Microplastic occurrence and its potential role as a carrier for SARS-CoV-2 in health center wastewater treatment plant and surface water

Abstract

This study investigated the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNAs on the surface of microplastics (MPs) collected from a hospital wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the Qara-sou river in Kermanshah, Iran. The MPs were characterized using stereo-, scanning electron-, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies to determine their appearance, quantification, qualification, and morphology. The virus RNAs were extracted by rinsing the surface of the MPs with distilled water, followed by swapping and transferring the scratched material into viral transport medium. Identification was performed using SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection kits and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The most common type of MPs found in the wastewater acted as a vector for the virus RNA, whereas virus RNA was only identified in one sample of river water. These findings suggest that MPs can facilitate the spread of the virus through WWTPs and into receiving water bodies. Thus, research on MPs acting as carriers of COVID-19 should be emphasized as determining the presence of the coronavirus on the surface of MPs is crucial in determining a country's health strategies. Furthermore, this study shows that MPs have the potential to act as vectors for pathogens and create new microbial niches in aquatic environments.