Using SYBR Stain for the Assessment of Removal Efficiency and Continuous Detection of Viruses in Membrane Bioreactors

This report contains a novel method for rapidly detecting and measuring viral concentrations in wastewater. A fluorescent DNA and RNA stain (SYBR Gold) was used to stain viral material in membrane bioreactor effluent and detect it by measuring fluorescence after excitement with a fluorometer. A standard curve was developed to determine a relationship between fluorescence and virus concentration. The method was tested using membrane bioreactor influent and effluent, prefiltered with 0.2 micron filters. Viruses were then concentrated for measurement using centrifugation. The permeate from the membrane for each sample was used as a background measurement. A plan for a pilot system designed for a wastewater treatment plant was created from a small stream of effluent passed through ultrafiltration and dosed with SYBR for measurement in an in-line fluorometer. Lab testing suggested a possible critical control limit of 1.75×105 viruses/mL and assessed a membrane bioreactor an LRV of 2.3.