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Quantification and Molecular Characterization of Norovirus After Two Wastewater Treatment Procedures

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Abstract

Detection, molecular characterization, and quantification of Norovirus (NoVs) in a semi-industrial pilot plant were performed in order to assess the efficiency of the secondary biological treatment using two different procedures: natural oxidation ponds and biodisks. A total of 102 wastewater samples were collected from two biological treatment processes in a semi-industrial pilot plant. NoVs GII and NoVs GI were detected and quantified in 65 % (n = 66) and in 1 % (n = 1) of the samples of wastewater from the plant, respectively. The average values of viral content (genome copies/μl) obtained in the effluent of the two lines of treatment showed a substantial reduction in the prevalence and in the viral content of NoVs GII detected from one basin to another of the five watersheds of the oxidation ponds and at the expiration of the biodisk line. The predominant genogroup of NoVs was NoVs GII (65 %), followed by NoVs GI (1 %). The predominant genotype of NoVs GII was GGII.12 (n = 11), followed by GGII.b (n = 1), GGII.1 (n = 1), and GGII.16 (n = 1) and two mixed combinations: GGI.2/GGII.12 (n = 5) and GGI.2/GGII.b (n = 1) were identified. The results obtained in this study represent the first documentation in Tunisia on the effectiveness of biological treatment for the removal of NoVs in the area of the capital of Tunis.

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Acknowledgments

This study is jointly supported by the Laboratory of National Center of Enteric Viruses (Dijon, France) and by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research within the contract program (2010–2013). We are also grateful to our friends and colleagues, French and Tunisian, for their encouragement and support during the progress of this study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Research and Water Technologies (CERTE), Laboratory of Wastewater Treatment, 8020 Tecknopark of Borj-Cedria, Tunis, Tunisia

    Chourouk Ibrahim & Abdennaceur Hassen

  2. National Institute of Sea Science and Technologies, Unit Virology of Marine organisms, Aquaculture Laboratory, Tunis, Tunisia

    Nadia Cherif

  3. National School of Veterinary Medicine at Sidi Thabet, 2020, Tunis, Tunisia

    Salah Hammami

  4. National Reference Centre for Enteric Viruses, Laboratory of Virology, University Hospital of Dijon, Dijon, France

    Pierre Pothier

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  1. Chourouk Ibrahim
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  2. Nadia Cherif
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  5. Abdennaceur Hassen
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Correspondence to Chourouk Ibrahim.

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Ibrahim, C., Cherif, N., Hammami, S. et al. Quantification and Molecular Characterization of Norovirus After Two Wastewater Treatment Procedures. Water Air Soil Pollut 226, 187 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-015-2402-x

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