Abstract

Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a new type of virus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome which rapidly speared in the worldwide from 2019. One of the related concerns is the presence of the virus in human feces and sewage and the possible transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2. This study reviewed the risk of coronavirus exposure in wastewater treatment plants as well as its presence, survival, and potential removal in wastewater and sludge treatment processes. Reviewing the studies has shown that the presence of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in untreated wastewater has been confirmed and the main exposure risk to COVID-19 in wastewater treatment plants is through bioaerosols exposure. Applying risk assessment methods and determining the high-risk points for employees and as a result the use of appropriate personal protective equipment in these areas by employees in wastewater collection, transmission, and treatment facilities can decrease the risk of transmission of viruses in sewage, especially SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, discharge of untreated or incompletely treated wastewater into rivers and surface waters due to the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is a potential hazard for water and wastewater industry workers as well as people who are in contact with effluents and wastewater treatment sludge. Sensitivity to process monitoring and proper selection of wastewater and sludge treatment processes can potentially be effective in maximizing the removal of the virus or its RNA fragments.