Explore tools and resources for wastewater surveillance testing
Wastewater surveillance is a useful tool for monitoring the regional spread of infectious diseases before an outbreak occurs. With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 infections, multiple organizations worldwide are working on SARS-CoV-2 surveillance methods using wastewater to monitor regional or city-level spread of the virus, analyze individual dorms on campuses to identify asymptomatic carriers, capture emerging mutations, and respond to possible infections. Methods of detection and surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 are outlined in this webpage and can potentially be adapted for all other pathogens, including viruses and bacteria.
Wastewater surveillance testing workflow
Wastewater concentration
Wastewater samples must be concentrated and then extracted for improved detection and analysis. Concentration steps can range from precipitation, ultracentrifugation, to the most efficient and advanced, virus enrichment through Dynabeads.
Automated sample processing
KingFisher instruments paired with MagMAX wastewater kits allow for a completely automated nucleic acid isolation format without inconvenient centrifugation, filtration, or bead beating steps.
Nucleic acid purification
From the eluate containing concentrated viral particles, viral nucleic acid can be purified using the Applied Biosystems MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit.
Viral pathogen detection
These can be detected using Applied Biosystems QuantStudio Real-Time PCR Systems. Amplification curves are generated with supporting software. Downstream analysis via dPCR and NGS.
Resources and tools
Nucleic acid purification
The benefits of the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit include:
Flexibility
- Choose your preferred concentration method and protocol
- Pre-concentrate samples from large volumes using ultracentrifugation, precipitation, or filtration
- Use the Dynabeads option for automated viral enrichment of up to 10 mL volume
- Directly isolate from 1 mL of wastewater without concentration
- Manual and automated protocols available
Whole workflow solution—Purchase the whole workflow from sample collection to analysis with one supplier. We can help you get started on a wastewater testing program.
Scalability—These automation compatible kits can help streamline your process to set up sampling across the scale of your organization. Automation-ready protocols written for KingFisher Flex, KingFisher APEX, and KingFisher Duo systems.
Product information
 MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit |  MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, with Virus Enrichment | |
| Who should use? | Wastewater research and surveillance/community testing | |
| Sample types | Pre-concentrated wastewater and sludge | Wastewater |
| Research needs |
|
|
| Downstream compatibility |
| |
| Format | 20–100 preps depending on input volume | |
| KingFisher instrument run time | 28 minutes for MagMAX Wastewater Ultra | 73 minutes for MagMAX Wastewater Ultra with VE |
| Total time per run with hands-on time | 45 minutes for nucleic acid isolation | 90 minutes for virus enrichment + nucleic acid isolation |
| Cat. No. | A52606 | A52610 |
Wastewater concentration
Concentration of wastewater through Dynabeads viral enrichment
The benefits of the Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment in MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit include:
- Fast isolation kinetics (~10 min)
- Easy release (~10 min)
- Easy to automate with Thermo Scientific Kingfisher instruments
- Can be used on other negatively charged enveloped viruses, vesicles, and proteins
Large volumes of wastewater must be concentrated before extraction to enable detection and analysis. Samples can be concentrated via precipitation, filtration, or ultracentrifugation, and efficient virus enrichment can be performed using Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment beads. All concentration methods are compatible with the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Kit.
Wastewater surveillance experimental workflow
Protocols included in kit
Wastewater starting volume | Sample details | Kit reagents sufficient for | KingFisher scripts available | Protocol time | Purchase this kit | |
| 10 mL | Concentration of 10 mL wastewater using Dynabeads followed by nucleic acid isolation | 100 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 90 minutes | MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, with Virus Enrichment | A52610 |
| 200 μL | 200 μL wastewater pre-concentrated using a preferred method, e.g., ultracentrifugation | 100 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit | A52606 |
| 1 mL* | A. 1 mL non-concentrated wastewater B. Wastewater pre-concentrated to 1 mL volume using a preferred method, e.g., precipitation | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | ||
| 50–500 mL | Concentration of 50–500 mL wastewater using filtration followed by nucleic acid isolation | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 90 minutes | ||
| Sludge | 200 mg sludge | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | ||
| *works for 1-2 mL, but 1 mL is the most sensitive | ||||||
Automated sample processing
The benefits of KingFisher Instruments include:
- Various throughputs—process 6–96 samples per run depending on the instrument model
- Interchangeable formats—choose 24- or 96-well plates so you can process a wide range of input volumes
- Protocol customization—easily edit, modify, or create new protocols
- Optimized reagents—compatible with multiple magnetic-bead reagents
Product information
| KingFisher instrument |  Duo Prime | .png) Flex |  Apex | .png) Presto |
| Instrument size | Compact benchtop | Benchtop | Benchtop | Benchtop—integrates with robotic liquid handler |
| Throughput level | Low to medium | Medium to high | Medium to high | Ultrahigh |
| Processing volume range |
|
|
|
|
| Samples per run | 6 or 12 | 24 or 96 | 24 or 96 | 24 or 96 |
| Customizable protocols | Yes, with PC software | Yes, with PC software | Yes, with touchscreen or PC software | Yes, with PC software |
| Heating/cooling |
|
|
|
|
| Ultraviolet lamp | 8 watts (up to 16 hr) | No | 2 UV lamps, max 23 h 59 min | No |
| Ordering information |
|
|
|
Wastewater concentration resources
Study: Accurate quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples
A complete workflow for wastewater surveillance from sample collection to SARS-CoV-2 quantification is shown in this study. Benefits of this workflow include fast time-to-results, more flexibility, and multiplexing capacity. Microfluidic array plate (MAP) technology helps enable effortless and consistent sample digitization, while multiplexing allows for detection of up to 4 targets in a single reaction.
Flyer: Protocols for wastewater sample concentration
Optimized protocol for the enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples. Large sample volumes of wastewater are dilute. Thus, they must be enriched for intact viral presence for pathogen detection via qPCR. Applied Biosystems MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kits offer a whole host of advantages over traditional wastewater surveillance methods. Isolate nucleic acids from concentrated wastewater in as little as 45 minutes. Our viral enrichment protocol using magnetic beads helps enable concentration and nucleic acid isolation in less than 2 hours.
Podcast: Infectious pathogen detection and surveillance
Infectious pathogen surveillance from wastewater and fecal samples has been recently adopted as a method for monitoring emergence and re-emergence of infectious pathogens. This method allows public health agencies, universities, hospitals, cruise lines, and more to detect a pathogen and respond before there is a community outbreak. Thermo Fisher Scientific has partnered with many labs globally to implement new wastewater testing systems and optimize existing wastewater monitoring processes. Listen in to learn about the importance of wastewater.
Automated sample processing resources
Study: Multiple workflow options for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater
Five robust workflows were developed for rapid concentration and qPCR analysis of SARS-CoV-2 from different volumes of wastewater: low (1 mL), medium (10 mL), and large (50 mL). The protocols described here are extensions of those developed in previous studies and have been optimized for processing multiple sample types. The protocols include a fully automated workflow to enable high-throughput processing; this workflow has been successfully used in the field.
Webinar: Infectious pathogen detection from human samples
Learn more about methods for wastewater detection from Thermo Fisher Scientific scientists Alexandre “Sasha” Vlassov, Madhu Jasti, and Emily Zeringer at American Science Microbe 2021. In which, the team describes protocols for fecal sample, rectal swab, and wastewater detection for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, molecular workflows for detection and monitoring of pathogens and microbiota are outlined. The common issues of user time consumption and inconsistent results in sample preparation are addressed and resolved with automated workflows. These workflows allow for increased sensitivity, significant time savings, and increased productivity.
Infographic: Streamlined SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring
Untreated wastewater or primary sludge can be used as samples for wastewater monitoring workflows, but there are advantages and drawbacks to each. This infographic describes processes involved in both primary sludge and untreated wastewater sample processing.
Slide deck: Infectious pathogen detection from wastewater sample analysis
This slide deck covers protocols and workflows from Thermo Fisher Scientific for SARS-CoV-2 detection from wastewater samples. It additionally includes sources for organizations worldwide that have developed SARS-CoV-2 wastewater detection methods. Workflows include sample collection, concentration, nucleic acid extraction, pathogen detection, and analysis. Additional viral targets have been tested including Adenovirus, Flu A, Enterovirus, and Norovirus. Both large volume (centrifugation/ultrafiltration) and low volume (direct) methodologies are covered in the slide deck. Published literature is additionally cited.
Nucleic acid purification resources
Podcast: New infectious pathogen detection technologies
This 10-minute podcast covers SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing, from human sample analysis to wastewater surveillance. In which, Dr. Alexander ”Sasha“ Vlassov, Senior Manager of Research and Development at Thermo Fisher Scientific, discusses wastewater surveillance as a useful tool for monitoring the regional spread of viral pathogens, as well as three different testing options for SARS-CoV-2: detection of viral proteins or antigens, detection of viral nucleic acid by PCR, and detection of virus-specific antibodies in the blood.
Flyer: Protocols for wastewater nucleic acid purification
This automated protocol has been optimized for the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral targets in wastewater samples since these samples are highly diluted and pre-enrichment is needed to improve the detection of pathogens. The method we describe here can be used for downstream nucleic acid extraction after enrichment for viral/pathogen targets with Applied Biosystems MagMAX Wastewater kits and requires just 90 minutes of processing time. Using Applied Biosystems Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment beads for SARS-CoV-2 and other viral targets from wastewater samples followed by bead-based nucleic acid extraction is designed to be simple, fast, and reliable.
Nucleic acid purification
The benefits of the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit include:
Flexibility
- Choose your preferred concentration method and protocol
- Pre-concentrate samples from large volumes using ultracentrifugation, precipitation, or filtration
- Use the Dynabeads option for automated viral enrichment of up to 10 mL volume
- Directly isolate from 1 mL of wastewater without concentration
- Manual and automated protocols available
Whole workflow solution—Purchase the whole workflow from sample collection to analysis with one supplier. We can help you get started on a wastewater testing program.
Scalability—These automation compatible kits can help streamline your process to set up sampling across the scale of your organization. Automation-ready protocols written for KingFisher Flex, KingFisher APEX, and KingFisher Duo systems.
Product information
MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit | MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, with Virus Enrichment | |
| Who should use? | Wastewater research and surveillance/community testing | |
| Sample types | Pre-concentrated wastewater and sludge | Wastewater |
| Research needs |
|
|
| Downstream compatibility |
| |
| Format | 20–100 preps depending on input volume | |
| KingFisher instrument run time | 28 minutes for MagMAX Wastewater Ultra | 73 minutes for MagMAX Wastewater Ultra with VE |
| Total time per run with hands-on time | 45 minutes for nucleic acid isolation | 90 minutes for virus enrichment + nucleic acid isolation |
| Cat. No. | A52606 | A52610 |
Wastewater concentration
Concentration of wastewater through Dynabeads viral enrichment
The benefits of the Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment in MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit include:
- Fast isolation kinetics (~10 min)
- Easy release (~10 min)
- Easy to automate with Thermo Scientific Kingfisher instruments
- Can be used on other negatively charged enveloped viruses, vesicles, and proteins
Large volumes of wastewater must be concentrated before extraction to enable detection and analysis. Samples can be concentrated via precipitation, filtration, or ultracentrifugation, and efficient virus enrichment can be performed using Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment beads. All concentration methods are compatible with the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Kit.
Wastewater surveillance experimental workflow
Protocols included in kit
Wastewater starting volume | Sample details | Kit reagents sufficient for | KingFisher scripts available | Protocol time | Purchase this kit | |
| 10 mL | Concentration of 10 mL wastewater using Dynabeads followed by nucleic acid isolation | 100 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 90 minutes | MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit, with Virus Enrichment | A52610 |
| 200 μL | 200 μL wastewater pre-concentrated using a preferred method, e.g., ultracentrifugation | 100 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit | A52606 |
| 1 mL* | A. 1 mL non-concentrated wastewater B. Wastewater pre-concentrated to 1 mL volume using a preferred method, e.g., precipitation | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | ||
| 50–500 mL | Concentration of 50–500 mL wastewater using filtration followed by nucleic acid isolation | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 90 minutes | ||
| Sludge | 200 mg sludge | 20 preps | Flex, Duo Prime, APEX | 45 minutes | ||
| *works for 1-2 mL, but 1 mL is the most sensitive | ||||||
Automated sample processing
The benefits of KingFisher Instruments include:
- Various throughputs—process 6–96 samples per run depending on the instrument model
- Interchangeable formats—choose 24- or 96-well plates so you can process a wide range of input volumes
- Protocol customization—easily edit, modify, or create new protocols
- Optimized reagents—compatible with multiple magnetic-bead reagents
Product information
| KingFisher instrument | Duo Prime | Flex | Apex | Presto |
| Instrument size | Compact benchtop | Benchtop | Benchtop | Benchtop—integrates with robotic liquid handler |
| Throughput level | Low to medium | Medium to high | Medium to high | Ultrahigh |
| Processing volume range |
|
|
|
|
| Samples per run | 6 or 12 | 24 or 96 | 24 or 96 | 24 or 96 |
| Customizable protocols | Yes, with PC software | Yes, with PC software | Yes, with touchscreen or PC software | Yes, with PC software |
| Heating/cooling |
|
|
|
|
| Ultraviolet lamp | 8 watts (up to 16 hr) | No | 2 UV lamps, max 23 h 59 min | No |
| Ordering information |
|
|
|
Wastewater concentration resources
Study: Accurate quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples
A complete workflow for wastewater surveillance from sample collection to SARS-CoV-2 quantification is shown in this study. Benefits of this workflow include fast time-to-results, more flexibility, and multiplexing capacity. Microfluidic array plate (MAP) technology helps enable effortless and consistent sample digitization, while multiplexing allows for detection of up to 4 targets in a single reaction.
Flyer: Protocols for wastewater sample concentration
Optimized protocol for the enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples. Large sample volumes of wastewater are dilute. Thus, they must be enriched for intact viral presence for pathogen detection via qPCR. Applied Biosystems MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kits offer a whole host of advantages over traditional wastewater surveillance methods. Isolate nucleic acids from concentrated wastewater in as little as 45 minutes. Our viral enrichment protocol using magnetic beads helps enable concentration and nucleic acid isolation in less than 2 hours.
Podcast: Infectious pathogen detection and surveillance
Infectious pathogen surveillance from wastewater and fecal samples has been recently adopted as a method for monitoring emergence and re-emergence of infectious pathogens. This method allows public health agencies, universities, hospitals, cruise lines, and more to detect a pathogen and respond before there is a community outbreak. Thermo Fisher Scientific has partnered with many labs globally to implement new wastewater testing systems and optimize existing wastewater monitoring processes. Listen in to learn about the importance of wastewater.
Automated sample processing resources
Study: Multiple workflow options for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater
Five robust workflows were developed for rapid concentration and qPCR analysis of SARS-CoV-2 from different volumes of wastewater: low (1 mL), medium (10 mL), and large (50 mL). The protocols described here are extensions of those developed in previous studies and have been optimized for processing multiple sample types. The protocols include a fully automated workflow to enable high-throughput processing; this workflow has been successfully used in the field.
Webinar: Infectious pathogen detection from human samples
Learn more about methods for wastewater detection from Thermo Fisher Scientific scientists Alexandre “Sasha” Vlassov, Madhu Jasti, and Emily Zeringer at American Science Microbe 2021. In which, the team describes protocols for fecal sample, rectal swab, and wastewater detection for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, molecular workflows for detection and monitoring of pathogens and microbiota are outlined. The common issues of user time consumption and inconsistent results in sample preparation are addressed and resolved with automated workflows. These workflows allow for increased sensitivity, significant time savings, and increased productivity.
Infographic: Streamlined SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring
Untreated wastewater or primary sludge can be used as samples for wastewater monitoring workflows, but there are advantages and drawbacks to each. This infographic describes processes involved in both primary sludge and untreated wastewater sample processing.
Slide deck: Infectious pathogen detection from wastewater sample analysis
This slide deck covers protocols and workflows from Thermo Fisher Scientific for SARS-CoV-2 detection from wastewater samples. It additionally includes sources for organizations worldwide that have developed SARS-CoV-2 wastewater detection methods. Workflows include sample collection, concentration, nucleic acid extraction, pathogen detection, and analysis. Additional viral targets have been tested including Adenovirus, Flu A, Enterovirus, and Norovirus. Both large volume (centrifugation/ultrafiltration) and low volume (direct) methodologies are covered in the slide deck. Published literature is additionally cited.
Nucleic acid purification resources
Podcast: New infectious pathogen detection technologies
This 10-minute podcast covers SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing, from human sample analysis to wastewater surveillance. In which, Dr. Alexander ”Sasha“ Vlassov, Senior Manager of Research and Development at Thermo Fisher Scientific, discusses wastewater surveillance as a useful tool for monitoring the regional spread of viral pathogens, as well as three different testing options for SARS-CoV-2: detection of viral proteins or antigens, detection of viral nucleic acid by PCR, and detection of virus-specific antibodies in the blood.
Flyer: Protocols for wastewater nucleic acid purification
This automated protocol has been optimized for the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral targets in wastewater samples since these samples are highly diluted and pre-enrichment is needed to improve the detection of pathogens. The method we describe here can be used for downstream nucleic acid extraction after enrichment for viral/pathogen targets with Applied Biosystems MagMAX Wastewater kits and requires just 90 minutes of processing time. Using Applied Biosystems Dynabeads Wastewater Virus Enrichment beads for SARS-CoV-2 and other viral targets from wastewater samples followed by bead-based nucleic acid extraction is designed to be simple, fast, and reliable.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
