Detection of Enteroviruses in Influent and Effluent Flow Samples from Wastewater Treatment Plants in Italy

This study evaluated the presence and seasonal distribution of polio and other enteroviruses in four wastewater treatment plants in three cities in Italy, using different treatment systems. Detection of enteroviruses was carried out by virus isolation in cell cultures after concentration of water samples collected at both inlet and outlet of the treatment plants, following the methods described in the WHO guidelines. Viral serotypes isolated before and after water treatment were compared. Forty-eight non-polio enteroviruses were isolated from 312 samples collected at the inlet of the four wastewater treatment plants, 35 of which were Coxsackievirus type B (72.9 %) and 13 Echovirus (27.1 %). After treatment, 2 CVB3, 1 CVB5, and 1 Echo 6 were isolated. CVB3 and Echo 6 serotypes were also detected in samples collected at the inlet of the TP, in the same month and year. The high rate of detection of infectious enteroviruses in inlet sewage samples (30.1 %) indicates wide diffusion of these viruses in the populations linked to the collectors. The incomplete removal of infectious viruses following sewage treatment highlights possible risks for public health relate to treated waters discharge into the environment.     

不同微生物处理工艺对全氟化合物的去除效果

以辽宁省4个采用不同微生物处理工艺的污水处理厂为研究对象,采用WAX固相萃取分离富集和高效液相-质谱联用(HPLC/MS/MS)方法测定了4个污水处理厂中13种PFCs(全氟化合物)〔9种PFCAs(全氟羧酸类化合物,C₄~C₁₂)和4种PFSAs(全氟磺酸类化合物,C₄、C₆、C₈、C₁₀)〕的质量浓度. 研究发现,9种PFCAs(C₄~C₁₂)(记为∑PFCAs)和2种PFSAs(C₄、C₈)(记为∑PFSAs)均有不同程度的检出,水体中各PFCs浓度水平与碳链长度呈显著负相关. 进水中ρ(∑PFCAs)和ρ(∑PFSAs)分别为81.5~135.9和3.7~4.6 ng/L,出水中ρ(∑PFCAs)和ρ(∑PFSAs)分别为47.4~63.3和2.8~3.7 ng/L. 进、出水受PFCAs尤其是短链PFCAs污染较为严重. 4个污水处理厂对PFCs的去除呈现相似的去除效果及规律,即PFCs的去除主要靠活性污泥的吸附作用,而与污水处理厂所采用的微生物处理工艺相关性不大.      

Occurrence, distribution, and potential influencing factors of sewage sludge components derived from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants of Beijing, China

Millions of tons of waste activated sludge (WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critical for sustainable sludge management. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of several fundamental sludge constituents were explored in WAS samples from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Beijing, China. Among all the components investigated, active heterotrophic biomass was dominant in the samples (up to 9478 mg/L), followed by endogenous residues (6736 mg/L), extracellular polymeric substances (2088 mg/L), and intracellular storage products (464 mg/L) among others. Moreover, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in composition profiles of sludge samples among the studied WWTPs. To identify the potential parameters affecting the variable fractions of sludge components, wastewater source as well as design and operational parameters of WWTPs were studied using statistical methods. The findings indicated that the component fraction of sewage sludge depends more on wastewater treatment alternatives than on wastewater characteristics among other parameters. A principal component analysis was conducted, which further indicated that there was a greater proportion of residual inert biomass in the sludge produced by the combined system of the conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process and a membrane bioreactor. Additionally, a much longer solids retention time was also found to influence the sludge composition and induce an increase in both endogenous inert residues and extracellular polymeric substances in the sludge.     

Environmental Surveillance of Polioviruses in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil, in Support to the Activities of Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Wild polioviruses still remain endemic in three countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria) and re-emergency of wild polio has been reported in previously polio-free countries. Environmental surveillance has been used as a supplementary tool in monitoring the circulation of wild poliovirus (PVs) and/or vaccine-derived PVs even in the absence of acute flaccid paralysis cases. This study aimed to monitor the presence of polioviruses in wastewater samples collected at one wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From December 2011 to June 2012 and from September to December 2012, 31 samples were collected and processed. RD and L20B cell cultures were able to isolate PVs and non-polio enteroviruses in 27/31 samples. Polioviruses were isolated in eight samples (type 1 Sabin = 1, type 2 Sabin = 5, and type 3 Sabin = 2). Vaccine-derived polioviruses were not detected nor evidence of recombination with other PVs or non-polio enterovirus serotypes were observed among the isolates. The Sabin-related serotypes 2 and 3 presented nucleotide substitutions in positions associated with the neurovirulent phenotype at the 5′-UTR. Changes in important Amino acid residues at VP1 were also observed in the serotypes 2 and 3. Environmental surveillance has been used successfully in monitoring the circulation of PVs and non-polio enteroviruses and it is of crucial importance in the final stages of the WHO global polio eradication initiative. Our results show the continuous circulation of Sabin-like PVs and non-polio enteroviruses in the analyzed area during the study period.     

A 1-Year Study on the Detection of Human Enteric Viruses in New Caledonia

Human enteric viruses occur in high concentrations in wastewater and can contaminate receiving environmental waters. Due to the lack of data on the prevalence of enteric viruses in New Caledonia, the presence and the concentrations of enteric viruses in wastewater and seawater were determined. Untreated wastewater and seawater samples were collected monthly for 1 year from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and from the WWTP’s outlet, located directly on a popular recreational beach. Samples were tested for norovirus genogroups I and II (NoV GI and GII), astroviruses (AsV), sapoviruses (SaV), enteroviruses (EV), hepatitis A viruses (HAV), rotaviruses (RoV), human adenoviruses (HAdV) and human polyomaviruses (HPyV). To support these data, faecal samples from cases of gastroenteritis were tested for the first time for NoV and detected in the population. NoV GI, NoV GII, EV, SaV, HAdV and HPyV were detected in all wastewaters, RoV in 75 % and AsV in 67 %. HAV were not detected in wastewater. Overall, 92 % of seawater samples were positive for at least one virus. HPyV were detected most frequently in 92 % of samples and at concentrations up to 7.7 × 10³ genome copies/L. NoV GI, NoV GII, EV, SaV, RoV and HAdV were found in 33, 66, 41, 33, 16 and 66 % of seawater samples, respectively. AsV were not detected in seawater. This study reports for the first time the presence of NoV and other enteric viruses in New Caledonia and highlights the year-round presence of enteric viruses in the seawater of a popular beach.     

Clinical and Environmental Surveillance of Rotavirus Common Genotypes Showed High Prevalence of Common P Genotypes in Egypt

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of human rotavirus group A common G and P genotypes in human Egyptian stool specimens and raw sewage samples to determine the most common genotypes for future vaccine development. From 1026 stool specimens of children with acute diarrhea and using nested RT-PCR, 250 samples (24.37%) were positive for human rotavirus group A. Using multiplex RT-PCR, rotavirus common P and G genotypes were detected as 89.20% and 46.40% of the positive clinical specimens respectively. This low percentage of common G genotypes frequency may affect the efficiency of the available live attenuated oral rotavirus vaccines [Rotarix® (human rotavirus G1P[8]) and RotaTeq® (reassortant bovine–human rotavirus G1-4P[5] and G6P[8])], however the percentage of clinical specimens which were negative for common G genotypes but positive for P[8] genotype was 12.00%. From 24 positive raw sewage samples for rotavirus group A VP6 collected from Zenin and El-Gabal El-Asfar wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), 21 samples (87.50%) were typeable for common P genotypes while 13 samples (54.17%) were typeable for common G genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of a VP8 partial gene of 45 P-typeable clinical isolates and 20 P-typeable raw sewage samples showed high similarity to reference strains and the majority of mutations were silent and showed lower to non-significant similarity with the two vaccine strains. This finding is useful for determining the most common antigens required for future vaccine development.

     

Poliovirus and Other Enteroviruses from Environmental Surveillance in Italy, 2009–2015

Within the initiatives for poliomyelitis eradication by WHO, Italy activated an environmental surveillance (ES) in 2005. ES complements clinical Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance for possible polio cases, detects poliovirus circulation in environmental sewage, and is used to monitor transmission in communities. In addition to polioviruses, the analyses comprised: (i) the monitoring of the presence of non-polio enteroviruses in sewage samples and (ii) the temporal and geographical distribution of the detected viruses. From 2009 to 2015, 2880 sewage samples were collected from eight cities participating in the surveillance. Overall, 1479 samples resulted positive for enteroviruses. No wild-type polioviruses were found, although four Sabin-like polioviruses were detected. The low degree of mutation found in the genomes of these four isolates suggests that these viruses have had a limited circulation in the population. All non-polio enteroviruses belonged to species B and the most frequent serotype was CV-B5, followed by CV-B4, E-11, E-6, E-7, CV-B3, and CV-B2. Variations in the frequency of different serotypes were also observed in different seasons and/or Italian areas. Environmental surveillance in Italy, as part of the ‘WHO global polio eradication program’, is a powerful tool to augment the polio surveillance and to investigate the silent circulation or the re-emergence of enteroviruses in the population.     

城市污水处理过程中恶臭气体释放的研究进展

长期以来,我国城市污水处理相关工作人员职业病频发,与城市污水处理过程中会释放出大量的有毒有害气体有重要关系,我国现有的《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》对水质排放指标作了明确规定,但对于污水处理过程中释放的气体污染物的类型及排放限值缺少详细说明.本文对城市污水处理厂不同污水处理工艺及不同污水处理单元在运行中所释放的气体污染物的特征进行了归纳总结,阐述了城市污水处理厂释放的主要恶臭挥发性有机物的产生途径、释放量及影响因素,并指出目前城市污水处理厂释放的气体污染物主要通过尾气末端收集综合处理的方式进行治理,而对于工艺运行参数与气体污染物释放特征之间的相关性关系仍需深入研究.     

In vitro thyroid disrupting effects of organic extracts from WWTPs in Beijing

It is generally known that there are many endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Most research has focused on the occurrence of estrogenic or androgenic activities, while ignoring that there are environmental chemicals disrupting thyroid system, which is essential for growth and development in both humans and animals. In the present work, a two-hybrid yeast assay was conducted to evaluate the removal efficiencies of agonistic or antagonistic thyroid receptor (TR) mediated effects in different treatment processes of three WWTPs located in Beijing. We found no TR agonistic, but TR antagonistic activities in all processes from the WWTPs. The TR antagonistic activities in organic extracts of water samples were then calibrated regarding to a known TR-inhibitor, amiodarone hydrochloride (AH). The observed concentration of TR disrupting substances ranged from 2.35 × 10-8 to 6.19 × 10-7 mol/L AH in Gaobeidian WWTP, 3.76 × 10-s to 8.75 x 10-s mol/L AH in Lugouqiao WWTP,and 4.80 × 10-9 to 2.55 × 10-s mol/L AH in Beixiaohe WWTP. Of the three WWTPs, the removal rates were 92.7%, 42.2%, and 23.1% respectively. Industrial sewage may contain more TR disrupting substances compared with domestic sewage. The recipient waters were found to contain considerable concentrations of TR disrupting substances that may cause adverse effects on the exposed organisms.     

In vitro thyroid disrupting e ects of organic extracts from WWTPs in Beijing

It is generally known that there are many endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the e uents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Most research has focused on the occurrence of estrogenic or androgenic activities, while ignoring that there are environmental chemicals disrupting thyroid system, which is essential for growth and development in both humans and animals. In the present work, a two-hybrid yeast assay was conducted to evaluate the removal e ciencies of agonistic or antagonistic thyroid receptor (TR) mediated e ects in di erent treatment processes of three WWTPs located in Beijing. We found no TR agonistic, but TR antagonistic activities in all processes from the WWTPs. The TR antagonistic activities in organic extracts of water samples were then calibrated regarding to a known TR-inhibitor, amiodarone hydrochloride (AH). The observed concentration of TR disrupting substances ranged from 2.35 10??8 to 6.19 10??7 mol/L AH in Gaobeidian WWTP, 3.76 10??8 to 8.75 10??8 mol/L AH in Lugouqiao WWTP, and 4.80 10??9 to 2.55 10??8 mol/L AH in Beixiaohe WWTP. Of the three WWTPs, the removal rates were 92.7%, 42.2%, and 23.1% respectively. Industrial sewage may contain more TR disrupting substances compared with domestic sewage. The recipient waters were found to contain considerable concentrations of TR disrupting substances that may cause adverse e ects on the exposed organisms.     

污水处理厂中雄激素分布及行为的研究进展

人类及生物体内在自然代谢及药物使用过程中产生的甾醇类激素如果在污水处理厂中未能完全去除或是未加处理直接排放,则会污染受纳水体,并对其中的鱼类等生物造成影响,其中人体内产生的雄激素睾酮的浓度比雌激素雌二醇要高1~3个数量级.本文比较了当前各地污水处理厂中的雄激素分布,阐述了污水处理工艺对雄激素的去除效果;其中,格栅、初沉池等初级处理工艺基本不去除雄激素;厌氧-缺氧-好氧等二级处理工艺通过生物降解等作用可以有效去除80%~100%的雄激素;氯消毒、臭氧等三级处理工艺对雄激素的去除效率相差较大,在-66.7%~70%范围内波动;同时也对去除雄激素的新型材料研究及未来研究方向进行了展望.     

废水处理系统中抗生素抗性基因分布特征

废水处理厂被认为是抗生素抗性基因(ARGs)的重要污染源.为探究抗性基因在进水状况复杂的废水处理厂沿程的分布变化特征,选取以生产抗生素为主导行业的某化工园区废水处理厂,使用实时荧光定量PCR对废水处理厂沿程ARGs的种类、丰度变化进行研究.结果表明,废水处理厂水体中检出16种ARGs,四环素类、磺胺类ARGs为废水处理厂中占主导的抗性基因,并检出可移动遗传元件int I1,其丰度与磺胺类抗性基因的丰度(P 0. 05,r 0. 95)存在相关性,表明可移动遗传元件int I1可能促进了磺胺类抗性基因的迁移和转化.园区医药企业以合成大环内酯类抗生素为主,由于选择性压力,园区废水中,erm B抗性基因的绝对丰度远远高于其他废水中erm B的绝对丰度.废水经过废水处理厂生物处理工艺,总ARGs绝对丰度下降了1. 16个数量级,经过芬顿工艺处理后,总ARGs绝对丰度下降了2. 46个数量级,表明该废水处理工艺中深度处理工艺对ARGs的去除效果优于生物处理.高浓度、可移动的ARGs已经存在于水体中,如果没有得到有效治理,从废水处理厂排出,将给环境带来高度风险.     

纳米二氧化铈在污水处理系统中的环境行为及其生物毒性效应研究进展

纳米二氧化铈（CeO₂）以其独特的理化性质被广泛应用于工业生产和日常生活中,因而会不可避免地被释放进入污水处理厂内并与微生物发生相互作用,进而对其净污活性和污水处理系统的运行稳定性产生影响。从污水处理系统内纳米CeO₂的归趋和迁移转化过程,对功能微生物表面性能、功能活性和群落组成的影响等方面系统综述了纳米CeO₂在污水处理系统内的环境行为与毒性效应;阐明了纳米CeO₂对污水处理系统运行效果的影响并总结了能够缓解纳米CeO₂影响污水处理系统运行稳定性的措施,旨在为控制和预防纳米CeO₂在污水处理系统中引起的环境风险提供理论基础和科学依据。     

高原高寒污水处理系统的微生物群落特征

为研究高原高寒污水处理系统活性污泥的微生物群落结构及多样性,以拉萨、云南、四川的3座高原污水厂作为实验组,同时以重庆2座非高原污水厂作为对照,采用PCR-DGGE技术对比分析了高原与非高原污水厂的微生物特性.研究表明：高原污水厂样品与非高原样品在聚类中展现出了较为疏远的关系,微生物群落区别明显.受强紫外线辐照的抑制,高原高寒污水处理系统微生物多样性的平均水平显著低于非高原污水厂,较低的微生物多样性是导致高原高寒地区污染物去除效果不佳的一项重要原因.群落构成方面,共鉴定出16个优势菌属,对应Proteobacteria、Bacteroidetes、Firmicutes、Verrucomicrobia 4个门.组间差异分析结果发现,高原组中丰度显著偏高的菌属只有Prosthecobacter,该菌在污水厂内分布广泛,且能够适应高原低温的条件.对于大多数活性污泥微生物而言,高原强紫外线是不利的生存条件.因此,减少高原露天污水处理系统的紫外辐照,是提升污水处理效能的一个潜在措施.     

北京市生活污水中曲马多和芬太尼的赋存

曲马多和芬太尼是临床上常用的止痛药品,具有一定的成瘾性,其滥用问题被社会广泛关注.这两种药物经人体代谢后,会以代谢产物和原药的形式随尿液进入生活污水并汇入污水处理厂,经处理后被排入自然水体,带来潜在的环境风险.在国内外已有研究的基础上,建立了污水中曲马多和芬太尼的前处理及分析测定方法,并首次对北京市23家污水厂进出水中曲马多和芬太尼进行测定.进水中曲马多的浓度范围为(10. 2±8. 7)～(175. 3±59. 7) ng·L-1,而芬太尼在多数水样中未被检出.传统活性污泥工艺对曲马多的去除效果较差,其它工艺均能有效去除曲马多.北京市中心城区曲马多的负荷水平显著高于近郊的负荷水平.基于污水流行病学方法对北京市曲马多的使用进行了估算,海淀区曲马多的年使用量最高,约为202. 5 kg.北京市夏季曲马多的使用量显著高于冬季.本研究为全国范围曲马多和芬太尼使用的污水流行病学调查提供了参考依据.     

N-亚硝胺在不同处理工艺污水处理厂中的分布及其

以6种典型N-亚硝胺(NAs)为研究对象,基于质量浓度监测数据系统研究了它们在3种不同处理工艺的污水处理厂中的分布及其去除规律,并分析了它们在受纳河水中的污染概况及来源.结果表明,6种NAs在3种不同处理工艺污水处理厂各工艺段废水中普遍存在,其中主要污染物为NPIP、NDMA和NPYR,质量浓度水平为几十到几百ng·L-1. 3种不同处理工艺的污水处理厂都能对NAs起到一定的去除效果,其中改良A~2/O和A~2/O+MBR对NAs的去除效果较好,总体去除率分别为95%和63%,主要依靠生化阶段的微生物降解和转化.在过滤、MBR和消毒阶段,废水处理体系中NAs前驱物经一系列反应后会形成一定的NAs增量. 6种NAs在受纳河流的表层水中也频繁检出,主要污染物和污水处理厂进水中的主要污染物一致,仍然是MDMA、NPIP和NPYR.受纳河流中的NAs来源广泛而复杂,包括污水处理厂尾水排入、未经处理的生活污水和工业废水以及工业区地表径流等的汇入.因此,应该通过增强污水收集和处理能力、优化污水处理工艺等措施减少NAs向受纳河流的输入.     

低碳氮比进水AAO污水处理厂低碳运行

为探明低碳氮比进水条件下AAO污水处理厂的碳排放特征,提出可行的低碳运行策略,基于排放因子法对7座低碳氮比进水AAO污水处理厂(分为AAO组和AAO-MBR组)运行1a产生的碳排放进行核算与评价,对具有显著低碳表现的污水处理厂开展全流程分析剖析其碳减排途径。结果表明,电耗和N₂O排放是主要碳排放来源,分别贡献49.43%和25.75%的碳排放。AAO-MBR组以间接碳排放为主,电耗碳排放占至约60%,而AAO组生物作用导致的直接碳排放占主导。AAO组平均吨水比碳排放显著低于AAO-MBR组(0.47和0.79kgCO_2eq/m³),更具低碳运行潜力。7座污水处理厂中,WWTP7各项比碳排放评价指标均为最低,意味着其最具低碳运行能力。充分利用进水碳源,多路径协同脱氮除磷同时精准控制溶解氧浓度避免过曝气是其大幅削减能耗和物耗,实现碳减排的关键路径。     

自然水环境中抗生素的污染现状、来源及危害研究进展

随着现代分析技术的发展和人们环境安全意识的增强,抗生素等新兴有机污染物在自然水环境中的出现已引起广泛关注。简述了不同自然水体中抗生素的污染现状,分析了自然水环境中抗生素的主要来源和环境危害。分析表明:抗生素在近海海域和河流中的检出频率和浓度均高于湖泊和地下水中的值,这可能是由于人类活动以及污水排放在海洋与河流中较其他水体更频繁所致;污水处理厂出水是自然水环境中抗生素出现的重要来源之一,而抗生素在污水处理厂的去除率与其自身物理化学性质和污水处理工艺有关。