scholarly journals Imprints of Lockdown and Treatment Processes on the Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: A Curious Case of Fourteen Plants in Northern India

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2265
Author(s):  
Sudipti Arora ◽  
Aditi Nag ◽  
Ankur Rajpal ◽  
Vinay Kumar Tyagi ◽  
Satya Brat Tiwari ◽  
...  

The present study investigated the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes at each treatment stage of 14 aerobic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving the major municipalities in two states of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in Northern India. The untreated, primary, secondary and tertiary treated wastewater samples were collected over a time frame ranging from under-lockdown to post-lockdown conditions. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 13 out of 40 wastewater samples in Jaipur district, Rajasthan and in 5 out of 14 wastewater samples in the Haridwar District, Uttarakhand with the E gene predominantly observed as compared to the N and RdRp target genes in later time-points of sampling. The Ct values of genes present in wastewater samples were correlated with the incidence of patient and community cases of COVID-19. This study further indicates that the viral RNA could be detected after the primary treatment but was not present in secondary or tertiary treated samples. This study implies that aerobic biological wastewater treatment systems such as moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) are effective in virus removal from the wastewater. This work might present a new indication that there is little to no risk in relation to SARS-CoV-2 while reusing the treated wastewater for non-potable applications. In contrast, untreated wastewater might present a potential route of viral transmission through WWTPs to sanitation workers and the public. However, there is a need to investigate the survival and infection rates of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 798
Author(s):  
Samendra P. Sherchan ◽  
Shalina Shahin ◽  
Jeenal Patel ◽  
Lauren M. Ward ◽  
Sarmila Tandukar ◽  
...  

In this study, we investigated the occurrence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in primary influent (n = 42), secondary effluent (n = 24) and tertiary treated effluent (n = 34) collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs A–F) in Virginia (WWTP A), Florida (WWTPs B, C, and D), and Georgia (WWTPs E and F) in the United States during April–July 2020. Of the 100 wastewater samples analyzed, eight (19%) untreated wastewater samples collected from the primary influents contained SARS-CoV-2 RNA as measured by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays. SARS-CoV-2 RNA were detected in influent wastewater samples collected from WWTP A (Virginia), WWTPs E and F (Georgia) and WWTP D (Florida). Secondary and tertiary effluent samples were not positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA indicating the treatment processes in these WWTPs potentially removed SARS-CoV-2 RNA during the secondary and tertiary treatment processes. However, further studies are needed to understand the log removal values (LRVs) and transmission risks of SARS-CoV-2 RNA through analyzing wastewater samples from a wider range of WWTPs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adamo R. Petosa ◽  
Monica Nowierski ◽  
Viviane Yargeau

Abstract Bioanalytical tools, namely in vitro bioassays, can be employed in tandem with chemical analyses to assess the efficacy of wastewater treatment and the potential for adverse effects from the discharges of wastewater into receiving waters. In the present study, samples of untreated wastewater (i.e. influent) and treated wastewater (i.e. effluent) were collected from two wastewater treatment plants and a wastewater treatment lagoon serving municipalities in southern Ontario, Canada. In addition, grab samples of surface water were collected downstream of the lagoon discharge. After solid phase extraction (SPE) using ion-exchange columns for basic/neutral and acidic compounds, respectively, the extracts were analyzed for a suite of 16 indicator compounds. The two SPE extracts were combined for analysis of biological responses in four in vitro cell-based bioassays. The concentrations of several indicator compounds, including the estrogens, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol, were below the limits of detection. However, androstenedione and estrone were detected in several influent samples. The concentrations of these steroid hormones and some of the other indicator compounds declined during treatment but acesulfame K, carbamazepine, trimethoprim and DEET persisted in the effluent. The MTS- CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (MTS) indicated that cell viability was not affected by exposure to the extracts. The Qiagen Nuclear Receptors 10-Pathway Reporter Array indicated that several cellular pathways were upregulated, with the greatest upregulation observed with the estrogen receptor (i.e. induction ratios 12 to 47) and the liver X receptor (i.e. induction ratios 10 to 45). The ERα CALUX assay indicated that estrogenic activity was lower in effluents compared to influents, with the greatest estrogenic activity observed for grab samples of influent from the lagoon (i.e. 56-215 ng L-1 17β-estradiol equivalents). Finally, the results of the Nrf2 Luciferase Luminescence Assay indicated a lower oxidative stress in the effluent samples. Overall, the present study demonstrates that chemical analyses are limited in their ability to predict or explain reductions in the toxicity of treated wastewater. There are thus advantages to using a combination of chemical analyses and in vitro bioassays to monitor the treatment efficiency of wastewater treatment plants and to predict the potential impacts of wastewater discharges into receiving waters.


2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kornaros ◽  
C. Marazioti ◽  
G. Lyberatos

SBRs are usually preferred as small and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. We have demonstrated previously that using a frequent enough switching between aerobic and anoxic conditions and a specific to the treated wastewater aerobic to anoxic phase ratio, it is possible to by-pass the second step of nitrification (i.e. conversion of nitrite to nitrate nitrogen). This innovative process for nitrate by-pass has been branded as UP-PND (University of Patras-Partial Nitrification Denitrification) (WO 2006/129132). The proved methodology was successfully transferred from a lab-scale SBR reactor treating synthetic wastewater to a pilot-scale SBR system treating real wastewater. In this work we present the results from the operation of this pilot-scale SBR, constructed in the Wastewater Treatment Plant of Patras (Greece), using 6-hour, 8-hour and 12-hour cycles. It is demonstrated that three pairs of aerobic/anoxic phases with a relative duration of 1:2 (8-hour cycle) and 2:3 (12-hour cycle) secures the desired by-pass of nitrate production.


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Muzamil Gani ◽  
Ankur Rajpal ◽  
Absar Ahmad Kazmi

The contamination level of four phthalates in untreated and treated wastewater of fifteen wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their fate in a full scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) based WWTP was evaluated in this study.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Semase Matseleng ◽  
Ozekeke Ogbeide ◽  
Patricks' Otomo Voua

Abstract Wastewater treatment facilities in developing countries like South Africa are major sources of contaminants via effluent into the environment, which could portend high toxicity risks for non-target flora and fauna. To this end, a study was conducted to determine the ecotoxicological responses of selected organism to treated and untreated wastewater from the wastewater treatment plants in an industrial town. The snail Helix pomatia was exposed to OECD artificial soil spiked with untreated or treated wastewater at the following concentrations: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100%. The ecotoxicological responses of Helix pomatia to wastewater were determined by assessing the biomass, survival, reproduction and biomarker responses (Catalase ‒ CAT and Acetylcholinesterase ‒ AChE activities). The overall results showed significant effects on the survival, reproduction and biomass of H. pomatia. Similar results were observed for juvenile emergence. An EC50 of 5.751% for egg production and an EC50 of 6.233% for juvenile emergence were determined in the untreated wastewater. Such indices could not be computed for the treated wastewater, indicating a decreased in toxicity between the untreated and the treated samples. For both the AChE and CAT activities, there was no statistical difference between treated and untreated wastewater treatments. The results from this study highlight the toxic effects of untreated wastewater and indicate that treated wastewater (effluent) released from the wastewater treatment plant in Phuthaditjhaba remains suitable for invertebrate fauna such as H. pomatia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 232 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Marek ◽  
K. Pawęska ◽  
A. Bawiec ◽  
J. Baran

AbstractThe aim of this study was to analyse the impact of velocity in the hydroponic lagoon used as the 3rd stage of municipal wastewater treatment on washing out of the particles suspended in the sewage as well as settled on the bottom of the hydroponic ditch. In order to analyse the flow velocity in the lagoon, 12 cross-sections were determined at points where the speed and motion of particles can change. Wastewater samples were taken in the summer month from each of the 12 sampling points (the depth of 0.1 m) and the basic physicochemical parameters of sewage were determined (BOD5, COD, TOC, TSS, turbidity). In selected cross-sections, a granulometric analysis of particles was made to determine the characteristics of suspended solids in the wastewater flow path. Based on the analysis, it was found that velocities in the lagoon during aeration can be ten times higher (0.070 m·s−1) than those assumed by designers (0.006 m·s−1). Such a large difference means that the sedimentation conditions assumed in the project cannot be met, which may result in an increase in the total suspended solids and organic matter concentrations at the outflow to the receiving water body. During the flow through the hydroponic ditch, the highest efficiency of pollutant removal was indicated for BOD5 — 88.7% and TSS — 80%, while the COD removal occurred with the lowest efficiency — 34.1%. Improving flow conditions as designed in the hydroponic lagoon technological project may increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment at the third stage of treatment.


Intervirology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Ousmane Kebe ◽  
Maria-Dolores Fernandez-Garcia ◽  
Amary Fall ◽  
Hamet Dia ◽  
Maxime Bidalot ◽  
...  

<i>Aichi virus 1</i> (AiV-1) has been proposed as a causative agent of human gastroenteritis. In this study, raw, decanted, and treated wastewater samples from a wastewater treatment plant in an urban area of Dakar, Senegal, were collected. AiV-1 was detected in raw (70%, 14/20), decanted (68.4%, 13/19), and treated (59.3%, 16/27) samples, revealing a noticeable resistance of AiV-1 to chlorine-based treatment. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all sequences clustered within genotype B. Our study presents the first report on the detection of AiV-1 in the environment of Dakar and constitutes indirect evidence of virus circulation in the population.


2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 25-32
Author(s):  
P. Drillia ◽  
M. Kornaros ◽  
G. Lyberatos

The main aim of this work was to study the ability of an aerobically operated sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to effectively treat the wastewaters produced by a motor-oil reforming company. In fact, the most important goal was to substantially reduce the organic load of these wastewaters before their disposal to an open trench, since the currently installed wastewater treatment plant, that includes an API separator followed by physico-chemical pre-treatment and an oxidation ditch, has proved today to be completely inefficient. The wastewater to be treated was mainly composed of five different streams from various points of the motor-oil reforming plant (e.g. gas washing tanks, cooling pumps, used motor oils holding tanks, etc). The major problem faced in this work was the high organic load (about 12,000 mg COD/L) and the free and dissolved oil contained in the wastewater (around 6-7%). Moreover, two of the streams, contributing to the mixed wastewater up to 30%, were unable to sustain dissolved oxygen and unfortunately their mixing with the other three streams resulted in the same detrimental effect. Therefore, experiments were conducted using either three or all of the contributing streams. The mixed wastewater was fed to the reactor either untreated or pre-treated with ceramic membranes in order to exclude all the free and dissolved oil. The application of pre-treated wastewater with membranes to the SBR system resulted in 75.2% and 81.9% total and dissolved COD reduction, respectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 5816
Author(s):  
Damian Rolbiecki ◽  
Monika Harnisz ◽  
Ewa Korzeniewska ◽  
Łukasz Jałowiecki ◽  
Grażyna Płaza

This study identified differences in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) between wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) processing different proportions of hospital and municipal wastewater as well as various types of industrial wastewater. The influence of treated effluents discharged from WWTPs on the receiving water bodies (rivers) was examined. Genomic DNA was isolated from environmental samples (river water, wastewater and sewage sludge). The presence of genes encoding resistance to sulfonamides (sul1, sul2) and fluoroquinolones (qepA, aac(6′)-Ib-cr) was determined by standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The effect of the sampling season (summer – June, fall – November) was analyzed. Treated wastewater and sewage sludge were significant reservoirs of antibiotic resistance and contained all of the examined ARGs. All wastewater samples contained sul1 and aac(6′)-lb-cr genes, while the qepA and sul2 genes occurred less frequently. These observations suggest that the prevalence of ARGs is determined by the type of processed wastewater. The Warmia and Mazury WWTP was characterized by higher levels of the sul2 gene, which could be attributed to the fact that this WWTP processes agricultural sewage containing animal waste. However, hospital wastewater appears to be the main source of the sul1 gene. The results of this study indicate that WWTPs are significant sources of ARGs, contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance in rivers receiving processed wastewater.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Broch-Due ◽  
R. Andersen ◽  
B. Opheim

Wastewaters from three integrated newsprint mills have been treated in a pilot plant Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR). In the MBBR the biomass adheres to small plastic elements which move freely along with the water in the reactor. A reduction of 65-75% for COD and 85-95% for BOD was obtained at HRT of 4-5 hours. By prolonging the HRT the removal efficiencies of COD and BOD increased to about 80% and 96%, respectively. With a subsequent chemical precipitation a removal efficiency of COD up to 95% was achieved. The amount of chemicals needed for precipitation of the biologically treated wastewater was only a quarter to a third of that needed for chemical treatment of the untreated wastewater. The results showed the MBBR process to be competitive with conventional biological treatment systems and that treatment objectives can be met at short HRTs.


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