Effect of storage conditions on SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantificaion in wastewater solids

SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater settled solids is associated with COVID-19 incidence in sewersheds and therefore, there is a strong interest in using these measurements to augment traditional disease surveillance methods. A wastewater surveillance program should provide rapid turn around for sample measurements (ideally within 24 hours), but storage of samples is necessary for a variety of reasons including biobanking. Here we investigate how storage of wastewater solids at 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, and -80 degrees C affects measured concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We find that short term (7 or 8 d) storage of raw solids at 4 degrees C has little effect on measured concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, whereas longer term storage at 4 degrees C (35-122 d) or freezing reduces measurements by 60%, on average. We show that normalizing SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations by concentrations of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) RNA, an endogenous wastewater virus, can correct for changes during storage as storage can have a similar effect on PMMoV RNA as on SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The reductions in SARS-CoV-2 RNA in solids during freeze thaws is less than those reported for the same target in liquid influent by several authors.

Automated summary

The study found that short-term storage of wastewater solids at 4 degrees Celsius has little effect on measured concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, but longer-term storage or freezing can reduce measurements by an average of 60%. Normalizing SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations with PMMoV RNA concentrations can correct for changes during storage, as storage affects PMMoV RNA similarly to SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The reduction in SARS-CoV-2 RNA during freeze-thaw cycles is less compared to reductions reported for the same target in liquid influent by previous studies.