About

Jordan Peccia is the Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at Yale University. His research focuses on the application of molecular biology to environmental engineering, with particular interests in the microbiome of the built environment and human health effects, biological aerosol detection and source tracking, production of sustainable biofuels, and human exposure to land-applied biosolids. His work involves investigating indoor microbial communities and their influence on health, analyzing viral pathogen diversity in sewage sludge, and exploring microbial life in various environments. Peccia's contributions include advancing understanding of environmental microbiomes and their impact on public health and sustainability.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Virology
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Environmental engineering
• Environmental science
• Environmental chemistry
• Pathology
• Chromatography
• Environmental planning
• Environmental health
• Geography
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Genetics
• Organic chemistry

Selected publications

• Fungal emissions from air conditioning cooling coils

  Indoor Environments · 2026-03-02

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  The fin-and-tube heat exchangers from air conditioning (AC) units are known locations of microbial growth within the built environment. Prior studies have documented the presence of potentially harmful fungal taxa on AC coils and noted the association of AC use and elevated respiratory symptoms in building occupants. This study aims to determine the rate at which fungi can be aerosolized from AC coils during normal operation. We investigated five AC units in commercial buildings in Southern CT, USA. At the end of the cooling season, we measured size-resolved aerosol concentrations (total, biological, fungal) upstream and downstream of the coils and applied ecological analysis to determine if fungal taxa on coil surfaces were emitted into downstream air. Coils were net sinks for a broad range of total aerosol sizes (0.4 to 20 μm). However, three of the five units were net emitters of bioaerosols with average emission rates of 5.6 × 10 7 to 7.2 × 10 7 biological particles hr -1 and 1.1 × 10 4 to 6.6 × 10 5 fungal spore equivalents hr -1 . Considering only measurements indicating the units as net sources, these AC units contributed approximately 34% of biological particle and 72% of airborne fungi in the downstream air. The two net sink coils were characterized by the presence of Leotiomycetes fungi , while the emitting coils had high abundance of Cladosporium , Penicillium, Aspergillus, Stachybotrys and Malassezia fungi. While most particles were found to deposit onto these coils, there is evidence that they can become net emitters of bioaerosols into air supplied indoors. • AC Coils were net sinks for a broad range of total aerosols in the upstream air. • 60% of the investigated AC units were net emitters of bioaerosols and fungi. • The non-emitting coils were characterized by Leotiomycetes and an elevated cooling load. • The emitting coil surfaces were abundant in Cladosporium , Penicillium, Aspergillus.

  PublisherDOI

• Bacterial recolonization of hospital sink biofilms

  Journal of Hospital Infection · 2025-06-02 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: Hospital sink drains are known reservoirs for many pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Drain bacteria can migrate up to the drain cover and then spread to surrounding surfaces and patients through droplet dispersal during sink use. Therefore, cleaning sink surfaces represents a key intervention strategy to limit transmission between drains and patients. AIMS: In this study, we aimed to: (1) characterize microbial community taxonomy and abundance in sink components and (2) evaluate the kinetics and sources of bacterial recolonization onto sink surfaces after cleaning. METHODS: Drainpipes, drain covers, sink basins, drinking water, and p-trap liquid from hospital sinks in New Haven, CT, USA were sampled before and after intervention surface cleaning/disinfection (N = 251). Bacterial abundance and taxonomy were assessed via culture counts, digital droplet PCR, MALDI-ToF, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. FINDINGS: , which correlated with bacterial abundance on sink surfaces. Hallway sinks, which were used more frequently than patient room sinks, had higher bacterial abundance. Drain microbial communities largely consisted of novosphingobium and sphingobium, with detection of acinetobacter, pseudomonas, legionella, and stenotrophomonas. Sink surfaces had abundant mycobacterium, methylobacterium-methylorubrum, and sphingobium, as well as genera common to skin microbiomes (e.g., corynebacterium, staphylococcus, streptococcus). Immediately after cleaning/disinfection, culturable bacteria were generally undetectable on drain covers; bacterial gene copies were reduced but rebounded to over 80% of pre-cleaning levels within 24 h. After seven days, 9.2% of recolonizing bacteria were derived from drains, and 15.7% were from tap water. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to our understanding of factors that influence pathogen abundance on hospital sink surfaces and limitations of routine cleaning and disinfection.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Susceptibility of Airborne SARS-CoV-2 to Far-UVC Irradiation

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-06-11

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Far-ultraviolet-C (far-UVC) irradiation has emerged as a breakthrough disinfection technology for the treatment of indoor air. Far-UVC wavelengths (222 nm) from filtered krypton-chloride excimer lamps are effective at inactivating airborne viruses and safe for human exposure, thus enabling the continuous treatment of bulk air in occupied settings. This study quantifies the susceptibility of airborne SARS-CoV-2, aerosolized in human saliva, to far-UVC radiation. We measured fluence rate-based Z value susceptibility constants (± std. err.) of 4.4 ± 0.6 and 6.8 ± 0.7 cm 2 mJ -1 for airborne SARS-CoV-2 under 40% and 65% relative humidity (RH) levels, respectively. At modeled far-UVC irradiation levels corresponding to 25% of the maximum safe human exposure limit, the resulting far-UVC equivalent air changes per hour (eACH) exceeded 62 hr ¹ at 65% RH and were significantly greater than the corresponding airborne SARS-CoV-2 natural decay rate (( std. err.) of 5.4 ± 1.1 hr ¹, measured in the absence of far-UVC. These results define first-order loss rates for airborne SARS-CoV-2 under far-UVC exposure and support quantitative risk assessments and rational disinfection system implementation. Synopsis Statement Quantified the ability of far-UVC to facilitate airborne SARS-CoV-2 inactivation, guiding the implementation of far-UVC to promote transmission risk reduction in occupied spaces.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees

  Nature · 2025-08-06 · 19 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Aerosol-based exposure to opportunistic pathogens originating from hospital sink drains

  American Journal of Infection Control · 2025-11-04 · 3 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Decontamination approaches and strategies for the prevention of sink drain-related healthcare-associated infections

  Clinical Microbiology Reviews · 2025-11-21

  reviewOpen access

  and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales thrive in biofilms, which are notoriously difficult to eradicate. Preventing patient exposure to these pathogens poses a unique and complex challenge for infection control practitioners as effective solutions lie at the intersection of environmental engineering and infectious disease. This narrative review explores the characteristics, complexities, and challenges of wastewater biofilms in sink drains and traps in healthcare settings, their resistance to standard cleaning and disinfection methods, and potential pathways for pathogen spread to patients and other areas of wastewater premise plumbing. We emphasize the need for scientifically based guidance on sink drain decontamination approaches and examine current barriers to developing such guidance. Furthermore, we summarize reports from the medical literature on sink drain decontamination and mitigation strategies implemented in both outbreak and non-outbreak settings, alongside relevant studies on biofilm management from the engineering and basic science disciplines. Finally, we highlight ongoing gaps in research and guidelines, stressing the need for multidisciplinary approaches that integrate infection control and engineering solutions. This review aims to equip healthcare epidemiologists, infection preventionists, and facility personnel with pertinent insights to mitigate sink drain-related outbreaks effectively.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Utilizing Internet Search Trends and Wastewater Surveillance to Identify Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Communities

  Environmental Science & Technology · 2025-02-12 · 6 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  This study proposes a novel approach for viral infectious disease surveillance using Google Trends data to model wastewater virus concentrations, providing a rapid, low-cost method for indicating outbreaks. Google Trends search terms were found to correlate strongly with wastewater viral concentrations and clinical cases for influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (R2 = 0.76 and 0.66). For norovirus and mpox, for which clinical data were limited, Google Trends showed significant correlations with wastewater concentrations. Three modeling approaches were developed: simple linear, stepwise selection, and principal component analysis. These models demonstrated strong predictive power for both norovirus (R2 of up to 0.66) and mpox (R2 of up to 0.60) wastewater concentrations. The approach was validated using a case study of a documented 2021 norovirus outbreak in Hartford, CT, where Google Trends indicators rose in tandem with wastewater concentrations, potentially providing earlier outbreak detection than clinical case data. This method offers a complementary data stream to wastewater surveillance for public health decision-making, particularly valuable in areas lacking a robust clinical testing infrastructure. Limitations include potential confounding factors, such as media coverage and the need to consider local idioms in international applications.

  PublisherDOI

• Long term assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the transition to evaluate additional viral targets

  The Science of The Total Environment · 2025-07-24 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus dramatically impacted society over five years ago and continues to have an impact today. Since the beginning of the pandemic there have responses and strategies implemented to maintain the public safety of communities affected by SARS-CoV-2. This study is a unique opportunity to analyze nearly four years of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) data, obtained from five different laboratories, combined with four years of human health data from three adjacent regions of a large urban community (Miami-Dade County). The objective of this study was to analyze that data and evaluate longitudinal and geographic trends of SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater (WW) during the extensive time frame of this study. Additionally, WBS data were analyzed for multiple targets (influenza A/B, norovirus, RSV, HMPV, PMMoV) other than SARS-CoV-2 to assess the potential for expanding WBS to a wider range of targets. We found that SARS-CoV-2 levels correlated strongest with clinical positivity rates across all three geographic regions (Spearman r = 0.81 for the entire period of record), with the most geographically restricted region showing higher correlations (South, r = 0.86) than the region with populations with higher geographic mobility (North, r = 0.69). Stronger correlations (0.80 < r < 0.97) were observed when correlations were established by variant waves rather than single or multiple year time frames (0.73 < r < 0.88). When analyzing the data for targets beyond SARS-CoV-2, results show promise as two laboratories detected norovirus, influenza A/B, RSV, and HMPV at statistically not different frequencies (Chi-squared≥0.6). Overall, results suggest that the clinical metrics used (e.g., positivity), geography, and the time frames of data analyses influence the ability of WBS to predict disease prevalence in a community. The consistency among the laboratories supports that the measurement of a wider range of viral targets can be disaggregated among different laboratories providing flexibility for building national-level WBS programs. • SARS-CoV-2 WBS data from 5 labs over 4 years compared to human health data • Positivity rates (positive cases divided by number of tests) should be used to assess WBS data • Emergence of virus variants may impact correlations between positivity and WBS data • Multiple labs detected norovirus, influenza A/B, RSV, and human metapneumovirus • WW surveillance for multiple viral targets can be disaggregated among different labs

  PublisherDOI

• Proof-of-concept of host attribution of antimicrobial resistance genes using wastewater Hi-C metagenome sequencing

  Journal of Water and Health · 2025-12-29

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT The proliferation of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) poses public health risks globally, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving as dissemination hubs for horizontal gene transfer. In this study, we evaluated the potential of applying Hi-C sequencing coupled with metagenomic bioinformatics for surveillance of ARGs and other microbial fitness traits using samples from WWTPs. Hi-C sequencing has the advantage over other molecular approaches by directly associating genes conveying fitness to their host microbe, plus to their element type (in plasmids, phages, or within the core genome of its host microbe). Results from Hi-C analyses confirm results from more laborious approaches by showing that aminoglycoside resistance is disseminated by plasmids. Mercury resistance was found in Zoogloea bacteria. Resistance genes to quaternary ammonium compounds were found within bacteriophages. Results from this study provide proof-of-concept for the potential value of Hi-C metagenome sequencing in wastewater attribution studies by illustrating the breadth of information that can be obtained about the microbial community, the exchange of genes, and their interconnections. We believe that with further development, Hi-C sequencing can be integrated into routine monitoring of wastewater for the purpose of providing near-real-time information about the dissemination of fitness traits, including ARGs.

  PublisherDOI

• Tree microbiomes and methane exchange in upland forests

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-09-30 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Summary Rationale Upland forest trees emit CH , but whether emissions derive from internal microbial production or soil-derived transport remains debated. Methanogens have been detected in heartwood of several species, yet the prevalence of wood-associated methanogenesis, its metabolic basis, and its relationship to co-occurring methanotrophy are poorly understood. Methods We measured 1,148 stem fluxes and 276 soil fluxes, sampled internal stem gases including δ¹³CH , quantified methanogens and methanotrophs via ddPCR in 564 samples, characterized communities via 16S rRNA sequencing, and upscaled fluxes. Key results Methanogens were detected in 97% of heartwood samples (up to 10 copies g ¹) at concentrations exceeding soil by ∼2 orders of magnitude; methane consumers were likewise near-ubiquitous across forest compartments. Wood harbored distinct microbial communities dominated by hydrogenotrophic Methanobacteriaceae, corroborated by depleted δ¹³CH . Vertical flux profiles indicated soil transport only in wet microsites, with uniform emissions across height consistent with internal production across most upland species. Species-level methanogen:methanotroph ratios predicted emissions (R² = 0.51), indicating net flux reflects the balance between production and oxidation. Main conclusion Methane-cycling microbes are widespread in upland trees, and net methane flux reflects the species-level balance between production and consumption. Internal methanogenesis contributes widely to upland tree emissions; resolving ecosystem-scale magnitude requires improved quantification of woody surface area and vertical flux variability.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Exploring the Relationships between Gene Regulation and Microbial Ecology for the Sustainable Production of Microalgae-base Biofuels

  NSF · $300k · 2009–2013

• NIH Grant R03ES015312

  NIH · $164k · 2009

• EAGER: A Molecular Tool to Measure Mold Exposure and Remediation Effectiveness in Water-damaged Buildings

  NSF · $171k · 2019–2022

• CAREER: Influence of Soil Morphology, Biosolid Application Rate, and Wind Velocity on the Emission Flux of Biosolid Derived Microbial Aerosols

  NSF · $278k · 2006–2009

Frequent coauthors

• Naomichi Yamamoto

  Seoul National University

  31 shared

• Karen C. Dannemiller

  The Ohio State University

  20 shared

• Hamid Rismani‐Yazdi

  Novozymes (United States)

  18 shared

• Kyle Bibby

  University of Notre Dame

  17 shared

• Alessandro Zulli

  Stanford University

  15 shared

• Emily Viau

  15 shared

• Tania Paez-Rubio

  Arizona State University

  14 shared

• William W. Nazaroff

  12 shared