A Review of the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater: Transmission Risks in Mexico

Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo, Graciela Nani, Florentina Zurita, Carlos Nakase, Sergio Zamora, Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo and Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres
Additional contact information
Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo: Department of Engineering in Business Management, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
Graciela Nani: Department of Engineering in Business Management, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
Florentina Zurita: Research Center in Environmental Quality, Centro Universitario de la Ciénega, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 1115, Ocotlán 4782, Jalisco, Mexico
Carlos Nakase: Public Works Department, University of Local Government of Martínez de la Torre, Veracruz 93605, Veracruz, Mexico
Sergio Zamora: Faculty of Engineering, Construction and Habitation, Universidad Veracruzana, Bv. Adolfo Ruíz Cortines 455, Costa Verde, Boca del Rio 94294, Veracruz, Mexico
Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo: Wetland and Environmental Sustainability Laboratory, Division of Postgraduate Studies and Research, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres: Estancia Postdoctoral CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-22

Abstract: The appearance of SARS-CoV-2 represented a new health threat to humanity and affected millions of people; the transmission of this virus occurs through different routes, and one of them recently under debate in the international community is its possible incorporation and spread by sewage. Therefore, the present work’s research objectives are to review the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater throughout the world and to analyze the coverage of wastewater treatment in Mexico to determine if there is a correlation between the positive cases of COVID-19 and the percentages of treated wastewater in Mexico as well as to investigate the evidence of possible transmission by aerosol sand untreated wastewater. Methodologically, a quick search of scientific literature was performed to identify evidence the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (ribonucleic acid) in wastewater in four international databases. The statistical information of the positive cases of COVID-19 was obtained from data from the Health Secretary of the Mexican Government and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The information from the wastewater treatment plants in Mexico was obtained from official information of the National Water Commission of Mexico. The results showed sufficient evidence that SARS-CoV-2 remains alive in municipal wastewater in Mexico. Our analysis indicates that there is a low but significant correlation between the percentage of treated water and positive cases of coronavirus r = −0.385, with IC (95%) = (−0.647, −0.042) and p = 0.030; this result should be taken with caution because wastewater is not a transmission mechanism, but this finding is useful to highlight the need to increase the percentage of treated wastewater and to do it efficiently. In conclusions, the virus is present in untreated wastewater, and the early detection of SAR-CoV-2 could serve as a bioindicator method of the presence of the virus. This could be of great help to establish surveillance measures by zones to take preventive actions, which to date have not been considered by the Mexican health authorities. Unfortunately, wastewater treatment systems in Mexico are very fragile, and coverage is limited to urban areas and non-existent in rural areas. Furthermore, although the probability of contagion is relatively low, it can be a risk for wastewater treatment plant workers and people who are close to them.

Keywords: municipal wastewater; virus transmission; COVID-19; epidemiology of wastewater; risks of transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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