Field translocation of diatom biofilms impacted by Cd and Zn to assess decontamination and community restructuring capacities
Metal wastes have been repeatedly shown to significantly disturb periphytic communities. This study considers an industrial contamination site subjected to remediation processes since 2007. With the aim of finding relevant bioindicators of the restoration capacity of such impacted hydrosystems, this study focussed on biofilm and diatom recovery kinetics. Biofilms were colonised at a reference site and in parallel at a metal-contaminated site. After 24 days, contaminated biofilms were translocated to the reference site to study the biofilm recovery potential for 9 weeks under natural conditions. Analyses from the community level – measures of metal bioaccumulation, cell densities and taxonomic investigations – to the individual level – measures of teratological forms – were performed. The results showed that Zn and Cd contents were rapidly depurated, reaching reference levels 3 and 9 weeks after translocation, respectively. A Principal Response Curve (PRC) analysis enabled to see the fast evolution of diatom communities, with species specific to the reference site growing in decontaminated biofilms from the 3rd week. After 9 weeks, we estimated that diatom community restructuring was complete, based on measurements of biovolumes and teratological form rates which both decreased to reference levels in decontaminated biofilms throughout the experiment. The different teratological types appeared to be good bioindicators of biofilm contamination and shed light on the duration of contamination. According to these results, different criteria can provide information on the recovery potential of periphyton. Biofilms proved to be good bioindicators of metal recovery and diatoms proved to be good bioindicators of community recovery.
(Ecological Indicators. vol. 18, n° 1470-160X, pp. 520-531, 29/08/2026)
UR REBX, IRSTEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Indice Diatomique Réunion (IDR): a new river diatom index dedicated to a specific ultramarine and tropical biogeographical context
The Water Framework Directive (JOCE 2000) needs to be applied on the European continental area as for other ultramarine territories as French overseas departments (in our case, Reunion Island). For such specific territories with a strong biogeographical concern, biological indexes set-up and validated in continental Europe cannot work properly. The main problems encountered result from strong specificities in the field of geochemical and climatic conditions, of taxa list and of their local ecology. Under the joint demand of the Reunion Water Office, local services of Environment Ministry (DEAL Reunion) and ONEMA, a scientific consortium grouping ASCONIT Consultancy and IRSTEA drove a 3 year-study based on network sites and other particular sites, aiming to: 1) describe in situ abiotic environmental condition of rivers (physico-chemistry, chemistry, descriptors of general ambiance like shading, flow velocity, depth...); 2) identify and count relative abundances of taxa; and 3) set-up a new Diatom Index dedicated to Reunion, based on relationships between abiotic descriptors and taxa ecology. The study was based on 256 samples and records obtained during 3 years at 55 different sites along five field campaigns covering 2 different seasons. A huge work was to identify and count the species in this new context. 343 different species have been observed, of which 162 determined at the species level. 28 other species were close to a known species (cf or aff.), 153 identified at the genus level were given a number code at the species level. 175 enough occurring species were used to build the index and were given an ecological profile. Because of a very dilutive context, we chose to principally base the index calculation on a list of alarm taxa named "Taxa –", which presence is synonym of strong anthropogenic alteration. This new index provides satisfying assessment results which will be presented.
(pp. 1, 29/08/2026)
UR REBX, IRSTEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Use of Mixed-Mode Ion Exchange Sorbent for the Passive Sampling of Organic Acids by Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS)
Acidic herbicides are increasingly monitored in freshwater, since their high solubility favors their rapid transfer to the water phase. Therefore, contaminant levels in the water can vary rapidly and passive sampling would be preferred over spot sampling to integrate all pollution events over a given exposure time. In this work, we propose to compare the conventional pharmaceutical polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) with modified POCISs containing two different receiving phases: a standard polystyrene divinylbenzene polymer with a higher specific surface area (Chromabond HR-X) and a mixed-mode anion exchange sorbent providing additional strong anion exchange interaction sites (Oasis MAX). Due to its hydrophobic character, Chromabond HR-X had little interaction with water (no sampling of acidic herbicides); whereas Oasis MAX provided acceptable sampling parameters (longer kinetic regime together with higher sampling rates). Additional experiments with POCIS-MAX showed no influence of nitrates on analyte uptakes, and linear isotherms reaching 10 μg L−1, supporting the applicability of this device for the sampling of organic acids in continental water. The performance and reference compound (PRC) approach would be then applicable for POCIS-MAX if no competition is observed with other anions, especially organic acids (e.g., humic acids).
(Environmental Science and Technology. vol. 46, n° 0013-936X, pp. 13344-13353, 29/08/2026)
UR REBX, IRSTEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Adaptation aux variations des régimes hydrologiques (crues étiages) dans l’environnement fluvio estuarien de la Garonne Gironde : potentialités, mise à l’épreuve et gouvernance d’options d’adaptation
Caractérisation des impacts et vulnérabilités Garonne-Gironde face au changement climatique. Expérimentation d'options d'adaptation. Consilience, scénarios et conditions de diffusion d'options d'adaptation.
(pp. 10, 29/08/2026)
UR ADBX, IRSTEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CNRS, GREThA, UB, CNRS, GEODE, UT2J, Comue de Toulouse, CNRS
Removal of micropollutants by various aerobic energy-free treatment processes
The present work details the results of a comprehensive study dealing with 127 priority and emerging micropollutants. It focused on energy-free processes that are suitable for rural areas, as they involve passive aeration supply: stabilization pond, vertical and horizontal flow constructed wetlands, trickling filter, rotating biodiscs associated or not with reed-bed filters. The research work involved powerful and sensitive analytical techniques to measure micropollutants concentrations in wastewaters in order to calculate robust removals by the 6 types of treatment and evaluate released fluxes. This work also allowed to point out the micropollutants that would require further treatment.
(pp. 4, 29/08/2026)
UR MALY, IRSTEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
The earthquake sedimentary record in the western part of the Sea of Marmara, Turkey
Abstract. The submarine part of the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is a very significant hazard for the 12 million people living in Istanbul (Turkey). An accurate seismic risk assessment necessitates paleoseismological data, which can be retrieved in the Marmara Sea by using sedimentary cores. Here, a record of turbidites was obtained in five cores, spanning the Tekirdağ Basin, the Western High and the Central Basin linked by the Tekirdağ fault segment. The turbidites are synchronous at different sites across the two basins and through the structural high pointing to shaking by earthquakes as a triggering mechanism. In particular, the M = 7.4 1912 Mürefte earthquake left a distinctive sedimentary imprint in all the studied cores. Radiocarbon dating implies a turbidite recurrence interval of about 300 yr. The low number of seismo-turbidites documented in the Central Basin compared to the Tekirdağ Basin suggests quasi-synchronous ruptures of the Tekirdağ Segment and the adjacent Central Segment of the NAF or a partial seismic slip on the Central Segment. Both scenarios have implications regarding seismic hazard. Finally, though we obtained a paleoseismological record of the ruptures along the Tekirdağ Segment, further chronological constraints are needed to better date the events and to confirm the completeness of the obtained record.
(Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. vol. 12, n° 1561-8633, pp. 1235-1254, 29/08/2026)
LGENS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ENS-PSL, PSL, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Élimination des micropolluants par les stations d'épuration domestiques
Les stations d'épuration domestiques n'ont pas été conçues pour traiter les micropolluants. Elles en éliminent cependant une quantité non négligeable, essentiellement par sorption sur les boues, associée à une dégradation par voie biologique pour certaines substances. Cet article synthétise les principaux acquis récents concernant le comportement des micropolluants dans les filières de traitement des eaux (primaires, secondaires, tertiaires) et dans les filières boues associées. Il présente également les recherches en cours sur l'amélioration des procédés de traitement et leurs perspectives. / Domestic wastewater treatment plants were not designed for micropollutants removal. They perform substantial removal of several micropollutants, mainly by sorption process onto biological sludge and by biodegradation from the liquid phase for some substances. This article presents the main recent advances on the fate of micropollutants through primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes. It also addresses research in progress for the optimization of micropollutants removal.
(Sciences Eaux & Territoires, n° 2109-3016, pp. p. 6 - p. 15, 29/08/2026)
UR MALY, IRSTEA, CIRSEE, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UMR Qualisud, Cirad, UM1, UM2, Montpellier SupAgro, AU, UR, UM, Montpellier SupAgro
Analyse cémentochronologique des restes issus des niveaux solutréens et badegouliens du Cuzoul de Vers
(. vol. 131, pp. 269-278, 29/08/2026)
Inrap, TRACES, EHESS, UT2J, Comue de Toulouse, MCC, Inrap, CNRS, PACEA, UB, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Distribution of trace elements in waters and sediments of the Seversky Donets transboundary watershed (Kharkiv region, Eastern Ukraine)
This paper reports on the aquatic chemistry of trace elements in terms of spatial and temporal distribution, but also pollution sources in the transboundary watershed of the Seversky Donets River (Ukraine/Russia). Bed sediments and filtered water were collected from the Udy and Lopan Rivers at sites from the river source in the Belgorod region (Russia) to rural and urban areas in the Kharkiv region (Ukraine) in May and August 2009. Priority trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn), an urban tracer (Ag) and additional metals (Co, Mo, V) and Th were measured in stream water and sediments. The low levels and variability of Th-normalized concentrations indicated the absence of geochemical anomalies in the upstream part of the rivers and suggested that these data represent a regional baseline for trace elements in bed sediments. In contrast, water and sediments within the city of Kharkiv were contaminated by Ag, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr and Zn, which are mainly attributed to municipal wastewater inputs and urban run-off. Results of the environmental quality assessment showed that element concentrations in the sediments can be considered as potentially toxic to aquatic organisms in sites downstream of the wastewater discharges.
(Applied Geochemistry. vol. 27, n° 0883-2927, pp. 2077-2087, 29/08/2026)
UB, ENSEGID, Ghymac, UB, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ISTO, BRGM, INSU - CNRS, UO, CNRS
De 20 000 à 18 000 BP en Quercy : apports de la séquence du Cuzoul de Vers à la compréhension de l'évolution des comportements socio-économiques entre Solutréen récent et Badegoulien
Essai de synthèse des travaux menés autour du gisement du Cuzoul de Vers (Lot).
(pp. 459-471, 29/08/2026)
TRACES, EHESS, UT2J, Comue de Toulouse, MCC, Inrap, CNRS, BRGM, Inrap, PACEA, UB, CNRS, LDPL, MCC, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UL2, UCBL, CNRS, C2RMF, MCC, CNRS, ArScAn, UP1, UP8, UPN, MCC, CNRS, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, GEOTRAC, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA