Optimized Aluminum Hydroxide Adsorption–Precipitation for Improved Viral Detection in Wastewater

Karla Farmer-Diaz, Makeda Matthew-Bernard, Sonia Cheetham, Kerry Mitchell, Calum N. L. Macpherson and Maria E. Ramos-Nino ()
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Karla Farmer-Diaz: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada
Makeda Matthew-Bernard: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada
Sonia Cheetham: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada
Kerry Mitchell: Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada
Calum N. L. Macpherson: School of Graduate Studies, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada
Maria E. Ramos-Nino: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, St George P.O Box 7, Grenada

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable tool for monitoring pathogen spread in communities; however, current protocols mainly target non-enveloped viruses. This study addresses the need for standardized methods to detect both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses by testing four aluminum hydroxide adsorption–precipitation techniques. Wastewater samples were spiked with an enveloped virus surrogate (Φ6 bacteriophage) and a non-enveloped virus surrogate (MS2 coliphage), and viral recovery was assessed using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The highest recovery for the enveloped virus was achieved with AlCl 3 at pH 3.5, a 15 min flocculation time, and a 3% elution solution concentration. For the non-enveloped virus, optimal recovery was found with AlCl 3 at pH 6.0, no flocculation time, and a 10% elution solution. The best method for recovering both virus types used AlCl 3 at pH 6.0, 15 min flocculation, and a 3% elution solution concentration. This study shows that while optimal conditions vary between virus types, a standardized AlCl 3 flocculation protocol can efficiently recover both, providing a cost-effective approach for outbreak monitoring in Grenada.

Keywords: wastewater; wastewater-based epidemiology; viral concentrations; aluminum concentration; non-enveloped viruses; enveloped viruses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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