Grantee Research Project Results
2024 Progress Report: Human Enteric Viruses and Viral Surrogates as Measures of Water Reuse Potential from Centralized and Decentralized Wastewater Treatment
EPA Grant Number: R840259Title: Human Enteric Viruses and Viral Surrogates as Measures of Water Reuse Potential from Centralized and Decentralized Wastewater Treatment
Investigators: Heufelder, George , Baumgaertel, Brian , Olmsted, Emily Michele , Regan, Kathleen , Pancorbo, Oscar C
Institution: Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
EPA Project Officer: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Project Period: August 1, 2021 through May 10, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2023 through July 31,2024
Project Amount: $1,239,655
RFA: Viral Pathogen and Surrogate Approaches for Assessing Treatment Performance in Water Reuse (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water Treatment
Objective:
The objective of this project is to validate the use of selected viral surrogates as indicators of the likely presence of enteric viruses in wastewater and use these surrogate measures to evaluate treatment efficacy and public health risk of decentralized and centralized treatment technologies with the potential for some level of water reuse. Somatic and male-specific coliphage culture-based and bacterial fecal indicator assays are performed at the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC) while human enteric viruses and viral fecal indicator markers are monitored by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) techniques at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Wall Experiment Station (MassDEP-WES).
Progress Summary:
This project is successfully leveraging the assets and talents of two regional agencies: Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC) for the full-scale test locations of candidate technologies, collection of samples and processing of culturable bacteriophage indicators, and Wall Experiment Station of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP-WES) for development of state-of-the-art assay techniques for human enteric virus, advanced instrumentation, and laboratory expertise to assay samples for human enteric virus genomic material.
- In June 2024, a one year No Cost Extension was requested and approved in July 2024. The extension was requested to account for personnel issues at the beginning of the project, supply chain issues, and a change in molecular method.
- To date, over 190 sampling events have been conducted. Over 1400 assays for male-specific and somatic coliphage, and indicator bacteria have been completed with associated field measurements and chemistry measurements at MASSTC. We continue to supplement incoming wastewater with sodium bicarbonate and monitor alkalinity levels due to results indicating a viral inhibiting matrix effect caused by depleted alkalinity.
Over 1400 samples for PCR analyses have been successfully sampled, concentrated, kept at -80oC and transported to MassDEP-WES. Analysis began at WES in October 2024 after method development. Nearly 500 samples have been processed via ddPCR.
- A new Microbiologist, Dr. Sangwon Min, joined the WES laboratory in August 2024 and is supporting the efforts of the STAR project.
- MassDEP-WES have optimized ddPCR methods by acquiring a new BioRad instrument that has dramatically increased processing capacity. Data is beginning to be shared with MASSTC to be integrated with culturable phage and fecal indicator data.
Future Activities:
In the subsequent reporting period, MassDEP-WES will complete the analysis of all remaining samples stored at -80C. WES will continue to share data with MASSTC as it becomes available. MASSTC will analyze the robust dataset for log reduction values of all target indicators and pathogens across each technology tested, as well as investigate correlations between indicators. MASSTC and WES will prepare all deliverables for the project in the subsequent reporting period.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Innovative/Alternative Technologies, onsite septic systems, bioreactors, EPA Region 1, soil treatment, media filters, human enteric viral pathogens, viral surrogatesProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.