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Comparison of EPA Method 1615 RT-qPCR Assays in Standard and Kit Format
Citation:
Fout, Shay, N. Brinkman, J. Cashdollar, S. Griffin, A. Korajkic, B. McMinn, E. Varughese, M. Ware, E. Rhodes, A. Grimm, AND C. Li. Comparison of EPA Method 1615 RT-qPCR Assays in Standard and Kit Format. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-15/130, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
The technology described in the report was requested by the Office of Science and Technology. Technology will be used as a tool to develop better surrogates for virus removal with the goal of improved wastewater treatment and less disease at recreational water sites.
Description:
EPA Method 1615 contains protocols for measuring enterovirus and norovirus by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A commercial kit based upon these protocols was designed and compared to the method's standard approach. Reagent grade, secondary effluent, and ground water samples seeded with primary effluent from a local wastewater treatment plant were processed and analyzed for enterovirus and norovirus by both formats. The kit format was easier to use and less labor intensive than the standard assay. The two formats gave similar results and it is concluded that either approach may be used for analysis of water samples.