Evaluation of the atmospheric pollution by pesticides using lichens as biomonitors.

The extensive use of pesticides combined with their persistence in the environment requires new methodologies to assess more effectively the population exposure to pesticides via air pollution. Biomonitoring pesticides with lichens has been poorly documented, although it represents a complementary approach to the usual active samplings, with an exposure to pesticides accumulated and integrated over several months. An optimized extraction procedure from the lichen Xanthoria parietina followed by a gas chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric analysis is proposed here to quantify simultaneously 48 pesticides considered in France as priority active substances to monitor in the air.

Participatory environmental health research: A tool to explore the socio-exposome in a major european industrial zone.

Objectives: We show that participatory research approaches can be a useful tool across disciplines and data collection methods to explore the socio-exposome near one of the largest industrial harbors in Europe. We analyzed resident involvement in each project and their capacity to affect structural changes.

Methods: Longitudinal participatory environmental monitoring studies on lichens, petunias, aquatic systems and groundwater were conducted under the program VOCE (Volunteers for the Citizens' Observation of the Environment), which mobilized nearly 100 volunteers to collect and report data.

Assessment of the contamination by 2,4,6-tribromophenol of marine waters and organisms exposed to chlorination discharges.

2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) is implied in the production of brominated flame retardants but is also a major chlorination by-product in seawater. A growing number of studies indicate that TBP is highly toxic to the marine biota, but the contribution of anthropogenic sources among natural production is still under question concerning its bioaccumulation in marine organisms. Here, several water sampling campaigns were carried out in the industrialized Gulf of Fos (northwestern Mediterranean Sea, France) and clearly showed the predominant incidence of industrial chlorination discharges on the TBP levels in water, at the 1-10 ng L level in average and reaching up to 580 ng L near the outlets.

Influence of environmental and dietary exposures on metals accumulation among the residents of a major industrial harbour (Fos-sur-Mer, France).

Objectives: We sought to determine whether the residents living closer to the core industrial zone (Fos-sur-Mer) had higher trace metals blood and urinary levels than residents who lived further away (Saint-Martin-de-Crau).

Materials And Methods: As part of The INDEX study, we measured the following trace metals into blood and urine samples of 138 participants (80 in the core industrial zone and 58 in the reference area): Antimony, Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Mercury, Nickel, Lead and Vanadium. Participants were recruited using a stratified random sampling method and had to meet the following inclusion criteria: 30-65 years old, living in the area since at least 3 years, not working in the industrial sector, non-smoker.

Effects of meteorological conditions and topography on the bioaccumulation of PAHs and metal elements by native lichen (Xanthoria parietina).

The bioaccumulation of PAHs and metal elements in the indigenous lichens Xanthoria parietina was monitored during two years at a quarterly frequency, in 3 sites of contrasted anthropic influence. The impact of the meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, wind speed) was first estimated through principal component analysis, and then by stepwise multilinear regressions to include wind directions. The pollutants levels reflected the proximity of atmospheric emissions, in particular from a large industrial harbor.

Concentrations and transportation of metal and organochlorine pollutants in vegetables and risk assessment of human exposure in rural, urban and industrial environments (Bouches-du-Rhône, France).

The bioaccumulation of metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, Zn, Al, Fe) and organochlorine compounds (PCDD-Fs and PCBs) was assessed in soils and vegetables of 3 sites of contrasted anthropogenic influence (rural and industrial-urban areas). Cultivated soils in industrial areas exhibited diffuse pollution in organochlorine pollutants (PCBs and PCDD-Fs). The pollutant levels encountered in vegetables were always lower than the EU regulatory or recommended values.

LONG-TERM stability of arsenic in iron amended contaminated soil.

This study aimed at elucidating the long-term efficiency of soil remediation where chemical stabilization of arsenic (As) contaminated soil using zerovalent iron (Fe) amendments was applied. A combination of chemical extraction and extended X-Ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy technique was applied on soils collected from five laboratory and field experiments in Sweden and France. All soils were treated with 1 wt% of zerovalent Fe grit 2-15 years prior to the sampling.

Assessment of individual and mixed toxicity of bromoform, tribromoacetic-acid and 2,4,6 tribromophenol, on the embryo-larval development of Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin.

Water chlorination is the most widely used technique to avoid microbial contamination and biofouling. Adding chlorine to bromide-rich waters leads to the rapid oxidation of bromide ions and leads to the formation of brominated disinfection by-products (bromo-DBPs) that exert adverse effects on various biological models. Bromo-DBPs are regularly encountered within industrialized embayments, potentially impacting marine organisms.

Evaluation of historical atmospheric pollution in an industrial area by dendrochemical approaches.

We conducted a dendrochemical study in order to evaluate the exposure of territories and populations to different types of pollutants and to characterise the history of pollution in one of the most intensely industrialised areas of Europe: the industrial port zone of Fos, also heavily urbanised. To perform the study, two tree species have been selected, Pinus halepensis and Populus nigra, on a rural plot located roughly 20 km away from the industrial harbour, an urban plot located in the city of Fos-sur-Mer and an industrial plot. Our study indicated that poplar was a more relevant model for the dendrochemical studies, exhibiting a higher bioaccumulation capacity than pine except for Hg, Sb and Mn.

Characterization of atmospheric emission sources in lichen from metal and organic contaminant patterns.

Lichen samples from contrasted environments, influenced by various anthropic activities, were investigated focusing on the contaminant signatures according to the atmospheric exposure typologies. Most of the contaminant concentrations measured in the 27 lichen samples, collected around the industrial harbor of Fos-sur-Mer (France), were moderate in rural and urban environments, and reached extreme levels in industrial areas and neighboring cities (Al up to 6567 mg kg, Fe 42,398 mg kg, or ΣPAH 1417 μg kg for example). At the same time, a strong heterogeneity was noticed in industrial samples while urban and rural ones were relatively homogeneous.

Kinetic study of phytotoxicity induced by foliar lead uptake for vegetables exposed to fine particles and implications for sustainable urban agriculture.

At the global scale, foliar metal transfer occurs for consumed vegetables cultivated in numerous urban or industrial areas with a polluted atmosphere. However, the kinetics of metal uptake, translocation and involved phytotoxicity was never jointly studied with vegetables exposed to micronic and sub-micronic particles (PM). Different leafy vegetables (lettuces and cabbages) cultivated in RHIZOtest® devices were, therefore, exposed in a greenhouse for 5, 10 and 15days to various PbO PM doses.

Foliar uptake and metal(loid) bioaccessibility in vegetables exposed to particulate matter.

At the global scale, high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) enriched with metal(loid)s are currently observed in the atmosphere of urban areas. Foliar lead uptake was demonstrated for vegetables exposed to airborne PM. Our main objective here was to highlight the health risk associated with the consumption of vegetables exposed to foliar deposits of PM enriched with the various metal(loid)s frequently observed in the atmosphere of urban areas (Cd, Sb, Zn and Pb).

Green manure plants for remediation of soils polluted by metals and metalloids: ecotoxicity and human bioavailability assessment.

Borage, white mustard and phacelia, green manure plants currently used in agriculture to improve soil properties were cultivated for 10 wk on various polluted soils with metal(loid) concentrations representative of urban brownfields or polluted kitchen gardens. Metal(loid) bioavailability and ecotoxicity were measured in relation to soil characteristics before and after treatment. All the plants efficiently grow on the various polluted soils.

Assessing ecotoxicity and uptake of metals and metalloids in relation to two different earthworm species (Eiseina hortensis and Lumbricus terrestris).

Due to diffuse atmospheric fallouts of process particles enriched by metals and metalloids, polluted soils concern large areas at the global scale. Useful tools to assess ecotoxicity induced by these polluted soils are therefore needed. Earthworms are currently used as biotest, however the influence of specie and earthworm behaviour, soil characteristics are poorly highlighted.

Physiological impacts of soil pollution and arsenic uptake in three plant species: Agrostis capillaris, Solanum nigrum and Vicia faba.

In order to revegetate an industrial soil polluted by trace metals and metalloids (As, Pb, Cu, Cd, Sb), the impact of pollution on three plant species, Solanum nigrum and Agrostis capillaris, both native species in an industrial site, and Vicia faba, a plant model species, is studied. Following the study of soil pollution from the industrial wasteland of Auzon, it appears that the As is the principal pollutant. Particular attention is given to this metalloid, both in its content and its speciation in the soil that the level of its accumulation in plants.

Abundance and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in the root-rhizosphere complex of Miscanthus × giganteus grown in heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Mine wastes have been considered as a source of heavy metal (HM) contamination in the environment and negatively impact many important ecosystem services provided by soils. Plants like Miscanthus, which tolerate high HM concentrations in soil, are often used for phytoremediation and provide the possibility to use these soils at least for the production of energy crops. However, it is not clear if plant growth at these sites is limited by the availability of nutrients, mainly nitrogen, as microbes in soil might be affected by the contaminant.