Standardizing data reporting in the research community to enhance the utility of open data for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance

SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is being rapidly developed and adopted as a public health monitoring tool worldwide. With wastewater surveillance programs being implemented across many different scales and by many different stakeholders, it is critical that data collected and shared are accompanied by an appropriate minimal amount of meta-information to enable meaningful interpretation and use of this new information source and intercomparison across datasets. While some databases are being developed for specific surveillance programs locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, common globally-adopted data standards have not yet been established within the research community. Establishing such standards will require national and international consensus on what meta-information should accompany SARS-CoV-2 wastewater measurements. To establish a recommendation on minimum information to accompany reporting of SARS-CoV-2 occurrence in wastewater for the research community, the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Coordination Network on Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 hosted a workshop in February 2021 with participants from academia, government agencies, private companies, wastewater utilities, public health laboratories, and research institutes. This report presents the primary two outcomes of the workshop: (i) a recommendation on the set of minimum meta-information that is needed to confidently interpret wastewater SARS-CoV-2 data, and (ii) insights from workshop discussions on how to improve standardization of data reporting

Anaerobic digestion of equine waste:

The goals of this project were to determine the methane production potential of horse manure during anaerobic digestion; to examine the effect of softwood chip bedding, pelleted Woody Pet® softwood bedding, and straw on the methane production potential of equine stall waste; and to investigate the feasibility of co-digestion of waste food and equine waste under thermophilic conditions. Initial results suggested that softwood bedding may have inhibited methane production in 15 L semi-continuous digesters. However, further extensive investigation in batch and continuous flow digesters determined that softwood bedding did not inhibit methane production and, on the contrary, contributed to methane production. The methane production potential for horse manure at 35°C averaged 139 ± 65 L/ kg VS (average ± standard deviation) and 29 ± 15 L/ kg wet weight, corresponding to 9.2 ± 4.8 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight. The energy production potential of stall waste with softwood chip bedding ranged from 4.0 ± 0.4 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight to 6.6 ± 0.8 x 105 kJ / metric ton wet weight, depending upon the relative amount of bedding present. Co-digestion of equine waste and food waste under thermophilic conditions was performed at the 20 L and 6.3 m3 scale. The 20 L thermophilic digesters were fed a variety of food wastes in addition to stall waste containing softwood bedding. The methane production from these digesters was 356 ± 61 L/kg VS-d. The large-scale (6.3 m3) digester was operated in excess of one year primarily on waste food and horse manure (no bedding). The loading rate increased over time to 1.7 kg VS/m3-d. The methane content of the biogas was 55.7 ± 5.2 %. Total ammonia nitrogen approached 5 g/L, suggesting a higher C:N ratio feed stock mixture than that afforded by the waste food and horse manure mixture might be necessary for future applications.M.S.Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-122)by Brian A. Wartel

Implementing wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 on a university campus: Lessons learned

Wastewater surveillance, also known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), has been successfully used to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses in sewage in many locations in the United States and globally. This includes implementation of the surveillance on college and university campuses. A two-phase study was conducted during the 2020–2021 academic year to test the feasibility of a WBE system on campus and to supplement the clinical COVID-19 testing performed for the student, staff, and faculty body. The primary objective during the Fall 2020 semester was to monitor a large portion of the on-campus population and to obtain an understanding of the spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Spring 2021 objective was focused on selected residence halls and groups of residents on campus, as this was more efficient and relevant for an effective follow-up response. Logistical problems and planning oversights initially occurred but were corrected with improved communication and experience. Many lessons were learned, including effective mapping, site planning, communication, personnel organization, and equipment management, and obtained along the way, thereby paving an opportune guide for future planning efforts.https://doi.org/10.1002/wer.1080

Standardizing data reporting in the research community to enhance the utility of open data for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance

SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is being rapidly developed and adopted as a public health monitoring tool worldwide. With wastewater surveillance programs being implemented across many different scales and by many different stakeholders, it is critical that data collected and shared are accompanied by an appropriate minimal amount of meta-information to enable meaningful interpretation and use of this new information source and intercomparison across datasets. While some databases are being developed for specific surveillance programs locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, common globally-adopted data standards have not yet been established within the research community. Establishing such standards will require national and international consensus on what meta-information should accompany SARS-CoV-2 wastewater measurements. To establish a recommendation on minimum information to accompany reporting of SARS-CoV-2 occurrence in wastewater for the research community, the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Coordination Network on Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 hosted a workshop in February 2021 with participants from academia, government agencies, private companies, wastewater utilities, public health laboratories, and research institutes. This report presents the primary two outcomes of the workshop: (i) a recommendation on the set of minimum meta-information that is needed to confidently interpret wastewater SARS-CoV-2 data, and (ii) insights from workshop discussions on how to improve standardization of data reporting