Impacto de la pandemia por sars-cov-2 sobre la operación, mantenimiento y control de una planta de tratamiento de agua residual municipal

El agua residual en generada en una población, es indispensable realizar su trabajo de tratamiento para realizar los respectivos vertimientos en la fuente de agua superficial de preferencia, por la cual debe cumplir con unos parámetros de calidad de agua que no afecte la biodiversidad de la fuente. Por lo tanto, en este trabajo de grado se realizó un análisis por medio del Plan de Manejo Ambiental de EMCALI (PMA) de las unidades en funcionamiento para el tratamiento correcto del agua residual que ingresa a la planta de tratamiento de agua residual de Cañaveralejo. En la línea de agua, lodo y gas, se encuentran una respectivas unidades para el tratamiento del mismo donde cada uno debe cumplir con unos mínimos de eficiencia para que la depuración del agua sea la óptima, el análisis de cada una de la unidades están sujetas en cuanto a la operación, mantenimiento y control de la PTAR – C. Todas la metodología está encaminada a realizar el análisis comparativo antes y durante el periodo de mitigación de la pandemia por SARS – CoV – 2 para parámetros como DQO, DBO5 y SST, disponibilidad de unidades, medidas de protección para los operadores y personal de la planta, cambios en las rutinas horarias del personal operativo, eficiencias de las cargas afluente y efluente, entre otras. Todo lo anterior, encaminado a analizar los impactos asociados por la llegada del COVID – 19. Finalmente, todo todas las actividades realizadas en este trabajo de grado estuvieron encaminadas a la determinación de esas condiciones de operación, mantenimiento y control, el análisis de esas unidades en cuanto a su desempeño para la reducción de parámetros químicos y la comparación de ambos periodos en cuanto a todos las variables establecidas antes y después de la llegada de la pandemia. Como resultado de este trabajo se encontró que las principales afectaciones en las actividades de operación, mantenimiento y control de la PTAR – C estuvieron asociadas principalmente a la disponibilidad de las unidades de tratamiento, como resultado de actividades de mantenimiento de infraestructura y no a las medidas del plan de contingencia realizado para evitar el esparcimiento del virus en su personal administrativo, ingenieril, operativo y en general todo el personal de planta. Así mismo se encontró que el desempeño de la planta no se vio afectado por las medidas de protección adoptadas para la mitigación de la pandemia por COVID-19, ya que las afectaciones o variaciones estuvieron asociadas a la disponibilidad de las unidades de tratamiento, como resultado de actividades de mantenimiento de infraestructura.The wastewater generated in a population, it is essential to carry out its treatment work to carry out the respective discharges in the preferred surface water source, for which it must comply with water quality parameters that do not affect the biodiversity of the source . Therefore, in this degree work, an analysis was carried out through the EMCALI Environmental Management Plan (PMA) of the units in operation for the correct treatment of the wastewater that enters the Cañaveralejo wastewater treatment plant. In the water, sludge and gas line, there are a respective units for the treatment of the same where each one must comply with minimum efficiency so that the water purification is optimal, the analysis of each of the units is subject Regarding the operation, maintenance and control of the WWTP - C. All the methodology is aimed at performing the comparative analysis before and during the mitigation period of the pandemic by SARS - CoV - 2 for parameters such as COD, BOD5 and SST, availability of units, protection measures for plant operators and personnel, changes in the hourly routines of operating personnel, effluent and effluent load efficiencies, among others. All of the above, aimed at analyzing the impacts associated with the arrival of COVID - 19. Finally, all of the activities carried out in this degree work were aimed at determining these operating, maintenance and control conditions, the analysis of these units in terms of their performance for the reduction of chemical parameters and the comparison of both periods in as for all the variables established before and after the arrival of the pandemic. As a result of this work, it was found that the main effects on the operation, maintenance and control activities of the WWTP - C were mainly associated with the availability of the treatment units, as a result of infrastructure maintenance activities and not with the measures of the contingency plan carried out to avoid the spread of the virus in its administrative, engineering, operational personnel and, in general, all plant personnel. Likewise, it was found that the performance of the plant was not affected by the protection measures adopted to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, since the effects or variations were associated with the availability of the treatment units, as a result of infrastructure maintenance activities.Pasantía de investigación (Ingeniero Ambiental)-- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, 2021PregradoIngeniero(a) Ambienta

SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater anticipated COVID-19 occurrence in a low prevalence area

Preprint disponible en http://hdl.handle.net/10261/209125Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused more than 200,000 reported COVID-19 cases in Spain resulting in more than 20,800 deaths as of April 21, 2020. Faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from COVID-19 patients has extensively been reported. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in six wastewater treatments plants (WWTPs) serving the major municipalities within the Region of Murcia (Spain), the area with the lowest COVID-19 prevalence within Iberian Peninsula. Firstly, an aluminum hydroxide adsorption-precipitation concentration method was validated using a porcine coronavirus (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, PEDV) and mengovirus (MgV). The procedure resulted in average recoveries of 10 ± 3.5% and 10 ± 2.1% in influent water (n = 2) and 3.3 ± 1.6% and 6.2 ± 1.0% in effluent water (n = 2) samples for PEDV and MgV, respectively. Then, the method was used to monitor the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 from March 12 to April 14, 2020 in influent, secondary and tertiary effluent water samples. By using the real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) Diagnostic Panel validated by US CDC that targets three regions of the virus nucleocapsid (N) gene, we estimated quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA titers in untreated wastewater waters of 5.4 ± 0.2 log10 genomic copies/L on average. Two secondary water samples resulted positive (2 out of 18) and all tertiary water samples tested as negative (0 out 12). This environmental surveillance data were compared to declared COVID-19 cases at municipality level, revealing that members of the community were shedding SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their stool even before the first cases were reported by local or national authorities in many of the cities where wastewaters have been sampled. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in early stages of the spread of COVID-19 highlights the relevance of this strategy as an early indicator of the infection within a specific population. At this point, this environmental surveillance could be implemented by municipalities right away as a tool, designed to help authorities to coordinate the exit strategy to gradually lift its coronavirus lockdown.The study was funded by the projects 20180705 of ESAMUR, 202070E101 of CSIC and “VIRIDIANA” AGL2017-82909 (AEI/FEDER, UE) of MICIU. WR is supported by APOSTD/2018/150 postdoctoral fellowship of Generalitat Valenciana. EC-F is recipient of a predoctoral contract from the MICINN, Call 2018. PT is holder of the RYC2018- 025510-I Ramón y Cajal contract from the MICIU.Peer reviewe