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Kumar M, Joshi M, Prajapati B, Sirikanchana K, Mongkolsuk S, Kumar R, Gallage TP, Joshi C. Early warning of statewide COVID-19 Omicron wave by sentineled urbanized sewer network monitoring using digital PCR in a province capital city, of Gujarat, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167060. [PMID: 37709091 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167060] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been implemented globally. However, there remains confusion about the number and frequency of samples to be collected, as well as which types of treatment systems can provide reliable specific details about the virus prevalence in specific areas or communities, enabling prompt management and intervention measures. More research is necessary to fully comprehend the possibility of deploying sentinel locations in sewer networks in larger geographic areas. The present study introduces the first report on wastewater-based surveillance in Gandhinagar City using digital PCR (d-PCR) as a SARS-Cov-2 quantification tool, which describes the viral load from five pumping stations in Gandhinagar from October 2021 to March 2022. Raw wastewater samples (n = 119) were received and analyzed weekly to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA, 109 of which were positive for N1 or N2 genes. The monthly variation analysis in viral genome copies depicted the highest concentrations in January 2022 and February 2022 (p < 0.05; Wilcoxon signed rank test) coincided with the Omicron wave, which contributed mainly from Vavol and Jaspur pumping stations. Cross-correlation analysis indicated that WBE from five stations in Gandhinagar, i.e., capital city sewer networks, provided two-week lead times to the citywide and statewide active cases (time-series cross-correlation function [CCF]; 0.666 and 0.648, respectively), mainly from individual contributions of the urbanized Kudasan and Vavol stations (CCF; 0.729 and 0.647, respectively). These findings suggest that sewer pumping stations in urbanized neighborhoods can be used as sentinel sites for statewide clinical surveillance and that WBE surveillance using digital PCR can be an efficient monitoring and management tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar
- Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India; Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Technologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
| | - Madhvi Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382011, India
| | - Bhumika Prajapati
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382011, India
| | - Kwanrawee Sirikanchana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Skorn Mongkolsuk
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir 803116, India; Department of Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Tharindu Pollwatta Gallage
- Program in Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Chaitanya Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382011, India
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Sánchez-Jiménez E, Abian J, Ginebreda A, Barceló D, Carrascal M. Shotgun proteomics to characterize wastewater proteins. MethodsX 2023; 11:102403. [PMID: 37854711 PMCID: PMC10579522 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102403] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Classically, the characterization of wastewater components has been restricted to the measurement of indirect parameters (chemical and biological oxygen demand, total nitrogen) and small molecules of interest in epidemiology or for environmental control. Despite the fact that metaproteomics has provided important knowledge about the microbial communities in these waters, practically nothing is known about other non-microbial proteins transported in the wastewater. The method described here has allowed us to perform a large-scale characterization of the wastewater proteome. Wastewater protein profiles have shown to be very different in different collection sites probably reflecting their human population and industrial activities. We believe that wastewater proteomics is opening the doors to the discovery of new environmental and health biomarkers and the development of new, more effective monitoring devices for issues like monitorization of population health, pest control, or control of industry discharges. The method developed is relatively simple and combines procedures for the separation of the soluble and particulate fractions of wastewater and their concentration, and conventional shotgun proteomics using high-resolution mass spectrometry for protein identification. •Unprecedented method for wastewater proteome characterization.•Proteins as new potential biomarkers for sewage chemical-information mining, wastewater epidemiology and environmental monitoring.•Wastewater protein profiles reflect human and industrial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Sánchez-Jiménez
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, Barcelona 08036, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Joaquin Abian
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Antoni Ginebreda
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Montserrat Carrascal
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, Barcelona 08036, Spain
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Carrascal M, Sánchez-Jiménez E, Fang J, Pérez-López C, Ginebreda A, Barceló D, Abian J. Sewage Protein Information Mining: Discovery of Large Biomolecules as Biomarkers of Population and Industrial Activities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37463250 PMCID: PMC10399289 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology has been revealed as a powerful approach for surveying the health and lifestyle of a population. In this context, proteins have been proposed as potential biomarkers that complement the information provided by currently available methods. However, little is known about the range of molecular species and dynamics of proteins in wastewater and the information hidden in these protein profiles is still to be uncovered. In this study, we investigated the protein composition of wastewater from 10 municipalities in Catalonia with diverse populations and industrial activities at three different times of the year. The soluble fraction of this material was analyzed using liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry using a shotgun proteomics approach. The complete proteomic profile, distribution among different organisms, and semiquantitative analysis of the main constituents are described. Excreta (urine and feces) from humans, and blood and other residues from livestock were identified as the two main protein sources. Our findings provide new insights into the characterization of wastewater proteomics that allow for the proposal of specific bioindicators for wastewater-based environmental monitoring. This includes human and animal population monitoring, most notably for rodent pest control (immunoglobulins (Igs) and amylases) and livestock processing industry monitoring (albumins).
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Carrascal
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Sánchez-Jiménez
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jie Fang
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Pérez-López
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Ginebreda
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquin Abian
- Biological and Environmental Proteomics Group, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (IIBB-CSIC/IDIBAPS), Rosellón 161, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain
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Picó Y, Barceló D. Microplastics and other emerging contaminants in the environment after COVID-19 pandemic: The need of global reconnaissance studies. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2023; 33:100468. [PMID: 37139099 PMCID: PMC10085870 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2023.100468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of the increase of emerging contaminants in the environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectants, pharmaceuticals, etc., has enlarged. Here we explain the variety of pathways of these emerging contaminants to enter the environment, including wastewater treatment plants, improper disposal of PPE, and runoff from surfaces treated with disinfectants. We also discuss the current state-of-art of the toxicological implications of these emerging contaminants. Initial research suggests that they may have harmful effects on aquatic organisms and human health. Future directions are suggested as further research is needed to fully understand the impacts of these contaminants on the environment and humans, as well as to develop effective approaches to mitigate their potential negative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Picó
- Food and Environmental Research Group (SAMA-UV), Research Desertification Centre (CIDE) (CSIC-University of Valencia-GV), Moncada-Naquera Road, Km 4.5, 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Damià Barceló
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, C/Emili Grahit, 101, Edifici H2O, 17003, Girona, Spain
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Sen P, Zhang Z, Li P, Adhikari BR, Guo T, Gu J, MacIntosh AR, van der Kuur C, Li Y, Soleymani L. Integrating Water Purification with Electrochemical Aptamer Sensing for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater. ACS Sens 2023; 8:1558-1567. [PMID: 36926840 PMCID: PMC10042147 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c02655] [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: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater analysis of pathogens, particularly SARS-CoV-2, is instrumental in tracking and monitoring infectious diseases in a population. This method can be used to generate early warnings regarding the onset of an infectious disease and predict the associated infection trends. Currently, wastewater analysis of SARS-CoV-2 is almost exclusively performed using polymerase chain reaction for the amplification-based detection of viral RNA at centralized laboratories. Despite the development of several biosensing technologies offering point-of-care solutions for analyzing SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples, these remain elusive for wastewater analysis due to the low levels of the virus and the interference caused by the wastewater matrix. Herein, we integrate an aptamer-based electrochemical chip with a filtration, purification, and extraction (FPE) system for developing an alternate in-field solution for wastewater analysis. The sensing chip employs a dimeric aptamer, which is universally applicable to the wild-type, alpha, delta, and omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrate that the aptamer is stable in the wastewater matrix (diluted to 50%) and its binding affinity is not significantly impacted. The sensing chip demonstrates a limit of detection of 1000 copies/L (1 copy/mL), enabled by the amplification provided by the FPE system. This allows the integrated system to detect trace amounts of the virus in native wastewater and categorize the amount of contamination into trace (<10 copies/mL), medium (10-1000 copies/mL), or high (>1000 copies/mL) levels, providing a viable wastewater analysis solution for in-field use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Sen
- Department of Engineering Physics,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
| | - Zijie Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
| | - Phoebe Li
- Department of Physics, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Bal Ram Adhikari
- Department of Engineering Physics,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
| | - Tianyi Guo
- Forsee Instruments, Ltd.,
Hamilton L8P0A1, Canada
| | - Jimmy Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
| | | | | | - Yingfu Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease
Research, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
| | - Leyla Soleymani
- Department of Engineering Physics,
McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster
University, Hamilton L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease
Research, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1,
Canada
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Eaton CJ, Coxon S, Pattis I, Chappell A, Hewitt J, Gilpin BJ. A Framework for Public Health Authorities to Evaluate Health Determinants for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:125001. [PMID: 36520537 PMCID: PMC9754092 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is rapidly developing as a powerful public health tool. It can provide information about a wide range of health determinants (HDs), including community exposure to environmental hazards, trends in consumption of licit and illicit substances, spread of infectious diseases, and general community health. As such, the list of possible candidate HDs for WBE is almost limitless. Consequently, a means to evaluate and prioritize suitable candidates for WBE is useful, particularly for public health authorities, who often face resource constraints. OBJECTIVES We have developed a framework to assist public health authorities to decide what HDs may be appropriate for WBE and what biomarkers could be used. This commentary reflects the experience of the authors, who work at the interface of research and public health implementation. DISCUSSION To be suitable for WBE, a candidate HD should address a public health or scientific issue that would benefit from better understanding at the population level. For HDs where information on individual exposures or stratification by population subgroups is required, WBE is less suitable. Where other methodologies are already used to monitor the candidate HD, consideration must be given to whether WBE could provide better or complementary information to the current approach. An essential requirement of WBE is a biomarker specific for the candidate HD. A biomarker in this context refers to any human-excreted chemical or biological that could act as an indicator of consumption or exposure to an environmental hazard or of the human health state. Suitable biomarkers should meet several criteria outlined in this commentary, which requires background knowledge for both the biomarker and the HD. An evaluation tree summarizing key considerations for public health authorities when assessing the suitability of candidate HDs for WBE and an example evaluation are presented. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11115.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla J. Eaton
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Coxon
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Isabelle Pattis
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Chappell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Joanne Hewitt
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Porirua, New Zealand
| | - Brent J. Gilpin
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
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Advances in virus detection methods for wastewater-based epidemiological applications. CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2022; 6:100238. [PMID: 37520925 PMCID: PMC9339091 DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2022.100238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a powerful tool that has the potential to reveal the extent of an ongoing disease outbreak or to predict an emerging one. Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater may be correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases in the corresponding population. Most of the recent studies and applications of wastewater-based surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 applied the “gold standard” real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detection method. However, this method also has its limitations. The paper aimed to present recent improvements and applications of the PCR-based methods for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in wastewater. Furthermore, it aimed to review alternative methods utilized and/or proposed for the detection of the virus in wastewater matrices. From the review, it was found that several studies have investigated the use of reverse-transcription digital polymerase reaction (RT-dPCR), which was generally shown to have a lower limit of detection (LOD) over the RT-qPCR. Aside from this, non-PCR-based and non-RNA based methods have also been explored for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, with detailed attention given to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. The potential methods for protein detection include mass spectrometry, the use of immunosensors, and nanotechnological applications. In addition, the review of recent studies also revealed two types of emerging methods related to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: i) capsid-integrity assays to infer about the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 present in wastewater, and ii) alternative methods for detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in wastewater. The recent studies on proposed methods of SARS-CoV-2 detection in wastewater have considered improving this approach in one or more of the following aspects: rapidity, simplicity, cost, sensitivity, and specificity. However, further studies are needed in order to realize the full application of these methods for WBE in the field.
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Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs): Occurrence and Fate in Aquatic Ecosystems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182413401. [PMID: 34949009 PMCID: PMC8705372 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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