Researchers from Fleming College and QuantWave Technologies Inc. are working together to investigate the capability of QuantWave's intelligent sensing system to provide an early warning of COVID-19 outbreaks when monitoring wastewater. Fleming College was awarded $75,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) College and Community Innovation Program - Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19 program for the project.
Researchers in China, Australia, the Netherlands and elsewhere have shown that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be detected in wastewater. In at least one study it was detected before the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in the area. Over the next year, QuantWave and Fleming College's Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies (CAWT) will work closely together to develop QuantWave's novel method of prediction. If sudden changes in virus concentrations in wastewater could be quickly monitored and reported, public health authorities would be provided with a heads-up that a surge of cases is on its way.
"Monitoring wastewater is an important tool in Canada's fight against COVID-19," said Fleming College President Maureen Adamson. "This project is another example of Fleming College working with our industry partners to look for solutions for society's greatest challenges."
In addition to potentially providing rapid, early indications of COVID-19 in a community, QuantWave's intelligent sensing system would be an ongoing remote monitoring platform for wastewater treatment facilities. Fleming CAWT researchers have been working with QuantWave since 2017.
"The ultimate goal is to have the system implemented at wastewater treatment plants across Canada to provide real-time wastewater monitoring," said QuantWave CSO Dr. Carolyn Ren. "The system will provide operators with data on changes in water quality indicators at each treatment stage and alert operators of critical process changes or events to make better decisions."
