Publications by authors named "Francois Bordas"

In a hydroelectric reservoir, sediments are subject to remobilization events, water-level fluctuations and physicochemical changes. Depending on their associated metallic content, surficial oxic to suboxic sediments could constitute a major source of metals. To identify the key parameters that control metallic elements in terms of their mobility and sensitivity to reservoir management, sediments were subject to resuspension and drying/wetting cycle experiments over a wide range of pH values, solid/liquid ratios (S/L) and redox (Eh) conditions.

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In dam contexts, sluicing operations can be performed to reestablish sediments continuity, as proposed by the EU Water Framework Directive, as well as to preserve the reservoirs' water storage capacity. Such management permits the rapid release of high quantities of reservoir sediments through the opening of dam bottom valves. This work aims to study the impact of such operation on the evolution of environmental physicochemical conditions notably changes in dissolved metallic elements concentrations (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) through field and laboratory investigations.

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Sediments play an important role on the quality of aquatic ecosystems, notably in the reservoir areas where they can either be a sink or a source of contaminants, depending on the management and hydrological conditions. The physicochemical properties of 25 surface sediments samples of a reservoir catchment (Vaussaire, Cantal, France) were studied. Results show a strong influence of dam presence, notably on the grain size and organic matter (OM) contents.

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The potential of three Fe- and Mn-(nano)oxides for stabilizing Cd, Cu and Pb in contaminated soils was investigated using batch and column experiments, adsorption tests and tests of soil microbial activity. A novel synthetic amorphous Mn oxide (AMO), which was recently proposed as a stabilizing amendment, proved to be the most efficient in decreasing the mobility of the studied metals compared to nano-maghemite and nano-magnetite. Its application resulted in significant decreases of exchangeable metal fractions (92%, 92% and 93% decreases of Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations, respectively).

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Due to its simple and inexpensive synthesis, a new amorphous hydrous manganese oxide (AMO) has been studied as a possible chemical stabilizing agent for soils contaminated with metals. Preliminary experiments evaluating the stability of AMO in pure water have reported only minor dissolution (5.70% and 0.

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Fingerprints of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from activated and anaerobic granular sludges were obtained by size exclusion chromatography coupled to UV (210 and 280 nm) and fluorescence (221/350 nm (protein-like molecules) and 345/443 nm (humic-like substances)) detection. The total area below the peaks obtained with fluorescence detection is linked to the protein or humic-like substances EPS content. The EPS protein fingerprints, usually recorded with UV-280 nm, change dramatically, mainly in the relative size of peaks when they were measured by a florescence detection method.

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Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were extracted from four anaerobic granular sludges with different procedures to study their involvement in biosorption of metallic elements. EPS extracts are composed of closely associated organic and mineral fractions. The EPS macromolecules (proteins, polysaccharides, humic-like substances, nucleic, and uronic acids) have functional groups potentially available for the binding of metallic elements.

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The aim of this study is to investigate how the presence of Cu influences tebuconazole (Teb) sorption onto contrasting soil types and two important constituents of the soil sorption complex: hydrated Fe oxide and humic substances. Tebuconazole was used in commercial form and as an analytical-grade chemical at different Teb/Cu molar ratios (1:4, 1:1, 4:1, and Teb alone). Increased Cu concentrations had a positive effect on tebuconazole sorption onto most soils and humic substances, probably as a result of Cu-Teb tertiary complexes on the soil surfaces.

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This study investigates the column leaching of a soil contaminated mainly with Cr and Ni by using two chelants: citric acid (biodegradable) and EDTA (non-biodegradable) followed with water rinse. The chelants lead to Cr and Ni leaching, in addition to major elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, Al, Mn and Zn) showing the dissolution of soil mineral constituents. EDTA leaches more major elements and Ni than citric acid related to the respective stability of metal-chelant complexes; citric acid leaches more Cr than EDTA, certainly because of a substitution reaction with Cr(VI).

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In the present study, different complementary leaching tests were applied to a Mn-rich slag sample that was not thoroughly studied until now, in order to understand the potential mobility of the elements (Mn, Si, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, Al) within it. Several standard leaching tests (EN 12457-1 and -2, and TCLP) were carried out in order to compare results to regulatory values: the Mn-rich slag studied could be considered as 'inert' waste with respect to the release of the main trace metallic elements (Cu, Ni and Zn). In order to have a better understanding of the environmental behaviour of the Mn-rich slag constituents, other tests were performed.

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The redox potential (Eh) is a key parameter for controlling the release of elements from solid materials. Nevertheless, this parameter is seldom taken into account during risk assessment studies within any regulatory framework. We studied the incidence of redox changes to the solid materials using two batch procedures: i) a gradient of redox conditions obtained using sodium ascorbate solutions at various concentrations; ii) N(2) bubbling in water.

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The effects of the extraction procedure of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on their proton/metal binding properties were studied. Nine extraction procedures (one control, four physical and four chemical procedures) were applied to four types of anaerobic granular sludges. The binding capacities between the EPS and lead or cadmium were investigated at pH 7 by a polarographic method.

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A Mn-rich slag sample coming from a pyrometallurgical plant recycling alkaline batteries was submitted to environmental conditions during one year. After crushing, the slag was buried in topsoil and the leachate was periodically collected in order to monitor the leached amounts of metallic elements (ME). Results evidenced a low release of the slag constituents (Mn: < 0.

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The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from four anaerobic granular sludges contain an important mineral fraction (20-77% of the EPS dry weight). The composition of the mineral fraction of EPS depends strongly of the extraction method applied and to a lesser extend of the origin of the anaerobic sludge. Centrifugation, sonication, and heating extraction procedures yield a similar mineral composition.

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The contamination of agricultural soils with inorganic (Cu-based) and organic pesticides (including their residues) presents a major environmental and toxicological concern. This review summarizes available studies published on the contamination of vineyard soils throughout the world with Cu-based and synthetic organic fungicides. It focuses on the behavior of these contaminants in vineyard soils and the associated environmental and toxicological risks.

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The characteristics of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted with nine different extraction protocols from four different types of anaerobic granular sludge were studied. The efficiency of four physical (sonication, heating, cationic exchange resin (CER), and CER associated with sonication) and four chemical (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ethanol, formaldehyde combined with heating, or NaOH) EPS extraction methods was compared to a control extraction protocols (i.e.

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The present study deals with the sorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by exopolymeric substances (EPS) extracted from activated sludges or pure bacterial strains. The percentage of sorbed metal increases with the concentration of the EPS-water solution. Pb(II) always presents a higher affinity than Cd(II) for EPS.

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The redox conditions of soil may have significant consequences for the mobility of metallic elements (ME), but unlike pH, very few studies have investigated this parameter. A procedure was established to study the solubilization of ME from soil samples in various reducing conditions using a batch method and sodium ascorbate solutions. The change in redox potential from +410 to +10 mV was studied from four contaminated soil samples (designated A-D) of different origins and compositions.

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In soil, chromium can be found in two main valence states: hexavalent Cr(VI) and trivalent Cr(III). In this study, we investigated the impact of Cr on photosynthetic gas exchange, photosystem II (PSII) activity, Cr translocation and accumulation, proline content and alkaloids production, i.e.

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Cd and Pb binding by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from seven environmental bacterial strains were investigated as a function of pH. The study was carried out by using a polarographic method in the stripping mercury dropping electrode (SMDE) mode which is able to determine labile metal in solution containing soluble ligands such as EPS. The results obtained provide evidence for the presence of a pH-sorption/desorption edge for Cd and Pb by EPS.

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EDTA and citric acid were tested to solubilize metals and enhance their uptake by Datura innoxia, chosen because of its ability to accumulate and tolerate metals. Two application modes were used on an industrial soil contaminated mainly by Cr and Ni. The results showed that citric acid was the most effective at increasing the uptake of Cr and EDTA for Ni.

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The mobilization of chromium and nickel from an industrial soil was investigated using two biodegradable chelants (citric acid and histidine), compared with a persistent one (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). Successive metal mobilizations were carried out in batch experiments. The main reactions involved were estimated by modeling the system with MINEQL+.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicity of copper on the aquatic lichen Dermatocarpon luridum focusing on the activities of some antioxidant enzymes. Investigations were conducted using increasing copper concentrations (0.00, 0.

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The sorption of Cd and Pb by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from activated sludges originated from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or Lab-scale bioreactors was investigated as a function of pH. The study was carried out using a polarographic method in the SMDE (stripping mercury dropping electrode) mode which is suited to determine labile metals in solution containing soluble ligands such as EPS. The results obtained provide evidence of the presence of a pH-sorption/desorption edge for Cd and Pb by EPS.

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The effect of sulfate on the chemical partitioning of Cu, Cd, and Pb in solid phases was assessed in this study. Modified BCR sequential extraction, speeded up by focused ultrasound, was systematically applied to various mixtures of typical geochemical solid phases (an artificial goethite spiked with Cu, Cd, and Pb and natural clays), with or without the addition of calcium sulfate. Sulfate was added so that three different concentrations were found in sequential extracts: 0.

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