Air, surface, and wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2; a multimodal evaluation of COVID-19 detection in a built environment
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Date
2025-01
Authors
Martinez, Andreas Olsen
Dietz, Leslie G.
Parhizkar, Hooman
Kaya, Devrim
Northcutt, Dale
Horve, Patrick F.
Stenson, Jason
Harry, Michael
Mickle, David
Jaaf, Shana
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Environmental surveillance of infectious organisms holds tremendous promise to reduce human-to-human
transmission in indoor spaces through early detection.
OBJECTIVE: In this study we determined the applicability and limitations of wastewater, indoor high-touch surfaces, in-room air,
and rooftop exhaust air sampling methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a real world building occupied by residents recently
diagnosed with COVID-19.
METHODS: We concurrently examined the results of three 24-hour environmental surveillance techniques, indoor surface
sampling, exhaust air sampling and wastewater surveillance, to the known daily census fluctuations in a COVID-19 isolation
dormitory. Additionally, we assessed the ability of aerosol samplers placed in the large volume lobby to detect SARS-CoV-2 multiple
times per day.
RESULTS: Our research reveals an increase in the number of individuals confirmed positive with COVID-19 as well as their
estimated human viral load to be associated with statistically significant increases in viral loads detected in rooftop exhaust aerosol
samples (p = 0.0413), wastewater samples (p = 0.0323,), and indoor high-touch surfaces (p < 0.001)). We also report that the viral
load detected in lobby aerosol samples was statistically higher in samples collected during presence of occupants whose COVID-19
diagnostic tests were confirmed positive via qPCR compared to periods when the lobby was occupied by either contact-traced
(suspected positive) individuals or during unoccupied periods (p = 0.0314 and <2eā16).
SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that each daily (24h) surveillance method, rooftop exhaust air, indoor high-touch surfaces, and
wastewater, provide useful detection signals for building owner/operator(s). Furthermore, we demonstrate that exhaust air
sampling can provide spatially resolved signals based upon ventilation exhaust zones. Additionally, we find that indoor lobby air
sampling can provide temporally resolved signals useful during short duration sampling periods (e.g., 2-4 hours) even with
intermittent occupancy by occupants diagnosed with COVID-19.
IMPACT:
ā Our research demonstrates that aerosol sampling can detect COVID-19 positive individuals in a real world lobby setting during
very short occupancy periods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of rooftop exhaust aerosol, surface, and wastewater
environmental surveillance in monitoring viral load in building occupants, both at the building scale and with ventilation zonelevel
resolution for aerosols. We provide actionable data for researchers, health officials and building managers who seek to
determine which monitoring method is best for their building or study. This study is relevant in the fields of epidemiology,
exposure sciences, biomonitoring, virology, public health, and healthy building design and management.
Description
11 pages
Keywords
surveillance, built environment, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Ventilation, Wastewater