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Rimoldi SG, Stefani F, Gigantiello A, Polesello S, Comandatore F, Mileto D, Maresca M, Longobardi C, Mancon A, Romeri F, Pagani C, Cappelli F, Roscioli C, Moja L, Gismondo MR, Salerno F. Presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewaters and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020. [PMID: 32693284 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.01.20086009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewaters has been demonstrated in many countries affected by this pandemic. Nevertheless, virus presence and infectivity in treated wastewaters, but also in the receiving water bodies are still poorly investigated. In this study, raw and treated samples from three wastewater treatment plants, and three river samples within the Milano Metropolitan Area, Italy, were surveyed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by means of real time RT-PCR and infectivity test on culture cells. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in raw, but not in treated wastewaters (four and two samples, respectively, sampled in two dates). The isolated virus genome was sequenced, and belonged to the strain most spread in Europe and similar to another found in the same region. RNA presence in raw wastewater samples decreased after eight days, probably following the epidemiological trend estimated for the area. Virus infectivity was always null, indicating the natural decay of viral pathogenicity in time from emission. Samples from receiving rivers (three sites, sampled in the same dates as wastewaters) showed in some cases a positivity to real time RT-PCR, probably due to non-treated, or inefficiently treated discharges, or to the combined sewage overflows. Nevertheless, also for rivers infectivity was null. Risks for public health should be limited, although a precautionary approach to risk assessment is here advocated, giving the preliminary nature of the presented data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabrizio Stefani
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy.
| | - Anna Gigantiello
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Polesello
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Davide Mileto
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Mafalda Maresca
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mancon
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Romeri
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Pagani
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Cappelli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy; Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Claudio Roscioli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moja
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Franco Salerno
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
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Rimoldi SG, Stefani F, Gigantiello A, Polesello S, Comandatore F, Mileto D, Maresca M, Longobardi C, Mancon A, Romeri F, Pagani C, Cappelli F, Roscioli C, Moja L, Gismondo MR, Salerno F. Presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewaters and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140911. [PMID: 32693284 PMCID: PMC7358170 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewaters has been demonstrated in many countries affected by this pandemic. Nevertheless, virus presence and infectivity in treated wastewaters, but also in the receiving water bodies are still poorly investigated. In this study, raw and treated samples from three wastewater treatment plants, and three river samples within the Milano Metropolitan Area, Italy, were surveyed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by means of real time RT-PCR and infectivity test on culture cells. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in raw, but not in treated wastewaters (four and two samples, respectively, sampled in two dates). The isolated virus genome was sequenced, and belonged to the strain most spread in Europe and similar to another found in the same region. RNA presence in raw wastewater samples decreased after eight days, probably following the epidemiological trend estimated for the area. Virus infectivity was always null, indicating the natural decay of viral pathogenicity in time from emission. Samples from receiving rivers (three sites, sampled in the same dates as wastewaters) showed in some cases a positivity to real time RT-PCR, probably due to non-treated, or inefficiently treated discharges, or to the combined sewage overflows. Nevertheless, also for rivers infectivity was null. Risks for public health should be limited, although a precautionary approach to risk assessment is here advocated, giving the preliminary nature of the presented data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabrizio Stefani
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy.
| | - Anna Gigantiello
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Polesello
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Davide Mileto
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Mafalda Maresca
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mancon
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Romeri
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Pagani
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Cappelli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy; Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Claudio Roscioli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moja
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Franco Salerno
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
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