Solid-liquid distribution of SARS-CoV-2 in primary effluent of a wastewater treatment plant
Date
2024-03-11
Authors
Oloye, Femi
Xie, Yuwei
Asadi, Mohsen
Karl Challis, Jonathan
Osunla, Charles
Xia, Pu
Cantin, Jenna
Femi-Oloye, Oluwabunmi P.
Brinkmann, Markus
McPhedran, Kerry
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
ORCID
Type
Article
Degree Level
Abstract
Distributions of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and fecal viral biomarkers between solid and liquid phases of wastewater are largely unknown. Herein, distributions of SARS-CoV-2, Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV), and F-RNA bacteriophage group II (FRNAPH-II) were determined by viral RNA RT-qPCR. Comparison of viral recovery using three conventional fractionation methods included membrane filtration, a combination of mid-speed centrifugation and membrane filtration, and high-speed centrifugation. SARS-CoV-2 partitioned to the solids fraction in greater abundance compared to liquid fractions in a combination of mid-speed centrifugation and membrane filtration and high-speed centrifugation, but not in membrane filtration method in a particular assay, while fecal biomarkers (PMMoV and FRNAPH-II) exhibited the reciprocal relationship. The wastewater fractionation method had minimal effects on the solids-liquids distribution for all viral and phage markers tested; however, viral RNA load was significantly greater in solid–liquid fractions viral RNA loads compared with the than whole-wastewater PEG precipitation. A RNeasy PowerWater Kit with PCR inhibitor removal resulted in greater viral RNA loads and lesser PCR inhibition compared to a QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit without PCR inhibitor removal. These results support the development of improved methods and interpretation of WBE of SARS-CoV-2.
Description
The version of record of this article, first published in MethodsX, is available online at Publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2024.102645
Keywords
Environmental RNA, Wastewater-based epidemiology, COVID-19 Surveillance, PCR inhibitors
Citation
Mengist, W., Soromessa, T., & Legese, G. (2020). Method for conducting systematic literature review and meta-analysis for environmental science research. MethodsX, 7, 100777.
Degree
Department
Program
Advisor
Committee
Part Of
item.page.relation.ispartofseries
DOI
10.1016/j.mex.2024.102645