Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance
SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance (WWS) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can reveal sewered community COVID-19 prevalence. For unsewered areas using septic tank systems (STSs) or holding tanks, how to conduct WWS remains unexplored. Here, two large STSs serving Zuma Beach (Malibu, CA) were st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IWA Publishing
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Water and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/21/9/1242 |
| _version_ | 1797661688383668224 |
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| author | Dong Li Hunter Quon Jared Ervin Sunny Jiang Diego Rosso Laurie C. Van De Werfhorst Brandon Steets Patricia A. Holden |
| author_facet | Dong Li Hunter Quon Jared Ervin Sunny Jiang Diego Rosso Laurie C. Van De Werfhorst Brandon Steets Patricia A. Holden |
| author_sort | Dong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance (WWS) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can reveal sewered community COVID-19 prevalence. For unsewered areas using septic tank systems (STSs) or holding tanks, how to conduct WWS remains unexplored. Here, two large STSs serving Zuma Beach (Malibu, CA) were studied. Supernatant and sludge SARS-CoV-2 concentrations from the directly-sampled STSs parameterized a dynamic solid–liquid separation, mass balance-based model for estimating the infection rate of users. Pumped septage before hauling and upon WWTP disposal was also sampled and assessed. Most (96%) STS sludge samples contained SARS-CoV-2 N1 and N2 genes, with concentrations exceeding the supernatant and increasing with depth while correlating with total suspended solids (TSS). The trucked septage contained N1 and N2 genes which decayed (coefficients: 0.09–0.29 h−1) but remained detectable. Over approximately 5 months starting in December 2020, modeled COVID-19 prevalence estimations among users ranged from 8 to 18%, mirroring a larger metropolitan area for the first 2 months. The approaches herein can inform public health intervention and augment conventional WWS in that: (1) user infection rates for communal holding tanks are estimable and (2) pumped and hauled septage can be assayed to infer where disease is spreading in unsewered areas.
HIGHLIGHTS
Public communal septic systems were sampled over time for SARS-CoV-2.;
SARS-CoV-2 sludge concentrations exceeded supernatant and followed TSS.;
Sludge was sampleable during periodic disposal, but SARS-CoV-2 decayed while hauling.;
Mass balance-based modeling well represented SARS-CoV-2 loading into septic systems.;
The prevalence of COVID-19 infections was estimable.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:48:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd6a11d85a7a4f3389eef911a0bce345 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1477-8920 1996-7829 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:48:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Water and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd6a11d85a7a4f3389eef911a0bce3452023-10-11T15:20:15ZengIWA PublishingJournal of Water and Health1477-89201996-78292023-09-012191242125610.2166/wh.2023.128128Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillanceDong Li0Hunter Quon1Jared Ervin2Sunny Jiang3Diego Rosso4Laurie C. Van De Werfhorst5Brandon Steets6Patricia A. Holden7 Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93016, USA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA Geosyntec Consultants, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93016, USA Geosyntec Consultants, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93016, USA SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance (WWS) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can reveal sewered community COVID-19 prevalence. For unsewered areas using septic tank systems (STSs) or holding tanks, how to conduct WWS remains unexplored. Here, two large STSs serving Zuma Beach (Malibu, CA) were studied. Supernatant and sludge SARS-CoV-2 concentrations from the directly-sampled STSs parameterized a dynamic solid–liquid separation, mass balance-based model for estimating the infection rate of users. Pumped septage before hauling and upon WWTP disposal was also sampled and assessed. Most (96%) STS sludge samples contained SARS-CoV-2 N1 and N2 genes, with concentrations exceeding the supernatant and increasing with depth while correlating with total suspended solids (TSS). The trucked septage contained N1 and N2 genes which decayed (coefficients: 0.09–0.29 h−1) but remained detectable. Over approximately 5 months starting in December 2020, modeled COVID-19 prevalence estimations among users ranged from 8 to 18%, mirroring a larger metropolitan area for the first 2 months. The approaches herein can inform public health intervention and augment conventional WWS in that: (1) user infection rates for communal holding tanks are estimable and (2) pumped and hauled septage can be assayed to infer where disease is spreading in unsewered areas. HIGHLIGHTS Public communal septic systems were sampled over time for SARS-CoV-2.; SARS-CoV-2 sludge concentrations exceeded supernatant and followed TSS.; Sludge was sampleable during periodic disposal, but SARS-CoV-2 decayed while hauling.; Mass balance-based modeling well represented SARS-CoV-2 loading into septic systems.; The prevalence of COVID-19 infections was estimable.;http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/21/9/1242decay ratedepth profilemass balance-based modelpepper mild mottle virussars-cov-2septic system |
| spellingShingle | Dong Li Hunter Quon Jared Ervin Sunny Jiang Diego Rosso Laurie C. Van De Werfhorst Brandon Steets Patricia A. Holden Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance Journal of Water and Health decay rate depth profile mass balance-based model pepper mild mottle virus sars-cov-2 septic system |
| title | Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| title_full | Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| title_fullStr | Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| title_short | Modeled and measured SARS-CoV-2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| title_sort | modeled and measured sars cov 2 virus in septic tank systems for wastewater surveillance |
| topic | decay rate depth profile mass balance-based model pepper mild mottle virus sars-cov-2 septic system |
| url | http://jwh.iwaponline.com/content/21/9/1242 |
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