Historical perspective of heavy metals contamination (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) in the Seine River basin (France) following a DPSIR approach (1950-2005).

The Driver-Pressures-State-Impact-Response approach is applied to heavy metals in the Seine River catchment (65,000 km(2); 14 million people of which 10 million are aggregated within Paris megacity; 30% of French industrial and agricultural production). The contamination pattern at river mouth is established on the particulate material at different time scales: 1930-2000 for floodplain cores, 1980-2003 for suspended particulate matter (SPM) and bed-sediments, 1994-2003 for atmospheric fallout and annual flood deposits. The Seine has been among the most contaminated catchments with maximum contents recorded at 130 mg kg(-1) for Cd, 24 for Hg, 558 for Pb, 1620 for Zn, 347 for Cu, 275 for Cr and 150 for Ni.

Critical budget of metal sources and pathways in the Seine River basin (1994-2003) for Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn.

River basin metal pollution originates from heavy industries (plating, automobile) and from urban sources (Paris conurbation: 2740 km(2), 9.47 million inhabitants). The natural sources of metal have been found to be limited due to sedimentary nature of this catchment and to the very low river sediment transport (10 t km(-2) y(-1)).

Decrease of atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in an urban area from 1994 to 2002 (Paris, France).

Total atmospheric deposition, i.e. both wet and dry ones, was sampled during three different sampling periods between 1994 and 2002.

Sources, distribution and variability of hydrocarbons and metals in atmospheric deposition in an urban area (Paris, France).

Total atmospheric deposition, i.e., both wet and dry deposition, was sampled during 11 months in the "Ile-de-France" region, France.

Trace metal determination in total atmospheric deposition in rural and urban areas.

The wet, dry and total atmospheric depositions of some metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, Pb and Zn) were sampled at two sites and atmospheric fallout fluxes were determined for these locations. This work, led by two different research groups, allowed to reach two main goals: to define a simple analytical procedure to secure accurate shipboard sampling and analysis of atmospheric deposition, and to assess anthropogenic impacts of heavy metals to the environment. The first step about the validation step showed that the prevalent deposition type was dry deposition which represents 40, 60 and 80% for Cd, Cu and Pb, respectively.

Sensitive detection of organophosphorus pesticides using a needle type amperometric acetylcholinesterase-based bioelectrode. Thiocholine electrochemistry and immobilised enzyme inhibition.

An acetylcholinesterase (AChE) based amperometric bioelectrode for a selective detection of low concentrations of organophosphorus pesticides has been developed. The amperometric needle type bioelectrode consists of a bare cavity in a PTFE isolated Pt-Ir wire, where the AChE was entrapped into a photopolymerised polymer of polyvinyl alcohol bearing styrylpyridinium groups (PVA-SbQ). Cyclic voltammetry, performed at Pt and AChE/Pt disk electrodes, confirmed the irreversible, monoelectronic thiocholine oxidation process and showed that a working potential of +0.

Determination of aliphatic hydrocarbons in urban runoff samples from the "Le Marais" experimental catchment in Paris centre.

Aliphatic hydrocarbons were assessed in runoff and waste waters from an urban catchment located in Paris. Runoff were sampled from different types of urban surfaces (11 roofs representing four different covering materials, two courtyards and six streets). Waste water samples were collected at the catchment outlet during dry and wet weather periods as well.