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

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  • Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo

    (Department of Engineering in Business Management, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
    Wetland and Environmental Sustainability Laboratory, Division of Postgraduate Studies and Research, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Graciela Nani

    (Department of Engineering in Business Management, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
    Wetland and Environmental Sustainability Laboratory, Division of Postgraduate Studies and Research, 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
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres

    (Estancia Postdoctoral CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Misantla, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo & Graciela Nani & Florentina Zurita & Carlos Nakase & Sergio Zamora & Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo & Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres, 2022. "A Review of the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater: Transmission Risks in Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8354-:d:858450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Annalaura Carducci & Gabriele Donzelli & Lorenzo Cioni & Ileana Federigi & Roberto Lombardi & Marco Verani, 2018. "Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Workers Exposed to Bioaerosol in Wastewater Treatment Plants Aimed at the Choice and Setup of Safety Measures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-12, July.
    2. Mahlknecht, Jürgen & González-Bravo, Ramón & Loge, Frank J., 2020. "Water-energy-food security: A Nexus perspective of the current situation in Latin America and the Caribbean," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    3. Maria de Lourdes Aguiar-Oliveira & Aline Campos & Aline R. Matos & Caroline Rigotto & Adriana Sotero-Martins & Paulo F. P. Teixeira & Marilda M. Siqueira, 2020. "Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) and Viral Detection in Polluted Surface Water: A Valuable Tool for COVID-19 Surveillance—A Brief Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-19, December.
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