Comparative survival of viruses during thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic digestion

- Microscale technology utilized to demonstrate inactivation of viruses during anaerobic digestion.
- Novel data provided on viral inactivation of both animal viruses and bacteriophages during anaerobic digestion.
- Data on mesophilic and thermophilic digestion provided.
- Ø6 shown to be an effective surrogate for Ebola in survival studies.
- MS2 shown to be an inappropriate surrogate for Ebola in survival studies.

Micro-scale technology was used to obtain survival data for three animal viruses and two bacteriophages during anaerobic digestion. The data for adenoviruses, MS2 and Φ6 provide the first published reports for survival of these viruses during mesophilic anaerobic digestion. Data were also obtained for thermophilic digestion, which showed greater inactivation of viruses at the higher temperature. Data on the survival of Φ6 are of particular interest since it is a lipid-based virus which has been suggested as a surrogate for the Ebola virus. In contrast, MS2 was found to be an inappropriate surrogate for Ebola.

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