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SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring at three sewersheds of different scales and complexity demonstrates distinctive relationships between wastewater measurements and COVID-19 case data
Citation:
Nagarkar, M., S. Keely, M. Jahne, E. Wheaton, C. Hart, B. Smith, J. Garland, E. Varughese, A. Braam, B. Wiechman, B. Morris, AND N. Brinkman. SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring at three sewersheds of different scales and complexity demonstrates distinctive relationships between wastewater measurements and COVID-19 case data. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier BV, AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, 816:151534, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151534
Impact/Purpose:
Wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 presents a means of tracking COVID-19 community infection dynamics on a broader geographic scale. However, accounting for environmental and sample-processing losses may be necessary for wastewater measurements to readily inform our understanding of infection prevalence. Here, we present measurements of N1 and N2 gene targets from weekly wastewater samples at three sites in Hamilton County, Ohio. N1 and N2 RT-PCR assay-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater measured over the course of six months correlated with case data at two wastewater treatment plants, but not at a sub-sewershed-level sampling site. The utility of a spiked matrix recovery control (OC43), flow-normalization, and assessment of fecal loading using endogenous fecal markers (HF183, PMMoV, crAssphage) in improving correlations of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations with case data were investigated. We found that adjusting for recovery, flow, and fecal indicators improved estimates of samples from a larger sewershed with greater industrial and stormwater inputs, but raw concentrations corresponded better with case data at a smaller, residential-oriented sewershed.
Description:
Wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 presents a means of tracking COVID-19 community infection dynamics on a broader geographic scale. However, accounting for environmental and sample-processing losses may be necessary for wastewater measurements to readily inform our understanding of infection prevalence. Here, we present measurements of N1 and N2 gene targets from weekly wastewater samples at three sites in Hamilton County, Ohio. N1 and N2 RT-PCR assay-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater measured over the course of six months correlated with case data at two wastewater treatment plants, but not at a sub-sewershed-level sampling site. The utility of a spiked matrix recovery control (OC43), flow-normalization, and assessment of fecal loading using endogenous fecal markers (HF183, PMMoV, crAssphage) in improving correlations of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations with case data were investigated. We found that adjusting for recovery, flow, and fecal indicators improved estimates of samples from a larger sewershed with greater industrial and stormwater inputs, but raw concentrations corresponded better with case data at a smaller, residential-oriented sewershed.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring at three sewersheds of different scales and complexity demonstrates distinctive relationships between wastewater measurements and COVID-19 case data
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