Research Projects

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a promising approach which uses chemical and biological markers to understand the prevalence of viruses in a given wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) catchment population from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Contamination of surface water by wastewater has been a huge problem in India and can be potential source of human exposure from pathogenic microbes. Out of the three types of markers used in WBE (i.e. chemical, microbial and bio molecular), chemical markers are most convenient and easiest to use. Sewage sampling can detect a rise and fall in novel coronavirus concentrations and associated markers that correspond to the shape of the COVID-19 outbreak in a specific region. Direct discharge points and release of wastewater from treatment plants directly to the riverine environment (Chakraborty et al., 2019) by using either chemical, microbial or bio molecular. Tracking SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity is strongly indicated because diversifying selection may lead to the emergence of novel variants resistant to naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity. Hence we aim to detect the increasing frequencies of novel mutants of SARS-CoV-2 lineages containing mutations that had been rarely observed in clinical samples and share many mutations with the Omicron variants of concern. Sewers can provide near–real-time outbreak data, because they constantly collect faeces and urine that can contain coronavirus shed by infected humans. Hence, we aim to conduct pre-monsoon and post monsoonal surveillance of the wastewater discharge points in the urban and peri-urban areas of Chennai city covering the the densely populated regions. Our major objectives are to: