the oxidative decrease of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), (39.5 mg L-1), Ammonium ion (NH4+), (6.5 mg L-1) Nitrite (NO2-), (2.0 mg L-1) and Nitrate (NO3-), (1.5 mg L-1), respectively in the five days of treatment. It was concluded, with the improvement of a culture medium and production conditions for three AOB through biotechnological strategies at the laboratory scale, being a promising alternative to bio-augment of the biomass of the studied bacteria under controlled conditions that allow the aerobic removal of COD and nitrogen cycle intermediates present in the studied wastewater. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-024-03961-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas D. Pedroza-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Paula A. Ospina-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Felipe A. Romero-Perdomo
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Nury G. Infante-González
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Diana M. Paredes-Céspedes
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Balkys Quevedo-Hidalgo
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Aplicada, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | | | - Claudia M. Rivera-Hoyos
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
| | - Aura M. Pedroza-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7ma No 43-82, Edifício 50 Lab. 106, P.O. Box 110-23, Bogotá, DC Colombia
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Koley S, Dash S, Khwairakpam M, Kalamdhad AS. Perspectives and understanding on the occurrence, toxicity and abatement technologies of disinfection by-products in drinking water. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119770. [PMID: 38096765 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are one of the significant emerging contaminants that have caught the attention of researchers worldwide due to their pervasiveness. Their presence in drinking water, even in shallow concentrations (in levels of parts per billion), poses considerable health risks. Therefore, it is crucial to understand their kinetics to understand better their formation and persistence in the water supply systems. This manuscript demonstrates different aspects of research carried out on DBPs in the past. A systematic approach was adopted for the bibliographical research that started with choosing appropriate keywords and identifying the most relevant manuscripts through the screening process. This follows a quantitative assessment of the extracted literature sample, which included the most productive and influential journal sources, the most widely used keywords, the most influential authors active in the research domain, the most cited articles, and the countries most actively engaged in the research field. Critical observations on the literature sample led to the qualitative assessment, wherein the past and current research trends were observed and reported. Finally, we identified the essential gaps in the available literature, which further led to recommending the course ahead in the research domain. This study will prove fruitful for young and established researchers who are or wish to work in this emerging field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumona Koley
- Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
| | - Siddhant Dash
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, 522502, India; Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterey, Monterrey, 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
| | - Meena Khwairakpam
- School of Agro and Rural Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Ajay S Kalamdhad
- Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India; School of Agro and Rural Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India; Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
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Gogoi G, Singh SD, Kalyan E, Koch D, Gogoi P, Kshattry S, Mahanta HJ, Imran M, Pandey R, Bharali P. An interpretative review of the wastewater-based surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2: where do we stand on its presence and concern? Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1338100. [PMID: 38318336 PMCID: PMC10839012 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1338100] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used for monitoring infectious diseases like polio, hepatitis, etc. since the 1940s. It is also being used for tracking the SARS-CoV-2 at the population level. This article aims to compile and assess the information for the qualitative and quantitative detection of the SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Based on the globally published studies, we highlight the importance of monitoring SARS-CoV-2 presence/detection in the wastewater and concurrently emphasize the development of early surveillance techniques. SARS-CoV-2 RNA sheds in the human feces, saliva, sputum and mucus that ultimately reaches to the wastewater and brings viral RNA into it. For the detection of the virus in the wastewater, different detection techniques have been optimized and are in use. These are based on serological, biosensor, targeted PCR, and next generation sequencing for whole genome sequencing or targeted amplicon sequencing. The presence of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater could be used as a potential tool for early detection and devising the strategies for eradication of the virus before it is spread in the community. Additionally, with the right and timely understanding of viral behavior in the environment, an accurate and instructive model that leverages WBE-derived data may be created. This might help with the creation of technological tools and doable plans of action to lessen the negative effects of current viral epidemics or future potential outbreaks on public health and the economy. Further work toward whether presence of viral load correlates with its ability to induce infection, still needs evidence. The current increasing incidences of JN.1 variant is a case in point for continued early detection and surveillance, including wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Gogoi
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Sarangthem Dinamani Singh
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Emon Kalyan
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Devpratim Koch
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Pronami Gogoi
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Suman Kshattry
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Hridoy Jyoti Mahanta
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Advanced Computation and Data Sciences Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Md Imran
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh Pandey
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Pankaj Bharali
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Biological Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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Hu D, Li X, Zeng J, Xiao X, Zhao W, Zhang J, Yu X. Hidden risks: Simulated leakage of domestic sewage to secondary water supply systems poses serious microbiological risks. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120529. [PMID: 37666151 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120529] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
There are continuous reports about the pollution of the secondary water supply systems (SWSSs), among which domestic sewage leakage is the most serious. In this study, a pilot experiment lasting 70 days was conducted to explore the changes in physicochemical water quality and the microbial profiles in SWSSs polluted by different doses of domestic sewage through qPCR and high-throughput sequencing methods. The results showed that when domestic sewage entered the simulated water storage tank, a large amount of organic matter brought by domestic sewage quickly consumed chlorine disinfectants. High pollution levels (pollution index ≥ 1/1000) were accompanied by significant increases in turbidity and ammonia nitrogen concentration (p < 0.05) and by abnormal changes in sensory properties. Although different microbial community structures were found only at high pollution levels, qPCR results showed that the abundance of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and some pathogenic gene markers in the polluted tank increased with the pollution level, and the specific gene marker of pathogens could be detected even at imperceptible pollution levels. In particular, the high detection frequency and abundance of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecails in polluted tank water samples demonstrated that they can be used for early warning. Moreover, it seems that the microorganisms that came with the domestic sewage lost their cultivability soon after entering SWSSs but could recover their activities during stagnation. In addition, the biofilm biomass in the polluted tank with high pollution levels increased faster at the initial stage, while after a longer contact time, it tended to remain at the same level as the control tank. This study emphasized the high microbial risk introduced by sewage water leakage even at imperceptible levels and could provide scientific suggestions for early warning and prevention of pollution to SWSSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Hu
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China
| | - Jie Zeng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto University Katsura, Nishikyo, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
| | - Xinyan Xiao
- College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wenya Zhao
- College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jiakang Zhang
- College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xin Yu
- College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
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9
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Mališová E, Guštafík A, Tamáš M, Strečanský T, Imreová Z, Konečná B, Červenková A, Peciar P, Mackuľak T, Híveš J. Effective stabilization of electrochemically prepared ecological oxidizing agent-ferrate(VI)-by encapsulation in zeolite and its application to water containing SARS-CoV-2 virus. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2023; 95:e10940. [PMID: 37815302 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Improper and insufficient treatment of infectious hospital wastewater could seriously endanger public health and the environment. Ferrate(VI), a strong oxidizing, disinfecting, and coagulating agent, has the potential as a green solution for decontamination of water and wastewater. In this paper, electrochemically prepared potassium ferrate (K2 FeO4 ) with high purity was successfully encapsulated and applied to the water contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. Natural zeolite was chosen as an appropriate ecological material for ferrate encapsulation. The stability of encapsulated ferrate (in tablet form) was monitored for an extended time period (290 days) and has significantly increased in contrast with free potassium ferrate by almost 30%. Subsequently, the K2 FeO4 encapsulated with zeolite in tablet form was applied to the water and municipal water samples containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The removal efficiency reached up to 98.5% and 86.7%, respectively, under natural conditions. Combination of environmentally friendly oxidizing agent and natural excellent adsorbent leads to the creation of very effective water treatment matter. These findings are essentially immediate and especially important for immediate water treatment in urgent situations such as natural disasters or military conflict. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Electrochemical preparation of oxidizing agent, K2 FeO4 , in high purity by own constructed electrolyzer. Encapsulation of ferrate(VI) to natural zeolite threefold improving the stability during 9 months. SARS-CoV-2 virus was successfully removed from various contaminated types of water. High degradation efficiency of virus fragments by Fe(VI) was achieved without additional water adjustment, in natural pH range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emília Mališová
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Adam Guštafík
- Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Michal Tamáš
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Tomáš Strečanský
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Zuzana Imreová
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Barbora Konečná
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Andrea Červenková
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Peciar
- Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Tomáš Mackuľak
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Ján Híveš
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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10
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Wang L, Xu Y, Qin T, Wu M, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Liu W, Xie X. Global trends in the research and development of medical/pharmaceutical wastewater treatment over the half-century. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 331:138775. [PMID: 37100249 PMCID: PMC10123381 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted public health and the worldwide economy. The overstretched operation of health systems around the world is accompanied by potential and ongoing environmental threats. At present, comprehensive scientific assessments of research on temporal changes in medical/pharmaceutical wastewater (MPWW), as well as estimations of researcher networks and scientific productivity are lacking. Therefore, we conducted a thorough literature study, using bibliometrics to reproduce research on medical wastewater over nearly half a century. Our primary goal is systematically to map the evolution of keyword clusters over time, and to obtain the structure and credibility of clusters. Our secondary objective was to measure research network performance (country, institution, and author) using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. We extracted 2306 papers published between 1981 and 2022. The co-cited reference network identified 16 clusters with well-structured networks (Q = 0.7716, S = 0.896). The main trends were as follows: 1) Early MPWW research prioritized sources of wastewater, and this cluster was considered to be the mainstream research frontier and direction, representing an important source and priority research area. 2) Mid-term research focused on characteristic contaminants and detection technologies. Particularly during 2000-2010, a period of rapid developments in global medical systems, pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) in MPWW were recognized as a major threat to human health and the environment. 3) Recent research has focused on novel degradation technologies for PhC-containing MPWW, with high scores for research on biological methods. Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as being consistent with or predictive of the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Therefore, the application of MPWW in COVID-19 tracing will be of great interest to environmentalists. These results could guide the future direction of funding agencies and research groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- Department of Nursing, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nursing, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210003, China
| | - Yixia Xu
- Department of Nursing, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nursing, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210003, China
| | - Tian Qin
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Mengting Wu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Zhiqin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yalan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
| | - Xianchuan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
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11
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Parida VK, Saidulu D, Bhatnagar A, Gupta AK, Afzal MS. A critical assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in aqueous environment: Existence, detection, survival, wastewater-based surveillance, inactivation methods, and effective management of COVID-19. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 327:138503. [PMID: 36965534 PMCID: PMC10035368 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In early January 2020, the causal agent of unspecified pneumonia cases detected in China and elsewhere was identified as a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and was the major cause of the COVID-19 outbreak. Later, the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the COVID-19 pandemic a worldwide public health emergency on January 30, 2020. Since then, many studies have been published on this topic. In the present study, bibliometric analysis has been performed to analyze the research hotspots of the coronavirus. Coronavirus transmission, detection methods, potential risks of infection, and effective management practices have been discussed in the present review. Identification and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in various water matrices have been reviewed. It was observed that the viral shedding through urine and feces of COVID-19-infected patients might be a primary mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in water and wastewater. In this context, the present review highlights wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)/sewage surveillance, which can be utilized as an effective tool for tracking the transmission of COVID-19. This review also emphasizes the role of different disinfection techniques, such as chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation, and ozonation, for the inactivation of coronavirus. In addition, the application of computational modeling methods has been discussed for the effective management of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Kumar Parida
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Duduku Saidulu
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Amit Bhatnagar
- Department of Separation Science, LUT School of Engineering Science, LUT University, Sammonkatu 12, Mikkeli FI-50130, Finland.
| | - Ashok Kumar Gupta
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
| | - Mohammad Saud Afzal
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
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12
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Gonçalves-Brito AS, Magaldi M, Farias BO, Nascimento APA, Flores C, Montenegro KS, Lopes-Carvalho M, Gimenez A, Costa VSC, Assunção VC, Quidorne CS, Bianco K, Clementino MM. Environmental genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:653-662. [PMID: 37254912 PMCID: wh_2023_034 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology can be a complementary approach for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, diversity, and geographic distribution. It is a complementary approach regarding its prevalence and diversity, and geographic distribution. The study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples were collected over a period of January to December 2021 and were concentrated with PEG8000 and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was detected using E and N1 genes. Partial sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes resulted in the identification of variants of concern and variants of interest throughout the collection period. It was possible to identify the Mu, Delta, Gamma and Omicron variants in WWTP1; on the contrary, no variants were observed in WWTP2. To the best of our knowledge, we detected the variant Mu (B.1.621) containing characteristic mutations (S:E484K, S:N501Y) from WWTP, for the first time, in Brazil. Another Mu variant detected from clinical surveillance was announced one month after our finding. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater can serve as a tool to monitor the prevalence and epidemiology in each community, helping to understand the spread of the virus among the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa S Gonçalves-Brito
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail: ; Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil
| | - Mariana Magaldi
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail: ; Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Oliveira Farias
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail: ; Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Alves Nascimento
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Claudia Flores
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Kaylanne S Montenegro
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Maiara Lopes-Carvalho
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Aline Gimenez
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Vinícius Souza Carvalho Costa
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Vinícius Carneiro Assunção
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Camila Silva Quidorne
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Kayo Bianco
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail: ; Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil; COVID-19 Monitoring Network in Wastewater, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maysa M Clementino
- National Institute of Quality Control in Health - INCQS, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil E-mail: ; Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 4365, Brazil; COVID-19 Monitoring Network in Wastewater, São Paulo, Brazil
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13
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Qamsari EM, Mohammadi P. Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Presence in Treated and Untreated Hospital Sewage. WATER, AIR, AND SOIL POLLUTION 2023; 234:273. [PMID: 37073306 PMCID: PMC10090750 DOI: 10.1007/s11270-023-06273-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a potential approach for determining the viral prevalence in a community. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have begun to pay close attention to the presence of SARS-COV-2 RNA in various wastewaters. The potential for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA in hospital sewage could make it an invaluable resource for epidemiological studies. In this regard, two specialized hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 patients were chosen for this investigation. Both hospitals utilize the same wastewater treatment systems. The influent and effluents of the two hospitals were sampled in May and June of 2021, and the samples were evaluated for their chemical properties. According to the findings of this study, the wastewater qualities of the two studied hospitals were within the standard ranges. The sewage samples were concentrated using ultrafiltration and PEG precipitation techniques. The E and S genes were studied with RT-qPCR commercial kits. We found E gene of SARS-CoV-2 in 83.3% (5/6) and 66.6% (4/6) of wastewater samples from hospital 1 and hospital 2, respectively, using ultrafiltration concentration method. Wastewater samples taken after chlorine treatment accounted for 16.6% of all positive results. In addition, due to the small sample size, there was no significant correlation (p > 0.05) between the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the number of COVID-19 cases. Hospitals may be a source of SARS-CoV-2 pollution, thus it is important to monitor and enhance wastewater treatment systems to prevent the spread of the virus and safeguard the surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elahe Mobarak Qamsari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parisa Mohammadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Amin N, Haque R, Rahman MZ, Rahman MZ, Mahmud ZH, Hasan R, Islam MT, Sarker P, Sarker S, Adnan SD, Akter N, Johnston D, Rahman M, Liu P, Wang Y, Shirin T, Rahman M, Bhattacharya P. Dependency of sanitation infrastructure on the discharge of faecal coliform and SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in wastewater from COVID and non-COVID hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 867:161424. [PMID: 36623655 PMCID: PMC9822545 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater can be used as an indicator of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in specific catchment areas. We conducted a hospital-based study to explore wastewater management in healthcare facilities and analyzed SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the hospital wastewater in Dhaka city during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak between September 2020-January 2021. We selected three COVID-hospitals, two non-COVID-hospitals, and one non-COVID-hospital with COVID wards, conducted spot-checks of the sanitation systems (i.e., toilets, drainage, and septic-tank), and collected 90 untreated wastewater effluent samples (68 from COVID and 22 from non-COVID hospitals). E. coli was detected using a membrane filtration technique and reported as colony forming unit (CFU). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected using the iTaq Universal Probes One-Step kit for RT-qPCR amplification of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab and N gene targets and quantified for SARS-CoV-2 genome equivalent copies (GEC) per mL of sample. None of the six hospitals had a primary wastewater treatment facility; two COVID hospitals had functional septic tanks, and the rest of the hospitals had either broken onsite systems or no containment of wastewater. Overall, 100 % of wastewater samples were positive with a high concentration of E. coli (mean = 7.0 log10 CFU/100 mL). Overall, 67 % (60/90) samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The highest SARS-CoV-2 concentrations (median: 141 GEC/mL; range: 13-18,214) were detected in wastewater from COVID-hospitals, and in non-COVID-hospitals, the median SARS-CoV-2 concentration was 108 GEC/mL (range: 30-1829). Our results indicate that high concentrations of E. coli and SARS-CoV-2 were discharged through the hospital wastewater (both COVID and non-COVID) without treatment into the ambient water bodies. Although there is no evidence for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via wastewater, this study highlights the significant risk posed by wastewater from health care facilities in Dhaka for the many other diseases that are spread via faecal oral route. Hospitals in low-income settings could function as sentinel sites to monitor outbreaks through wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance systems. Hospitals should aim to adopt the appropriate wastewater treatment technologies to reduce the discharge of pathogens into the environment and mitigate environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuhu Amin
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh; Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Rehnuma Haque
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh; School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Md Ziaur Rahman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Ziaur Rahman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zahid Hayat Mahmud
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rezaul Hasan
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Tahmidul Islam
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden; WaterAid, Bangladesh
| | - Protim Sarker
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Supriya Sarker
- Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Bangladesh
| | | | - Nargis Akter
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) section, UNICEF, Bangladesh
| | - Dara Johnston
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) section, UNICEF, Bangladesh
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
| | - Pengbo Liu
- Center for Global Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yuke Wang
- Center for Global Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tahmina Shirin
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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de Araújo JC, Madeira CL, Bressani T, Leal C, Leroy D, Machado EC, Fernandes LA, Espinosa MF, Freitas GTO, Leão T, Mota VT, Pereira AD, Perdigão C, Tröger F, Ayrimoraes S, de Melo MC, Laguardia F, Reis MTP, Mota C, Chernicharo CAL. Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples from hospitals treating COVID-19 patients during the first wave of the pandemic in Brazil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160498. [PMID: 36436622 PMCID: PMC9691275 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global health crisis, and wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as an important tool to assist public health decision-making. Recent studies have shown that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration in wastewater samples is a reliable indicator of the severity of the pandemic for large populations. However, few studies have established a strong correlation between the number of infected people and the viral concentration in wastewater due to variations in viral shedding over time, viral decay, infiltration, and inflow. Herein we present the relationship between the number of COVID-19-positive patients and the viral concentration in wastewater samples from three different hospitals (A, B, and C) in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A positive and strong correlation between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentration and the number of confirmed cases was observed for Hospital B for both regions of the N gene (R = 0.89 and 0.77 for N1 and N2, respectively), while samples from Hospitals A and C showed low and moderate correlations, respectively. Even though the effects of viral decay and infiltration were minimized in our study, the variability of viral shedding throughout the infection period and feces dilution due to water usage for different activities in the hospitals could have affected the viral concentrations. These effects were prominent in Hospital A, which had the smallest sewershed population size, and where no correlation between the number of defecations from COVID-19 patients and viral concentration in wastewater was observed. Although we could not determine trends in the number of infected patients through SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in hospitals' wastewater samples, our results suggest that wastewater monitoring can be efficient for the detection of infected individuals at a local level, complementing clinical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Calábria de Araújo
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil.
| | - Camila L Madeira
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Thiago Bressani
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Cíntia Leal
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Deborah Leroy
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Elayne C Machado
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Luyara A Fernandes
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Maria Fernanda Espinosa
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Gabriel Tadeu O Freitas
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Thiago Leão
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Vera Tainá Mota
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Alyne Duarte Pereira
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | | | - Flávio Tröger
- National Agency for Water and Sanitation (ANA), Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - César Mota
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
| | - Carlos A L Chernicharo
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (DESA), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
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16
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Fatimazahra S, Latifa M, Laila S, Monsif K. Review of hospital effluents: special emphasis on characterization, impact, and treatment of pollutants and antibiotic resistance. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:393. [PMID: 36780024 PMCID: PMC9923651 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11002-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Health care institutions generate large volumes of liquid effluents from specific activities related to healthcare, analysis, and research. Their direct discharge into the environment has various negative effects on aquatic environments and human health, due to their high organic matter charges and the presence of various emerging contaminants such as disinfectants, drugs, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Moreover, hospital effluents, by carrying antibiotics, contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in the environment. This resistance has become a global issue that manifests itself variously in different countries, causing the transmission of different infections. In this respect, an effort is provided to protect water resources by current treatment methods that imply physical-chemical processes such as adsorption and advanced oxidation processes, biological processes such as activated sludge and membrane bioreactors and other hybrid techniques. The purpose of this review is to improve the knowledge on the composition and impact of hospital wastewater on man and the environment, highlighting the different treatment techniques appropriate to this type of disposal before discharge into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayerh Fatimazahra
- Process Engineering and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology of Mohammedia, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Mouhir Latifa
- Process Engineering and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology of Mohammedia, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Saafadi Laila
- Process Engineering and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology of Mohammedia, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Khazraji Monsif
- Process Engineering and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology of Mohammedia, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
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17
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Balakrishnan A, Jacob MM, Senthil Kumar P, Kapoor A, Ponnuchamy M, Sivaraman P, Sillanpää M. Strategies for safe management of hospital wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : IJEST 2023; 20:1-16. [PMID: 36817164 PMCID: PMC9925218 DOI: 10.1007/s13762-023-04803-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Management of hospital wastewater is a challenging task, particularly during the situations like coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The hospital effluent streams are likely to contain many known and unknown contaminants including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) along with a variety of pollutants arising from pharmaceuticals, life-style chemicals, drugs, radioactive species, and human excreta from the patients. The effluents are a mixed bag of contaminants with some of them capable of infecting through contact. Hence, it is essential to identify appropriate treatment strategies for hospital waste streams. In this work, various pollutants emerging in the context of COVID-19 are examined. A methodical review is conducted on the occurrence and disinfection methods of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. An emphasis is given to the necessity of addressing the challenges of handling hospital effluents dynamically involved during the pandemic scenario to ensure human and environmental safety. A comparative evaluation of disinfection strategies makes it evident that the non-contact methods like ultraviolet irradiation, hydrogen peroxide vapor, and preventive approaches such as the usage of antimicrobial surface coating offer promise in reducing the chance of disease transmission. These methods are also highly efficient in comparison with other strategies. Chemical disinfection strategies such as chlorination may lead to further disinfection byproducts, complicating the treatment processes. An overall analysis of various disinfection methods is presented here, including developing methods such as membrane technologies, highlighting the merits and demerits of each of these processes. Finally, the wastewater surveillance adopted during the COVID-19 outbreak is discussed. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-023-04803-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Balakrishnan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela, Odisha 769008 India
| | - M. M. Jacob
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203 India
| | - P. Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Chennai 603203 India
- Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam, Chennai 603203 India
- School of Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413 India
| | - A. Kapoor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208002 India
| | - M. Ponnuchamy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203 India
| | - P. Sivaraman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203 India
| | - M. Sillanpää
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
- School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), NO. 2006, Xiyuan Ave., West High-Tech Zone, Chengdu, Sichuan 611731 People’s Republic of China
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18
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Bhattacharya S, Abhishek K, Samiksha S, Sharma P. Occurrence and transport of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater streams and its detection and remediation by chemical-biological methods. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 9:100221. [PMID: 36818681 PMCID: PMC9762044 DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper explains the transmission of SARS-CoV and influences of several environmental factors in the transmission process. The article highlighted several methods of collection, sampling and monitoring/estimation as well as surveillance tool for detecting SARS-CoV in wastewater streams. In this context, WBE (Wastewater based epidemiology) is found to be the most effective surveillance tool. Several methods of genomic sequencing are discussed in the paper, which are applied in WBE, like qPCR-based wastewater testing, metagenomics-based analysis, next generation sequencing etc. Additionally, several types of biosensors (colorimetric biosensor, mobile phone-based biosensors, and nanomaterials-based biosensors) showed promising results in sensing SARS-CoV in wastewater. Further, this review paper outlined the gaps in assessing the factors responsible for transmission and challenges in detection and monitoring along with the remediation and disinfection methods of this virus in wastewater. Various methods of disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater are discussed (primary, secondary, and tertiary phases) and it is found that a suite of disinfection methods can be used for complete disinfection/removal of the virus. Application of ultraviolet light, ozone and chlorine-based disinfectants are also discussed in the context of treatment methods. This study calls for continuous efforts to gather more information about the virus through continuous monitoring and analyses and to address the existing gaps and identification of the most effective tool/ strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Wastewater surveillance can be very useful in effective surveillance of future pandemics and epidemics caused by viruses, especially after development of new technologies in detecting and disinfecting viral pathogens more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayan Bhattacharya
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, 803116, Bihar, India
| | - Kumar Abhishek
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, 803116, Bihar, India
- Department of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar, Patna, 800015, Bihar, India
| | - Shilpi Samiksha
- Bihar State Pollution Control Board, Patna, 800015, Bihar, India
| | - Prabhakar Sharma
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, 803116, Bihar, India
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19
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Rothman JA, Saghir A, Chung SA, Boyajian N, Dinh T, Kim J, Oval J, Sharavanan V, York C, Zimmer-Faust AG, Langlois K, Steele JA, Griffith JF, Whiteson KL. Longitudinal metatranscriptomic sequencing of Southern California wastewater representing 16 million people from August 2020-21 reveals widespread transcription of antibiotic resistance genes. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119421. [PMID: 36455460 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Municipal wastewater provides a representative sample of human fecal waste across a catchment area and contains a wide diversity of microbes. Sequencing wastewater samples provides information about human-associated and medically important microbial populations, and may be useful to assay disease prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here, we present a study in which we used untargeted metatranscriptomic sequencing on RNA extracted from 275 sewage influent samples obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) representing approximately 16 million people in Southern California between August 2020 - August 2021. We characterized bacterial and viral transcripts, assessed metabolic pathway activity, and identified over 2,000 AMR genes/variants across all samples. Because we did not deplete ribosomal RNA, we have a unique window into AMR carried as ribosomal mutants. We show that AMR diversity varied between WTPs (as measured through PERMANOVA, P < 0.001) and that the relative abundance of many individual AMR genes/variants increased over time (as measured with MaAsLin2, Padj < 0.05). Similarly, we detected transcripts mapping to human pathogenic bacteria and viruses suggesting RNA sequencing is a powerful tool for wastewater-based epidemiology and that there are geographical signatures to microbial transcription. We captured the transcription of gene pathways common to bacterial cell processes, including central carbon metabolism, nucleotide synthesis/salvage, and amino acid biosynthesis. We also posit that due to the ubiquity of many viruses and bacteria in wastewater, new biological targets for microbial water quality assessment can be developed. To the best of our knowledge, our study provides the most complete longitudinal metatranscriptomic analysis of a large population's wastewater to date and demonstrates our ability to monitor the presence and activity of microbes in complex samples. By sequencing RNA, we can track the relative abundance of expressed AMR genes/variants and metabolic pathways, increasing our understanding of AMR activity across large human populations and sewer sheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Rothman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America.
| | - Andrew Saghir
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Seung-Ah Chung
- Genomics High-Throughput Facility, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Boyajian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Thao Dinh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Jinwoo Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Jordan Oval
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Vivek Sharavanan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Courtney York
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Amity G Zimmer-Faust
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America
| | - Kylie Langlois
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America
| | - Joshua A Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America
| | - John F Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America
| | - Katrine L Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America.
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20
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Mare R, Mare C, Hadarean A, Hotupan A, Rus T. COVID-19 and Water Variables: Review and Scientometric Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:957. [PMID: 36673718 PMCID: PMC9859563 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20020957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has changed the world since 2020, and the field of water specifically, boosting scientific productivity (in terms of published articles). This paper focuses on the influence of COVID-19 on scientific productivity with respect to four water variables: (i) wastewater, (ii) renewable water resources, (iii) freshwater withdrawal, and (iv) access to improved and safe drinking water. The field's literature was firstly reviewed, and then the maps were built, emphasizing the strong connections between COVID-19 and water-related variables. A total of 94 countries with publications that assess COVID-19 vs. water were considered and evaluated for how they clustered. The final step of the research shows that, on average, scientific productivity on the water topic was mostly conducted in countries with lower COVID-19 infection rates but higher development levels as represented by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and the human development index (HDI). According to the statistical analysis, the water-related variables are highly significant, with positive coefficients. This validates that countries with higher water-related values conducted more research on the relationship with COVID-19. Wastewater and freshwater withdrawal had the highest impact on the scientific productivity with respect to COVID-19. Access to safe drinking water becomes insignificant in the presence of the development parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Mare
- Department of Building Services Engineering, Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 128-130 21 Decembrie 1989 Blv., 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Codruța Mare
- Department of Statistics-Forecasts-Mathematics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, 58-60 Teodor Mihali Str., 400591 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Data Science, Babes-Bolyai University, 68 Avram Iancu Str., 4th Floor, 400083 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adriana Hadarean
- Department of Building Services Engineering, Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 128-130 21 Decembrie 1989 Blv., 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Anca Hotupan
- Department of Building Services Engineering, Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 128-130 21 Decembrie 1989 Blv., 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tania Rus
- Department of Building Services Engineering, Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 128-130 21 Decembrie 1989 Blv., 400604 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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21
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Mehanni MM, Gadow SI, Alshammari FA, Modafer Y, Ghanem KZ, El-Tahtawi NF, El-Homosy RF, Hesham AEL. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater treatment plant effluent and the possible consequences of its reuse in agricultural irrigation. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1141383. [PMID: 37143530 PMCID: PMC10153669 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1141383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater from hospitals should be monitored precisely and treated properly before discharge and reuse to avoid epidemic and pandemic complications, as it contains hazardous pollutants for the ecosystem. Antibiotic residues in treated hospital wastewater effluents constitute a major environmental concern since they resist various wastewater treatment processes. The emergence and spread of multi-drug-resistant bacteria, that cause public health problems, are therefore always a major concern. The aims and objectives of this study were mainly to characterize the chemical and microbial properties of the hospital effluent of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) before discharge to the environment. Special attention was paid to the presence of multiple resistant bacteria and the effects of hospital effluent reuse in irrigation on zucchini as an economically important plant. The risk of cell-free DNA carrying antibiotic resistance genes contained in the hospital effluent as a long-lasting hazard had been discussed. In this study, 21 bacterial strains were isolated from the effluent of a hospital WWTP. Isolated bacteria were evaluated for multi-drug resistance ability against 5 antibiotics (Tetracycline, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Chloramphenicol, and Erythromycin) at a concentration of 25 ppm. Out of them, three isolates (AH-03, AH-07, and AH-13) were selected because they recorded the highest growth in presence of tested antibiotics. Selected isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence homology as Staphylococcus haemolyticus (AH-03), Enterococcus faecalis (AH-07), and Escherichia coli (AH-13). Their susceptibility to ascending concentrations of tested antibiotics indicated that they were all susceptible at a concentration above 50 ppm. Results of the greenhouse experiment regarding the effect of hospital WWTP effluent reuse on zucchini plant fresh weights compared to that irrigated with fresh water indicated that the former recorded a limited increase in total fresh weights (6.2 g and 5.3 g/plant, respectively). Our results demonstrated the low impact of the reuse of Hospital WWTP effluent in agriculture irrigation compared to its greater risk in transferring multiple antibiotic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes to soil bacteria through natural transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda M. Mehanni
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minya, Egypt
| | - Samir I. Gadow
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Agriculture and Biology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Fahdah Ayed Alshammari
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts-RAFHA, Northrn Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yosra Modafer
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kholoud Z. Ghanem
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noha Fathy El-Tahtawi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rania F. El-Homosy
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Abd El-Latif Hesham
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
- *Correspondence: Abd El-Latif Hesham,
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22
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Parveen N, Chowdhury S, Goel S. Environmental impacts of the widespread use of chlorine-based disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:85742-85760. [PMID: 35091954 PMCID: PMC8799444 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Chlorinated disinfectants are widely used in hospitals, COVID-19 quarantine facilities, households, institutes, and public areas to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus as they are effective against viruses on various surfaces. Medical facilities have enhanced their routine disinfection of indoors, premises, and in-house sewage. Besides questioning the efficiency of these compounds in combating coronavirus, the impacts of these excessive disinfection efforts have not been discussed anywhere. The impacts of chlorine-based disinfectants on both environment and human health are reviewed in this paper. Chlorine in molecular and in compound forms is known to pose many health hazards. Hypochlorite addition to soil can increase chlorine/chloride concentration, which can be fatal to plant species if exposed. When chlorine compounds reach the sewer/drainage system and are exposed to aqueous media such as wastewater, many disinfection by-products (DBPs) can be formed depending on the concentrations of natural organic matter, inorganics, and anthropogenic pollutants present. Chlorination of hospital wastewater can also produce toxic drug-derived disinfection by-products. Many DBPs are carcinogenic to humans, and some of them are cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic. DBPs can be harmful to the flora and fauna of the receiving water body and may have adverse effects on microorganisms and plankton present in these ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naseeba Parveen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Shamik Chowdhury
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
| | - Sudha Goel
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India.
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India.
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23
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Meskher H, Belhaouari SB, Thakur AK, Sathyamurthy R, Singh P, Khelfaoui I, Saidur R. A review about COVID-19 in the MENA region: environmental concerns and machine learning applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:82709-82728. [PMID: 36223015 PMCID: PMC9554385 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23392-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has delayed global economic growth, which has affected the economic life globally. On the one hand, numerous elements in the environment impact the transmission of this new coronavirus. Every country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area has a different population density, air quality and contaminants, and water- and land-related conditions, all of which influence coronavirus transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advocated fast evaluations to guide policymakers with timely evidence to respond to the situation. This review makes four unique contributions. One, many data about the transmission of the new coronavirus in various sorts of settings to provide clear answers to the current dispute over the virus's transmission were reviewed. Two, highlight the most significant application of machine learning to forecast and diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Three, our insights provide timely and accurate information along with compelling suggestions and methodical directions for investigators. Four, the present study provides decision-makers and community leaders with information on the effectiveness of environmental controls for COVID-19 dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hicham Meskher
- Division of Process Engineering, College of Applied Science, Kasdi-Merbah University, 30000, Ouargla, Algeria
| | - Samir Brahim Belhaouari
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar
| | - Amrit Kumar Thakur
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Arasur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641407, India
| | - Ravishankar Sathyamurthy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Punit Singh
- Institute of Engineering and Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, GLA University Mathura, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, 281406, India
| | - Issam Khelfaoui
- School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China
| | - Rahman Saidur
- Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
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24
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Wang Y, Zhang S, Hong Q, Song H, Yang L, Yang K, Xu H, Yu F. Characteristics, non-carcinogenic risk assessment and prediction by HYSPLIT of bioaerosol released from Hospital and Municipal Sewage, China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 246:114131. [PMID: 36193586 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bioaerosol is a new type of pollutant, which is related to the spread of many diseases. In particular, the bioaerosol produced in the hospital sewage treatment process contains many pathogenic bacteria, which will impact patients and surrounding residents. In this study, the biochemical tank (BRT) of the hospital sewage treatment station (HSTS) and municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) were used as sampling points. The results showed that the concentration of bacteria (1843 CFU/m3) in bioaerosol produced by BRT of HSTS was higher than that in the air at BRT of MWTP (1278 CFU/m3). The proportion of small-size bacteria (<3.3 µm) in the air of HSTS and MWTP was similar. However, the abundance of small-size pathogenic bacteria in HSTS was higher than that in MWTP, such as Acinetobacter and Arcobacter. The dominant bacteria in HSTS and MWTP were different under different particle sizes. The dominant bacterial genera of bioaerosol in HSTS under different particle sizes were similar (Acinetobacter, Arcobacter, Comamonas); There were significant differences in the dominant bacterial genera of bioaerosol in MWTP under different particle sizes. The dominant strains with particle sizes ranging from 0 ∼ 0.43 µm were Acinetobacter (23.22%). Kocuria (15.13%) accounted for a relatively high proportion in the aerosol of 0.43 µm ∼ 0.65 µm. The dominant strains with particle sizes of 0.65 µm ∼ 1.1 µm and 1.1 µm ∼ 2.1 µm were relatively single, and Exiguobacterium and Paenibacillus accounted for 51.51% and 60.15%, respectively. Source tracker showed that most of the pathogenic bacteria in bioaerosols came from sewage. One hour later, the concentration of particulate matter in the place 200 m away from BRT of HSTS (1 × 10-10 mg/m3) was higher than that in MWTP (1 × 10-11 mg/m3). The hazard quotient (HQ) of people around HSTS (HQmale: 1.70 × 10-1; HQfemale: 1.36 × 10-1) was higher than that of MWTP (HQmale: 1.18 × 10-1; HQfemale: 9.40 × 10-2). Pathogenic bacteria (Acinetobacter, Arcobacter) were detected in HSTS and MWTP and the BugBase phenotype prediction results showed potential pathogenicity. More attention should be paid to the protection of the people. It is suggested to strengthen the air sterilization treatment near HSTS according to the diffusion trajectory of bioaerosol, and the surrounding personnel should wear N95 and other protective masks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Wang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China.
| | - Song Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Qing Hong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China.
| | - Huiling Song
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Liying Yang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Kai Yang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Hui Xu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Fangfang Yu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
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25
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Zhang F, Wang Z, Vijver MG, Peijnenburg WJGM. Theoretical investigation on the interactions of microplastics with a SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment and their potential impacts on viral transport and exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 842:156812. [PMID: 35738381 PMCID: PMC9212631 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic spread across the world and remains difficult to control. Environmental pollution and habitat conditions do facilitate SARS-CoV-2 transmission as well as increase the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The coexistence of microplastics (MPs) with SARS-CoV-2 affects the viral behavior in the indoor and outdoor environment, and it is essential to study the interactions between MPs and SARS-CoV-2 because they both are ubiquitously present in our environment. To determine the mechanisms underlying the impact of MPs on SARS-CoV-2, we used molecular dynamic simulations to investigate the molecular interactions between five MPs and a SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment at temperatures ranging from 223 to 310 K in vacuum and in water. We furthermore compared the interactions of MPs and SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment to the performance of SARS-CoV-1 and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA fragments in interacting with the MPs. The interaction affinity between the MPs and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment was found to be greater than the affinity between the MPs and the SARS-CoV-1 or HBV RNA fragments, independent of the environmental media, temperature, and type of MPs. The mechanisms of the interaction between the MPs and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragment involved electrostatic and hydrophobic processes, and the interaction affinity was associated with the inherent structural parameters (i.e., molecular volume, polar surface area, and molecular topological index) of the MPs monomers. Although the evidence on the infectious potential of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is not fully understood, humans are exposed to MPs via their lungs, and the strong interaction with the gene materials of SARS-CoV-2 likely affects the exposure of humans to SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RA, the Netherlands
| | - Zhuang Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, PR China
| | - Martina G Vijver
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RA, the Netherlands
| | - Willie J G M Peijnenburg
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RA, the Netherlands; Centre for Safety of Substances and Products, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven 3720 BA, the Netherlands.
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Review of Method and a New Tool for Decline and Inactive SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater Treatment. CLEANER CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [PMCID: PMC9213033 DOI: 10.1016/j.clce.2022.100037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Following the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, monitoring sewage has become crucial, according to reports that the virus was detected in sewage. Currently, various methods are discussed for understanding the SARS-CoV-2 using wastewater surveillance. This paper first introduces the fundamental knowledge of primary, secondary, and tertiary water treatment on SARS-CoV-2. Next, a thorough overview is presented to summarize the recent developments and breakthroughs in removing SARS-CoV-2 using solar water disinfection (SODIS) and UV (UVA (315–400 nm), UVB (280-315 nm), and UVC (100–280 nm)) process. In addition, Due to the fact that the distilled water can be exposed to sunlight if there is no heating source, it can be disinfected using solar water disinfection (SODIS). SODIS, on the other hand, is a well-known method of reducing pathogens in contaminated water; moreover, UVC can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 when the wavelength is between 100 to 280 nanometers. High temperatures (more than 56°C) and UVC are essential for eliminating SARS-CoV-2; however, the SODIS systems use UVA and work at lower temperatures (less than45°C). Therefore, using SODIS methods for wastewater treatment (or providing drinking water) is not appropriate during a situation like the ongoing pandemic. Finally, a wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) tracking tool for SARS-CoV-2 can be used to detect its presence in wastewater.
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Al Huraimel K, Alhosani M, Gopalani H, Kunhabdulla S, Stietiya MH. Elucidating the role of environmental management of forests, air quality, solid waste and wastewater on the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2. HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ADVANCES 2022; 3:100006. [PMID: 37519421 PMCID: PMC9095661 DOI: 10.1016/j.heha.2022.100006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The increasing frequency of zoonotic diseases is amongst several catastrophic repercussions of inadequate environmental management. Emergence, prevalence, and lethality of zoonotic diseases is intrinsically linked to environmental management which are currently at a destructive level globally. The effects of these links are complicated and interdependent, creating an urgent need of elucidating the role of environmental mismanagement to improve our resilience to future pandemics. This review focused on the pertinent role of forests, outdoor air, indoor air, solid waste and wastewater management in COVID-19 dissemination to analyze the opportunities prevailing to control infectious diseases considering relevant data from previous disease outbreaks. Global forest management is currently detrimental and hotspots of forest fragmentation have demonstrated to result in zoonotic disease emergences. Deforestation is reported to increase susceptibility to COVID-19 due to wildfire induced pollution and loss of forest ecosystem services. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 like viruses in multiple animal species also point to the impacts of biodiversity loss and forest fragmentation in relation to COVID-19. Available literature on air quality and COVID-19 have provided insights into the potential of air pollutants acting as plausible virus carrier and aggravating immune responses and expression of ACE2 receptors. SARS-CoV-2 is detected in outdoor air, indoor air, solid waste, wastewater and shown to prevail on solid surfaces and aerosols for prolonged hours. Furthermore, lack of protection measures and safe disposal options in waste management are evoking concerns especially in underdeveloped countries due to high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. Inadequate legal framework and non-adherence to environmental regulations were observed to aggravate the postulated risks and vulnerability to future waves of pandemics. Our understanding underlines the urgent need to reinforce the fragile status of global environmental management systems through the development of strict legislative frameworks and enforcement by providing institutional, financial and technical supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Al Huraimel
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Alhosani
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hetasha Gopalani
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shabana Kunhabdulla
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed Hashem Stietiya
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Rothman JA, Saghir A, Chung SA, Boyajian N, Dinh T, Kim J, Oval J, Sharavanan V, York C, Zimmer-Faust AG, Langlois K, Steele JA, Griffith JF, Whiteson KL. Longitudinal metatranscriptomic sequencing of Southern California wastewater representing 16 million people from August 2020-21 reveals widespread transcription of antibiotic resistance genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.08.02.502560. [PMID: 35982656 PMCID: PMC9387120 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.02.502560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Municipal wastewater provides a representative sample of human fecal waste across a catchment area and contains a wide diversity of microbes. Sequencing wastewater samples provides information about human-associated and medically-important microbial populations, and may be useful to assay disease prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here, we present a study in which we used untargeted metatranscriptomic sequencing on RNA extracted from 275 sewage influent samples obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) representing approximately 16 million people in Southern California between August 2020 - August 2021. We characterized bacterial and viral transcripts, assessed metabolic pathway activity, and identified over 2,000 AMR genes/variants across all samples. Because we did not deplete ribosomal RNA, we have a unique window into AMR carried as ribosomal mutants. We show that AMR diversity varied between WTPs and that the relative abundance of many individual AMR genes/variants increased over time and may be connected to antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, we detected transcripts mapping to human pathogenic bacteria and viruses suggesting RNA sequencing is a powerful tool for wastewater-based epidemiology and that there are geographical signatures to microbial transcription. We captured the transcription of gene pathways common to bacterial cell processes, including central carbon metabolism, nucleotide synthesis/salvage, and amino acid biosynthesis. We also posit that due to the ubiquity of many viruses and bacteria in wastewater, new biological targets for microbial water quality assessment can be developed. To the best of our knowledge, our study provides the most complete longitudinal metatranscriptomic analysis of a large population's wastewater to date and demonstrates our ability to monitor the presence and activity of microbes in complex samples. By sequencing RNA, we can track the relative abundance of expressed AMR genes/variants and metabolic pathways, increasing our understanding of AMR activity across large human populations and sewer sheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. Rothman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Saghir
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Seung-Ah Chung
- Genomics High-Throughput Facility, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Boyajian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Thao Dinh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jinwoo Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jordan Oval
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Vivek Sharavanan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Courtney York
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Kylie Langlois
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - Joshua A. Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - John F. Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - Katrine L. Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Li J, Liu J, Yu H, Zhao W, Xia X, You S, Zhang J, Tong H, Wei L. Sources, fates and treatment strategies of typical viruses in urban sewage collection/treatment systems: A review. DESALINATION 2022; 534:115798. [PMID: 35498908 PMCID: PMC9033450 DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2022.115798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) throughout the world has severely threatened the global economy and public health. Due to receiving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from a wide variety of sources (e.g., households, hospitals, slaughterhouses), urban sewage treatment systems are regarded as an important path for the transmission of waterborne viruses. This review presents a quantitative profile of the concentration distribution of typical viruses within wastewater collection systems and evaluates the influence of different characteristics of sewer systems on virus species and concentration. Then, the efficiencies and mechanisms of virus removal in the units of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are summarized and compared, among which the inactivation efficiencies of typical viruses by typical disinfection approaches under varied operational conditions are elucidated. Subsequently, the occurrence and removal of viruses in treated effluent reuse and desalination, as well as that in sewage sludge treatment, are discussed. Potential dissemination of viruses is emphasized by occurrence via aerosolization from toilets, the collection system and WWTP aeration, which might have a vital role in the transmission and spread of viruses. Finally, the frequency and concentration of viruses in reclaimed water, the probability of infection are also reviewed for discussing the potential health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
- School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Hang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Weixin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Xinhui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shijie You
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Hailong Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
- Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
| | - Liangliang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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30
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Yang S, Dong Q, Li S, Cheng Z, Kang X, Ren D, Xu C, Zhou X, Liang P, Sun L, Zhao J, Jiao Y, Han T, Liu Y, Qian Y, Liu Y, Huang X, Qu J. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater after the end of the COVID-19 epidemics. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 429:128358. [PMID: 35123131 PMCID: PMC8800135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been widely detected in wastewater in many countries to track the COVID-19 pandemic development, it is still a lack of clear understanding of the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw sewage, especially after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic event. To fill this knowledge gap, this study conducted a field trial on the SARS-CoV-2 presence in various wastewater facilities after the end of the COVID-19 epidemics in Beijing. The result showed that the wastewater treatment facility is a large SARS-CoV-2 repository. The viral RNA was still present in hospital sewage for 15 days and was continually detected in municipal WWTPs for more than 19 days after the end of the local COVID-19 epidemics. The T90 values of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw wastewater were 17.17-8.42 days in the wastewater at 4 ℃ and 26 ℃, respectively, meaning that the decay rates of low titer viruses in raw sewage were much faster. The results confirmed that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA could persist in wastewater for more than two weeks, especially at lower temperatures. The sewage systems would be a virus repository and prolong the presence of the residual SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The study could enhance further understanding of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaolin Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Qian Dong
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Zhao Cheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Kang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Daheng Ren
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Chenyang Xu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Xiaohong Zhou
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Peng Liang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Lingli Sun
- Beijing Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, PR China
| | - Jianhong Zhao
- Beijing Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, PR China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Beijing Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, PR China
| | - Taoli Han
- Beijing Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, PR China
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China.
| | - Yi Qian
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Yi Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, PR China; Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China
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31
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Effect of Time and Temperature on SARS-CoV-2 in Municipal Wastewater Conveyance Systems. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14091373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 is becoming a widespread public health metric, but little is known about pre-analytical influences on these measurements. We examined SARS-CoV-2 loads from two sewer service areas with different travel times that were within the same metropolitan area. Throughout the one-year study, case rates were nearly identical between the two service areas allowing us to compare differences in empirical concentrations relative to conveyance system characteristics and wastewater treatment plant parameters. We found time did not have a significant effect on degradation of SARS-CoV-2 when using average transit times (22 vs. 7.5 h) (p = 0.08), or under low flow conditions when transit times are greater (p = 0.14). Flow increased rather than decreased SARS-CoV-2 case-adjusted concentrations, but this increase was only significant in one service area. Warmer temperatures (16.8–19.8 °C) compared with colder (8.4–12.3 °C) reduced SARS-CoV-2 case-adjusted loads by ~50% in both plants (p < 0.05). Decreased concentrations in warmer temperatures may be an important factor to consider when comparing seasonal dynamics. Oxygen demand and suspended solids had no significant effect on SARS-CoV-2 case-adjusted loads overall. Understanding wastewater conveyance system influences prior to sample collection will improve comparisons of regional or national data for SARS-CoV-2 community infections.
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32
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Parida VK, Sikarwar D, Majumder A, Gupta AK. An assessment of hospital wastewater and biomedical waste generation, existing legislations, risk assessment, treatment processes, and scenario during COVID-19. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 308:114609. [PMID: 35101807 PMCID: PMC8789570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Hospitals release significant quantities of wastewater (HWW) and biomedical waste (BMW), which hosts a wide range of contaminants that can adversely affect the environment if left untreated. The COVID-19 outbreak has further increased hospital waste generation over the past two years. In this context, a thorough literature study was carried out to reveal the negative implications of untreated hospital waste and delineate the proper ways to handle them. Conventional treatment methods can remove only 50%-70% of the emerging contaminants (ECs) present in the HWW. Still, many countries have not implemented suitable treatment methods to treat the HWW in-situ. This review presents an overview of worldwide HWW generation, regulations, and guidelines on HWW management and highlights the various treatment techniques for efficiently removing ECs from HWW. When combined with advanced oxidation processes, biological or physical treatment processes could remove around 90% of ECs. Analgesics were found to be more easily removed than antibiotics, β-blockers, and X-ray contrast media. The different environmental implications of BMW have also been highlighted. Mishandling of BMW can spread infections, deadly diseases, and hazardous waste into the environment. Hence, the different steps associated with collection to final disposal of BMW have been delineated to minimize the associated health risks. The paper circumscribes the multiple aspects of efficient hospital waste management and may be instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic when the waste generation from all hospitals worldwide has increased significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Kumar Parida
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Divyanshu Sikarwar
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Abhradeep Majumder
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Ashok Kumar Gupta
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
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SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE TOXICITY OF SARS-CoV-2-DERIVED PEPTIDE IN NON-TARGET COVID-19 ORGANISMS: A STUDY INVOLVING INBRED AND OUTBRED MICE. Neurotoxicology 2022; 90:184-196. [PMID: 35395329 PMCID: PMC8982478 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite advances in research on the vaccine and therapeutic strategies of COVID-19, little attention has been paid to the possible (eco)toxicological impacts of the dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 particles in natural environments. Thus, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the behavioral and biochemical consequences of the short exposure of outbred and inbred mice (male Swiss and C57Bl/6 J mice, respectively) to PSPD-2002 (peptide fragments of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2) synthesized in the laboratory. Our data demonstrated that after 24 h of intraperitoneal administration of PSPD-2002 (at 580 μg/kg) the animals did not present alterations in their locomotor, anxiolytic-like, or anxiety-like behavior (in the open field test), nor antidepressant-like or depressive behavior in the forced swimming test. However, the C57Bl/6 J mice exposed to PSPD-2002 showed memory deficit in the novel object recognition task, which was associated with higher production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, as well as the increased suppression of acetylcholinesterase brain activity, compared to Swiss mice also exposed to peptide fragments. In Swiss mice the reduction in the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the brain was not associated with increased oxidative stress biomarkers (hydrogen peroxide), suggesting that other antioxidant mechanisms may have been activated by exposure to PSPD-2002 to maintain the animals' brain redox homeostasis. Finally, the results of all biomarkers evaluated were applied into the "Integrated Biomarker Response Index" (IBRv2) and the principal component analysis (PCA), and greater sensitivity of C57Bl/6 J mice to PSPD-2002 was revealed. Therefore, our study provides pioneering evidence of mammalian exposure-induced toxicity (non-target SARS-CoV-2 infection) to PSPD-2002, as well as “sheds light” on the influence of genetic profile on susceptibility/resistance to the effects of viral peptide fragments.
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Pourakbar M, Abdolahnejad A, Raeghi S, Ghayourdoost F, Yousefi R, Behnami A. Comprehensive investigation of SARS-CoV-2 fate in wastewater and finding the virus transfer and destruction route through conventional activated sludge and sequencing batch reactor. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151391. [PMID: 34740662 PMCID: PMC8563086 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA transmission route was thoroughly investigated in the hospital wastewater, sewage collection network, and wastewater treatment plants. Samples were taken on four occasions from December 2020 to April 2021. The performance of two different wastewater treatment processes of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) was studied for virus destruction. For this purpose, liquid phase, solid phase and bioaerosol samples were taken from different units of the investigated wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The results revealed that all untreated hospital wastewater samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The virus detection frequency increased when the number of hospitalized cases increased. Detection of viral RNA in the wastewater collection system exhibited higher load of virus in the generated wastewater in areas with poor socioeconomic conditions. Virus detection in the emitted bioaerosols in WWTPs showed that bioaerosols released from CAS with surface aeration contains SARS-CoV-2 RNA posing a potential threat to the working staff of the WWTPs. However, no viral RNA was detected in the bioaerosols of the SBR with diffused aeration system. Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in WWTPs showed high affinity of the virus to be accumulated in biosolids rather than transporting via liquid phase. Following the fate of virus in sludge revealed that it is completely destructed in anaerobic sludge treatment process. Therefore, based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that receiving water resources could not be contaminated with virus, if the wastewater treatment processes work properly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Pourakbar
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Ali Abdolahnejad
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Saber Raeghi
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Farhad Ghayourdoost
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Roghayeh Yousefi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Behnami
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran.
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35
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Gwenzi W. Wastewater, waste, and water-based epidemiology (WWW-BE): A novel hypothesis and decision-support tool to unravel COVID-19 in low-income settings? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150680. [PMID: 34599955 PMCID: PMC8481624 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Traditional wastewater-based epidemiology (W-BE) relying on SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is attractive for understanding COVID-19. Yet traditional W-BE based on centralized wastewaters excludes putative SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs such as: (i) wastewaters from shared on-site sanitation facilities, (ii) solid waste including faecal sludge from non-flushing on-site sanitation systems, and COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE), (iii) raw/untreated water, and (iv) drinking water supply systems in low-income countries (LICs). A novel hypothesis and decision-support tool based on Wastewater (on-site sanitation, municipal sewer systems), solid Waste, and raw/untreated and drinking Water-based epidemiology (WWW-BE) is proposed for understanding COVID-19 in LICs. The WWW-BE conceptual framework, including components and principles is presented. Evidence on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and its proxies in wastewaters, solid materials/waste (papers, metals, fabric, plastics), and raw/untreated surface water, groundwater and drinking water is discussed. Taken together, wastewaters from municipal sewer and on-site sanitation systems, solid waste such as faecal sludge and COVID-19 PPE, raw/untreated surface water and groundwater, and drinking water systems in LICs act as potential reservoirs that receive and harbour SARS-CoV-2, and then transmit it to humans. Hence, WWW-BE could serve a dual function in estimating the prevalence and potential transmission of COVID-19. Several applications of WWW-BE as a hypothesis and decision support tool in LICs are discussed. WWW-BE aggregates data from various infected persons in a spatial unit, hence, putatively requires less resources (analytical kits, personnel) than individual diagnostic testing, making it an ideal decision-support tool for LICs. The novelty, and a critique of WWW-BE versus traditional W-BE are presented. Potential challenges of WWW-BE include: (i) biohazards and biosafety risks, (ii) lack of expertise, analytical equipment, and accredited laboratories, and (iii) high uncertainties in estimates of COVID-19 cases. Future perspectives and research directions including key knowledge gaps and the application of novel and emerging technologies in WWW-BE are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willis Gwenzi
- Biosystems and Environmental Engineering Research Group, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Food Systems, University of Zimbabwe, P. O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
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Dzinamarira T, Murewanhema G, Iradukunda PG, Madziva R, Herrera H, Cuadros DF, Tungwarara N, Chitungo I, Musuka G. Utilization of SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance in Africa-A Rapid Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:969. [PMID: 35055789 PMCID: PMC8775514 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is desirable for understanding COVID-19 in settings where financial resources and diagnostic facilities for mass individual testing are severely limited. We conducted a rapid review to map research evidence on the utilization of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance in Africa. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and the World Health Organization library databases for relevant reports, reviews, and primary observational studies. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Narrative synthesis of the findings from included primary studies revealed the testing methodologies utilized and that detected amount of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA correlated with the number of new cases in the studied areas. The included reviews revealed the epidemiological significance and environmental risks of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater. Wastewater surveillance data at the community level can be leveraged for the rapid assessment of emerging threats and aid pandemic preparedness. Our rapid review revealed a glaring gap in the primary literature on SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance on the continent, and accelerated and adequate investment into research is urgently needed to address this gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tafadzwa Dzinamarira
- School of Health Systems & Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- ICAP at Columbia University, Harare, Zimbabwe;
| | - Grant Murewanhema
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe;
| | - Patrick Gad Iradukunda
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UK;
| | - Roda Madziva
- School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
| | - Helena Herrera
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2UP, UK;
| | - Diego F. Cuadros
- Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA;
| | - Nigel Tungwarara
- Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa;
| | - Itai Chitungo
- Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe;
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Gutema G, Homa G. Cropping Up Crisis at the Nexus Between COVID-19 and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Africa: A Scoping Review and Synthesis of Early Evidence. Cureus 2022; 14:e21035. [PMID: 35155003 PMCID: PMC8820498 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.21035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aim to synthesize some evidence on the impacts that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is having on the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa since it was declared a global pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. A scoping review was undertaken by collecting and curating relevant resources from peer-reviewed articles and also from the gray literature. Mixed approaches of extracting data (qualitative and quantitative) were employed in synthesizing evidence, as suggested by the Health Evidence Network. A model constructed based on the synthesis of early evidence available on the effects of factors linked to COVID-19 in impacting the evolution of AMR in Africa predicted that, in cumulative terms, those factors favoring the evolution of AMR outpace those disfavoring it by no less than three folds. COVID-19 is likely fueling the evolution of AMR almost unhindered in Africa. Due to the recognition of this crisis, concerted efforts for resource mobilization and global cooperation are needed to tackle it.
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Jalali Milani S, Nabi Bidhendi G. A Review on the Potential of Common Disinfection Processes for the Removal of Virus from Wastewater. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 16:9. [PMID: 35013682 PMCID: PMC8733756 DOI: 10.1007/s41742-021-00387-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Due to the prevalence of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as findings of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and the possibility of viral transmission through wastewater, disinfection is required. As a consequence, based on prior investigations, this work initially employed the viral concentration detection technique, followed by the RT-qPCR assay, as the foundation for identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater. After that, the ability and efficacy of chlorine, ozone, and UV disinfection to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus from wastewater were examined. Chlorine disinfection is the most extensively used disinfection technology due to its multiple advantages. With a chlorine dioxide disinfectant dose of 40 mg/L, the SARS-CoV virus is inactivated after 30 min of contact time. On the other hand, ozone is a powerful oxidizer and an effective microbicide that is employed as a disinfectant due to its positive characteristics. After 30 min of exposure to 1000 ppmv ozone, corona pseudoviruses are reduced by 99%. Another common method of disinfection is using ultraviolet radiation, which is usually 253.7 nm suitable for ultraviolet disinfection. At a dose of 1048 mJ/cm2, UVC radiation completely inactivates the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Finally, to evaluate disinfection performance and optimize disinfection strategies to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, this study attempted to investigate the ability to remove and compare the effectiveness of each disinfectant to inactive the SARS-CoV-2 virus from wastewater, summarize studies, and provide future solutions due to the limited availability of integrated resources in this field and the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevda Jalali Milani
- School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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He JJ, Zhao SS, Zhang H, Liu XY, Li Q, Fu WX. Emergency Management of Medical Wastewater in Hospitals Specializing in Infectious Diseases: A Case Study of Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:381. [PMID: 35010642 PMCID: PMC8751112 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Medical wastewater originating from hospitals specializing in infectious diseases pose a major risk to human and environmental health during pandemics. However, there have been few systematic studies on the management of this type of wastewater management. The function of the Huoshenshan Hospital as a designated emergency field hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 has provided lessons for the management measures of medical wastewater, mainly including: (1) Modern information technology, management schemes, and related standard systems provided the legislative foundation for emergency management of medical wastewater. (2) The three-tier prevention and control medical wastewater management system ensured the discharged wastewater met water quality standards, especially for the leak-proof sealed collection system of the first tier, and the biological and chemical treatment technology of the second tier. (3) The establishment of an effective three-tier medical wastewater quality monitoring accountability system. This system was particularly relevant for ensuring continuous data monitoring and dynamic analysis of characteristic indicators. (4) Information disclosure by government and public supervision promoted successful implementation of medical wastewater management and control measures. Public questionnaires (n = 212) further confirmed the effectiveness of information disclosure. The results of this study can act as methodological reference for the emergency management of wastewater in designated infectious disease hospitals under similar situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jun He
- School of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China;
| | - Shu-Shu Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; (S.-S.Z.); (X.-Y.L.); (Q.L.); (W.-X.F.)
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; (S.-S.Z.); (X.-Y.L.); (Q.L.); (W.-X.F.)
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Industry Pollution Control, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Xia-Ying Liu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; (S.-S.Z.); (X.-Y.L.); (Q.L.); (W.-X.F.)
| | - Qin Li
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; (S.-S.Z.); (X.-Y.L.); (Q.L.); (W.-X.F.)
| | - Wen-Xuan Fu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China; (S.-S.Z.); (X.-Y.L.); (Q.L.); (W.-X.F.)
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Tomas M, Capanoglu E, Bahrami A, Hosseini H, Akbari‐Alavijeh S, Shaddel R, Rehman A, Rezaei A, Rashidinejad A, Garavand F, Goudarzi M, Jafari SM. The direct and indirect effects of bioactive compounds against coronavirus. FOOD FRONTIERS 2021; 3:96-123. [PMID: 35462942 PMCID: PMC9015578 DOI: 10.1002/fft2.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging viruses are known to pose a threat to humans in the world. COVID‐19, a newly emerging viral respiratory disease, can spread quickly from people to people via respiratory droplets, cough, sneeze, or exhale. Up to now, there are no specific therapies found for the treatment of COVID‐19. In this sense, the rising demand for effective antiviral drugs is stressed. The main goal of the present study is to cover the current literature about bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols, glucosinolates, carotenoids, minerals, vitamins, oligosaccharides, bioactive peptides, essential oils, and probiotics) with potential efficiency against COVID‐19, showing antiviral activities via the inhibition of coronavirus entry into the host cell, coronavirus enzymes, as well as the virus replication in human cells. In turn, these compounds can boost the immune system, helping fight against COVID‐19. Overall, it can be concluded that bioactives and the functional foods containing these compounds can be natural alternatives for boosting the immune system and defeating coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Tomas
- Department of Food Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Halkali Istanbul Turkey
| | - Esra Capanoglu
- Department of Food Engineering Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering Istanbul Technical University Maslak Istanbul Turkey
| | - Akbar Bahrami
- Center for Excellence in Post‐Harvest Technologies North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Kannapolis North Carolina USA
| | - Hamed Hosseini
- Food Additives Department Food Science and Technology Research Institute Research Center for Iranian Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR) Mashhad Iran
| | - Safoura Akbari‐Alavijeh
- Department of Food Science and Technology Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Ardabil Iran
| | - Rezvan Shaddel
- Department of Food Science and Technology Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Ardabil Iran
| | - Abdur Rehman
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology Jiangnan University Jiangsu Wuxi China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Food Safety and Quality Control Wuxi Jiangsu Province China
| | - Atefe Rezaei
- Department of Food Science and Technology School of Nutrition and Food Science Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan Iran
| | | | - Farhad Garavand
- Department of Food Chemistry and Technology Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark Fermoy, Co. Cork Ireland
| | - Mostafa Goudarzi
- Department of Food Science and Engineering University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Tehran Karaj Iran
| | - Seid Mahdi Jafari
- Department of Food Materials and Process Design Engineering Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources Gorgan Iran
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Cao KF, Chen Z, Shi Q, Wu YH, Lu Y, Mao Y, Chen XW, Li K, Xu Q, Hu HY. An insight to sequential ozone‑chlorine process for synergistic disinfection on reclaimed water: Experimental and modelling studies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148563. [PMID: 34175603 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Water reclamation plants (WRPs) are facing the challenges of ensuring microbial safety and require efficient disinfection systems. Sequential ozone‑chlorine disinfection is supposed to be a favorable alternative for reclaimed water disinfection. This study compared the inactivation efficiency of E.coli by single ozone, single chlorine, and sequential ozone‑chlorine disinfection approaches. Notably, a single ozone or chlorine process could only achieve a log removal rate of up to 5 log, whereas the sequential ozone‑chlorine disinfection could completely inactivate microorganisms (7.3 log). For sequential ozone‑chlorine disinfection, the efficiency of chlorination was improved by 2.4%-18.5%. The synergistic effect mainly attributed to the elimination of chlorine consuming substances by ozone. Through the chlorine decay model (CRS) fitting and calculating the integral CT value, the enhancement ability of ozone to chlorine disinfection was quantified. By introducing an enhancement coefficient (β), a succinct and accurate model was established to estimate the inactivation rate of sequential ozone‑chlorine disinfection (mean absolute percentage error: 0.035). The results and methodology of this study are informative to optimize the disinfection units of WRPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Fan Cao
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Qi Shi
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yin-Hu Wu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yun Lu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yu Mao
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xiao-Wen Chen
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Kuixiao Li
- Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Research and Development Center, Beijing Drainage Group Co., Ltd, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Qi Xu
- Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Research and Development Center, Beijing Drainage Group Co., Ltd, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Hong-Ying Hu
- Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215163, PR China.
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42
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Spurbeck RR, Minard-Smith A, Catlin L. Feasibility of neighborhood and building scale wastewater-based genomic epidemiology for pathogen surveillance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:147829. [PMID: 34051492 PMCID: PMC8542657 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The benefits of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for tracking the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, have become apparent since the start of the pandemic. However, most sampling occurs at the wastewater treatment plant influent and therefore monitors the entire catchment, encompassing multiple municipalities, and is conducted using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which only quantifies one target. Sequencing methods provide additional strain information and also can identify other pathogens, broadening the applicability of WBE to beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we demonstrate feasibility of sampling at the neighborhood or building complex level using qPCR, targeted sequencing, and untargeted metatranscriptomics (total RNA sequencing) to provide a refined understanding of the local dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 strains and identify other pathogens circulating in the community. We demonstrate feasibility of tracking SARS-CoV-2 at the neighborhood, hospital, and nursing home level with the ability to detect one COVID-19 positive out of 60 nursing home residents. The viral load obtained was correlative with the number of COVID-19 patients being treated in the hospital. Targeted wastewater-based sequencing over time demonstrated that nonsynonymous mutations fluctuate in the viral population. Clades and shifts in mutation profiles within the community were monitored and could be used to determine if vaccine or diagnostics need to be adapted to ensure continued efficacy. Furthermore, untargeted RNA sequencing identified several other pathogens in the samples. Therefore, untargeted RNA sequencing could be used to identify new outbreaks or emerging pathogens beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Spurbeck
- Health Outcomes and Biotechnology Solutions, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America.
| | - Angela Minard-Smith
- Health Outcomes and Biotechnology Solutions, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America
| | - Lindsay Catlin
- National Security Bioscience Center, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America
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43
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Cui L, Li HZ, Yang K, Zhu LJ, Xu F, Zhu YG. Raman biosensor and molecular tools for integrated monitoring of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in wastewater. Trends Analyt Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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44
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Spurbeck RR, Minard-Smith A, Catlin L. Feasibility of neighborhood and building scale wastewater-based genomic epidemiology for pathogen surveillance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:147829. [PMID: 34051492 DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.18.21251939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The benefits of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for tracking the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, have become apparent since the start of the pandemic. However, most sampling occurs at the wastewater treatment plant influent and therefore monitors the entire catchment, encompassing multiple municipalities, and is conducted using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which only quantifies one target. Sequencing methods provide additional strain information and also can identify other pathogens, broadening the applicability of WBE to beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we demonstrate feasibility of sampling at the neighborhood or building complex level using qPCR, targeted sequencing, and untargeted metatranscriptomics (total RNA sequencing) to provide a refined understanding of the local dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 strains and identify other pathogens circulating in the community. We demonstrate feasibility of tracking SARS-CoV-2 at the neighborhood, hospital, and nursing home level with the ability to detect one COVID-19 positive out of 60 nursing home residents. The viral load obtained was correlative with the number of COVID-19 patients being treated in the hospital. Targeted wastewater-based sequencing over time demonstrated that nonsynonymous mutations fluctuate in the viral population. Clades and shifts in mutation profiles within the community were monitored and could be used to determine if vaccine or diagnostics need to be adapted to ensure continued efficacy. Furthermore, untargeted RNA sequencing identified several other pathogens in the samples. Therefore, untargeted RNA sequencing could be used to identify new outbreaks or emerging pathogens beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Spurbeck
- Health Outcomes and Biotechnology Solutions, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America.
| | - Angela Minard-Smith
- Health Outcomes and Biotechnology Solutions, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America
| | - Lindsay Catlin
- National Security Bioscience Center, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, United States of America
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45
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Rouchka EC, Chariker JH, Saurabh K, Waigel S, Zacharias W, Zhang M, Talley D, Santisteban I, Puccio M, Moyer S, Holm RH, Yeager RA, Sokoloski KJ, Fuqua J, Bhatnagar A, Smith T. The Rapid Assessment of Aggregated Wastewater Samples for Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 on a City-Wide Scale. Pathogens 2021; 10:1271. [PMID: 34684220 PMCID: PMC8541652 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the course of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic there has been a need for approaches that enable rapid monitoring of public health using an unbiased and minimally invasive means. A major way this has been accomplished is through the regular assessment of wastewater samples by qRT-PCR to detect the prevalence of viral nucleic acid with respect to time and location. Further expansion of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring efforts to include the detection of variants of interest/concern through next-generation sequencing has enhanced the understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. In this report, we detail the results of a collaborative effort between public health and metropolitan wastewater management authorities and the University of Louisville to monitor the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic through the monitoring of aggregate wastewater samples over a period of 28 weeks. Through the use of next-generation sequencing approaches the polymorphism signatures of Variants of Concern/Interest were evaluated to determine the likelihood of their prevalence within the community on the basis of their relative dominance within sequence datasets. Our data indicate that wastewater monitoring of water quality treatment centers and smaller neighborhood-scale catchment areas is a viable means by which the prevalence and genetic variation of SARS-CoV-2 within a metropolitan community of approximately one million individuals may be monitored, as our efforts detected the introduction and emergence of variants of concern in the city of Louisville. Importantly, these efforts confirm that regional emergence and spread of variants of interest/concern may be detected as readily in aggregate wastewater samples as compared to the individual wastewater sheds. Furthermore, the information gained from these efforts enabled targeted public health efforts including increased outreach to at-risk communities and the deployment of mobile or community-focused vaccination campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C. Rouchka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, 323 E. Chestnut St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
- KY INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Louisville, 522 E. Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
| | - Julia H. Chariker
- KY INBRE Bioinformatics Core, University of Louisville, 522 E. Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
| | - Kumar Saurabh
- Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, 530 S. Jackson St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
| | - Sabine Waigel
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, 530 S. Jackson St., Louisville, KY 40402, USA; (S.W.); (W.Z.)
| | - Wolfgang Zacharias
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, 530 S. Jackson St., Louisville, KY 40402, USA; (S.W.); (W.Z.)
| | - Mei Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
| | - Daymond Talley
- Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District, Morris Forman Water Quality Treatment Center, 4522 Algonquin Parkway, Louisville, KY 40211, USA;
| | - Ian Santisteban
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
- Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Madeline Puccio
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.P.); (R.H.H.); (R.A.Y.); (A.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Sarah Moyer
- Department of Health Management and System Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, 485 E. Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
- Department of Public Health and Wellness, Louisville Metro Government, 400 E. Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Rochelle H. Holm
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.P.); (R.H.H.); (R.A.Y.); (A.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Ray A. Yeager
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.P.); (R.H.H.); (R.A.Y.); (A.B.); (T.S.)
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, 485 E. Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Kevin J. Sokoloski
- Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Joshua Fuqua
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA;
- Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, 505 S. Hancock St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Aruni Bhatnagar
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.P.); (R.H.H.); (R.A.Y.); (A.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Ted Smith
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.P.); (R.H.H.); (R.A.Y.); (A.B.); (T.S.)
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Mackuľak T, Cverenkárová K, Vojs Staňová A, Fehér M, Tamáš M, Škulcová AB, Gál M, Naumowicz M, Špalková V, Bírošová L. Hospital Wastewater-Source of Specific Micropollutants, Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms, Viruses, and Their Elimination. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1070. [PMID: 34572652 PMCID: PMC8471966 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Municipal wastewaters can generally provide real-time information on drug consumption, the incidence of specific diseases, or establish exposure to certain agents and determine some lifestyle consequences. From this point of view, wastewater-based epidemiology represents a modern diagnostic tool for describing the health status of a certain part of the population in a specific region. Hospital wastewater is a complex mixture of pharmaceuticals, illegal drugs, and their metabolites as well as different susceptible and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, including viruses. Many studies pointed out that wastewater from healthcare facilities (including hospital wastewater), significantly contributes to higher loads of micropollutants, including bacteria and viruses, in municipal wastewater. In addition, such a mixture can increase the selective pressure on bacteria, thus contributing to the development and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Because many pharmaceuticals, drugs, and microorganisms can pass through wastewater treatment plants without any significant change in their structure and toxicity and enter surface waters, treatment technologies need to be improved. This short review summarizes the recent knowledge from studies on micropollutants, pathogens, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and viruses (including SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater from healthcare facilities. It also proposes several possibilities for improving the wastewater treatment process in terms of efficiency as well as economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Mackuľak
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (T.M.); (M.F.); (M.T.); (A.B.Š.)
| | - Klára Cverenkárová
- Department of Nutrition and Food Quality Assessment, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Andrea Vojs Staňová
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia;
- South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Zatisi 728/II, CZ-389 25 Vodnany, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Fehér
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (T.M.); (M.F.); (M.T.); (A.B.Š.)
| | - Michal Tamáš
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (T.M.); (M.F.); (M.T.); (A.B.Š.)
| | - Andrea Bútor Škulcová
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (T.M.); (M.F.); (M.T.); (A.B.Š.)
| | - Miroslav Gál
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.G.); (V.Š.)
| | - Monika Naumowicz
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, K. Ciolkowskiego 1K, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland;
| | - Viera Špalková
- Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.G.); (V.Š.)
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 00 Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Lucia Bírošová
- Department of Nutrition and Food Quality Assessment, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology STU, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia;
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Revilla Pacheco C, Terán Hilares R, Colina Andrade G, Mogrovejo-Valdivia A, Pacheco Tanaka DA. Emerging contaminants, SARS-COV-2 and wastewater treatment plants, new challenges to confront: A short review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 15:100731. [PMID: 34124614 PMCID: PMC8183098 DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has put public health at risk, being wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) a potential tool in the detection, prevention, and treatment of present and possible future outbreaks, since this virus enters wastewater through various sources such as feces, vomit, and sputum. Thus, advanced technologies such as advanced oxidation processes (AOP), membrane technology (MT) are identified through a systematic literature review as an alternative option for the destruction and removal of emerging contaminants (drugs and personal care products) released mainly by infected patients. The objectives of this review are to know the implications that the new COVID-19 outbreak is generating and will generate in water compartments, as well as the new challenges faced by wastewater treatment plants due to the change in a load of contaminants and the solutions proposed based on the aforementioned technologies to be applied to preserve public health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Revilla Pacheco
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Universidad Católica de Santa María - UCSM, Urb. San José, San José S/N, Yanahuara, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Ruly Terán Hilares
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Universidad Católica de Santa María - UCSM, Urb. San José, San José S/N, Yanahuara, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Gilberto Colina Andrade
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Universidad Católica de Santa María - UCSM, Urb. San José, San José S/N, Yanahuara, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Alejandra Mogrovejo-Valdivia
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Universidad Católica de Santa María - UCSM, Urb. San José, San José S/N, Yanahuara, Arequipa, Peru
| | - David Alfredo Pacheco Tanaka
- Laboratorio de Tecnología de Membranas, Universidad Católica de Santa María - UCSM, Urb. San José, San José S/N, Yanahuara, Arequipa, Peru
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Infection prevention measures in acute care settings based on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission patterns and risk: a review. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2021; 34:346-356. [PMID: 34127582 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, when facing extraordinary infection prevention challenges, acute care settings have balanced routine patient safety needs while minimizing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission risk to patients and healthcare personnel (HCP). Mitigation strategies in acute care settings are based on a combination of basic science, environmental, and epidemiologic evidence. Here, we review the literature on SARS-CoV-2 transmission, how it has shaped infection prevention interventions in acute care settings, and the results of such measures to reduce transmission. RECENT FINDINGS HCP adherence to transmission-based precautions in acute care settings, such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), is essential to mitigating SARS-CoV-2 spread. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been isolated in nonrespiratory body sites, such exposure has not been shown to definitively cause transmission in humans. Epidemiologic evidence has demonstrated that implementation and adherence to infection prevention strategies reduces acute setting transmission. SUMMARY Given SARS-CoV-2 infection occurs primarily through respiratory transmission, preventing HCP acquisition requires fidelity to consistent PPE usage. Infection prevention strategies and implementation of transmission-based precautions have reduced spread and outbreaks. Epidemiologic studies of acute care outbreaks often include reports of PPE nonadherence and community exposure contributing to SARS-CoV-2 transmission within this setting.
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Nasir AM, Awang N, Hubadillah SK, Jaafar J, Othman MHD, Wan Salleh WN, Ismail AF. A review on the potential of photocatalysis in combatting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING 2021; 42:102111. [PMID: 35592059 PMCID: PMC8084616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Photocatalytic technology offers powerful virus disinfection in wastewater via oxidative capability with minimum harmful by-products generation. This review paper aims to provide state-of-the-art photocatalytic technology in battling transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater. Prior to that, the advantages and limitations of the existing conventional and advanced oxidation processes for virus disinfection in water systems were thoroughly examined. A wide spectrum of virus degradation by various photocatalysts was then considered to understand the potential mechanism for deactivating this deadly virus. The challenges and future perspectives were comprehensively discussed at the end of this review describing the limitations of current photocatalytic technology and suggesting a realistic outlook on advanced photocatalytic technology as a potential solution in dealing with similar upcoming pandemics. The major finding of this review including discovery of a vision on the possible photocatalytic approaches that have been proven to be outstanding against other viruses and subsequently combatting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. This review intends to deliver insightful information and discussion on the potential of photocatalysis in battling COVID-19 transmission through wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atikah Mohd Nasir
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Nuha Awang
- Facilities Maintenance Engineering Section, Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Persiaran Sinaran Ilmu, Bandar Seri Alam, 81750, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Siti Khadijah Hubadillah
- School of Technology Management and Logistics, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, 06010, Malaysia
| | - Juhana Jaafar
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
- School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
- School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norhayati Wan Salleh
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
- School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Fauzi Ismail
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
- School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
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50
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Kang A, Ren L, Hua C, Song H, Dong M, Fang Z, Zhu M. Environmental management strategy in response to COVID-19 in China: Based on text mining of government open information. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:145158. [PMID: 33485207 PMCID: PMC7837070 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic and a major health emergency. In the process of fighting against COVID-19, the China Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) responded quickly and set up a working group as soon as possible. This article uses text mining to retrospectively analyze the government's public information on the website of MEE during the epidemic, sort out the timeline of MEE's response to COVID-19. We find that MEE's work during the COVID-19 pandemic is focused on medical waste and wastewater treatment, environment emergency monitoring, pollution prevention, and other environmental management for supporting economic recovery. It drafted three main medical waste management plans, an emergency environmental monitoring plan, and formulated "two lists" - a Positive checklist for Environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval and a positive checklist for supervision and enforcement, to promote the resumption of work and production. 2020 is the final year of China's "three years of fighting pollution prevention and control". In the case of the sudden COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese environment department has ensured that the quality of the ecological environment has not been affected by the epidemic prevention and control while ensuring the smooth progress of the fight against pollution. China's medical waste disposal capacity has also been greatly improved during this epidemic. The review of China's environmental management strategy in response to COVID-19 can provide a reference for countries in the world that are still in the critical period of epidemic control; it can provide action guidelines for the ecological environment system to respond to sudden pandemic events in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Kang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Lijun Ren
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.
| | - Chunyu Hua
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Hui Song
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Miaoxin Dong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Zhaotong Fang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
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