Good Ethical and Laboratory Practices for Wastewater Surveillance.
Rachel Hamant1, Yuzhu Mao1, Chunfu Liu2
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
Summary
Wastewater surveillance (WBS) now includes high-risk substances alongside viral targets. A new ethical framework and data management tools are proposed to ensure responsible and reliable public health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Wastewater surveillance (WBS) traditionally monitors infectious agents like SARS-CoV-2.
- WBS is expanding to include high-risk substances (HRS), such as illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals.
- Existing WBS lacks standardized ethical guidelines for privacy and community stigmatization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and propose an ethical scoring framework tailored for wastewater surveillance.
- To enhance the reliability and robustness of WBS data through standardized laboratory practices.
- To balance ethical considerations with public health and research objectives in WBS.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel ethical scoring framework for WBS risk assessment.
- Created a flow map detailing laboratory practices for sample fidelity.
- Implemented a surveillance program assessing wastewater for viral targets and HRS.
Main Results:
- The proposed ethical framework provides a quantifiable process for assessing WBS study risks.
- Standardized laboratory practices improve data robustness and reliability.
- The integrated approach balances public health needs with ethical standards.
Conclusions:
- An ethical scoring framework and robust data management are crucial for effective wastewater surveillance.
- Balancing ethical standards, public health, and research is achievable with practical tools.
- Holistic wastewater surveillance programs ensure successful public health outcomes.
