Decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 and non-enveloped PMMoV RNA in raw sewage from university dormitories

Li, Ye; Ash, Kurt T.; Joyner, Dominique C.; Williams, Daniel E.; Alamilla, I.; McKay, P. J.; Iler, C.; Green, B. M.; Kara-Murdoch, F.; Swift, Cynthia M.; Hazen, Terry C.

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1144026

Decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 and non-enveloped PMMoV RNA in raw sewage from university dormitories

Journal Article · Thu Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Frontiers in Microbiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1144026· OSTI ID:1984337

Li, Ye ^[1]; ^[2]; Joyner, Dominique C. ^[2]; Williams, Daniel E. ^[1]; Alamilla, I. ^[1]; McKay, P. J. ^[1]; Iler, C. ^[1]; Green, B. M. ^[1]; Kara-Murdoch, F. ^[3]; Swift, Cynthia M. ^[3]; ^[2]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA has been frequently detected in sewage from many university dormitories to inform public health decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a clear understanding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence in site-specific raw sewage is still lacking. To investigate the SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence, a field trial was conducted in the University of Tennessee dormitories raw sewage, similar to municipal wastewater. The decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 RNA and non-enveloped Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) RNA was investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in raw sewage at 4°C and 20°C. Temperature, followed by the concentration level of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, was the most significant factors that influenced the first-order decay rate constants (k) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The mean k values of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were 0.094 day^–1 at 4°C and 0.261 day^–1 at 20°C. At high-, medium-, and low-concentration levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the mean k values were 0.367, 0.169, and 0.091 day^–1, respectively. Furthermore, there was a statistical difference between the decay of enveloped SARS-CoV-2 and non-enveloped PMMoV RNA at different temperature conditions. The first decay rates for both temperatures were statistically comparable for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which showed sensitivity to elevated temperatures but not for PMMoV RNA. This study provides evidence for the persistence of viral RNA in site-specific raw sewage at different temperature conditions and concentration levels.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1984337

Journal Information:: Frontiers in Microbiology, Journal Name: Frontiers in Microbiology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 14; ISSN 1664-302X

Publisher:: Frontiers Research FoundationCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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