First detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in North America: A study in Louisiana, USA

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 743; p. 140621
• Main Authors: Sherchan, Samendra P., Shahin, Shalina, Ward, Lauren M., Tandukar, Sarmila, Aw, Tiong G., Schmitz, Bradley, Ahmed, Warish, Kitajima, Masaaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.11.2020
• Subjects: Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; environment; Humans; Louisiana; North America; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; RNA; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Surveillance; ultrafiltration; Wastewater; Wastewater-based epidemiology; Louisiana; North America; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Surveillance; Wastewater; RT-qPCR; Wastewater-based epidemiology
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140621

We investigated the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater samples in southern Louisiana, USA. Untreated and treated wastewater samples were collected on five occasions over a four-month period from January to April 2020. The wastewater samples were concentrated via ultrafiltration (Method A), and an adsorption–elution method using electronegative membranes (Method B). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 2 out of 15 wastewater samples using two reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays (CDC N1 and N2). None of the secondary treated and final effluent samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in North America, including the USA. However, concentration methods and RT-qPCR assays need to be refined and validated to increase the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater. [Display omitted] •First study in Louisiana, USA reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using ultrafiltration.•Two out of seven untreated wastewater samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.•None of the secondary treated and final effluent samples tested positive.•Concentration methods and RT-qPCR assays applied for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection need further refinement.