Unlike other testing methods, which require nasal swabs or saliva samples, wastewater testing can assess infection rates among a general population up to two weeks earlier than individual or pooled testing. The MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit offers a flexible, easy-to-implement solution for labs setting up new surveillance programs or incorporating SARS-CoV-2 testing into existing ones. Combined with Thermo Fisher's comprehensive portfolio of products to support the entire workflow, such as KingFisher purification systems and QuantStudio qPCR platforms, the kit provides an end-to-end solution for detecting SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater.

"As COVID-19 perseveres as a global health threat, wastewater surveillance has become increasingly prevalent," said Ellie Mahjubi, vice president/general manager, Sample Preparation at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Labs need reliable, fast and scalable methods for monitoring viruses and other infectious agents in our communities. The MagMAX wastewater kits offer a flexible, easy-to-use solution that works seamlessly with existing protocols."

The MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit is compatible with a range of input volumes ranging from 200 µl to 500 mL, and works with various upfront concentration methods, including ultracentrifugation, precipitation, and filtration. For labs in need of an automated viral enrichment method, the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit with virus enrichment uses Dynabeads technology to automate and streamline sample concentration.