Decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 and non-enveloped PMMoV RNA in raw sewage from university dormitories

Frontiers in Microbiology

Microbiology

C. M. Swift¹  F. Kara-Murdoch¹  Daniel E. Williams²  Ye Li³  K. T. Ash⁴  Dominique C. Joyner⁴  Terry C. Hazen⁵  B. M. Green⁶  C. Iler⁷  P. J. McKay⁸  I. Alamilla⁸ 

[1] Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States;Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States;Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Bredesen Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Department of Facilities Services, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;Student Health Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States;

关键词: SARS-CoV-2;    PMMoV RNA;    SARS-CoV-2 RNA;    raw sewage;    temperature;    viral density;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmicb.2023.1144026

 received in 2023-01-16, accepted in 2023-04-03,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionAlthough severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA has been frequently detected in sewage from many university dormitories to inform public health decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a clear understanding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence in site-specific raw sewage is still lacking. To investigate the SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence, a field trial was conducted in the University of Tennessee dormitories raw sewage, similar to municipal wastewater.MethodsThe decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 RNA and non-enveloped Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) RNA was investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in raw sewage at 4°C and 20°C.ResultsTemperature, followed by the concentration level of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, was the most significant factors that influenced the first-order decay rate constants (k) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The mean k values of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were 0.094 day−1 at 4°C and 0.261 day−1 at 20°C. At high-, medium-, and low-concentration levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the mean k values were 0.367, 0.169, and 0.091 day−1, respectively. Furthermore, there was a statistical difference between the decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 and non-enveloped PMMoV RNA at different temperature conditions.DiscussionThe first decay rates for both temperatures were statistically comparable for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which showed sensitivity to elevated temperatures but not for PMMoV RNA. This study provides evidence for the persistence of viral RNA in site-specific raw sewage at different temperature conditions and concentration levels.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Li, Ash, Joyner, Williams, Alamilla, McKay, Iler, Green, Kara-Murdoch, Swift and Hazen.