COVID-19 clues in a community's sewage: 4 questions answered about watching wastewater for coronavirus

Sewage surveillance is one technique that can alert authorities to the presence of a pathogen in the community. An environmental engineer explains the state of the science when it comes to SARS-CoV-2.

Kyle Bibby, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame • conversation
Aug. 31, 2020 ~8 min

‘Wrap, trap, and zap’ kills superbugs in wastewater

Adding a graphene "wrap" to an exisitng "trap and zap" strategy does a better job and destroying antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater treatment.

Jade Boyd-Rice • futurity
July 27, 2020 ~5 min


Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in sewer biofilms

The biofilms that cling to sewer walls often contain harmful, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and can withstand standard treatment to disinfect sewers, research finds.

Todd Bates-Rutgers • futurity
July 6, 2020 ~4 min

Recycled wastewater could make city water better

Recycling wastewater to make it drinkable again could drastically slash cities' need for fresh water resources, researchers report.

Mike Williams-Rice • futurity
April 28, 2020 ~6 min

Can we ‘trap and zap’ the coronavirus?

A technology researchers originally developed to treat wastewater could potentially be useful in capturing and killing the coronavirus.

Mike Williams-Rice • futurity
April 24, 2020 ~3 min

Team tracks coronavirus in wastewater

Testing for the new coronavirus in wastewater to trace its prevalence in US communities could help public health officials better prepare for the future.

Rose Brandt-Arizona • futurity
April 5, 2020 ~5 min

Nanotech ‘traps and zaps’ antibiotic-resistant genes

A new method could tackle the antibiotic-resistant genes of superbug bacteria with a "trap and zap" method. It could keep resistance from spreading.

Mike Williams-Rice • futurity
March 12, 2020 ~5 min

Our pee could become fertilizer with low drug-resistance risk

"Aging" urine can deactivate 99% of antibiotic-resistant genes in bacteria in the urine, research finds. That means the pee could be safe fertilizer.

Nicole Casal Moore-Michigan • futurity
Jan. 24, 2020 ~4 min


2 ways sewage plants can remove more medicine from water

Wastewater treatment plants have a mixed record of removing medicines like antibiotics and antidepressants, research shows, but there are ways to do better.

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo • futurity
Jan. 9, 2020 ~4 min

Sewage sludge, grease combine to create more methane

A new way to combine sewage sludge and restaurant grease is the most efficient way to make methane yet, say researchers.

Matt Shipman-NC State • futurity
Nov. 13, 2019 ~3 min

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