Author(s): Rongxuan Wang; Md. Alamin; Shohei Tsuji; Hiroe Hara-Yamamura; Akihiko Hata; Bo Zhao; Masaru Ihara; Hiroaki Tanaka; Ryo Honda
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Abstract: The potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 in treated effluent from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is concerned during COVID-19 outbreak. However, removal of SARS-CoV-2 in WWTP is virtually unknown. The objective of this study is to clarify removal performance of SARS-CoV-2 in a WWTP and superiority of membrane bioreactor (MBR) process in SARS-CoV-2 reduction. Influent wastewater, secondary treatment effluent, and final effluent after chlorination were collected from a WWTP in Japan during the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Japan from May 28 to September 24,2020. The target WWTP had MBR and conventional activated sludge (CAS) processes. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected 3.3-6.0 log10 copies/L in influent. Log removal value (LRV) of MBR was 3.47 ± 0.65 log, while LRV of CAS proce ss 3.06 ± 1.10 log. The total LRV by the target WWTP was estimated over 3.47 log after chlorination. Consequently, removal performance of SARS-CoV-2 in a WWTP were better than typical reduction of other enteric viruses. A MBR process has more stable reduction than CAS process.
Year: 2022