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Fighting wildland fires is a major issue for the protection of populations and environment with a need of more efficient means to fight fires. Airtankers are able to drop volumes of liquid (water or fire retardant) varying from less than 1m3 to several tens of m3, directly on fire or with the objective to form barriers of retardant to stop or reduce the fire propagation. However, the dynamics of a liquid dropped from an airplane has received few attentions in the scientific community, and related studies have mostly focused on Newtonian liquid jets injection in cross flow from millimetric injectors for combustion applications. For firefighting purpose, the liquid can be a retardant (a non Newtonian fluid) and the characteristic size of the delivery systems is of the order of a meter. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be used to provide a deep understanding of the liquid fragmentation and dispersion when dropped from an aircraft. A numerical investigation is proposed for the analysis of airtanker performance and applied here to the biggest airtankers used in Europe: the Canadair CL-415 and the Dash-8. A numerical approach based on the Volume of Fluid method (VoF) is used to provide an accurate description of the tank discharge as well as to study the liquid ejection, fragmentation and atomization in air. The 3D unsteady resolution of the Navier-Stokes equations for both the liquid and the air allows us to provide a description of the main characteristics of the resulting liquid cloud, characterized by the vertical penetration of the liquid, its lateral expansion and the process of atomization.

The assessment of food authenticity is a topic that gained a lot of interest at the international level. This term includes misidentification of variety, origin, production system, processing but also adulteration. These frauds all have an analytical component, and research tends to offer new analytical solutions to manage them. One of them is non-targeted approaches, which get around the limitations of targeted analysis by detecting the unexpected. A wide range of products are studied such as wine, rice, olive oil, spices, and honey among the top five. Geographic origin is by far the fraud with the most attention. The main reason is probably the complexity to consider terroir effect and every other variable to determine an area of production. This review offers an overview of the potential of non-targeted analysis to assess food authenticity. These results also illustrate the capability to look for environmental terroir markers that could be cross-matrixes.

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is an emergent unknown environmental problem, linked to increased production and consumption of pharmaceuticals and, as such, understanding risk perception is fundamental. This study focuses on exploring causes (trust and knowledge) and effects (intention and proper individual disposal of pharmaceutical leftovers) of environmental and health risk perception. Survey data was collected in Portugal, Spain, and France (sample of 509 individuals). Data illustrated that in France, where the quantity of recycled pharmaceuticals is much higher, respondents reported a higher need for knowledge, but not a higher risk perception nor self-reported behaviour. Although previous research illustrates that higher trust correlates with lower risk perception, we found a positive correlation, which highlights the need to comprehend these variables in emergent risks. Results further confirmed a hypothesized moderated mediation model to explain proper disposal behaviour. We found an indirect effect of risk perception on behaviour through intention, which was stronger for participants with higher environmental identity. Understanding the causes and effects of risk perception of pharmaceuticals in the environment thereby contributes to improve pharmaceutical waste management processes and to promote the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

International audience

Environment can be affected by a variety of micropollutants. In this paper, we develop a system to assess the toxicity on an environmental sample, based on the expression of a nanoluciferase under the control of the STB5 promotor in a yeast. The STB5 gene encodes for a transcription factor involved in a pleiotropic drug resistance and in the oxidative stress response. The response of the modified yeast was assessed using 42 micropollutants belonging to different families (antibiotics, pain killers, hormones, plasticizers, pesticides, etc.). Among them, 26 induced an increase of the bioluminescence for concentration ranges from pg.L−1 to ng.L−1. Surprisingly, for concentrations higher than 100 ng.L−1, no response can be observed, suggesting that other mechanisms are involved when the stress increases. Analyzing the different responses obtained, we highlighted six nonmonotonic types of responses. The type of response seems to be independent of the properties of the compounds (polarity, toxicology, molecular weight) and of their family. In conclusion, we highlighted that a cellular response exists for very low exposition to environmental concentration of micropollutants and that it was necessary to explore the cellular mechanisms involved at very low concentration to provide a better risk assessment.

For the analysis of volatile bacterial compounds, solid phase microextraction (SPME) is currently the most widely used metabolite concentration technique. Recently, the potential of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for this use has been demonstrated. These two approaches were therefore used in combination with gas-chromatography coupled with mass-spectrometry (GC&ndash, MS) for the analysis of volatile and semi-volatile bacterial compounds produced by Staphylococcus aureus. In both cases, SPME and SBSE/headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) enrichment was carried out in two coating phases. A whole analytical and statistical process was developed to differentiate the metabolites produced from the metabolites consumed. The results obtained with SBSE/HSSE and SPME were compared and showed the recovery of 90% of the compounds by SBSE/HSSE. In addition, we were able to detect the production of 12 volatile/semi-volatile compounds by S. aureus, six of which had never been reported before. The extraction by SBSE/HSSE showed higher concentration capacities and greater sensitivity than SPME concerning bacterial compounds, suggesting that this technique may therefore become the new preferred option for bacterial volatile and semi-volatile compound analysis.

International audience; Estrogenic compounds are contaminants that may be active at low concentrations and are a major concern for environmental quality. They interact with organisms via Estrogen Receptors (ER). Some detection methods which have been developed use the ability of ER to interact with short consensus DNA sequences known as Estrogen Response Elements (ERE). Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) based techniques allow detection of interaction without labelled molecule use. Such optical transductors are widely used to convert the biological recognition signals into electric quantifiable signals. In this study, SPR is used to assess signal variation in the presence of estrogenic compounds. The combination of physical properties and biological recognition events (e.g. ER/ERE) permits the development of biosensors. These require several steps activation of the surface, DNA sequence binding, ERE sequence evaluation, ER preparation, characterization of binding properties and regeneration of the surface. This article focuses on the mode of surface activation, protein-DNA binding conditions and the regeneration of ERE. After giving a summary of the literature concerning the usual conditions employed in these steps, an evaluation of some key parameters is given.

International audience; We propose a new approach combining the principles and advantages of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and head space sorptive extraction (HSSE). Stir bars have so far never been used for the extraction of volatile/semi-volatile bacterial compounds. The effectiveness of two stir bars with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or ethylene glycol/silicone (EGS) as sorbent was tested by performing sample extraction directly in gas chromatography (GC) via ls containing bacterial cultures. Several combinations of desorption and extraction were tested atdif-ferent growth times. When the extraction was carried out simultaneously with the EGS stir bar in headspace and the PDMS in the bacterial culture, the number of extracted compounds wassignificantly increased. Using both twisters increased the polarity range of thecompounds found, and extraction at the end of the exponential phase of growth generated the best yields. This method was successfully applied to determine the production of 17 molecules by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus. In conclusion, this study paves the way for a new method for determining the volatile metabolite profile of bacteria, which can provide a promising innovative alternative in the identification of biomarkers.

This study aims to contribute to the risk management of pharmaceuticals in the environment, illustrating risk perceptions of lay people and experts from Southwestern Europe (Portugal, Spain, and France). The psychometric paradigm was applied to assess risk regarding four hazards: pharmaceuticals in the environment (i.e., broadly framed), pharmaceuticals in treated wastewater, pharmaceuticals in drinking water, and pharmaceuticals in crops. Two factors explained most of the variance of risk assessments: dread and unknown. The dread factor combined immediacy and severity of effects, and the old nature of hazards. Pharmaceuticals in crops and drinking water scored higher in this factor, as did experts and French respondents. The unknown factor differentiated between the assessments of lay people and experts. Lay people assessed the hazards as being more known by those who were exposed but less known by science; and exposure was perceived as more voluntary and the risk as more controllable. Even though pharmaceutical residues are present in much higher concentrations in treated wastewater, risk assessments were overall higher for drinking water and crops. Moreover, data also revealed risk management preferences: whereas lay people preferred technological and awareness-type measures, experts preferred measures to improve the disposal of pharmaceutical waste and health-type measures.

International audience; The presence of human pharmaceutical products in the environment is a source of concern for both the environment and public health. Numerous options exist to reduce the release of pharmaceuticals, with several approaches being previously described. This article aims to describe the new trends.

International audience; Association Rule Mining (ARM) in the context of imperfect data, e.g., imprecise data, missing data, has received little attention so far despite the prevalence of such data in a wide range of real-world applications. In this work, we present a ARM approach that can be used to handle imprecise data and derive imprecise rules. Based on the belief functions framework and Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis, the proposed approach relies on a selection procedure for identifying the most relevant rules while considering information characterizing their interest-ingness. The several measures of interestingness defined for comparing the rules as well as the selection procedure, are presented. We also show how a priori knowledge about attribute values defined into domain tax-onomies can be used to reduce the search space and the complexity of the mining process, in addition to help identifying relevant rules for the domain of interest. Our appoach is illustrated using a concrete simplified case study related to humanitarian projects analysis.

This chapter focuses on consumers' and health experts' perception of risks posed by pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment. For this purpose a number of national and international studies on the topic were analyzed. Additionally, our own investigations are presented as well. The chapter also comprises a review on how the media handle the subject since they have a strong influence on public risk perception, depending on whether they take up a topic and how they report on it. The chapter also presents the results of projects that investigated measures to reduce pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment. The aim of these projects was to raise the awareness of physicians and pharmacists concerning this problem and to qualify them for steps to be taken in their everyday working life.

Pesticides were initially developed as solutions to fight against the problems caused by pests and diseases. As a consequence, agricultural productivity and the area of cultivated land were largely improved. Yet the use of such substances was rapidly found to be a threat to the environment and indirectly to human health, and so in the past few decades, progress in the development of new pesticides has focused on more-targeted and less-toxic substances. The mode of agriculture has also evolved in more recent times, with an increasing tendency to move from conventional agriculture using phytosanitary products to organic agriculture without chemical agents. This article describes a study conducted with local farmers to understand their representation of pesticides and the reasons behind their conversion to organic agriculture or not.

One of the main pursuits, yet most difficult, in monitoring studies is to identify the sources of environmental pollution. In this study, we have identified health-care facilities from south European countries as an important source of pharmaceuticals in the environment. We have estimated that compounds consumed in by the elderly and released from effluents of senior residences can reach river waters at a concentration higher than 0.01 ?g/L, which is the European Medicines Agency (EMA) threshold for risk evaluation of pharmaceuticals in surface waters. This study has been based on five health institutions in Portugal, Spain, and France, with 52 to 130 beds. We have compiled the pharmaceuticals dispensed on a daily base and calculated the consumption rates. From 54.9 to 1801 g of pharmaceuticals are consumed daily, with laxatives, analgesics, antiepileptics, antibiotics, and antidiabetic agents being the main drug families administered. According to excretion rates, dilution in the sewerage system, and elimination in wastewater treatment plants, macrogol, metformin, paracetamol, acetylcysteine, amoxicillin, and gabapentin, among others, are expected to reach river waters. Finally, we discuss the risk management actions related to the discharge of pharmaceuticals from senior residences to surface waters. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

International audience

A growing interest is expressed by organizations for the development of approaches enabling to take advantage of past experiences to improve their decision processes; they may be referred to as Lessons Learned (LL) processes. Within the LL processes implementation framework, the development of semi-automatic approaches able to distinguish criteria having major influence on the evaluation of experiences is crucial for identifying relevant recommendations and performing efficient prescriptive analysis. In this paper, we propose to contribute to LL study by focusing on the definition of an approach enabling, in a specific setting, to identify the criteria most influencing the decision process regarding the overall performance evaluation of a reduced set of experiences. The proposed approach is framed on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, and specifically is based on the Electre tri method. In this paper, an illustration of the proposed approach is provided studying the evaluation of logistical response strategies in humanitarian emergency situations.

Legionella risk assessment is nowadays based on the presence and concentration of either Legionella pneumophila or Legionella spp. Many species of Legionella can cause Legionnaires’ disease, indeed about half of the known species have been associated with infection. The aim of this work was to develop a method to assess the composition of the Legionella species community in an environmental sample in order to have a better understanding of the contamination of the ecosystem by pathogenic strains. The method is based on the comparison of PCR-DGGE profile of DNA sample with a database consisting in DGGE profiles of Legionella species. Such a database includes all pathogenic Legionella strains. In order to homogenize and normalize the different DGGE fingerprint, a reference marker has been built and added during DGGE gel analysis. This study gives a valuable advance in the methods available for the understanding of Legionella contamination of water environments., Environmental sciences; Microbiology; Bacteria; Environmental impact assessment; Environmental risk assessment; Microorganism; Population structure; Bacterial diversity; Legionnella; Risk management; DGGE.

Aims Virus detection has often been difficult due to a low concentration in water. In this study, we developed a new procedure based on concentration of virus particles on an innovative support: poly-l-lysine dendrigrafts (DGL), coupled with directed nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR quantification. Methods and Results This method was evaluated using the bacteriophage MS2 as a model virus. This virus exhibited the size and structural properties of human pathogenic enteric viruses and has often been used to assess new supports of concentration. Moreover, this bacteriophage is also a faecal contamination indicator. In this study, many water filtration conditions were tested (volume of water, concentration, etc.), and more than 80% of bacteriophage were recovered after filtration on polymer, in most conditions. We demonstrated that the method was linear (slope = 0·99 ± 0·04 and Y intercept when x = −0·02 ± 0·28), valid (as manipulators, tested concentrations, volumes of sample and batch of polymer did not have any influence on concentration) and sensitive (allowing to concentrate up to 16 600-fold 1 l of sample and to detect and quantify down to 750 GC l−1 and 7500 GC l−1, respectively). Conclusions To conclude, this support exhibits high interest to retain viruses and to allow to detect low concentration of virus in water. Significance and Impact of the Study This study gives valuable advance in the methods of concentration and diagnosis of virus in water.

Several mineral constituents can be detected by UV-visible spectrophotometry either directly (nitrate, nitrite, sulphide, hypochlorite and chromium) or indirectly after a photo-oxidation or a complexation step (ammonia, total nitrogen, iron, copper, mercury, etc.). Among the different mineral constituents, nitrate and phosphate ions are of primary importance regarding their impact on freshwater and coastal water quality (risk of eutrophication). The direct detection of nitrate ion in freshwater is one of the main application of UV spectrophotometry and high-frequency measurement is even possible with available commercial devices for temporally and spatially nitrate monitoring. For phosphate, the measurement is carried out with a colorimetric procedure, but simple analysers are also commercially available for high-frequency measurement. Other interesting applications for mineral constituents detection in water are also presented.

Concerns over the threats posed by a large number of molecules, collectively termed as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and generally known to alter and disrupt hormone systems and physiological functions, have often been expressed in academic and scholarly debates. From the perspective of classical toxicology, EDCs have genomic mechanisms of actions and exert agonistic or antagonistic effects on steroid receptors. They are also able to alter reproductive function by binding to estrogen or androgen receptors, and the neuroendocrine system by binding to the thyroid receptor. Recently, EDCs have been shown to have equally complex nongenomic mechanisms, altering steroid synthesis or steroid metabolism. As environmental contaminants, these molecules proved disruptively harmful for many wildlife species, particularly those from or depending on the aquatic ecosystem. An increasingly growing body of research has voiced further concerns that human populations are not immune from the dangers of EDCs. Studies ...

International audience; INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: A review was undertaken on the occurrence, toxicity, and degradation of triclosan (TCS; 5-chloro-2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol) in the environment. TCS is a synthetic, broad-spectrum antibacterial agent incorporated in a wide variety of household and personal care products such as hand soap, toothpaste, and deodorants but also in textile fibers used in a range of other consumer products (e.g., toys, undergarments and cutting boards among other things). OCCURRENCE: Because of its partial elimination in sewage treatment plants, most reports describe TCS as one of the most commonly encountered substances in solid and water environmental compartments. It has been detected in a microgram per liter or microgram per kilogram level in sewage treatment plants (influents, effluents, and sludges), natural waters (rivers, lakes, and estuarine waters), and sediments as well as in drinking water. TOXICITY: Moreover, due to its high hydrophobicity, TCS can accumulate in fatty tissues and has been found in fish and human samples (urine, breast milk, and serum). TCS is known to be biodegradable, photo-unstable, and reactive towards chlorine and ozone. DISCUSSION: As a consequence, it can be transformed into potentially more toxic and persistent compounds, such as chlorinated phenols and biphenyl ethers after chlorination, methyl triclosan after biological methylation, and chlorinated dibenzodioxins after photooxidation. The toxicity of TCS toward aquatic organisms like fish, crustaceans, and algae has been demonstrated with EC50 values near TCS environmental concentrations. It has even been shown to produce cytotoxic, genotoxic, and endocrine disruptor effects. CONCLUSION: Furthermore, the excessive use of TCS is suspected to increase the risk of emergence of TCS-resistant bacteria and the selection of resistant strains.

International audience; Heavy rainfall events, increasing in frequency and intensity with climate change, impact on the quality of the water resource used for drinking-water production. Small-scale water suppliers are particularly sensitive because of their management and the related difficulties of adapting treatment to variations. Decision-support systems, based on monitoring and analytical tools, need to be developed to improve crisis-management procedures related to such events. After presenting the issues related to heavy rainfall events, the article summarizes the tools currently used for quality control of drinking water within this framework, the need for developments and other requirements.

International audience; The water quality monitoring program implemented by the sanitary authorities defines the sampling frequency and parameters to be measured regarding the facilities characteristics climatic events (heavy rains, floods, droughts). For example the water quality produced by small systems is monitored between once a year and every five years depending of the population supplied without consideration of weather.However, these climatic events constitute a big public health issue because chemical and microbiological contaminants may enter surface waters or aquifers leading to potentially short or medium term risks for human health.Complementary to the sanitary water quality monitoring of resources and drinking waters, the self monitoring of water carried out by the water supply system manager, could be modified in order to integrate at risk situations in the frame of the water safety plans approach proposed by WHO. The early detection of simple, rapid and relevent parameters indicators of water qualty safety with respect to the financial frame of small and medium water supply systems could improve the management of sanitary risks.For risks assessment the measurement of turbidity, correlated with the presence of pathogens, of conductivity for minerals dilution or concentration, and spectrophotometry UV giving parameters estimation and substances detection, must be considered. This monitoring approach could be very useful for adaptation to rapid changes in water quality linked to climatic events and to maximize the efficiency of treatment processes and of the general functioning of the treatment plant.; En France, les petites et moyennes unités de distribution d’eau destinée à la consommation humaine sont majoritaires en nombre bien que n’alimentant qu’environ 10 % de la population. Comme les autres unités de distribution, elles sont sujettes à un programme de contrôle de la qualité de l’eau, fait par les autorités sanitaires, qui définit les fréquences de prélèvements et les paramètres à analyser selon les caractéristiques des installations et les populations desservies. Ce programme ne tient pas compte des événements climatiques (fortes pluies, inondations, sécheresses), qui pourtant constituent un enjeu de santé publique important puisqu’ils favorisent l’introduction de contaminants chimiques et microbiologiques dans les eaux de surface et les nappes phréatiques, induisant des risques à court et à long terme pour la santé des populations. En complément du contrôle sanitaire, l’autocontrôle proposé pour les exploitants, pourrait intégrer les situations à risques, conformément à la démarche d’évaluation et de gestion des risques tout au long du cycle de production d’eau jusqu’au robinet du consommateur prévue dans la mise en œuvre des Water Safety Plans. La détection précoce de paramètres susceptibles d’altérer la qualité de l’eau par des techniques simples et rapides qui prennent en compte les contraintes financières et techniques de ces unités de distribution, permettrait d’améliorer la maîtrise des risques sanitaires. L’estimation du risque microbiologique et chimique par des méthodes telles que la mesure de turbidité, la spectrophotométrie, la mesure de conductivité permettre de s’adapter aux changements rapides de la qualité de l’eau induits par les événements climatiques et de maximiser ainsi l’efficacité des procédés de traitement et les activités d’exploitation de la station de traitement

Pharmaceuticals for human use are consumed in significant quantities and their occurrence in aquatic systems has been reported by a number of authors. In the context of environmental risk assessment, there is an increasing interest in evaluating the discharge of pharmaceutical products to surface waters through sewage treatment plants (STP). This case study was carried out on a conventional biological treatment plant (Alès, France) and focused on a set of eleven drugs representing the main therapeutic classes. Measured environmental concentrations (MECs) range from the low ng L−1 to 1.5 µg L−1 in effluent and up to few hundred ng L−1 in receiving surface waters. There is a good agreement between MEC and predicted environmental concentration (PEC) values for seven of the eleven investigated drugs in STP effluent. There is not such a good match between PEC and MEC values in surface waters, and this highlights the limits of this approach, at the local scale. Keywords: Pharmaceutical products, Sewage treatment plant effluent, Surface water, Predicted environmental concentration, Measured environmental concentration, Local scale

International audience; Up to now, several studies have investigated estrogen receptor (ER)–estrogen response element (ERE) interaction using biosensors such as surface plasmon resonance. These strategies have aimed to understand the molecular mechanism of such interaction as well as the effect of the ligand on this interaction. These approaches start to be used to determine the mechanisms of protein/DNA interaction, in particular in the context of drug discovery or environmental applications. However, some physical and biochemical parameters (incubation time, temperature, protease inhibitor cocktail, and bovine serum albumin (BSA)) are not completely described in the literature and could deeply modify the obtained results. This paper aims to focus not only on the preliminary steps of sample preparation such as protein thawing and incubation conditions (time and temperature) but also on the evaluation of protease inhibitor cocktail and BSA effect on the measurement of ER–ERE interactions.

International audience; Estrogenic compounds are a class of pharmaceutical products harmful to animals and a cause of environmental damage. The biological activity of these compounds is high since they have been designed to act at low concentrations. Thus, even at the low concentrations found in the environment, they may produce deleterious effects on aquatic organisms as well as on humans, who might be contaminated in a number of ways (via drinking water or contaminated food, for example). We used the property of these compounds to bind a specific protein (estrogen receptor, ER) to develop a quantification method of these chemical entities. Estrogenic compound detection was performed using ER dimerization properties monitored by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The ligand-activated ER dimer was detected by its interaction with a specific DNA consensus sequence estrogen response element. The concentration and the nature of the estrogenic compounds modified the SPR signal and were characteristic of the ligand-dependent homodimerization of ER. For 17β-estradiol, dimerization of ER was experimentally determined at an ER to 17β-estradiol ratio near 1:1. Estrogenic compounds (17β-estradiol, estriol, estrone, ethynyl estradiol) activated the dimerization process at different concentration levels, while some others (tamoxiphen, resveratrol, genistein, bisphenol A) did not seem to have any effects on it. We demonstrated that this method allows the direct detection of 17β-estradiol at concentrations above 1.4 μg/L (5 nM).

The presence of pharmaceutical products in the environment has become a topic of great interest, motivating numerous studies worldwide. This chapter highlights the levels of pharmaceutical compounds found in the different environmental compartments (waters, ground waters, drinking water, sewage sludge, soil, sediment and biota). The use of occurrence data is discussed and modelling presented to complement monitoring campaigns in the assessment of priority and risk assessment.

International audience; Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been developed as an emerging technology for hazardous organic treatment in industrial wastewater. In this paper, the contribution of ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy to follow phenol photodegradation was studied in a laboratory photochemical reactor equipped with a low pressure mercury lamp. It has been observed that a multicomponent approach is efficient for the evolution estimation of the initial product or intermediate compounds formed during the photodegradation.

International audience; Sulfur compounds are often present in petrochemical wastewater and can be detected by UV spectrophotometry. This technique allows to point out specific absorptions of mineral sulfide and mercaptans and can be used for the determination of acidity constants. From a quantitative point of view, using a spectral deconvolution method, a specific determination of some mercaptans is obtained. Detection limits for ethanethiol and thiophenol are 0.7 and 2.5 mg l−1, respectively.

International audience; Microbial pollution in aquatic environments is one of the crucial issues with regard to the sanitary state of water bodies used for drinking water supply, recreational activities and harvesting seafood due to a potential contamination by pathogenic bacteria, protozoa or viruses. To address this risk, microbial contamination monitoring is usually assessed by turbidity measurements performed at drinking water plants. Some recent studies have shown significant correlations of microbial contamination with the risk of endemic gastroenteresis. However the relevance of turbidimetry may be limited since the presence of colloids in water creates interferences with the nephelometric response. Thus there is a need for a more relevant, simple and fast indicator for microbial contamination detection in water, especially in the perspective of climate change with the increase of heavy rainfall events. This review focuses on the one hand on sources, fate and behavior of microorganisms in water and factors influencing pathogens' presence, transportation and mobilization, and on the second hand, on the existing optical methods used for monitoring microbiological risks. Finally, this paper proposes new ways of research.

International audience; The estrogen receptor (ER) is a transcription factor that binds under 17-β-estradiol (E2) stimulation as homodimer to a short DNA consensus sequence named estrogen response element (ERE). The ER/ERE interaction has been assessed by several research groups through different methodologies notably by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques. The biochemical parameters and conditions (solvent, ER concentration, salt, time and temperature) used to prepare samples before analysis were very different from one study to another. But no studies have aimed to compare the effect of these modifications on ER/ERE interaction. Therefore the main objective of the present paper was to assess the influence of biochemical parameters onto the ER/ERE interaction with the final aim to improve the comprehension of this interaction. Our results highlighted that parameters like solvent, ER concentration, salt and surfactant concentration, temperature and time deeply modify ER/ERE interaction. Nevertheless, the dimer formation under E2 stimulation occurred with all tested conditions. Altogether, incubation parameters of ER with E2, deeply modify its binding level onto ERE. These data constitute an important key point to consider for the improvement of ER/ERE detection method depending upon the aim of the study (interaction measurement, environmental detection, development of new technologies or devices).

Nonylphenol (NP) is an endocrine disruptor with harmful effects including feminization and carcinogenesis on various organisms. This substance is a degradation product of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO) that is used in several industrial and agricultural processes. In this paper, we examined the assessment of NP exposure on chick embryo development, using a concentration consistent with the environmental concentrations of NP.With this aim, NP (between 0.1 and 50 μg/egg) was injected into the yolk of egg through a small needle hole in the shell.We report the effect of NP on chick reproductive system development although the effect we observed is lower than those observed by exposition to other endocrine disruptors. However, histological analysis highlighted a decrease of intraluminal seminiferous surface area in 64.12% of case (P = 0.0086) and an heterogeneous organization of the renal tubules when 10 μg/egg were injected. Moreover, an impairment of liver development with an abnormal bile spillage was observed when higher concentration of NP was injected (50 μg/egg). Keywords: Nonylphenol, Chick embryo, Estrogenic effect, Environment

International audience; Anti-cancer drugs are an important class of pharmaceutical products. Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid antagonist used in high doses as antimetabolite in anti-cancer treatment as well as in low doses for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and adults' psoriasis. In the past, several anti-cancer drugs, including methotrexate, have been found in the environment. Their presence in water, especially if used for the production of drinking water, is even in low concentrations of particular interest, due to the risk to retrieve them in the consumed water and their high activity and grave effects. But prior to usage as drinking water, raw waters are treated and chlorination is a common practice in several countries. As such a treatment can lead to the formation of organochlorine in water, the study of the fate of MTX during chlorination in a batch trial was carried out. The reaction was monitored by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and by fluorescence and UV spectroscopy. Investigation of by-products formed was done with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Under the given experimental conditions, Methotrexate was eliminated rapidly (t1/2 around 21 min). However, DOC elimination was incomplete. Monitoring with LC-MS showed the formation of a monochlorinated transformation product of MTX. In silico analysis of the proposed transformation products for different carcinogenic, mutagenic and genotoxic endpoints with different software platforms provided no clear evidence that the possible transformation products after chlorination might be more toxic than the parent compound. However, since a number of alerts is altered after chlorination, it cannot be excluded that the toxicity of these transformation products might be modulated compared with the parent compound.

International audience; Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) are emblematic endocrine disruptors, which have been mostly studied in gonochoric prosobranchs. Although both compounds can simultaneously occur in the environment, they have mainly been tested separately for their effects on snail reproduction. Because large discrepancies in experimental conditions occurred in these tests, the present study aimed to compare the relative toxicity of TBT and TPT under similar laboratory conditions in the range of 0 ng Sn/L to 600 ng Sn/L. Tests were performed on the simultaneous hermaphrodite Lymnaea stagnalis, a freshwater snail in which effects of TPT were unknown. Survival, shell length, and reproduction were monitored in a 21-d semistatic test. Frequency of abnormal eggs was assessed as an additional endpoint. Triphenyltin hampered survival while TBT did not. Major effects on shell solidity and reproduction were observed for both compounds, reproductive outputs being more severely hampered by TBT than by TPT. Considering the frequency of abnormal eggs allowed increasing test sensitivity, because snail responses to TBT could be detected at concentrations as low as 19 ng Sn/L. However, the putative mode of action of the 2 compounds could not be deduced from the structure of the molecules or from the response of apical endpoints. Sensitivity of L. stagnalis to TBT and TPT was compared with the sensitivity of prosobranch mollusks with different habitats and different reproductive strategies.

International audience; This paper proposes a new approach for the on-site detection of micropollutants in water in case of accidental or intentional contamination (characterized by high concentration). The technique is based on the use of an automatic multiple solid phase extraction step (MSPE) followed by direct or indirect UV spectrometry (MSPE/UV) for the detection of organic contaminants in water (such as regulated molecules (pesticides ...) as well as emerging pollutants (pharmaceutical products, endocrine disruptors ...)). The development of the system supposes firstly the choice of the most appropriate sorbent(s) and secondly conditions for the detection of targeted micropollutants, from several solid phase extraction cartridges and eluting solvents. Two different extraction sorbents were chosen. These sorbents and several eluting solvents allow the first separation of the compounds based on the physico-chemical properties of each substance (pKa, log Kow) and on the specific interactions with the sorbent. Finally, a UV analysis (either at the maximum of absorbance using a calibration curve or from the whole spectrum using a multicomponent (deconvolution) exploitation method) of each fraction allows a determination and a quantification of each compound. The method is rapid (less than 2 h), sensitive enough for an accidental/intentional contamination (between 5 and 40 μg*L− 1 according to the substances) and with a good precision (between 4 and 14%).

Tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) are emblematic endocrine disruptors, which have been mostly studied in gonochoric prosobranchs. Although both compounds can simultaneously occur in the environment, they have mainly been tested separately for their effects on snail reproduction. Because large discrepancies in experimental conditions occurred in these tests, the present study aimed to compare the relative toxicity of TBT and TPT under similar laboratory conditions in the range of 0 ng Sn/L to 600 ng Sn/L. Tests were performed on the simultaneous hermaphrodite Lymnaea stagnalis, a freshwater snail in which effects of TPT were unknown. Survival, shell length, and reproduction were monitored in a 21-d semistatic test. Frequency of abnormal eggs was assessed as an additional endpoint. Triphenyltin hampered survival while TBT did not. Major effects on shell solidity and reproduction were observed for both compounds, reproductive outputs being more severely hampered by TBT than by TPT. Considering the frequency of abnormal eggs allowed increasing test sensitivity, because snail responses to TBT could be detected at concentrations as low as 19 ng Sn/L. However, the putative mode of action of the 2 compounds could not be deduced from the structure of the molecules or from the response of apical endpoints. Sensitivity of L. stagnalis to TBT and TPT was compared with the sensitivity of prosobranch mollusks with different habitats and different reproductive strategies.

Drinking water (DW) is increasingly subject to environmental and human threats that alter the quality of the resource and potentially of the distributed water. These threats can be both biological and chemical in nature, and are often cumulated. The increase of technical frame of water quality monitoring following the evolution of water quality standards guarantee the regulation compliance in general but is not sufficient for the survey of small scale water system efficiency. The existing monitoring is not well suited to insure a good quality of distributed water, especially in the event of a sudden modification of quality. This article aims to propose alternative solutions, from the examination of monitoring practices, in a bid to limit the risk of deterioration of DW quality.

International audience; BACKGROUND: Exposure to solvents during pregnancy has long been suspected of increasing the risk of congenital malformations, but the lack of prospective assessment of specific solvent exposures has prevented definitive conclusions. METHODS: In a cohort of 3421 pregnant women in Brittany (2002-2006), occupational solvent exposure was assessed from self-report during pregnancy and from a job-exposure matrix. Congenital malformations were diagnosed among live births, stillbirths, and medical pregnancy terminations. In a nested case-control sample, urinary concentrations of 10 metabolites of glycol ethers and chlorinated solvents were measured in maternal samples collected during early pregnancy (n = 79 cases, 580 controls). RESULTS: Dose-response trends linked occupational solvent exposure (both self-reported and based on a job-exposure matrix) to the risk of major congenital malformations--especially oral clefts, urinary tract malformations, and male genital malformations. Detection of some glycol ether metabolites and trichloroacetic acid in urine was associated with increased risks of oral clefts and of urinary tract and limb defects. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study, using three independent methods of exposure assessment, suggests several specific associations between solvent exposure during early pregnancy and congenital malformations. Results based on urinary biomarkers, although limited by small numbers, identify work situations that require further investigation.

International audience; Triclosan (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxy-diphenyl ether; TCS) is an antibacterial agent incorporated in a wide variety of household and personal care products. Because of its partial elimination in sewage treatment plants, TCS is commonly detected in natural waters and sediments. Moreover, due to its high hydrophobicity, TCS accumulates in fatty tissues in various aquatic organisms. TCS can be converted into methyl-triclosan (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-methoxydiphenyl ether; MTCS) after biological methylation. In this study, the acute cytotoxicity of TCS and MTCS in short-term in vitro experiments was assessed on cell cultures from the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata. The results showed that morphology and density of hemocyte are affected from a concentration of 8 μM TCS. Using the XTT reduction assay, TCS has been demonstrated to decrease hemocyte metabolism activity in a dose- and time-dependent exposure. The IC(50) was evaluated at 6 μM for both hemocyte and gill cells after a 24 h-incubation with TCS. A significant cytotoxicity of MTCS was also observed from 4 μM in 24 h-old hemocyte culture. Our results reveal a toxic effect of TCS and MTCS on immune (hemocytes) and/or respiratory cells (gill cells) of the abalone, species living in coastal waters areas and exposed to anthropogenic pollution.

International audience