Search

COVID-19 positive patients can egest live SARS-CoV-2 virus and viral genome fragments through faecal matter and urine, raising concerns about viral transmission through faecal-oral route and/or contaminated aerosolized water. These worries are heightened in many low and middle income nations, where raw sewage is often dumped into surface waterways and open defecation betide. In this manuscript, we attempt to discern the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material (ORF-1ab, N and S genes) in two urban cities of India viz., Ahmedabad, in western India with several WWTPs; and Guwahati in the north-eastern part of the country with no such treatment plants. The study was carried out to establish applicability of WBE for COVID-19 surveillance as a potential tool for public health monitoring at the community level. 25.8% and 20% of the surface water samples had detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in Ahmedabad and Guwahati, respectively. The high concentration of gene (ORF-1ab - 800 copies/L for Sabarmati river, Ahmedabad and S-gene - 565 copies/L for Bharalu urban river, Guwahati) found in natural waters indicates WWTPs do not always completely remove the genetic material of the virus. The study shows the applicability of WBE surveillance of COVID-19 in cities with low sanitation as well as in rural areas. The method used in this study cannot detect the live viruses, hence further research is required to evaluate the transmission implication of COVID-19 via ambient water, if any. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=112 SRC="FIGDIR/small/21258829v3_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (45K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19a51dborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@743707org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c8b608org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@26cd43_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LINatural urban waters show the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. C_LIO_LILake water receiving runoff containing SARS-CoV-2 genes reflected positive sign early C_LIO_LIViral RNA in surface water reflects incomplete removal of gene fragments in WWTPs. C_LIO_LIResidence time and fate owing to viral RNA in natural waters needs further research. C_LI

COVID-19 positive patients can egest live SARS-CoV-2 virus and viral genome fragments through faecal matter and urine, raising concerns about viral transmission through the faecal-oral route and/or contaminated aerosolized water. These concerns are amplified in many low- and middle-income countries, where raw sewage is often discharged into surface waterways and open defecation is common. Nonetheless, there has been no evidence of COVID-19 transmission via ambient urban water, and the virus viability in such aquatic matrices is believed to be minimal and not a matter of concern. In this manuscript, we attempt to discern the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material (ORF-1ab, N and S genes) in the urban water (lakes, rivers, and drains) of the two Indian cities viz., Ahmedabad (AMD), in western India with 9 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and Guwahati (GHY), in the north-east of the country with no such treatment facilities. The present study was carried out to establish the applicability of environmental water surveillance (E-wat-Surveillance) of COVID-19 as a potential tool for public health monitoring at the community level. 25.8% and 20% of the urban water samples had detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in AMD and GHY, respectively. N-gene > S-gene > ORF-1ab-gene were readily detected in the surface water of AMD, whereas no such observable trend was noticed in the case of GHY. The high concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 genes (e.g., ORF-1ab; 800 copies/L for Sabarmati River, AMD and S-gene; 565 copies/L for Bharalu urban river, GHY) found in urban waters suggest that WWTPs do not always completely remove the virus genetic material and that E-wat-Surveillance of COVID-19 in cities/rural areas with poor sanitation is possible., Graphical abstract Image 1

We evaluated the anthropogenic forcing and exceedance probability of arsenic vulnerability in the Quaternary Alluviums of the Mid-Gangetic Plain through the coupled application of hydrogeochemical analyses, inverse modelling, probability analyses, kriging, bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis (MVA). Fifty-seven groundwater samples (total 171) each were collected during the pre-monsoon (April 2015), monsoon (July 2015) and post-monsoon (January 2016). Seasonal cyclicity of ion exchange and reverse ion exchange was observed, with the former being common during pre-monsoon while the latter was dominant during post-monsoon. PHREEQC modelling showed the involvement of the agrochemicals such as calcium nitrate and calcium phosphate and other isolated incidences of chemical usage like bleaching powder as well as the probability of wet deposition of the anions like SO42− and NO3−. Kriging-based arsenic mapping revealed that rainfall recharge-led dilution plays the most dominant role in its mobilization. Owing to natural recharge in the alluvium plain, the exceedance probability of arsenic concentration above 5 μg L−1 falls drastically from more than 0.8 in the pre-monsoon to 0.5 during the post-monsoon. Study implies that pre-monsoon pumping of groundwater must be regulated in combination with proper disposal of pH and ORP affecting chemicals so that the high natural recharge should not significantly induce arsenic mobilization. Further, we recommend that vulnerability estimation should not be based solely on the present scenarios but must include the features of probable exceedance and saturation status of groundwater in this belt. We put forward a comprehensive model to explain the operative processes governing arsenic mobilization.

Effluents from the industries contaminate surface water, soil and groundwater due to the presence of soluble solids, suspended solids, organic matter, heavy metals and toxic constituents. This necessitates treatment of the discharged wastewater and determination of effluent quality. The situation is very alarming for Tirupur due to textile industries effluent, affecting water consumption pattern around the whole area that generates high stress on groundwater resources as well as agricultural productivity. The present study is based on the general characterization of the quality of effluent before and after installation of conventional effluent treatment plants (CETPs) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment systems. The performance evaluation of CETPs and MBR systems in textile mill effluent treatment was carried out in terms of effluent quality and treatment efficiency. The findings revealed that the CETPs were efficient in removal of total dissolved solids, bicarbonate () total major cations and...