Establishment of local wastewater-based surveillance programmes in response to the spread and infection of COVID-19 - case studies from South Africa, the Netherlands, Turkey and England.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 340 million infection cases (as of 21 January 2022) and more than 5.57 million deaths globally. In reaction, science, technology and innovation communities across the globe have organised themselves to contribute to national responses to COVID-19 disease. A significant contribution has been from the establishment of wastewater-based epidemiological (WBE) surveillance interventions and programmes for monitoring the spread of COVID-19 in at least 55 countries. Here, we examine and share experiences and lessons learnt in establishing such surveillance programmes. We use case studies to highlight testing methods and logistics considerations associated in scaling the implementing of such programmes in South Africa, the Netherlands, Turkey and England. The four countries were selected to represent different regions of the world and the perspective based on the considerable progress made in establishing and implementing their national WBE programmes. The selected countries also represent different climatic zones, economies, and development stages, which influence the implementation of national programmes of this nature and magnitude. In addition, the four countries' programmes offer good experiences and lessons learnt since they are systematic, and cover extensive areas, disseminate knowledge locally and internationally and partnered with authorities (government). The programmes also strengthened working relations and partnerships between and among local and global organisations. This paper shares these experiences and lessons to encourage others in the water and public health sectors on the benefits and value of WBE in tackling SARS-CoV-2 and related future circumstances.

Heavy metal displacement in EDTA-assisted phytoremediation of biosolids soil.

Chelating agents are added to soil to solubilise the metals for enhanced phytoextraction. Yet no studies follow the displacement and leaching of heavy metals in soil with biosolids following solubilisation with chelates. The objective of this work was to determine the mobility of heavy metals in biosolids in a soil from a sludge farm that had received biosolids for 25 years. The soil was placed in columns in a greenhouse. Columns either had a plant (poplar) or no plant. After the poplar seedlings had grown for 144 d, the tetrasodium salt of the chelating agent EDTA was irrigated onto the surface of the soil at a rate of 1 g per kg of soil. Drainage water was analysed for three toxic heavy metals and four essential heavy metals. Without EDTA, concentrations of the seven heavy metals in the leachate from columns with or without plants were low or below detection limits. With or without plants, the EDTA mobilised all heavy metals and increased their concentration in drainage water. Without plants, the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn in the leachate from columns with EDTA were above drinking-water standards. The presence of poplar plants in the soil reduced the concentrations of Cu, Fe, and Zn in the leachate so it fell within drinking-water standards. Concentrations of Cd and Pb in the leachate remained above drinking-water standards with or without plants.