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.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, wastewater, SARS-CoV-2 RNA, Transmission risk, Wastewater treatment, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, SARS-CoV-2, risk, Transmission, RNA, RT-qPCR, respiratory, plant, Virginia, Quantitative, positive, transcriptase, secondary, polymerase chain, Occurrence, log, analyzed, collected, the United State, assays, investigated, eight, treated, 【제목키워드】 plant, Stage, United State,