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Pilot monitoring of Slovenian waste waters for the SARS-CoV-2
At the National Institute of Biology, financed by the Slovenian Research Agency, we are currently performing a pilot monitoring of Slovenian waste waters for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and mutations connected to its variants of concern. Here, we publish the results of our measurements, compare them with clinical data and provide with short interpretations.
SARS-CoV-2 in waste waters
(2. 4. 2021)
For most waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), the highest amounts of SARS-CoV-2 was measured towards the end of October/beginning of November 2020. Afterwards there was a drop in measured virus (with the exception of WWTP Koper, where amounts have continued to grow until today), but in early March the trend reversed into a slow increase across all WWTPs.
The dynamics of the virus in WW was approximated with the LOESS method.
Fraction of mutations connected to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in waste waters
(2. 4. 2021)
In the last months, in WWTP Ljubljana, the fraction of mutations connected to the B.1.1.7 variant ( also known as UK variant) is constantly increasing – in mid March the fraction was already close to 60%.
We thank all partners of the pilot monitoring:
- Slovenian Research Agency,
- Central WWTP Ljubljana,
- Central WWTP Domžale-Kamnik,
- Central WWTP Maribor,
- Central WWTP Celje,
- Central WWTP Koper,
- Central WWTP Kranj,
- Central WWTP Koper,
- Central WWTP Šaleške doline,
- National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food,
- Institute of microbiology and immunology of the Medical Faculty of University of Ljubljana,
- The Division of Paediatrics,
- UMCL.
