Heather Preisendanz | Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Analyzing wastewater provides an unbiased view of the physical and mental health of communities. By analyzing wastewater for the novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2), prescription medicines, and over-the-counter medications, we can provide valuable information regarding the well-being of an entire community, without the need to interview, survey, or test individual people. We are currently partnering with four wastewater treatment plants in Pennsylvania to understand how the presence of the virus and related pharmaceuticals have changed over the course of the pandemic and hope that the information generated from this project will provide community leaders with the information they need to make informed, near-real time decisions in response to any increases or decrease in viral genome counts detected in the wastewater.