Viruses and Non-Woven Polymers: Surface Properties and Future Perspectives in Sampling for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology

Environmental disease monitoring initiatives such as wastewater-based epidemiology can offer a unique perspective on the health status of a population. Such efforts are being increasingly utilized to guide public health initiatives and to aid in controlling the spread of infectious diseases. Key to these approaches is the sampling and identification of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. Advanced material technologies can be explored for the development of materials suitable for sampling, leading to the retention and detection of viruses. Here, how the surface interactions between viruses and adsorbent materials can inform the future development of effective, novel materials to aid in sampling viruses for wastewater-based epidemiology are considered. This review provides a summary of the surface properties of viruses along with their physiochemical interactions with adsorbent materials at the solid-water interface. Also discussed are the properties of non-woven polymer membranes, a newer material technology being employed for the retention of viruses, with a focus on virus-capture applications in aqueous environments.