Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for the Assessment of Human Exposure to Environmental Pollutants

By Rama Rao Karri

Wastewater-based Epidemiology for the Assessment of Human Exposure to Environmental Pollutants discusses wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and its use in risk assessment and monitoring of human exposure to hazardous pollutants and pathogens. The book explores the health impacts of organic and inorganic pollutants from pesticides, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, phthalates, personal care products, and endocrine disruptors in the wastewater environment. The book examines the application of wastewater-based epidemiology in determining health risk and exposure to infectious diseases caused by viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, parasites, and bacteria. Other topics include detection techniques, sampling techniques, analytical methods, biomarkers, and the use of biosensors in wastewater-based epidemiology studies.

• Presents evidence mapping to identify emerging areas in wastewater-based epidemiology studies
• Offers expansion and diversification strategies in pandemic conditions to serve immediate public health goals
• Explains the surveillance of the spread of pathogens through wastewater

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Jul 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9780443161469

Book preview

Chapter 1: Wastewater-based epidemiology: Evidence mapping toward identifying emerging areas of research

Mina Aghaei ¹ , ⁴ , Masud Yunesian ¹ , ² , Hosna Janjani ¹ , and Mohammad Hadi Dehghani ¹ , ³       ¹ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran      ² Department of Research Methodology and Data Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran      ³ Center for Solid Waste Research, Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran      ⁴ Center for Water Quality Research (CWQR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a helpful tool for the consumption of or exposure to chemicals or pathogens at the community level. Recently, this approach has generated considerable research interest. This study investigated the trends in WBE studies worldwide, identifying active countries, applications, and emerging areas. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched until May 21, 2021. A total of 242 original articles were included for analysis based on inclusion criteria. The USA, Australia, and China were the top countries, corresponding with almost one-third of the publications in this field. The results showed that in recent years, WBE has been used not only for drugs but also for estimating exposure to chemicals, including pesticides, personal care products, and plasticizers. Data provided in this study enable scholars to identify the emerging area and can be a valuable resource for gaining insights on the WBE studies in the world for continuing this approach.

Keywords

Chemical exposure; Emerging area; Pathogen monitoring; Trend analysis; Wastewater-based