Independent Study Identifies Nanotrap® Technology as a Leading Approach for Sensitive, Multi-Pathogen Wastewater Surveillance
Application: Wastewater-Based Surveillance | Multi-Pathogen Detection | Global Public Health
Technology: Nanotrap® Microbiome Particles
Publication: Fitz S, Odeke Akello J, Troman C, et al. Sensitive and Cost-Effective Processing of Wastewater Samples for Multiple Pathogen Detection. VeriXiv. 2026;3:299. Published October 2, 2026.
Overview
A new study led by researchers at Imperial College London, in collaboration with international public health institutions, evaluated methods for improving the sensitivity and cost-effectiveness of wastewater surveillance for multiple infectious diseases.
The researchers compared five wastewater concentration methods and five nucleic acid extraction kits to identify workflows capable of detecting both viral and bacterial pathogens from a single wastewater sample. The study focused on pathogens associated with polio, typhoid fever, cholera, and hepatitis E, with additional evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 and other viral indicators.
Ceres Nanosciences' Nanotrap® Microbiome A Particles demonstrated the most consistent recovery across structurally diverse pathogens and the lowest equipment cost among the five concentration methods evaluated.
The researchers identified a workflow combining Nanotrap particles, MagMAX Wastewater nucleic acid extraction, and PCR inhibitor removal as the preferred approach for simultaneous multi-pathogen detection under the study conditions.
These findings highlight the potential for Nanotrap technology to support sensitive, integrated wastewater surveillance programs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where laboratory resources and infrastructure may be limited.
Study Highlights
Five concentration technologies compared: Nanotrap particles, skimmed milk flocculation, polyethylene glycol precipitation, ultrafiltration, and electronegative filtration.
Broad pathogen recovery: Nanotrap particles demonstrated consistent performance across bacterial and viral targets, including structurally diverse pathogens.
Lowest equipment investment: The Nanotrap workflow required approximately $8,200 in equipment, compared with approximately $15,700–$23,400 for competing methods.
Efficient sample processing: Nanotrap concentration required approximately 1.5–2 hours, supporting practical laboratory workflows.
Strong detection of low-abundance SARS-CoV-2: Nanotrap significantly outperformed polyethylene glycol precipitation for recovery of naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.
Optimized integrated workflow: Nanotrap concentration combined with MagMAX Wastewater extraction and PCR inhibitor removal was identified as the preferred workflow for simultaneous detection of the study's target pathogens.
Nanotrap Technology in Action
Researchers evaluated Nanotrap Microbiome A Particles using wastewater collected from a municipal treatment facility serving approximately 2.1 million people in London.
The study compared the recovery of multiple pathogen targets using five established concentration approaches. Following concentration, samples underwent nucleic acid extraction and molecular analysis using PCR-based detection methods.
Nanotrap particles demonstrated broad capture capabilities across viral and bacterial targets, with particularly strong performance for Vibrio campbellii, a surrogate for the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae, and naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2.
For V. campbellii, Nanotrap significantly outperformed polyethylene glycol precipitation both before and after PCR inhibitor removal. Nanotrap also enabled successful endpoint PCR detection in all three spiked samples without requiring additional inhibitor removal treatment.
Importantly, Nanotrap A Particles alone performed comparably to a combined Nanotrap A+B particle workflow, demonstrating the potential for a simplified approach to recovering multiple pathogen classes.
Key Findings
The study identified several important advantages of Nanotrap-based wastewater concentration:
Performance Measure | Study Finding |
Overall multi-pathogen recovery | Most consistent recovery across diverse targets |
Equipment cost | Approximately $8,200 — lowest of five methods |
Concentration time | Approximately 1.5–2 hours |
Vibrio campbellii detection | 3/3 samples positive by endpoint PCR before inhibitor removal |
SARS-CoV-2 recovery | Significantly better than PEG precipitation |
Integrated workflow | Nanotrap + MagMAX Wastewater + PCR inhibitor removal identified as preferred approach |
Although skimmed milk flocculation offered the lowest consumable cost per sample, Nanotrap provided a favorable combination of pathogen recovery, processing time, and equipment investment.
The researchers also found that PCR inhibitor removal generally improved molecular detection, underscoring the importance of optimizing the complete sample preparation workflow rather than concentration alone.
The study noted that wastewater composition, pathogen characteristics, and laboratory resources can influence method performance, and that further validation across different settings and lower pathogen concentrations will be important.
Significance
This study provides independent comparative evidence supporting Nanotrap technology as an effective approach for integrated wastewater surveillance of multiple infectious diseases.
As public health agencies seek to expand wastewater monitoring beyond individual pathogens, technologies capable of recovering both viruses and bacteria from a common sample offer opportunities to improve laboratory efficiency and maximize the value of existing surveillance infrastructure.
The findings are particularly relevant to global efforts to expand infectious disease surveillance in resource-limited settings, where equipment costs, processing efficiency, and broad pathogen coverage are important considerations.
By demonstrating consistent recovery across diverse pathogen classes with relatively low equipment requirements, Nanotrap technology offers a promising foundation for scalable, multi-pathogen wastewater surveillance workflows.
The study reinforces the potential of Nanotrap-based sample preparation to support broader infectious disease monitoring, strengthen outbreak preparedness, and expand the reach of wastewater surveillance programs worldwide.
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