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Zhao L, Guzman HP, Xagoraraki I. Comparative analyses of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in Detroit wastewater quantified with CDC N1, N2, and SC2 assays reveal optimal target for predicting COVID-19 cases. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:174140. [PMID: 38906283 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174140] [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: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
To monitor COVID-19 through wastewater surveillance, global researchers dedicated significant endeavors and resources to develop and implement diverse RT-qPCR or RT-ddPCR assays targeting different genes of SARS-CoV-2. Effective wastewater surveillance hinges on the appropriate selection of the most suitable assay, especially for resource-constrained regions where scant technical and socioeconomic resources restrict the options for testing with multiple assays. Further research is imperative to evaluate the existing assays through comprehensive comparative analyses. Such analyses are crucial for health agencies and wastewater surveillance practitioners in the selection of appropriate methods for monitoring COVID-19. In this study, untreated wastewater samples were collected weekly from the Detroit wastewater treatment plant, Michigan, USA, between January and December 2023. Polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG) was applied to concentrate the samples followed by RNA extraction and RT-ddPCR. Three assays including N1, N2 (US CDC Real-Time Reverse Transcription PCR Panel for Detection of SARS-CoV-2), and SC2 assay (US CDC Influenza SARS-CoV-2 Multiplex Assay) were implemented to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The limit of blank and limit of detection for the three assays were experimentally determined. SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations were evaluated and compared through three statistical approaches, including Pearson and Spearman's rank correlations, Dynamic Time Warping, and vector autoregressive models. N1 and N2 demonstrated the highest correlation and most similar time series patterns. Conversely, N2 and SC2 assay demonstrated the lowest correlation and least similar time series patterns. N2 was identified as the optimal target to predict COVID-19 cases. This study presents a rigorous effort in evaluating and comparing SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations quantified with N1, N2, and SC2 assays and their interrelations and correlations with clinical cases. This study provides valuable insights into identifying the optimal target for monitoring COVID-19 through wastewater surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, 1449 Engineering Research Ct., East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Heidy Peidro Guzman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, 1449 Engineering Research Ct., East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Irene Xagoraraki
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, 1449 Engineering Research Ct., East Lansing, MI 48823, USA.
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2
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Robotto A, Olivero C, Pozzi E, Strumia C, Crasà C, Fedele C, Derosa M, Di Martino M, Latino S, Scorza G, Civra A, Lembo D, Quaglino P, Brizio E, Polato D. Efficient wastewater sample filtration improves the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants: An extensive analysis based on sequencing parameters. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304158. [PMID: 38787865 PMCID: PMC11125551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, many countries established wastewater (WW) surveillance to objectively monitor the level of infection within the population. As new variants continue to emerge, it has become clear that WW surveillance is an essential tool for the early detection of variants. The EU Commission published a recommendation suggesting an approach to establish surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in WW, besides specifying the methodology for WW concentration and RNA extraction. Therefore, different groups have approached the issue with different strategies, mainly focusing on WW concentration methods, but only a few groups highlighted the importance of prefiltering WW samples and/or purification of RNA samples. Aiming to obtain high-quality sequencing data allowing variants detection, we compared four experimental conditions generated from the treatment of: i) WW samples by WW filtration and ii) the extracted RNA by DNase treatment, purification and concentration of the extracted RNA. To evaluate the best condition, the results were assessed by focusing on several sequencing parameters, as the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing from WW is crucial for variant detection. Overall, the best sequencing result was obtained by filtering the WW sample. Moreover, the present study provides an overview of some sequencing parameters to consider when optimizing a method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants from WW samples, which can also be applied to any sample preparation methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Robotto
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), Torino, Italy
| | - Carlotta Olivero
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Elisa Pozzi
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Claudia Strumia
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Camilla Crasà
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Cristina Fedele
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Maddalena Derosa
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Massimo Di Martino
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Stefania Latino
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Giada Scorza
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
| | - Andrea Civra
- Dept. of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, Torino, Italy
| | - David Lembo
- Dept. of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, Torino, Italy
| | - Paola Quaglino
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), Torino, Italy
| | - Enrico Brizio
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), Torino, Italy
| | - Denis Polato
- Department of Regional Centre of Molecular Biology, Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (Arpa Piemonte), La Loggia, Torino, Italy
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Rashid SA, Rajendiran S, Nazakat R, Mohammad Sham N, Khairul Hasni NA, Anasir MI, Kamel KA, Muhamad Robat R. A scoping review of global SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology in light of COVID-19 pandemic. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30600. [PMID: 38765075 PMCID: PMC11098849 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) research has experienced a strong impetus during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, a few technical issues related to surveillance strategies, such as standardized procedures ranging from sampling to testing protocols, need to be resolved in preparation for future infectious disease outbreaks. This review highlights the study characteristics, potential use of WBE and overview of methods, as well as methods utilized to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) including its variant in wastewater. A literature search was performed electronically in PubMed and Scopus according to PRISMA guidelines for relevant peer-reviewed articles published between January 2020 and March 2022. The search identified 588 articles, out of which 221 fulfilled the necessary criteria and are discussed in this review. Most global WBE studies were conducted in North America (n = 75, 34 %), followed by Europe (n = 68, 30.8 %), and Asia (n = 43, 19.5 %). The review also showed that most of the application of WBE observed were to correlate SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) trends in sewage with epidemiological data (n = 90, 40.7 %). The techniques that were often used globally for sample collection, concentration, preferred matrix recovery control and various sample types were also discussed. Overall, this review provided a framework for researchers specializing in WBE to apply strategic approaches to their research questions in achieving better functional insights. In addition, areas that needed more in-depth analysis, data collection, and ideas for new initiatives were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Aishah Rashid
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sakshaleni Rajendiran
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Raheel Nazakat
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Noraishah Mohammad Sham
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Amalina Khairul Hasni
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Ishtiaq Anasir
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khayri Azizi Kamel
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosnawati Muhamad Robat
- Occupational & Environmental Health Unit, Public Health Division, Selangor State Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Malaysia
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Chen C, Kaur G, Adiga A, Espinoza B, Venkatramanan S, Warren A, Lewis B, Crow J, Singh R, Lorentz A, Toney D, Marathe M. Wastewater-based Epidemiology for COVID-19 Surveillance: A Survey. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2403.15291v1. [PMID: 38562450 PMCID: PMC10984000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The pandemic of COVID-19 has imposed tremendous pressure on public health systems and social economic ecosystems over the past years. To alleviate its social impact, it is important to proactively track the prevalence of COVID-19 within communities. The traditional way to estimate the disease prevalence is to estimate from reported clinical test data or surveys. However, the coverage of clinical tests is often limited and the tests can be labor-intensive, requires reliable and timely results, and consistent diagnostic and reporting criteria. Recent studies revealed that patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19 often undergo fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 virus into wastewater, which makes wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for COVID-19 surveillance a promising approach to complement traditional clinical testing. In this paper, we survey the existing literature regarding WBE for COVID-19 surveillance and summarize the current advances in the area. Specifically, we have covered the key aspects of wastewater sampling, sample testing, and presented a comprehensive and organized summary of wastewater data analytical methods. Finally, we provide the open challenges on current wastewater-based COVID-19 surveillance studies, aiming to encourage new ideas to advance the development of effective wastewater-based surveillance systems for general infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Gursharn Kaur
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Aniruddha Adiga
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Baltazar Espinoza
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Srinivasan Venkatramanan
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Andrew Warren
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Bryan Lewis
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
| | - Justin Crow
- Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, 23219, United States
| | - Rekha Singh
- Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, 23219, United States
| | - Alexandra Lorentz
- Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, Department of General Services, Richmond, 23219, United States
| | - Denise Toney
- Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, Department of General Services, Richmond, 23219, United States
| | - Madhav Marathe
- Biocomplexity Institute and Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
- Department of Computer Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, United States
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Ciannella S, González-Fernández C, Gomez-Pastora J. Recent progress on wastewater-based epidemiology for COVID-19 surveillance: A systematic review of analytical procedures and epidemiological modeling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:162953. [PMID: 36948304 PMCID: PMC10028212 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), whose causative agent is the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pandemic. This virus is predominantly transmitted via respiratory droplets and shed via sputum, saliva, urine, and stool. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been able to monitor the circulation of viral pathogens in the population. This tool demands both in-lab and computational work to be meaningful for, among other purposes, the prediction of outbreaks. In this context, we present a systematic review that organizes and discusses laboratory procedures for SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification from a wastewater matrix, along with modeling techniques applied to the development of WBE for COVID-19 surveillance. The goal of this review is to present the current panorama of WBE operational aspects as well as to identify current challenges related to it. Our review was conducted in a reproducible manner by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews. We identified a lack of standardization in wastewater analytical procedures. Regardless, the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) approach was the most reported technique employed to detect and quantify viral RNA in wastewater samples. As a more convenient sample matrix, we suggest the solid portion of wastewater to be considered in future investigations due to its higher viral load compared to the liquid fraction. Regarding the epidemiological modeling, the data-driven approach was consistently used for the prediction of variables associated with outbreaks. Future efforts should also be directed toward the development of rapid, more economical, portable, and accurate detection devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Ciannella
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409, TX, USA.
| | - Cristina González-Fernández
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409, TX, USA; Departamento de Ingenierías Química y Biomolecular, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. Los Castros, s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain.
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6
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Pasalari H, Ataei-Pirkooh A, Gholami M, Azhar IR, Yan C, Kachooei A, Farzadkia M. Is SARS-CoV-2 a concern in the largest wastewater treatment plant in middle east? Heliyon 2023; 9:e16607. [PMID: 37251481 PMCID: PMC10207840 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The surveillance of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) as the end point of SARS-CoV-2 shed from infected people arise a speculation on transmission of this virus of concern from WWTP in epidemic period. To this end, the present study was developed to comprehensively investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewater, effluent and air inhaled by workers and employee in the largest WWTP in Tehran for one-year study period. The monthly raw wastewater, effluent and air samples of WWTP were taken and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA were detected using QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit and real-time RT-PCR assay. According to results, the speculation on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was proved in WWTP by detection this virus in raw wastewater. However, no SARS-CoV-2 was found in both effluent and air of WWTP; this presents the low or no infection for workers and employee in WWTP. Furthermore, further research are needed for detection the SARS-CoV-2 in solid and biomass produced from WWTP processes due to flaks formation, followed by sedimentation in order to better understand the wastewater-based epidemiology and preventive measurement for other epidemics probably encountered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Pasalari
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Angila Ataei-Pirkooh
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mitra Gholami
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Rezaei Azhar
- Research Center for Clinical Virology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Atefeh Kachooei
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Farzadkia
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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7
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Agrawal S, Orschler L, Zachmann K, Lackner S. Comprehensive mutation profiling from wastewater in southern Germany extends evidence of circulating SARS-CoV-2 diversity beyond mutations characteristic for Omicron. FEMS MICROBES 2023; 4:xtad006. [PMID: 37333432 PMCID: PMC10117852 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtad006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater is primarily performed by detecting characteristic mutations of the variants. Unlike the Delta variant, the emergence of the Omicron variant and its sublineages as variants of concern has posed a challenge in using characteristic mutations for wastewater surveillance. In this study, we monitored the temporal and spatial variation of SARS-CoV-2 variants by including all the detected mutations and compared whether limiting the analyses to characteristic mutations for variants like Omicron impact the outcomes. We collected 24-hour composite samples from 15 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Hesse and sequenced 164 wastewater samples with a targeted sequencing approach from September 2021 to March 2022. Our results show that comparing the number of all the mutations against the number of the characteristic mutations reveals a different outcome. A different temporal variation was observed for the ORF1a and S gene. As Omicron became dominant, we observed an increase in the overall number of mutations. Based on the characteristic mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 variants, a decreasing trend for the number of ORF1a and S gene mutations was noticed, though the number of known characteristic mutations in both genes is higher in Omicron than Delta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelesh Agrawal
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Laura Orschler
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kira Zachmann
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Susanne Lackner
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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Câmara AB, Bonfante J, da Penha MG, Cassini STA, de Pinho Keller R. Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160012. [PMID: 36368397 PMCID: PMC9643039 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This paper aims to review the main sludge concentration methods used for SARS-CoV-2 detection in sewage sludge samples, discussing the main methods and sample volume related to increased viral load. In addition, we aim to evaluate the countries associated with increased positivity rates for SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples. METHODS This systematic methodology was registered in PROSPERO and followed the PRISMA guidelines. The search was carried out in the SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases in January-March 2022. Quantitative studies with conclusive results were included in this review. Concentration methods (polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEG + NaCl, gravity thickening, skimmed milk flocculation, ultrafiltration, filtration using charged filters, primary sedimentation, and anaerobic digestion), as well as detection methods (RTqPCR and reverse transcription droplet digital PCR assay) were evaluated in this review. The SPSS v23 software program was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS PEG (with or without NaCl addition) and gravity thickening were the most used sludge concentration methods to detect SARS-CoV-2. The main method associated with increased viral load (>2,02 × 10^4 copies/mL) was PEG + NaCl (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). The average positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2 in sludge samples was 61 %, and a correlation was found between the sludge volume and the viral load (ro 0.559, p = 0.03, Spearman correlation). CONCLUSION The sludge volume may influence the SARS-CoV-2 load since the virus can adhere to solid particles in these samples. Other factors may be associated with SARS-CoV-2 load, including the methods used; especially PEG + NaCl may result in a high viral load detected in sludge, and may provide a suitable pH for SARS-CoV-2 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Barros Câmara
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
| | - Júlia Bonfante
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Marília Gueler da Penha
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Sérvio Túlio Alves Cassini
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Regina de Pinho Keller
- Sanitation Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Ave. Fernando Ferrari, 515, Goiabeiras, 29075051 Vitória, ES, Brazil
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Burnet JB, Cauchie HM, Walczak C, Goeders N, Ogorzaly L. Persistence of endogenous RNA biomarkers of SARS-CoV-2 and PMMoV in raw wastewater: Impact of temperature and implications for wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159401. [PMID: 36240930 PMCID: PMC9554201 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers in wastewater should guide wastewater-based epidemiology users in selecting best RNA biomarkers for reliable detection of the virus during current and future waves of the pandemic. In the present study, the persistence of endogenous SARS-CoV-2 were assessed during one month for six different RNA biomarkers and for the pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) at three different temperatures (4, 12 and 20 °C) in one wastewater sample. All SARS-CoV-2 RNA biomarkers were consistently detected during 6 days at 4° and differences in signal persistence among RNA biomarkers were mostly observed at 20 °C with N biomarkers being globally more persistent than RdRP, E and ORF1ab ones. SARS-CoV-2 signal persistence further decreased in a temperature dependent manner. At 12 and 20 °C, RNA biomarker losses of 1-log10 occurred on average after 6 and 4 days, and led to a complete signal loss after 13 and 6 days, respectively. Besides the effect of temperature, SARS-CoV-2 RNA signals were more persistent in the particulate phase compared to the aqueous one. Finally, PMMoV RNA signal was highly persistent in both phases and significantly differed from that of SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers. We further provide a detailed overview of the latest literature on SARS-CoV-2 and PMMoV decay rates in sewage matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Burnet
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research & Innovation Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Henry-Michel Cauchie
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research & Innovation Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Cécile Walczak
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research & Innovation Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Nathalie Goeders
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research & Innovation Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Leslie Ogorzaly
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research & Innovation Department, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
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10
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Holub M, Agena E. Biofoundries and citizen science can accelerate disease surveillance and environmental monitoring. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 10:1110376. [PMID: 36714630 PMCID: PMC9877229 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1110376] [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: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A biofoundry is a highly automated facility for processing of biological samples. In that capacity it has a major role in accelerating innovation and product development in engineering biology by implementing design, build, test and learn (DBTL) cycles. Biofoundries bring public and private stakeholders together to share resources, develop standards and forge collaborations on national and international levels. In this paper we argue for expanding the scope of applications for biofoundries towards roles in biosurveillance and biosecurity. Reviewing literature on these topics, we conclude that this could be achieved in multiple ways including developing measurement standards and protocols, engaging citizens in data collection, closer collaborations with biorefineries, and processing of samples. Here we provide an overview of these roles that despite their potential utility have not yet been commonly considered by policymakers and funding agencies and identify roadblocks to their realization. This document should prove useful to policymakers and other stakeholders who wish to strengthen biosecurity programs in ways that synergize with bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Holub
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands,*Correspondence: Martin Holub,
| | - Ethan Agena
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Dimitrakopoulos L, Kontou A, Strati A, Galani A, Kostakis M, Kapes V, Lianidou E, Thomaidis N, Markou A. Evaluation of viral concentration and extraction methods for SARS-CoV-2 recovery from wastewater using droplet digital and quantitative RT-PCR. CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2022; 6:100224. [PMID: 37520924 PMCID: PMC9222221 DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2022.100224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic caused by the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide despite the various measures announced by the authorities. Wastewater-based epidemiology has the ability to provide a day-to-day estimation of the number of infected people in a fast and cost-effective manner. However, owing to the complex nature of wastewater, wastewater monitoring for viral genome copies is affected by the extensive viral fragmentation that takes place all the way to the sewage and the analytical lab. The aim of this study was to evaluate different methodologies for the concentration and extraction of viruses in wastewaters and to select and improve an option that maximizes the recovery of SARS-CoV-2. We compare 5 different concentration methods and 4 commercially available kits for the RNA extraction. To evaluate the performance and the recovery of these, SARS-CoV-2 isolated from patients was used as a spike control. Additionally, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in all wastewater samples was determined using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and reverse transcription droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR), targeting three genetic markers (N1, N2 and N3). Using spiked samples, recoveries were estimated 2.1-37.6% using different extraction kits and 0.1-2.1% using different concentration kits. It was found that a direct capture-based method, evaluated against a variety of concentration methods, is the best in terms of recovery, time and cost. Interestingly, we noticed a good agreement between the results provided by RT-qPCR and RT-ddPCR in terms of recovery. This evaluation can serve as a guide for laboratories establishing a protocol to perform wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2. Overall, data presented here reinforces the validity of WBE for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, uncovers potential caveats in the selection of concentration and extraction protocols and points towards optimal solutions to maximize its potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lampros Dimitrakopoulos
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Kontou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Areti Strati
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Galani
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Marios Kostakis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasileios Kapes
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Evrikleia Lianidou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Thomaidis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Athina Markou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
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12
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Amman F, Markt R, Endler L, Hupfauf S, Agerer B, Schedl A, Richter L, Zechmeister M, Bicher M, Heiler G, Triska P, Thornton M, Penz T, Senekowitsch M, Laine J, Keszei Z, Klimek P, Nägele F, Mayr M, Daleiden B, Steinlechner M, Niederstätter H, Heidinger P, Rauch W, Scheffknecht C, Vogl G, Weichlinger G, Wagner AO, Slipko K, Masseron A, Radu E, Allerberger F, Popper N, Bock C, Schmid D, Oberacher H, Kreuzinger N, Insam H, Bergthaler A. Viral variant-resolved wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 at national scale. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1814-1822. [PMID: 35851376 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01387-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by wastewater-based epidemiology is poised to provide a complementary approach to sequencing individual cases. However, robust quantification of variants and de novo detection of emerging variants remains challenging for existing strategies. We deep sequenced 3,413 wastewater samples representing 94 municipal catchments, covering >59% of the population of Austria, from December 2020 to February 2022. Our system of variant quantification in sewage pipeline designed for robustness (termed VaQuERo) enabled us to deduce the spatiotemporal abundance of predefined variants from complex wastewater samples. These results were validated against epidemiological records of >311,000 individual cases. Furthermore, we describe elevated viral genetic diversity during the Delta variant period, provide a framework to predict emerging variants and measure the reproductive advantage of variants of concern by calculating variant-specific reproduction numbers from wastewater. Together, this study demonstrates the power of national-scale WBE to support public health and promises particular value for countries without extensive individual monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Amman
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudolf Markt
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lukas Endler
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Hupfauf
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Benedikt Agerer
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Schedl
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Richter
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Martin Bicher
- dwh GmbH, Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Heiler
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Information Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petr Triska
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew Thornton
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Penz
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Senekowitsch
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Laine
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsofia Keszei
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Klimek
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria.,Section for Science of Complex Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fabiana Nägele
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Markus Mayr
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Beatrice Daleiden
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Core Facility Metabolomics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Martin Steinlechner
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Core Facility Metabolomics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Harald Niederstätter
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Core Facility Metabolomics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Petra Heidinger
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, Graz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Rauch
- Department of Infrastructure, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Gunther Vogl
- Institut für Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärmedizin und Umwelt des Landes Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria
| | - Günther Weichlinger
- Abteilung 12 - Wasserwirtschaft, Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria
| | | | - Katarzyna Slipko
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amandine Masseron
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elena Radu
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria.,Ştefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Niki Popper
- dwh GmbH, Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Schmid
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Oberacher
- Institute of Legal Medicine and Core Facility Metabolomics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Norbert Kreuzinger
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heribert Insam
- Department of Microbiology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Bergthaler
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria. .,Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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13
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Langan LM, O’Brien M, Rundell ZC, Back JA, Ryan BJ, Chambliss CK, Norman RS, Brooks BW. Comparative Analysis of RNA-Extraction Approaches and Associated Influences on RT-qPCR of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a University Residence Hall and Quarantine Location. ACS ES&T WATER 2022; 2:1929-1943. [PMID: 37552714 PMCID: PMC9063990 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides an early warning and trend analysis approach for determining the presence of COVID-19 in a community and complements clinical testing in assessing the population level, even as viral loads fluctuate. Here, we evaluate combinations of two wastewater concentration methods (i.e., ultrafiltration and composite supernatant-solid), four pre-RNA extraction modifications, and three nucleic acid extraction kits using two different wastewater sampling locations. These consisted of a quarantine facility containing clinically confirmed COVID-19-positive inhabitants and a university residence hall. Of the combinations examined, composite supernatant-solid with pre-RNA extraction consisting of water concentration and RNA/DNA shield performed the best in terms of speed and sensitivity. Further, of the three nucleic acid extraction kits examined, the most variability was associated with the Qiagen kit. Focusing on the quarantine facility, viral concentrations measured in wastewater were generally significantly related to positive clinical cases, with the relationship dependent on method, modification, kit, target, and normalization, although results were variable-dependent on individual time points (Kendall's Tau-b (τ) = 0.17 to 0.6) or cumulatively (Kendall's Tau-b (τ) = -0.048 to 1). These observations can support laboratories establishing protocols to perform wastewater surveillance and monitoring efforts for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Langan
- Department of Environmental Science,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97266, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - Megan O’Brien
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - Zach C. Rundell
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - Jeffrey A. Back
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - Benjamin J. Ryan
- Department of Environmental Science,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97266, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - C. Kevin Chambliss
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97348, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
| | - R. Sean Norman
- Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold
School of Public Health, South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia,
South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Bryan W. Brooks
- Department of Environmental Science,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97266, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research,
Baylor University, One Bear Place #97178, Waco, Texas 76798,
United States
- Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor
University, One Bear Place #97224, Waco, Texas 76798, United
States
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14
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Vadde KK, Al-Duroobi H, Phan DC, Jafarzadeh A, Moghadam SV, Matta A, Kapoor V. Assessment of Concentration, Recovery, and Normalization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Two Wastewater Treatment Plants in Texas and Correlation with COVID-19 Cases in the Community. ACS ES&T WATER 2022; 2:2060-2069. [PMID: 37552728 PMCID: PMC9128005 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to conduct a correlative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater with COVID-19 cases and a systematic evaluation of the effect of using different virus concentration methods and recovery and normalization approaches. We measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations at two different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Bexar County of Texas from October 2020 to May 2021 (32 weeks) using reverse transcription droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR). We evaluated three different adsorption-extraction (AE) based virus concentration methods (acidification, addition of MgCl2, or without any pretreatment) using bovine coronavirus (BCoV) as surrogate virus and observed that the direct AE method showed the highest mean recovery. COVID-19 cases were correlated significantly with SARS-CoV-2 N1 concentrations in Salitrillo (ρ = 0.75, p < 0.001) and Martinez II (ρ = 0.68, p < 0.001) WWTPs, but normalizing to a spiked recovery control (BCoV) or a fecal marker (HF183) reduced correlations for both treatment plants. The results generated in this 32-week monitoring study will enable researchers to prioritize the virus recovery method and subsequent correlation studies for wastewater surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Kumar Vadde
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Haya Al-Duroobi
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Duc C. Phan
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Arash Jafarzadeh
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Sina V. Moghadam
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Akanksha Matta
- Department of Chemistry, University of
Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United
States
| | - Vikram Kapoor
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and
Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio,
San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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15
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Alhama J, Maestre JP, Martín MÁ, Michán C. Monitoring COVID-19 through SARS-CoV-2 quantification in wastewater: progress, challenges and prospects. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:1719-1728. [PMID: 34905659 PMCID: PMC9151337 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) is widely used to monitor the progression of the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at local levels. In this review, we address the different approaches to the steps needed for this surveillance: sampling wastewaters (WWs), concentrating the virus from the samples and quantifying them by qPCR, focusing on the main limitations of the methodologies used. Factors that can influence SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in WWs include: (i) physical parameters as temperature that can hamper the detection in warm seasons and tropical regions, (ii) sampling methodologies and timetables, being composite samples and Moore swabs the less variable and more sensitive approaches, (iii) virus concentration methodologies that need to be feasible and practicable in simpler laboratories and (iv) detection methodologies that should tend to use faster and cost-effective procedures. The efficiency of WW treatments and the use of WWs for SARS-CoV-2 variants detection are also addressed. Furthermore, we discuss the need for the development of common standardized protocols, although these must be versatile enough to comprise variations among target communities. WBE screening of risk populations will allow for the prediction of future outbreaks, thus alerting authorities to implement early action measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Alhama
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyUniversidad de CórdobaCampus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario CeiA3, Edificio Severo OchoaCórdoba14071Spain
| | - Juan P. Maestre
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin301 E. Dean Keeton St., Stop C1786AustinTX78712USA
| | - M. Ángeles Martín
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringArea of Chemical EngineeringUniversidad de CórdobaInstitute of Fine Chemistry and Nanochemistry (IUNAN)Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario CeiA3, Edificio Marie CurieCórdoba14071Spain
| | - Carmen Michán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyUniversidad de CórdobaCampus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario CeiA3, Edificio Severo OchoaCórdoba14071Spain
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