Early Warnings of COVID-19 Second Wave in Detroit
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VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 8
Abstract
This study focuses on using wastewater-based epidemiology to provide early warnings of the second COVID-19 wave in the Detroit metropolitan area of Michigan. SARS-CoV-2 RNA from untreated wastewater samples was compared to reported public health records. Untreated wastewater samples were collected from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), located in southeast Michigan, between August 6, 2020 and December 14, 2020. The WRRF receives wastewater from its service area via three main interceptors: the Detroit River Interceptor (DRI), the North Interceptor-East Arm (NIEA), and the Oakwood-Northwest-Wayne County Interceptor (ONWI). A total of 144 untreated wastewater samples were collected (45, 48, and 51 for ONWI, NIEA, and DRI, respectively) at the point of intake into the WRRF. Virus-selective sampling was conducted, and viruses were isolated from wastewater using electropositive NanoCeram column filters. For each sample, an average of 33 L of wastewater was passed through NanoCeram electropositive cartridge filters at an average rate of Image (ie1) is missing or otherwise invalid.. Viruses were eluted and concentrated, and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations were quantified with RT-qPCR. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 98% of the samples, and measured concentrations were in the range of Image (ie2) is missing or otherwise invalid. to Image (ie3) is missing or otherwise invalid. genomic copies/L. Early warnings of COVID-19 peaks were observed approximately 4 weeks prior to reported publicly available clinical data.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). We thank Palencia Mobley and Anil Gosine with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department for facilitating this study. We thank Arthur Chan, Andrew Kaye, Greg McGrath, and James Broz with CDM Smith for their support with sampling and the GIS and SWMM analysis.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 8 • August 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 21, 2020
Accepted: May 7, 2021
Published online: Jun 3, 2021
Published in print: Aug 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Nov 3, 2021
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