Progress on Wastewater-based Epidemiology in China: Implementation Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health.

Qiu da ZHENG; Xia Lu LIN; Ying Sheng HE; Zhe WANG; Peng DU; Xi Qing LI; Yuan REN; De Gao WANG; Lu Hong WEN; Ze Yang ZHAO; Jianfa GAO; Phong K THAI

Return

Progress on Wastewater-based Epidemiology in China: Implementation Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health.

Author: Qiu da ZHENG ¹ ; Xia Lu LIN ² ; Ying Sheng HE ³ ; Zhe WANG ⁴ ; Peng DU ⁵ ; Xi Qing LI ⁶ ; Yuan REN ⁷ ; De Gao WANG ⁸ ; Lu Hong WEN ⁹ ; Ze Yang ZHAO ⁴ ; Jianfa GAO ¹⁰ ; Phong K THAI ¹
Author Information

1. The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China;Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4102, Australia.
2. Xiamen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xiamen 361021, Fujian, China.
3. Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, National Narcotic Laboratory Zhejiang Regional Center, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
4. Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4102, Australia.
5. Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
6. Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
7. School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.
8. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, 1 Linghai Road, Dalian 116023, Shenyang, China.
9. The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China.
10. College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 1066 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
MeSH: China/epidemiology*; Humans; Wastewater/analysis*; COVID-19/epidemiology*; Public Health; Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring; SARS-CoV-2
From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(11):1354-1358
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a transformative surveillance tool for estimating substance consumption and monitoring disease prevalence, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It enables the population-level monitoring of illicit drug use, pathogen prevalence, and environmental pollutant exposure. In this perspective, we summarize the key challenges specific to the Chinese context: (1) Sampling inconsistencies, necessitating standardized 24-hour composite protocols with high-frequency autosamplers (≤ 15 min/event) to improve the representativeness of samples; (2) Biomarker validation, requiring rigorous assessment of excretion profiles and in-sewer stability; (3) Analytical method disparities, demanding inter-laboratory proficiency testing and the development of automated pretreatment instruments; (4) Catchment population dynamics, reducing estimation uncertainties through mobile phone data, flow-based models, or hydrochemical parameters; and (5) Ethical and data management concerns, including privacy risks for small communities, mitigated through data de-identification and tiered reporting platforms. To address these challenges, we propose an integrated framework that features adaptive sampling networks, multi-scale wastewater sample banks, biomarker databases with multidimensional metadata, and intelligent data dashboards. In summary, wastewater-based epidemiology offers unparalleled scalability for equitable health surveillance and can improve the health of the entire population by providing timely and objective information to guide the development of targeted policies.