Grantee Research Project Results

2022 Progress Report: Advancing Safety and Reliability to Protect Public Health, Identifying Quantitative Reductions of Viral Pathogens and Surrogates for Water Reuse Applications

EPA Grant Number: R840260
Title: Advancing Safety and Reliability to Protect Public Health, Identifying Quantitative Reductions of Viral Pathogens and Surrogates for Water Reuse Applications
Investigators: Jang, Grace , Pepper, Ian L. , Reynolds, Kelly A. , Gerba, Charles P. , Achilli, Andrea , Betancourt, Walter
Institution: Water Research Foundation , University of Arizona
EPA Project Officer: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Project Period: August 1, 2021 through April 25, 2025
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2021 through July 31,2022
Project Amount: $1,239,813
RFA: Viral Pathogen and Surrogate Approaches for Assessing Treatment Performance in Water Reuse (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water Treatment

Objective:

The overall goal of this project is to improve public health protection through the development of quantitative data on the removal of human enteric viruses by treatment processes where wastewater is the source water. These data can be used by the water sector, communities, and regulators to provide log reduction values (LRV) to meet desired risk goals.

Progress Summary:

During this reporting period, the team conducted initial sample collection to gain experience and identify any issue in collection and assay methodology for this project. Samples were collected from various locations at the participating facility and analyzed by dPCR and cell culture for virus genomes and culturable viruses, respectively.
Interestingly, infectious somatic coliphages, F+ coliphages, and infectious enteric viruses were detected at different stages of the treatment process. While the levels of the coliphages are reduced during the treatment process, coliphages are still detectable at low levels. These samples all showed cytopathic effects in A549 and BGM cells. This suggests that they may be potentially useful indicators of treatment performance, but additional sampling at other facilities will be useful to compare to our initial results.
The virus-adsorption and elution (VIRDEL) method is being used to recover and concentrate the viruses from the water samples. The team is generating virus recovery efficiencies using the plaque assay for coliphages and the 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) for culturable enteric viruses. From the preliminary recovery efficiencies study, variations in virus recoveries were observed for both bacteriophages and mammalian viruses with relatively similar outcomes.

Future Activities:

•   Arrange sampling schedules and begin initial sampling at the participating utilities.
•   Continue sampling on a quarterly basis over the next 12 months at the participating utilities.
•   Conduct viral nucleic acid extractions for detection of virus genomes by dPCR and inoculation of water concentrates into cell lines.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Water Reuse, Risk Assessment, Viruses, Surrogate, Treatment

Relevant Websites:

Water Research Foundation Exit

Water Research Foundation 4955 - Indicator Viruses Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The 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.