Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the main topics of research around the world is the transmission route of the coronavirus. In 2020 and 2021, a large number of studies dealing with the detection and quantification of coronaviruses in wastewater were conducted. At the same time, in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology, significant efforts were placed on the development of an early warning system, which, based on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, would indicate the presence of infected persons in the population. In addition to the detection of viral RNA in waters, there is growing interest in the methodology which could be sued for other matrixes such as surface waters or tissues of filter-feeding sessile aquatic organisms.

The development of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) has led to a significantly higher sensitivity of the detection system compared to conventional RT-PCR, with lowering the detection threshold for DNA/RNA molecules in the matrix as much as 1,000 times based on the claims of manufactures. Additionally, ddPCR is based on absolute quantification, which is extremely important for research in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology. However, it is still necessary to validate the developed technology as well as adapt the system for specific matrices such as waste and surface waters that do not have a uniform composition which is the main objective of the proposed project.

Period: 2023.

Project leader: Dr. Stoimir Kolarević, Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection IBISS

Team members:

Dr. Ana Đorđević, Department of Biochemistry IBISS

Dr. Danijela Vojnović-Milutinović, Department of Biochemistry IBISS

Dr. Margareta Kračun-Kolarević, Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection IBISS

Dr. Momir Paunović, Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection IBISS