An Article published in the Journal of Virological Methods this week, included a new study led by researchers from the University of Arizona and our own InnovaPrep scientific team describing how different virus detection methods influence our understanding of virus removal in recycled water systems.
The paper, titled "Influence of virus analytical methods on the estimation of virus reductions by ultrafiltration," focuses on a critical question:
Do the tools we use to measure virus concentrations affect how we interpret treatment effectiveness? Spoiler alert: Yes, they do—and in a big way.
Why It Matters
When it comes to testing recycled water, understanding how well treatment processes like ultrafiltration remove viruses is essential for public health. Because different detection methods can yield very different results, even when testing the same water samples.
The Study
Researchers looked at multiple virus types, including adenoviruses, crAssphage, and PMMoV, across both feed and permeate samples from an engineering-scale UF system.
They used two virus concentration methods: Centrifugal ultrafiltration and InnovaPrep’s Concentrating Pipette™ (CP Select™). Both methods performed comparably in terms of virus recovery. However, the CP Select™ provided significantly faster sample processing, which is a big win for labs that need efficiency without sacrificing quality.
"In addition, a prefiltration step was able to reduce the time for virus concentration by the CP method even further, from eight to less than three minutes per sample....Centrifugal ultrafiltration required up to ninety minutes for eight samples processed in an eight-position swinging-bucket centrifuge rotor regardless of the inclusion or exclusion of a prefiltration step."
What They Found
Depending on the analytical method used, virus reduction estimates varied dramatically—from no detectable reduction to as much as 2-log₁₀ reduction. This variation wasn’t just about the concentration method—it also came down to the virus type, water characteristics, and detection approach (digital PCR vs. plaque assays).
What It Means for the Industry
Standardizing and optimizing virus analytical methods is essential if we want accurate assessments of treatment performance. This research reinforces the importance of method selection—especially as we push for safer, more sustainable water reuse.
We’re proud to have contributed to this important work and to see the CP Select™ playing a key role in improving virus concentration workflows in real-world research.
Read the Publication:
“Influence of virus analytical methods on the estimation of virus reductions by ultrafiltration”
Kaitlyn J. Chung et al. Journal of Virological Methods 2025
