Can Aerosols and Wastewater be Considered as Potential Transmissional Sources of COVID-19 to Humans?

Abstract

In view of the current situation regarding the COVID-19 disease, recently, published studies have proved the higher aerosol and surface stability of COVID-19. This virus, can survive long time on wastewater and aerosol. Therefore, its transmission via contaminated waste surfaces and airborne transmission through aerosols can occur besides close-distance contacts. This article discusses the potential presence of the COVID-19 pandemic on aerosol, wastewater and sewage sludge. This article highlights the need for health protection, which should be considered to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. An eventual development of new specific techniques would be of great interest for controlling the environmental dissemination of these viruses in the current and eventual future outbreaks. Finally, levels of infectious virus in poor countries like Africa could be increase, due to lack of wastewater treatment. So, it is clear that to limit the transmission of COVID-19, a high disinfection methods and sustainable international collaborative work are required. Meanwhile, further research is important to develop new strategies to limit the transmission of COVID-19 and to avoid a serious second wave of the pandemic or even third waves of COVID-19 infections.

COVID-19 infection risk from exposure to aerosols of wastewater treatment plants

“…It has been proposed that the analysis of wastewater could be a powerful tool for COVID-19 surveillance. However, the documented presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater raises the question regarding the potential transmission risk of this virus through wastewater, especially for those working with human waste and wastewater ( Foladori et al., 2020 ; Yang et al., 2020 ; Gormley et al., 2020 ; El Baz and Imziln, 2020 ; Gwenzi, 2021 ). Aerosols from wastewater treatment processes have the ability to carry infectious agents, including respiratory viruses, and therefore, might contribute to transmission of viral infections to the wastewater workers through aerosols/droplets produced in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) ( Kitajima et al., 2020 ).…”

Concerns and strategies for wastewater treatment during COVID-19 pandemic to stop plausible transmission

“…Though till now there is no report on SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols from WTPs, studies by Fears et al. (2020 ) shows its infectivity in aerosols for up to 16 h, and studies by El Baz and Imziln (2020 ) indicates its potential risk if found in wastewater aerosol.…”

The Urban Water Cycle as a Planning Tool to Monitor SARS-CoV-2: A Review of the Literature

“…Researchers studied the production of microbial aerosols and their health impacts on plant operators during WWTP processes [38,189,190]. Recent publications have proved that COVID-19 is highly stable in aerosols (viruses live for several hours) and on surfaces (viruses live for several days) [1].…”