COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO on 12 March 2020. As of 27 May 2020, WHO statistics exhibited that more than five million confirmed cases have been reported globally. Much remains unclear about the fate and impact of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus 2019, in wastewater. SARS-CoV-2 infection, the etiologic agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic, is followed by virus shedding in the stool. The quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, therefore, enables monitoring of the prevalence of infections among the population through wastewater-based epidemiology. This review discusses the possible spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater and its impact on human health, if any. The information and resources outlined in this paper are based on recently published studies and provide information to decision-makers on the successful management of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of human exposure to COVID-19. Additionally, systems-based approaches to curtail COVID-19 spread are also discussed.
Groundwater is the main source of water in the study area (Rupnagar District, Punjab), and its quality is essential since it is the primary determinant of the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. In this study, data from 28 years have been used to evaluate the adequacy of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes and assess the potential human health impacts of nitrate contaminants. Results of sodium adsorption ratio, percentage sodium, magnesium hazard ratio, Kelley ratio, and residual sodium carbonate illustrate that most of the sampling locations were suitable for irrigational purposes and drinking water quality of the region mostly belonged to ‘good’ class. The maximum nitrate concentration was observed in the northern and north-east parts of the area. Among the three age groups, children > female > male was found to be more prone to health risks with oral ingestion of nitrate. Uncertainties in the risk estimates were quantified using Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analyses. Thus, a proper management plan should be adopted by the decision-makers to improve the quality of drinking water in this area to avoid major health problems in the near future.
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