Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
09:26
Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples
Published on: June 30, 2023
Accelerating wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 surveillance using a mobile laboratory in mixed infrastructure regions
Amirmohammad Sakhaei1, Soroosh Torabi1, Mohammad Dehghan Banadaki1
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Pigman College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Ralph G. Anderson Building, 351 Administration Drive, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|July 11, 2026
Summary
A mobile laboratory significantly speeds up wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for infectious disease detection. This decentralized approach reduces processing time without compromising RNA detection capabilities, improving public health responses.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Public health
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is crucial for early infectious disease detection.
- Delays in sample processing can hinder timely public health interventions.
- Limited laboratory infrastructure poses challenges for widespread WBE implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile laboratory for on-site wastewater processing.
- To assess the impact of decentralized WBE on sample-to-result turnaround time.
- To compare RNA extraction and detection capabilities between mobile and conventional laboratory setups.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of a mobile laboratory for on-site wastewater sample processing and RNA extraction.
- Evaluation of RNA integrity and detection using RT-qPCR.
- Comparison of turnaround times between mobile and centralized laboratory workflows.
- Comparative analysis of two RT-qPCR platforms: mobile system versus conventional instrument.
Main Results:
- On-site processing in a mobile lab significantly reduced time-to-results compared to centralized workflows.
- The mobile RT-qPCR system demonstrated comparable detection capabilities to conventional platforms.
- Decentralized WBE via mobile labs dramatically improved turnaround times.
- A minor concentration difference was noted between the two RT-qPCR platforms.
Conclusions:
- Mobile laboratories offer a viable solution for decentralized wastewater-based epidemiology.
- On-site processing enhances the speed and efficiency of infectious disease surveillance.
- Decentralized WBE can overcome logistical barriers in regions with limited infrastructure.
- This approach holds significant potential for improving real-time public health decision-making.
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