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. 2020 Jul 27;8(5):104306. doi: 10.1016/j.jece.2020.104306

Table 1.

Information on the sampling, storage/transport conditions and sample pre-treatment used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater.

Reference The papers marked with an asterisk (*) were not certified by peer review (preprints) Location given in alphabetical order Information on UWTPs (Inhabitant/Population Equivalents, treatment, etc.) Dates of sampling Type of sample Type of sampling container Freezing and transfer of samples Storage conditions at the laboratory Days to analysis Thermal sample treatment
[34] Australia Suburban pumping station and 2 UWTPs of urban catchments in Southeast Queensland March-April 2020 collection of untreated wastewater (grab samples) using conventional refrigerated autosampler or a submersible high frequency autosampler not reported transfer on ice storage at 4 °C not reported ×
[35] Australia UWTP in Brisbane, Australia (PE = 325000)
urban and industrial wastewater; primary treatment, CAS, and disinfection with chlorine and UV
not reported 2 L of untreated wastewater not reported transfer on ice storage at 4 °C 24 h ×
[4] Australia Cruise ship and 3 aircrafts Cruise ship: 23/4/2020 Aircrafts:
  • 1)

    26/4/2020 (117 passengers)

  • 2)

    7/5/2020 (19 passengers)

  • 3)

    10/5/2020 (185 passengers)

Cruise ship: two grab samples from influent and effluent of MBR of the ship
Aircrafts: three grab wastewater samples from each aircraft
not reported Maintenance at 4 °C for transport Maintenance at 4 °C for transport 6-24 hours ×
[7]* Brazil UWTP in Florianopolis, Santa Catalina, Brazil (serving 5000 inhabitants)
Raw sewage
30th October 2019 to 4th of March 2020 200 mL of urban sewage not reported not reported storage at 80 °C not reported ×
[25]* France Influent wastewater of UWTP in Montpellier metropolitan area in Lattes May 7th, 18th, 26th and June 4th, 15th and 25th 2020 Composite samples not reported Maintenance at 4 °C for transport Centrifugation at 4500xg for 30 min at 4 °C andsieving of supernatant through 40 μm Corning strainer followed by storage at -20 °C Samples were processed immediately upon arrival in the laboratory ×
[6]* France 3 UWTPs (>100000 IE) in Paris 5th of March 2020 (start of the epidemic) - 23th of April, 2020. not available not reported not reported storage at 4 °C Samples were processed in less than 24 h after sampling ×
[32]* India UWTP in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (106 million L/day)
Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB); receives the wastewater from a governmental hospital treating COVID-19 patients
8th and 27th of May, 2020 influent and treated effluents (after UASB and aeration pond) sterilized bottles transfer on ice refrigeration of the samples taken on the 8th of May at 4 °C till the 27th of May when next batch of samples were transported to the laboratory and analysed immediately not reported ×
[27]* Israel 11 UWTPs in Haifa, Shafdan, Rahat, Arara, Beer Sheva, Ayalon, Zfat, El Hamra, Kidron, Sorek, Og 10th March, 25th March, 30th March, 3rd April, 5th April, 13th April, 15th April, 16th April, 21th April, 2020 collection of 200 mL of sample every 30 min for 24 hours not reported transfer of 6-10 L of sample to the laboratory, with transfer of 2 L samples to clean plastic bottles storage at -20 °C or−80 °C. not reported ×
[22] Italy 3 UWTPs in Milan (Plant A and B; PE = 1.050.000) and Rome (Plant C1 and C2; PE = 900.000) 3rd of February - 2nd of April, 2020 24-h composite raw wastewater samples not reported not reported storage at -20 °C not reported 56 °C, 30 min
[24]* Italy 5 UWTPs in Milan (Plants A and B; PE = 1116928 and 750863, respectively), Turin (Plants C and D; PE = 2297000 and 180000, respectively) and Bologna (Plant E; PE = 653809) 9th of October 2019 – 28th of February 2020 24-h composite raw wastewater samples not reported storage at -20 °C not reported 56 °C, 30 min
[9]* Italy 3 UWTPs (UWTP-A in Monza/Brianza; UWTP-B and C in Milano); flow = 11 m3/s, IE = 2 million
secondary treatment; tertiary disinfection by peracetic acid or high intensity UV disinfection. UWTP-A and UWTP-B disposal into the Lambro River, and UWTP-C into the Lambro Meridionale River
14th and 22th April, 2020 grab wastewater and river water samples (at 1.00 p.m.) polypropylene bottles for wastewater, dark glass bottles for river water transfer of samples under refrigeration not reported not reported ×
[33]* Japan UWTP and river in Yamanashi Prefecture
CAS
17th of March-7th of May, 2020 collection of samples from influent and secondary-treated wastewater before chlorination and river water samples 1-L sterilized plastic bottles transfer on ice not reported 6 h after sampling ×
[26] Spain 6 UWTPs in Murcia (PE = 530499; CAS, disinfection [NaClO]), Cartagena (PE = 163969; CAS, disinfection), Molina de Segura (PE = 150545; CAS, coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, disinfection [UV, NaClO]), Lorca (PE = 101161; CAS, coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, disinfection [UV, NaOCl]), Cieza (PE = 69502; CAS, coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, disinfection [UV]), Totana (PE = 28289; CAS, disinfection [UV]) 12th March - 14th April, 2020 grab samples (at 7-12 am) 42 influent, 18 secondary and 12 tertiary treated effluent samples HDPE plastic containers transfer of samples on ice to the laboratory. storage at 4 °C 24 h ×
[21]*
[38]
The Netherlands UWTPs in Amsterdam (IE = 1014000), Hague, Utrecht (IE = 530000), Apeldoorn (IE = 350000), Amersfoort (IE = 335000), Tilburg (IE = 375000), Schiphol airport (IE = 54000) 5th, 6th and 7th of February, 2020 (3 weeks before the first reported COVID-19 case in the Netherlands), 4th and 5th March, 2020 (38 and 82 reported COVID-19 cases, resp.), 15th, 16th and 25th of March, 2020 (1135, 1413, and 6412 reported COVID-19 cases, resp.) 24 h flow-dependent composite wastewater sample (250 mL) not reported freezing of samples at 4 °C andtransfer on melting ice not reported not reported ×
[28]* Turkey 7 UWTPs in Istanbul, Turkey and 2 manholes nearby Istanbul hospitals
Preliminary treatment; CAS; advanced nutrient removal
21st and 25th of April, 2020 grab samples 250-mL sterilized bottles not reported not reported not reported ×
[29]* USA 11 points of sampling (i.e., 6 wastewater treatment plants, and 5 inlet pumping stations, or interceptor lines) in Syracuse, NY and other locations in Onondaga County, NY.
PE = 12800-223900 (UWTPs)
PE = 3841-112747 (interceptor lines)
6th and 13th May, 2020 24 hour-composite wastewater samples not reported storage of samples at 4 °C andtransportation on ice to Upstate Medical University (Syracuse, NY) not reported Next morning ×
[8]* USA UWTP in Bozeman, Montana 18th-25th of May, 2020 Collection of 0.5-L samples of pre-treated wastewater on 7 days within a 17-day period, using two collection methods (grab and 24 h-composite samples) not reported not reported not reported not reported ×
[30] USA 9 composite and 6 grab wastewater samples from two UWTPs in Southern Louisiana, respectively (UWTP A = 244627 PE; UWTP B = 45694 PE)
7 raw wastewater samples
4 secondary treated samples
4 final effluent samples after chlorination
January 13th 2020
February 3rd 2020
March 2nd 2020,
April 8th and April 29th 2020
not reported Sterile 1 L Nalgene bottles Transport on ice to the laboratory not reported not reported ×
[31]* USA UWTP in Massachusetts 18th March-25th of March, 2020 24 hour-composite samples of raw sewage not reported not reported storage at 4 °C not reported
60 °C, 90 min

Abbreviations (given in alphabetical order): CAS: Conventional Activated Sludge; IE: Inhabitant Equivalent; PE: Population Equivalent; UASB: Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket