What if the water flowing beneath our cities could tell us how healthy our communities really are?

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) does exactly that. By analyzing what we collectively “flush,” scientists can detect disease trends, emerging outbreaks, and public health risks—often before clinical data catches up. Behind this powerful surveillance tool is something that boils down to one simple step: reliable filtration.  

What Is Wastewater-Based Epidemiology?

At its core, epidemiology is the study of disease at the population level. Wastewater is the shared output of daily human activity—showering, cooking, brushing teeth, and yes, flushing toilets. When individuals are exposed to pathogens or chemicals, they excrete biomarkers such as viral RNA, bacteria, or metabolites. These biomarkers consolidate in municipal wastewater, creating a community-level health snapshot.

The challenge isn’t collecting wastewater—it’s extracting meaningful data from an incredibly complex sample matrix. 

From Wastewater to Data: The Analytical Workflow

In a typical municipal wastewater treatment plant, samples must be processed through multiple steps before they’re ready for analysis. Filtration is one of the most critical stages in this workflow, helping to:

• Remove debris and particulates
• Concentrate biomarkers of interest
• Improve downstream analytical accuracy

For laboratories running microfiltration, workflow choice and system reliability directly impact results. 

Sterlitech Microfiltration Solutions for Environmental and Analytical Testing

For labs performing wastewater surveillance in-house, Sterlitech’s vacuum microfiltration systems provide speed, consistency, and flexibility. 

Key solutions include: 

Product	Features
SKU 167309-11 Rocker 300 – SF 30, Vacuum Filtration System, AC 110V/60Hz	Autoclavable filter holder and waste bottle to prevent contamination during analytical testing
SKU 200320-31Rocker Scientific MF31 Filtration Set	Autoclavable filter holder  Collection flask comes with a drain, making sure the sample wastes are collected without further contamination. The silicone fixing sucker holds the filtration set in place to prevent accidental spills

If the samples contain a lot of particles, a prefilter is also recommended. These prefilters are ideal for handling high-solids wastewater samples, protecting final membranes while maintaining throughput:

• SKU AH4700 934-AH Borosilicate Glass Microfiber, 47mm, 100/Pk
• SKU PES5047100 PES Membrane Disc Filter, 5µm, 47mm, 100/Pk 

Once particulates are reduced, the goal becomes clear: capture as many biomarkers as possible. Sterlitech offers several high-binding membrane materials commonly used in WBE applications: 

• Glass Fiber Filters – excellent loading capacity¹ 
• MCE Membranes – strong binding and analytical compatibility²
• Nylon Membranes  – durable and versatile across workflows³ 

These membranes are available in precut discs, sheets, and rolls, supporting both research labs and production-scale applications. 

References: 

1. Hernandez, Sarah & Cardozo, Fátima & Myers, David & Rojas, Alejandra & Waggoner, Jesse. (2022). Simple and Economical Extraction of Viral RNA and Storage at Ambient Temperature. Microbiology Spectrum. 10. 10.1128/spectrum.00859-22. 

2. Antkiewicz, D. S., Janssen, K. H., Roguet, A., Pilch, H. E., Fahney, R. B., Mullen, P. A., Knuth, G. N., Everett, D. G., Doolittle, E. M., King, K., Wood, C., Stanley, A., Hemming, J. D. C., & Shafer, M. M. (2024). Wastewater-based protocols for SARS-CoV-2: Insights into virus concentration, extraction, and quantitation methods from two years of public health surveillance. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 10(8), 1766–1784. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3EW00958K

3. Vincent-Hubert, F., Djaout, H., Courbariaux, M., Wurtzer, S., Moulin, L., & Le Guyader, F. S. (2025). Optimised use of passive samplers enabled early detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.4 and BA.5 in sewage water. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 11(1), 123–134. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00482A