Challenges in Measuring the Recovery of SARS-CoV-2 from Wastewater

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c08210
• Publication Date: 2021-03-03T19:40:08Z
• Authors: Rose S. Kantor; Kara L. Nelson; Hannah D. Greenwald; Lauren C. Kennedy
• Keywords: 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an emerging tool for tracking the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through populations. However, many factors influence recovery and quantification from wastewater, complicating data interpretation. Specifically, these may differentially affect measured virus concentration, depending on laboratory methods used to perform test. Many laboratories add a proxy wastewater samples determine losses associated with concentration extraction viral RNA. While measuring important process control, in this piece, we describe caveats limitations interpretation including that it typically does not account during RNA extraction. We recommend reporting directly alongside efficiency, rather than attempting correct efficiency. Even though ability compare concentrations different sampling locations determined using limited, (uncorrected recovery) can be useful public health response.