The role of smart technologies in wastewater-based epidemiology

Abstract

This article explores the role of smart technologies in advancing Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for enhanced disease surveillance. Disease surveillance is crucial for monitoring and controlling infectious diseases, and WBE provides a complementary approach by analyzing wastewater to identify and track pathogens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, WBE has been successfully used to detect and monitor SARS-CoV-2 in various types of wastewater, providing early warning of outbreaks and identifying emerging hotspots. However, WBE faces challenges such as the need for specialized equipment and sensitive methodologies. To overcome these limitations, biosensors have been developed, offering high sensitivity, specificity, and rapid results. Electrochemical biosensors are particularly promising for WBE due to their real-time connectivity, low-cost design, and wireless data collection, despite their limitations. Integration of smart sensors into the Internet of Things (IoT) enables seamless data integration and real-time monitoring. Furthermore, the widespread use of smartphones presents an opportunity to revolutionize smart diagnostics by leveraging their features for data analysis and communication.