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The occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in Tehran’s municipal wastewater: performance of treatment systems and feasibility of wastewater-based epidemiology

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Abstract

Analyzing municipal wastewater for the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) helps to evaluate the efficacy of treatment systems in mitigating virus-related health risks. This research investigates wastewater treatment plants’ (WWTPs) performance in the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 from municipal wastewater in Tehran, Iran. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was measured within sewers, at the inlets, and after the primary and secondary treatment stages of three main WWTPs. Within sewers, the average virus titer stood at 58,600 gc/L, while at WWTP inlets, it measured 38,136 gc/L. A substantial 67% reduction in virus titer was observed at the inlets, accompanied by a 2-log reduction post-primary treatment. Remarkably, the biological treatment process resulted in complete virus elimination across all plants. Additionally, a notable positive correlation (r > 0.8) was observed between temperature and virus titer in wastewater. Using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) technique and the estimated SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding rates, the infection prevalence among populations served by WWTPs found to be between 0.128% to 0.577%. In conclusion, this research not only advances our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics within wastewater treatment systems but also provides practical insights for enhancing treatment efficiency and implementing the feasibility of WBE strategies in Tehran. These implications contribute to the broader efforts to protect public health and mitigate the impact of future viral outbreaks.

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Data availability

Data sets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this study (Grant No.: 48954–110-2–99) was provided by the Office of R&D and Industrial Relations of Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, Tehran, Iran.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Water Quality Research (CWQR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mahdi Hadi, Simin Nasseri, Mahmood Alimohammadi, Mehri Solaimany Aminabad & Saeedeh Hemmati Borji

  2. Water Quality Control Office, Alborz Province Water and Wastewater Company, Karaj, Iran

    Roohollah Kheiri

  3. Reference Laboratory of Water and Wastewater, Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company, Tehran, Iran

    Mahtab Baghban

  4. Office of R&D and Industrial Relations of Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, Tehran, Iran

    Ahmad Sayahi & Hamidreza Khastoo

  5. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mahmood Alimohammadi & Elnaz Iravani

  6. Manager of Water Quality Control Bureau, National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, Tehran, Iran

    Kooshiar Azam Vaghefi

  7. Office of Improvement on Wastewater Operation Procedures, National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, Tehran, Iran

    Behnam Vakili

  8. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran, Iran

    Hamidreza Tashauoei

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  1. Mahdi Hadi
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Correspondence to Mahdi Hadi.

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Hadi, M., Kheiri, R., Baghban, M. et al. The occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in Tehran’s municipal wastewater: performance of treatment systems and feasibility of wastewater-based epidemiology. J Environ Health Sci Engineer (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-024-00897-y

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