Researchers at AV俱乐部 have helped in the development of a rapid test to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater -- an unexpected resource that is becoming a valuable sentinel in the global fight to contain the virus before it is able to spread.
Amina Stoddart,听an assistant professor in the Department of听Civil and Resource Engineering, is leading a project听with colleagues Graham Gagnon and Rob Jamieson听to develop a wastewater-based surveillance approach for听COVID-19.
They are working with Halifax Water and LuminUltra听Technologies, a Canadian biotechnology company which recently filed a patent for the first complete rapid, on-site COVID-19 wastewater testing solution.
Central to the approach is the idea that wastewater could alert officials to the presence of the virus either before someone develops symptoms or receives a positive test result or if they are asymptomatic.
鈥淲astewater testing has been shown to lead to early identification of the virus before it is known in a clinical context 鈥� the potential benefit could help Public Health leaders with additional information for decisions concerning the pandemic,鈥� said Dr. Stoddart.
鈥淧ublic health leaders around the world have validated that wastewater testing is a powerful tool in the fight against the pandemic, and global research leaders have demonstrated the benefits of testing human waste in controlled populations. We are very pleased to continue AV俱乐部鈥檚 long-standing research relationship with LuminUltra to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Halifax and beyond.鈥�
SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in waste
The听genetic code,听or RNA,听from听SARS-CoV-2 has been听found听in听the听feces of听people听infected听with the virus听and听it is known that听the particles survive longer in the gastrointestinal tract than in the respiratory tract.听Because of that, wastewater may be monitored for SARS-CoV-2 to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in a given population.
In听Spain, for example, researchers听detected COVID-19 in 83 per cent of untreated wastewater samples听before听initial cases were reported in the region.
Ultimately, the innovation in the RNA extraction and concentration process resulting from the team鈥檚 research has eliminated the need for additional complicated equipment, greatly simplifying the process from sample collection to result.
鈥淗alifax Water听is pleased to be听a听partner in听this important research project. It听is听a natural extension of听our听history of听supporting听innovative听research听in water and wastewater听for the benefit of customers听and the environment,鈥� says Halifax Water听General Manager Cathie O鈥橳oole.
LuminUltra听Technologies has developed a range of Environmental Monitoring Solutions to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in environments, including surfaces, air, water and听wastewater. They are the developer of the听GeneCount听qPCR system, which allows customers to do rapid, on-site environmental testing.
鈥淭he idea of wastewater surveillance testing has been advocated by researchers around the world since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� said Pat Whalen, president and CEO of LuminUltra.
鈥淯ntil now, wastewater testing has been complicated, expensive and time consuming 鈥� meaning the potentially life-saving technique was reserved for niche subgroups under the watchful eye of researchers. We have been determined to make this surveillance tool more accessible to communities everywhere, allowing for a game-changing early warning of COVID-19 infections.鈥�
Leading-edge research and training
The team will鈥痲uantify the SARS- CoV-2 load in the raw wastewater鈥痺ith the goal of鈥痠dentifying鈥痮ccurrence in the community. The collaborative work itself has both immediate and long-term benefits, says Dr. Gagnon.
鈥淚 am very pleased that the partnership between LuminUltra and AV俱乐部 has led to this innovation, but extraordinarily proud that the partnership has fostered leading-edge research training opportunities for post-docs and graduate students, like Dr. Ana Luisa Parra (post-doctoral fellow), Emalie Hayes (MASc student), and Rishab Monga (BEng Coop student)听at AV俱乐部,鈥� he said.
LuminUltra鈥檚 wastewater testing solution allows communities and controlled populations to analyze overall population health, rather than relying solely on single-patient clinical tests to determine if there is an infection of COVID-19 present or a surge in cases. The City of Moncton, N.B., has recently begun collecting wastewater samples to evaluate the potential of using the technology as a predictive index in the management of COVID-19 and public health messaging.
鈥淟uminUltra has supported research at AV俱乐部 for over a decade and this latest innovation is a shining example of the great work that has occurred over this time,鈥� says Dr. Gagnon.
The wastewater鈥痳esearch builds鈥痷pon a鈥痩ong-standing鈥痺ater research partnership鈥痶hat has been in place since 2007鈥痓etween AV俱乐部 and Halifax Water鈥痶hrough the NSERC鈥疕alifax Water鈥疘ndustrial Research Chair.鈥疶his partnership has developed industry leading research on Lead Service Line Replacements and other water quality鈥痠mprovements.
Their findings will be shared with听the听NSHA听to听potentially听help it make public health decisions related to identifying the听extent of infection in Nova Scotia, early听detection听of subsequent waves of the virus and informing the safe lifting of social and economic restrictions.
Samples will听initially听be collected from听Halifax Water听wastewater treatment facilities in听Dartmouth and Halifax, with the possibility that the project could be expanded throughout the province. The team will听quantify the SARS- CoV-2 load in the raw wastewater听with the goal of听identifying听occurrence in the community.
Last March,听Halifax Water听and Dr. Stoddart were awarded a听three-year听Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)听Collaborative Research听and听Development听grant worth $1 million听to support wastewater research focused on surveillance and treatment strategy development.听The wastewater听research builds听upon a听long-standing听water research partnership听that has been in place since 2007听between AV俱乐部 and Halifax Water听through the NSERC听Halifax Water听Industrial Research Chair.听
This partnership has developed industry leading research on Lead Service Line Replacements and other water quality听improvemeThis research听will听improve听our听understanding of the magnitude of total carriers of the SARS-CoV-2 virus听at the community level and may lead to wastewater surveillance for other health concerns and future pandemics,鈥� says Dr. Stoddart.