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Presence, transmission, and management of the SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: a brief review

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Abstract

This review aims to determine the potential of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as an effective tool for the measurement and management of the COVID-19 pandemic. WBE is a fast-evolving topic and therefore an up-to-date review is critical for our understanding. The following objectives will be further investigated to determine the presence, transmission, and management of SARS-CoV-2: (i) summarize the effectiveness of current wastewater monitoring procedures to accurately detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 in communities, and (ii) identify how the virus's behaviour and introduction in wastewater contribute to our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, its transmission, and effective management. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA was able to be detected in the majority of case studies using various methods. Further research related to the transmission and management of SARS-CoV-2 is required to unlock WBE's full potential.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the instructors at the Integrated Sciences program at McMaster University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Interdisciplinary Science, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada

    S. R. Koza

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada

    Z. Li

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Koza, S.R., Li, Z. Presence, transmission, and management of the SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: a brief review. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05665-x

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