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Kasprzyk-Hordern B, Adams B, Adewale ID, Agunbiade FO, Akinyemi MI, Archer E, Badru FA, Barnett J, Bishop IJ, Di Lorenzo M, Estrela P, Faraway J, Fasona MJ, Fayomi SA, Feil EJ, Hyatt LJ, Irewale AT, Kjeldsen T, Lasisi AKS, Loiselle S, Louw TM, Metcalfe B, Nmormah SA, Oluseyi TO, Smith TR, Snyman MC, Sogbanmu TO, Stanton-Fraser D, Surujlal-Naicker S, Wilson PR, Wolfaardt G, Yinka-Banjo CO. Wastewater-based epidemiology in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks. Environ Int 2022; 161:107143. [PMID: 35176575 PMCID: PMC8842583 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
With the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) has been applied to track community infection in cities worldwide and has proven succesful as an early warning system for identification of hotspots and changingprevalence of infections (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) at a city or sub-city level. Wastewater is only one of environmental compartments that requires consideration. In this manuscript, we have critically evaluated the knowledge-base and preparedness for building early warning systems in a rapidly urbanising world, with particular attention to Africa, which experiences rapid population growth and urbanisation. We have proposed a Digital Urban Environment Fingerprinting Platform (DUEF) - a new approach in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks and an extension to the existing concept of smart cities. The urban environment (especially wastewater) contains a complex mixture of substances including toxic chemicals, infectious biological agents and human excretion products. DUEF assumes that these specific endo- and exogenous residues, anonymously pooled by communities' wastewater, are indicative of community-wide exposure and the resulting effects. DUEF postulates that the measurement of the substances continuously and anonymously pooled by the receiving environment (sewage, surface water, soils and air), can provide near real-time dynamic information about the quantity and type of physical, biological or chemical stressors to which the surveyed systems are exposed, and can create a risk profile on the potential effects of these exposures. Successful development and utilisation of a DUEF globally requires a tiered approach including: Stage I: network building, capacity building, stakeholder engagement as well as a conceptual model, followed by Stage II: DUEF development, Stage III: implementation, and Stage IV: management and utilization. We have identified four key pillars required for the establishment of a DUEF framework: (1) Environmental fingerprints, (2) Socioeconomic fingerprints, (3) Statistics and modelling and (4) Information systems. This manuscript critically evaluates the current knowledge base within each pillar and provides recommendations for further developments with an aim of laying grounds for successful development of global DUEF platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - B Adams
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - I D Adewale
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Lagos, 100213 Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - F O Agunbiade
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - M I Akinyemi
- Department of Mathematics, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - E Archer
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, 7600 Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - F A Badru
- Department of Social Work, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - J Barnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - I J Bishop
- Earthwatch Europe, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7DE, UK
| | - M Di Lorenzo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY Bath, UK
| | - P Estrela
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - J Faraway
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - M J Fasona
- Department of Geography, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - S A Fayomi
- Research for Sustainable Development Unit, Peculiar Grace Youth Empowerment Initiative, Shasha, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - E J Feil
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - L J Hyatt
- Amazon Web Services, 60 Holborn Viaduct, Holborn, London EC1A 2FD, United Kingdom
| | - A T Irewale
- Research for Sustainable Development Unit, Peculiar Grace Youth Empowerment Initiative, Shasha, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - T Kjeldsen
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - A K S Lasisi
- Environmental Assessment Department, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - S Loiselle
- Earthwatch Europe, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7DE, UK
| | - T M Louw
- Department of Process Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - B Metcalfe
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - S A Nmormah
- Centre for Human Development (CHD), Lagos, Nigeria
| | - T O Oluseyi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - T R Smith
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - M C Snyman
- TecLab SP, Collaborator of Stellenbosch University Water Institute, Stellenbosch 64B. W, South Africa
| | - T O Sogbanmu
- Ecotoxicology and Conservation Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - S Surujlal-Naicker
- Scientific Services Branch, Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - P R Wilson
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - G Wolfaardt
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, 7600 Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - C O Yinka-Banjo
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
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