How scientific networks can help advancing both scientific knowledge and public policies: the case study of the “Plastics, Environment and Health” network
The “Plastics, Environment and Health” research network (groupement de recherche, GDR) created in 2019 gathers the French scientific community working on plastic pollution in all environments (soil, air, water) and their impact on ecosystems and human health. The scientific objective is to rapidly increase knowledge on plastic pollution by supporting collaboration of researchers from different fields such as ecotoxicology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, oceanography and social science. Research is carried out at each stage of the plastic life cycle, (from resource extraction all the way to removal and remediation) and across the entire air-soil-water continuum, integrating transfers of both plastic particles (macro, micro- and nanoplastics) and plastic chemicals (e.g., additives) between different environmental compartments. In this context, the GDR supports the development of multi-scale and transdisciplinary approaches across three main axes: Axis 1 - Air-soil-water continuum: contamination levels and transfer between compartments; Axis 2 - Interactions and transformation of plastics in environmental compartments and living organisms; Axis 3. Plastic pollution risk assessment for ecosystems and human health. To do so, the GDR’s actions focus on (1) training and sharing of scientific knowledge, including developments towards innovation, (2) support for collaboration and interdisciplinarity between network members, (3) dissemination, structuring of the community and its national and international influence, and (4) support for public policy and/or decision-making by strengthening the link between scientists, decision-makers and the plastic industry. To date the research network includes more than 50 laboratories spread across France and over 300 scientists in the field of physics, chemistry, biology, ecology and social sciences. Such a network constitutes a powerful tool to build robust science-based knowledge significantly contributing to the international effort, to disseminate state-of-the-art scientific advances and research priorities needed to tackle plastic pollution to Society and to inform policy makers. This talk will present the French taskforce addressing 'Plastic, Environment, and Health' within the national research network, where the entire community works collaboratively to tackle the urgent challenges of plastic pollution, its environmental consequences, and the associated risks to human health. We will also discuss the importance of building a French-speaking community to support multilingualism in international political science interactions.
(25/03/2025)
LEMAR, IRD, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS, IPREM, UPPA, INC-CNRS, CNRS, MMV, L2C, CNRS, UM, LSAl, ANSES, iEES Paris, IRD, SU, UPEC UP12, CNRS, INRAE, GERS-LEE, ToxAlim, ENVT, Toulouse INP, Comue de Toulouse, Toulouse INP, Comue de Toulouse, INRAE, EPE UT, Comue de Toulouse, EI Purpan, Comue de Toulouse, LOMIC, INSU - CNRS, SU, CNRS, OOB, SU, CNRS, Softmat, INC-CNRS, CNRS, EPE UT, Comue de Toulouse, ICT, IRD, INC-CNRS, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Comue de Toulouse, EPE UT, Comue de Toulouse, IMMM, UM, INC-CNRS, CNRS, IRDL, ENIB, UBO EPE, Bretagne INP, UBS, UBO EPE, CNRS, ENSTA, IP Paris, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UMR MARBEC, IRD, IFREMER, CNRS, UM
Simulating Shoreline and Nearshore Changes: The LX-ST Model
This paper presents LX-ST, a numerical model that simulates shoreline and nearshore evolution over medium-to long-term timescales across diverse sandy coastal environments. It combines the reduced-complexity shoreline model LX-Shore with the shoreface profile translation tool ShoreTrans, enabling it to capture shoreline changes and 3D nearshore morphology. LX-ST accounts for sea-level rise, sediment transport, complex features like artificial structures (e.g., seawalls, groynes), and natural morphologies (e.g., dunes and barriers). The model is tested on synthetic cases, demonstrating its ability to simulate complex coastal configurations. It is then applied to a 5-km beach-dune system in southwest France, which includes a 1.2-km-long seawall. Results show good agreement with observed past shoreline changes and reveal how LX-ST can predict future coastal trajectory shifts, including the eventual retreat and potential disappearance of the beach fronting the seawall. These findings underscore the model's utility in forecasting shoreline
(25/03/2025)
BRGM, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, BW-CGC
Gloves Standards and Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic Drugs in the European Context
ABSTRACT Background and Aims Over 12 million healthcare professionals in Europe are exposed to hazardous medicinal products, including antineoplastic drugs. Dermal route is recognized as the primary route of exposure to antineoplastic drugs, emphasizing the critical importance of skin protection provided by gloves, which necessitates a careful and specific selection process. This study aims to compare the current European standard EN 16523‐1:2015 + A1:2018 with the ASTM D6978‐05(2023) standard used in the United States. Methods Firstly, the three main performance parameters to consider when selecting gloves are described: standardized breakthrough time, standardized permeation rate, and cumulative permeation. Subsequently, the current European and American standards are compared based on the following criteria: part of the glove tested, substances tested, standardized permeation rate, test duration, test temperature, and the information provided on the glove packaging. Additionally, and with a focus on safety, clear examples of how to interpret graphical symbols and indications available on glove packaging are provided to enhance the transferability of the information contained in this study to healthcare settings. Results There is a significant disparity between the requirements of the two standards. Indeed, the only European standard applicable in the context of glove permeation by antineoplastic drugs requires a standardized permeation rate 100 times less stringent than the American standard and does not include any hazardous drugs in its list of substances to be tested. By proposing a list of 24 antineoplastic drugs to be tested, a test temperature of 35 ± 2°C (compared with 23 ± 1°C in the European standard), and by specifically targeting the thinnest part of the glove, the American standard is closer to real‐world conditions of use compared to its European counterpart. Conclusion This study underscores the limitations of current European standard, advocating for regulatory updates to better protect healthcare professionals, while emphasizing the complexity of selecting appropriate gloves for antineoplastic and hazardous drug exposure. Clinical Trial Registration Not concerned.
(Health Science Reports. vol. 8, n° 2398-8835, 24/03/2025)
IRSET-ESTER, Irset, UA, UR, EHESP, INSERM, Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique, BPH, UB, INSERM, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Plant Community Responses to Climate Change: The Importance of Ecological Context Dependencies
(Journal of Vegetation Science. vol. 36, n° 1100-9233, 21/03/2025)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IB / CAS, CAS, EDYSAN, UPJV, CNRS
Paucibranchia glemareci sp. nov. (Annelida, Eunicidae), a new species from the French Atlantic continental shelf
In this study, we describe a new species belonging to the genus Paucibranchia Molina-Acevedo, 2018 found in the area “La Grande Vasière” on the French Atlantic continental shelf (Bay of Biscay). Paucibranchia glemareci sp. nov. lives between 100 and 130 m depth on muddy sands. It is easily distinguished from most other European species of the genus by the absence of compound spinigerous chaetae. A key to the European species of the genus Paucibranchia is given.
(Zookeys. vol. 1232, n° 1313-2989, pp. 187-203, 18/03/2025)
LEMAR, IRD, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS, IUEM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, UBO EPE, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UMS POREA, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, INRAE
Records of vegetation and South Asian summer monsoon dynamics in the Bay of Bengal during the current and last interglacial periods
While it is accepted that the tropical hydrological cycle has intensified during past interglacial periods due to changes in insolation, greenhouse gases, and ice volume, variations in the intensity and spatial distribution of rainfall in the South Asian monsoon domain, as well as the respective influence of these forcings during past warm periods, remain uncertain. Here, we present a pollen record from the Bay of Bengal (IODP Site U1446, located off the Mahanadi river exit, outside the influence of the Bengal fan) that allows reconstruction of vegetation changes in the core monsoon zone of India during two warm periods, the current and last interglacial periods. We compare the data with numerical model simulations (HadCM3 and LOVECLIM1.3) to assess the influence of different forcing mechanisms on the response of summer monsoon rainfall during past interglacials characterized by different levels of warming (Clément et al., 2024). We also present a pollen record from cores (SO93) taken at 16°N from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (G-B-M) river-fed Bengal fan, covering the current interglacial period.Results from IODP Site U1446 show tropical forest expansion between 11.7-5 ka and 127-120 ka, defining two Indian humid periods, with the last interglacial showing the strongest monsoon activity, consistent with salinity reconstructions. During the last five millennia of both interglacial periods, moist tropical forest largely declined in favor of savanna marking a significant decrease in summer monsoon rainfall. Although the pollen assemblages from sites SO93 and U1446 show substantial differences in Holocene vegetation cover between the basins, the maximum expansion of the evergreen component of the tropical forest is recorded contemporaneously in both sequences. This suggests a similar Holocene evolution of the summer monsoon from central to northern India. The model-data comparison highlights boreal summer insolation as the primary driver of vegetation dynamics and monsoon intensity during interglacial periods, with CO2 and ice-sheets having a limited effect. These results also show that vegetation remains unaffected by pre-industrial CO2 variations above 250 ppmv, a threshold value that characterizes most interglacials of the last million years.Clément, C., Martinez, P., Yin, Q., Clemens, S., Thirumalai, K., Prasad, S., Anupama, K., Su, Q., Lyu, A., Grémare, A., Desprat, S., 2024. Greening of India and revival of the South Asian summer monsoon in a warmer world. Commun. Earth Environ. 5, 685.
(pp. 9895, 18/03/2025)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ELI, UCL, UL, CRPG, INSU - CNRS, UL, CNRS, IFP, MEAE, CNRS, UCL, Bordeaux INP, WHOI
Fault segmentation, geometry and recent activity in the epicentral area of the 1956 Mw 7.5 Amorgos earthquake (Greece)
The Amorgos-Santorini region (Hellenic Volcanic Arc, Greece), suffered the most powerful earthquake in the Mediterranean in the 20th century (1956, Mw ~7.5). This event caused casualties, severe damage and a large tsunami. The epicentral area is offshore and is characterized by several basins bounded by submarine faults accommodating back-arc extension and the Anatolian extrusion. Recently, the Amorgos fault was identified as the causative fault of the 1956 Amorgos earthquake. However, the characteristics of this fault, such as its detailed geometry, segmentation and kinematics remain unclear and debated. Using new high-resolution bathymetric data and sediment cores, we present a detailed mapping of this fault and its neighbors.The Amorgos fault is composed of three segments separated by relay zones. Taking into account the onshore geology, where E-W striking late Miocene normal faults are mapped, the segmentation could be controlled by structural heritage. Offshore, all but the southernmost segments of the Amorgos fault exhibit cumulative scarps of at least 700 m in relief. The segments strike NE-SW, except for the northern one that displays a curved structure in its middle, at 60° with respect to the main fault (E-W striking).The central segment, where evidences of the 1956 earthquake rupture were found, is composed of several secondary faults that offset young geomorphic features at the seafloor (such as mass-wasting scars) with purely normal kinematics. In comparison, the curved northern segment shows fewer secondary faults, none of them offsetting the numerous mass-wasting scars observed along its trace. We also find here secondary NE-SW faults that are crosscutting its cumulative scarps, and are offsetting the Last Glacial Maximum wave-cut platform by up to 5 meters, testifying for their recent activity. These observations question the role of the northern E-W striking segment in the accommodation of the present-day stress regime (NW-SE extension), that may be now inactive, or activated as a strike-slip fault, although we do not observe markers laterally offset. We discuss how the geometry and segmentation of the Amorgos fault can impact the rupture propagation, especially in relation to the 1956 earthquake and morphology of the nearby faults.
(pp. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16612, 15/03/2025)
GEOAZUR 7329, INSU - CNRS, UniCA, CNRS, IRD [Occitanie], UniCA, GEGENA, URCA, Inrap, MSH-URCA, URCA, IPGP - UMR_7154, INSU - CNRS, IGN, UR, IPG Paris, CNRS, UPCité, NKUA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LGENS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ENS-PSL, PSL
Aerosol spectral optical properties in the Paris urban area and its peri-urban and forested surroundings during summer 2022 from ACROSS surface observations
Abstract. The complex refractive index (CRI; n−ik) and the single scattering albedo (SSA) are key parameters driving the aerosol direct radiative effect. Their spatial, temporal, and spectral variabilities in anthropogenic–biogenic mixed environments are poorly understood. In this study, we retrieve the spectral CRI and SSA (370–950 nm wavelength range) from in situ surface optical measurements and the number size distribution of submicron aerosols at three sites in the greater Paris area, representative of the urban city, as well as its peri-urban and forested rural environments. Measurements were taken as part of the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry of the Suburban Forest) campaign in June–July 2022 under diversified conditions: (1) two heatwaves leading to high aerosol levels, (2) an intermediate period with low aerosol concentrations, and (3) an episode of long-range-transported fire emissions. The retrieved CRI and SSA exhibit an urban-to-rural gradient, whose intensity is modulated by the weather conditions. A full campaign average CRI of 1.41−0.037i (urban), 1.52−0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50−0.025i (rural) is retrieved. The imaginary part of the CRI (k) increases and the SSA decreases at the peri-urban and forest sites when exposed to the influence of the Paris urban plume. Values of k > 0.1 and SSA < 0.6 at 520 nm are related to a black carbon mass fraction larger than 10 %. Organic aerosols are found to contribute to more than 50 % of the aerosol mass and up to 10 % (urban), 17 % (peri-urban), and 22 % (forest) of the aerosol absorption coefficient at 370 nm. A k value of 0.022 (370 nm) was measured at the urban site for the long-range-transported fire episode.
(Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. vol. 25, n° 1680-7316, pp. 3161-3189, 14/03/2025)
LISA (UMR_7583), INSU - CNRS, UPEC UP12, CNRS, UPCité, LATMOS, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, SU, CNRS, LCE, AMU, INC-CNRS, CNRS, UiO, CERI EE - IMT Nord Europe, IMT Nord Europe, IMT, USD, TROPOS, INERIS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, CAE, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, INSU - CNRS
Simulated millennial-scale climate variability driven by a convection–advection oscillator
The last glacial period, between around 115 and 12 thousand years before present, exhibited strong millennial-scale climate variability. This includes abrupt transitions between cold and warm climates, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) cycles. D-O cycles have been linked to switches in dynamical regimes of the Atlantic Overturning Meridional Circulation (AMOC), but the exact mechanisms behind abrupt climate changes and AMOC regime shifts remain poorly understood. This paper introduces the convection-advection oscillator mechanism to explain the millennial-scale oscillations observed in a set of HadCM3 general circulation model simulations forced with snapshots of deglacial meltwater history. The oscillator can be separated into two components acting on different time scales. The fast convection component responds to changes in vertical stratification in the North Atlantic by activating or deactivating deep water formation sites. The slow advection component regulates the accumulation and depletion of salinity in the North Atlantic. This oscillator mechanism is triggered under specific background conditions and freshwater release patterns. The freshwater perturbation causes an instability that triggers a global salt reorganisation, modifying the North Atlantic stratification. For a given forcing pattern, the system oscillates if the salt transport can lead to an alternating reactivation and deactivation of the AMOC. Otherwise, the climate settles in a warm or cold steady state. This mechanism expands existing theories of millennial-scale variability and provides a general framework for understanding abrupt climate change in general circulation models.
(Climate Dynamics. vol. 63, n° 0930-7575, pp. 150, 07/03/2025)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UOR
Garonne River Behavior Under Climate Change and the Potential Adaptation Strategies
According to the IPCC reports, the effects of climate change are well present from several decades ago, and it is expected to become even more pronounced during the remainder of the twenty-first century. The river basin system is defined as a complex of interaction between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The interface between these ecosystems results in different responses of the river regime ranging from floods to low flow. The instability of alluvial valley due to geomorphological and fluvial dynamics, represents an additional challenge for the riparian societies face to climate changes. The Garonne River, the third largest French Atlantic River in terms of discharge, flows down in the Garonne Valley, the largest occupied and cultivated alluvial plain in France. This area is influenced by a wide range of Oceanic, Mediterranean, and mountainous climates. Hence, the complex Garonne River regime is influenced by the precipitation generated over the Massif Central and the French and Spanish Pyrenees Mountains. The surrounding alluvial aquifer, which forms an important part of this system, maintains a strong hydraulic connection with the river and sustains its low flow. Consequently, this aquifer is extremely sensitive to meteorological changes and hence to recharge system variation. The inhabitants in this area are strongly depending to the river and its alluvial aquifer. However, the impact of climate changes on socio-economic activities could be significant in this area. The adaptation to these changes creates additional challenges for decision-makers and becomes a major objective of the watershed policy. The trends assessment of the Garonne River's discharge over the last fifty years has shown a decrease in average annual discharges and substantial decrease in low flows. The dry periods are starting earlier and becoming more severe and longer. Upstream, the snow cover shows a decrease in thickness and duration, which has a negative impact on the river’s discharge and consequently on the groundwater recharge ratio. Groundwater measurements show a general decrease in water level. The observations show that most of the wells located close to the river have dried up during the dry periods since the alluvial aquifer drains into the river during these periods. The groundwater level reduction could have a negative impact on agriculture, wetlands, and river ecosystems. Thus, the implementation of adaptation measures has been initiated. The artificial recharge of the alluvial aquifer is considered as an adaptation strategy to address the effect of climate change and sustains the low flow of the river. In addition, this strategy will help to buffer the river temperature during the low flow periods. Several pilot sites in the Garonne Valley are under investigation for testing the artificial recharges. The first site, where artificial recharge has been tested since 2019, is located near the city of Agen, where the runoff is collected in a retention basin and is used to recharge the alluvial aquifer. Groundwater level in the wells near the retention basin have increased by about 1 m following rainfall events. The results of the groundwater modeling show (1) a similar magnitude aquifer response to the induced infiltration and (2) that the infiltrated water would take about 4 months to reach the Garonne River, which is an appropriate time to maintain the river's low flow, since recharge takes place in spring. Another site that has been tested is located near the city of Marmande, where the surface water from the Lateral Canal of the Garonne River has been used as a source to recharge the alluvial aquifer in May 2023. The infiltrated water has created a piezometric dome and the groundwater level has increased by 15 and 33 cm into two boreholes located about 40 m upstream and downstream of the infiltration site respectively. This experiment will be carried out on a larger scale, and further groundwater measurements and modeling will be carried out for this and other selected sites in the near future
(. vol. 114, pp. 235-262, 04/03/2025)
PACEA, UB, CNRS, BRGM, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ACMG, SMEAG