Publications

Publications

Publications

Publications

Publications

Publications

Publications

Publications

Nation-wide monitoring campaign of 49 biocides and surfactants in surface waters and wastewaters

A. Assoumani, François Lestremau, C. Ferret, B. Lepot, M. Le Gall, M. Salomon, H. Budzinski, M.-H. Dévier, P. Labadie, K. Le Menach, P. Pardon, L. Wiest, E. Vulliet, P.-F. Staub

Despite their intensive use and their impact on ecosystems, biocides and surfactants are still poorly regulated and poorly monitored at large scale. In the frame of the revision of the national regulatory surveillance plan of surface waters, France planned in 2018 a monitoring campaign at national scale focused on these two types of substances of very emerging concern. Forty-nine contaminants (32 biocides and 17 surfactants) were investigated in surface water and sediment samples from 91 sampling sites, and in effluent and sludge samples of 7 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), in mainland France and overseas regions. Between 33 and 52 % of the target contaminants were quantified at least once in water and sediment. High frequencies of quantification were observed for the surfactants (up to 91 % in water samples and up to 57 % in sediment samples for LAS C10-C13) and for the biocides (up to 64 % for fipronil in water samples and up to 90 % for methyl nonyl ketone in sediment samples). The median concentrations of surfactants were up to 2 μg/L in mainland surface water samples and up to 528 μg/kg in sediment samples, and for biocides, the median concentrations were up to 0.18 μg/L in mainland surface water samples and up to 104 μg/kg in sediment samples. PNEC exceedances in water and sediment were determined for both types of substances. The analysis of effluent and sludge suggested significant but not total removal of these substances in the WWTP. Temporal and spatial variations of the concentrations of both types of substances in surface water samples were also observed, suggesting both punctual and diffuse contamination sources of the surface water investigated.

(Science of the Total Environment. vol. 954, n° 0048-9697, pp. 176624, 01/12/2024)

INERIS, CONTEM, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM, ERT, IMT, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ISA, UCBL, INC-CNRS, CNRS

A generative deep neural network as an alternative to co-kriging

Herbert Rakotonirina, Paul Honeine, Olivier Atteia, Antonin van Exem

In geosciences, kriging is leading spatial interpolation, and co-kriging is the most commonly used method for accomplishing spatial interpolation of a target variable by incorporating information from a secondary variable. Co-kriging relies on the assumption of spatial stationarity, which may not hold true in all geospatial contexts, leading to potential inaccuracies in interpolation. The effectiveness of co-kriging can be compromised in areas with sparse data, impacting the reliability of interpolated results. Moreover, it can be resource-intensive when used for interpolation with a substantial volume of data, especially in the case of 3D interpolation. In this paper, we introduce a new method for spatial interpolation that considers two variables using a generative deep neural network. This approach utilizes a convolutional neural network with an encoder–decoder architecture, featuring a single encoder and two decoders to handle the two variables. Additionally, we introduce a loss function that facilitates the control over the relationships between the two variables. Traditional Deep Learning methods require prior training and labeled data, whereas the proposed approach eliminates this requirement and simplifies the interpolation process. In order to assess the performance of our method, we use two real-world datasets. The first one is a 2D dataset of total soil organic carbon combined with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. The second one is a 3D dataset that combines concentrations of Hydrocarbon and Fluoride obtained from hyperspectral analysis of soil cores with very limited number of boreholes. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms ordinary kriging and co-kriging, showing a significant improvement when both variables are used. We also demonstrate how the inclusion of the auxiliary variable serves as a means to mitigate the overfitting of the model.

(Applied Computing and Geosciences. vol. 24, n° 2590-1974, pp. 100198, 01/12/2024)

LITIS - App, LITIS, ULH, NU, UNIROUEN, NU, INSA Rouen Normandie, INSA, NU, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS

Southern Ocean Water Mass method: A new statistical approach using microfossil radiolaria for paleoceanographic insights for the Southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean

V. Lowe, G. Cortese, Matthieu Civel-Mazens, H. Bostock

Ocean circulation and the formation and upwelling of water masses in the Southern Ocean play a critical role in the exchange of heat and carbon with the atmosphere over glacial-interglacial cycles, but the history of the subsurface water masses is poorly understood. Radiolarians inhabit the water column from the surface to the bottom of the ocean, and their distribution is known to be associated with water masses. We use radiolarian abundance census data from the SO-RAD core top dataset to explore the relationship between radiolarian distribution and surface and subsurface water mass structure of the Southwest Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean. The species distribution was first explored using non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling. Then Multivariate Regression Tree (MRT) analysis was used to understand the relationship between radiolarian distributions and parameters of water mass boundaries (using isopycnal depths) and upwelling (using nutrient data). We identified a series of indicator species associated with oceanographic zones which were used to develop the Southern Ocean Water Mass Index. The contribution of the Index Species Groups provided further information on water column structure and the relative influence of the various water masses. The index was then applied to the radiolarian assemblage data from 2 previously published cores, Y8 and Y9, from the Subantarctic Zone east of New Zealand. The results of the Southern Ocean Water Mass Method showed changes in water mass structure through the last glacial-interglacial cycle at both core sites. The results agree with other proxy data from the region. The SOWM Method provides a new tool for understanding the history of changes in the water mass structure and circulation in the Southern Ocean.

(Quaternary Science Reviews. vol. 346, n° 0277-3791, pp. 109054, 01/12/2024)

UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations], EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LEMAR, IRD, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS

Paleoceanography of the Southeast Pacific since the late glacial from diatom and foraminiferal assemblages

Elisabeth Teca Oliva, Elisabeth Michel, Giuseppe Siani, Xavier Crosta, Carina Lange, Consuelo Martínez Fontaine, Paola Cárdenas

(Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. vol. 655, n° 0031-0182, pp. 112515, 01/12/2024)

UCSC, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, PALEOCEAN, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, GEOPS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UdeC, UMAG, IDEAL

Comprehensive characterization of European house dust contaminants: Concentrations and profiles, geographical variability, and implications for chemical regulation and health risk

Peter Haglund, Nikiforos Alygizakis, Adrian Covaci, Lisa Melymuk, Pernilla Bohlin Nizzetto, Pawel Rostkowski, Alexandre Albinet, Sylvana Alirai, Dagny Aurich, Stefan Bieber, Ana Ballesteros-Gómez, Amanda Brennan, Hélène Budzinski, Gabriela Castro, Fatima den Ouden, Marie-Hélène Dévier, Valeria Dulio, Yong-Lai Feng, Marta Gabriel, Christine Gallampois, Manuel García-Vara, Georgios Giovanoulis, Stuart Harrad, Griet Jacobs, Karl Jobst, Sarit Kaserzon, Jolanta Kumirska, François Lestremau, Dimitra Lambropoulou, Thomas Letzel, Miren López de Alda, Maja Nipen, Peter Oswald, Giulia Poma, Petra Přibylová, Elliott Price, Gaëlle Raffy, Bastian Schulze, Emma Schymanski, Petr Šenk, Si Wei, Jaroslav Slobodnik, Begoña Talavera Andújar, Martin Täubel, Nikolaos Thomaidis, Thanh Wang, Xianyu Wang

This study investigated the concentration profiles and geographical variability of contaminants in house dust across Europe. A collaborative trial (CT) was organized by the NORMAN network using pooled dust and advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques combined with suspect screening and non-target screening (NTS). Over 1200 anthropogenic compounds were tentatively identified. Additionally, seventy-five individual samples were subjected to target analysis and NTS. The median concentrations of most contaminants varied <3-fold across Europe, and the contaminant profile of European dust was similar to that of North American dust, which was investigated in a previous CT. This similarity may be attributed to the use of similar consumer articles and building materials throughout the developed world. Multivariate data analysis revealed geographical trends in contaminant distribution, with north-south gradients across Europe. Geographical trends were more frequently found for compounds with rapid release (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, fragrances, pesticides, biocides) and smoke-related compounds. The concentrations of chlorinated paraffins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluorinated alkyl substances and stimulants generally increased from north to south, whereas the biocides levels decreased from north to south. Despite widespread presence of in-use contaminants in dusts, some of the highest risks come from compounds that have been restricted for decades or more. These include di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 118 and polybrominated diphenyl ethers 47, 99, and 153. DEHP remains the most abundant contaminant in European house dust, while the other compounds are classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Moreover, there is a striking lack of reliable toxicity data, particularly for emerging compounds. For instance, although acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) were examined for 202 compounds, only 46 had consensus-based ADI values. The results highlight the need for proactive measures to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering the market and for careful selection of substitute chemicals, when such are needed, to avoid regrettable substitutions.

(Science of the Total Environment. vol. 957, n° 0048-9697, pp. 177639, 01/12/2024)

NKUA, RECETOX / MUNI, SCI / MUNI, MU / MUNI, NILU, INERIS, uni.lu, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, NTNU, NTNU, HECSB, inegi, ERT, IMT, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM, CONTEM, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM, Irset, UA, UR, EHESP, INSERM, Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique, LERES, EHESP, EHESP

Hétérogénéités sédimentaires de la basse plaine de la Garonne et impact pour la mise en œuvre du modèle hydrogéologique de recharge artificielle de la nappe alluviale (projet RAMAGE)

Sophie Leleu, Pierre Weill, Pascal Bertran, Nazeer Asmael, Michel Franceschi, Alain Dupuy

La Garonne est un fleuve sinueux, encaissé dans une large vallée, plus grande plaine alluviale occupée et cultivée de France. Elle transporte essentiellement une charge de fond grossière, jusqu’à la zone d’influence des marées en aval, à partir de laquelle la charge, la dynamique et la géomorphologie changent fortement. La vallée de la Garonne est le résultat d’une histoire quaternaire polyphasée, marquée par 6 niveaux de terrasse bien documentés (Huschsmann, 1975; Christophoul et al., 2014 ; Bourbon et al., 2019). L’architecture des nappes alluviales, en revanche, est relativement méconnue (Carozza et al., 2013, Bertran et al., in press). Pourtant, la nappe alluviale de la Garonne est en forte connexion hydraulique avec le fleuve et soutient son débit d’étiage. La caractérisation des hétérogénéités sédimentaires est donc essentielle pour mieux quantifier et modéliser les flux d’eau à l’interface nappe-rivière. Le projet RAMAGE (Recharge Artificielle et Maintien Alluvial de la Garonne à l’Étiage) en collaboration avec le SMEAG (Syndicat Mixte d’Études et d’Aménagement de la Garonne) a pour objectif de tester l’alimentation accélérée de la nappe alluviale peu profonde en utilisant l’eau du canal latéral de la Garonne en périodes de hautes eaux avec plusieurs secteurs potentiels d’infiltration (plaine alluviale actuelle et terrasse la plus récente) entre Agen et Marmande. Cette eau souterraine stockée est susceptible de soutenir naturellement l’étiage de la Garonne de manière diffuse et tempérée (14-15°C), constituant un moyen efficace de lutter contre le réchauffement des eaux du fleuve. En effet, le réchauffement climatique impacte fortement la température de l’eau, mettant en danger la survie et la pérennité des écosystèmes fluviaux (Rapport Agence de l’eau Adour-Garonne). Sur le site de Brax (47), une alimentation accélérée a déjà été réalisée via des bassins d’infiltration, ainsi qu’un modèle numérique des écoulements. L’effet des hétérogénéités sédimentaires des dépôts alluviaux est bien visible dans cette zone, ces dernières étant essentiellement créées par les dépôts de l’ancien système méandriforme. L’objectif de cette étude est de caractériser et spatialiser les hétérogénéités sédimentaires de la plaine alluviale de la Garonne. L’analyse de données satellitaires (MNT RGE Alti® à 5 m), de cartes anciennes, des sondages géologiques (BSS BRGM et carrières de granulats), de coupes géologiques et géophysiques (géoradar 200 MHz) a permis de cartographier et dater un certain nombre des barres de méandres et de paléo-chenaux mis en place dans les dépôts récents (< 35 ka) et superficiels (3-4 premiers mètres) de la plaine (Bertran et al., in press). Un logiciel de modélisation de réservoirs méandriformes (Flumy - Mines ParisTech) est utilisé pour construire un premier modèle géologique 3D de la plaine alluviale de la Garonne, nourri des données de terrain pour la partie superficielle, et se basant sur des scénarios probables des caractéristiques morphosédimentaires du fleuve pour le remplissage le plus profond et non-cartographiable, soit jusqu’au toit de la molasse formant le substratum (situé à 8-10 m sous la surface). Le modèle de répartition de faciès sédimentaire ainsi créé, une fois traduit en conductivité hydraulique, pourra servir d’entrée pour une modélisation hydrogéologique plus précise des échanges entre la Garonne et sa nappe alluviale.

(26/11/2024)

EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, M2C, UNICAEN, NU, INSU - CNRS, UNIROUEN, NU, CNRS, Inrap, PACEA, UB, CNRS, BRGM

La Cyber-carothèque nationale : la collection dédiée aux prélèvements stratigraphiques, sédimentaires (marin et continental), de roche et de glace, pour aller vers des écosytèmes de données ouvertes

Cécile Pignol, Isabelle Billy, Bruno Galabertier, Pascal Calvat, Penguen Julien, Xavier Crosta, Fabien Arnaud

La gestion des données constitue l’un des défis de la Science Ouverte de la prochaine décennie. Ceci est particulièrement important dans le domaine des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement dans lequel la multiplication des échantillons de terrain et de mesures qui sont réalisées sur chacun d’entre eux, (DR1) conduit à une croissance exponentielle du nombre de données. Or, l’absence de systèmes d’information dédiés empêche de capitaliser sur cette grande richesse en reliant les données entre elles, notamment par des métadonnées riches et fiables. Dans cette contribution, nous présentons un système mis en production depuis 2017 afin de bancariser les informations de terrain collectées lors du prélèvements de carottes sédimentaires. Ce système tend à répondre au plus près des principes d’ouverture de la données F.A.I.R. et est constitué de deux modules opérationnels : i) le CoreBook, qui est une application mobile de collecte d’information sur le terrain sous Android, et ii) la Cyber-carothèque nationale (Base de données MySQL), qui est un portail d’import multi-institutionnels de consultation et de diffusion des données collectées. A ce duo sera rattaché un troisième module opérationnel en 2023, Collec-Science. Ce système de gestion de base de données (SGBD) est développé par l’INRAe de Bordeaux. Il permettra, par interopérabilité, de faciliter la gestion des stocks d’échantillons dans les entrepôts d’échantillons gérés par des laboratoires français. CoreBook est une application embarquée sur tablette Android qui apporte une plus-value en qualité lors des opérations de carottage sur le terrain, notamment les opérations complexes de carottages multi-sections et/ou multi-trous. Il est adapté à tout type de méthode de carottage (carottier russe, gravitaire, piston stationnaire, etc.). Que ce soit par une opération de synchronisation du Corebook, ou par l’import via un fichier d’inventaire respectant un format spécifique, ou par le flux de données entrant CSW (Ie IFREMER), les métadonnées de carottage sont ainsi capitalisées et tracées au niveau du portail national de la Cybercarothèque. Ainsi, chaque échantillon peut se voir attribuer un identifiant unique au format international IGSN, permettant de les identifier sans ambiguïté lors de citations dans des publications ou d’intégration dans des systèmes d’information tiers. Il s’agit là d’étapes préalables indispensables vers la bancarisation, la qualité, le partage et l’utilisabilité des données de qualité. ∗IntervenantEn prenant le problème de la gestion des données à la base, au niveau des opérations de terrain, le système CoreBook- Cyber-carothèque- Gestion d’échantillons fournit à la communauté scientifique nationale un socle solide pour aller vers des des bases de données tournées vers les données instrumentales. La Cyber-carothèque est accessible à l’adresse : www.cybercarotheque.fr, page sur laquelle figure le lien et les instructions pour créer le compte de son laboratoire et de ses utilisateurs, ses référentiels d’outils et télécharger l’application CoreBook.

(26/11/2024)

EDYTEM, USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry], CNRS, Fédération OSUG, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, OASU, UB, INSU - CNRS, ULR, CNRS, INRAE

The Late Pleistocene - Holocene meandering lower Garonne River, southwest France: architecture of the valley fill and chronology, comparison with other European rivers

Sophie Leleu, Pascal Bertran, Eric Andrieux, Zoé Sicard-Delage, Rachid Ouchaou, Pierre Weill, Jean-Yves Reynaud

The study of the lower Garonne between 170 and 200 km upstream of its current mouth reveals a complex evolution of the valley during the Last Glacial and the Holocene. The architecture and chronology of Late Pleistocene to Holocene alluvial deposits in the lower Garonne have been studied in details based on data (boreholes, trenches, ground-penetrating radar, numerical dating) collected in quarries and during archaeological surveys (Bertran et al., Geomorphology, in press). The ages were obtained from sand beds (OSL) and plant debris (14C) from clay and peat at the base of abandoned channel fills. The preserved alluvial bodies, dated between ca. 38 ka and present, show that the river retained a meandering or anabranching pattern throughout this period, associated with the formation of lateral accretion packages and scroll bars in the convexity of meanders. A narrow incision was identified along the Garonne Valley within the deepest alluvial deposits, and linked with an ’incised valley’ described in the estuary. This valley incision occurred between ca. 26 and 18 ka and therefore can be interpreted to be in connection to the LGM low sea level. It reached up to 19 m in the study area, and occurred while the riverbed adjusted in response to the base level drop. The upstream propagation of the knickpoint to the study area probably required a delay of several millennia. The rapid sea level rise during deglaciation would then have caused the canyon to fill in, followed by the re-establishment of a ”normal” river regime from 18 ka onwards when a new equilibrium was reached. Since ca. 18 ka, the lateral migration of meanders widened the plain without any significant incision of the Oligocene marl bedrock. The Early-Middle Holocene was characterized by the development of highly sinuous meanders, while sinuosity decreased in a late phase including the Little Ice Age. The morphology of the Garonne floodplain during the Last Glacial remains difficult to assess in detail. While the presence of large lateral accretion packages in a sector dated ca. 18 ka attests to a meandering or anabranching pattern, no MIS 2 abandoned channel has been observed in cross-section in the study area. One channel, with its large radius of curvature, was active during the Lateglacial (early MIS 1) and was abandoned during the Alleröd. Gravel beds on the MIS 2 and early MIS 1 point bars (MB3) at a higher elevation than on the Holocene MB2 suggests that flood discharges were higher during the earlier phase of floodplain evolution. Comparison with other lowland European rivers shows that the persistence of a meandering or anabranching pattern during MIS 2 is not an isolated case. The documented examples are associated with rivers typified by low valley slope, or situated in southern regions unaffected by permafrost and characterized by dense vegetation. The latter conditions would not have led to a drastic change in river discharge and bedload transport during the Last Glacial, as was the case for more northerly rivers where braiding seems to have been common.

(26/11/2024)

EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, PACEA, UB, CNRS, Inrap, IDEES, UNICAEN, NU, ULH, NU, UNIROUEN, NU, CNRS, IRIHS, UNIROUEN, NU, LOG, INSU - CNRS, ULCO, CNRS, IRD [Ile-de-France], M2C, UNICAEN, NU, INSU - CNRS, UNIROUEN, NU, CNRS

Spatial and temporal analysis of the sedimentary record of 238U and 232Th series in seven major French rivers: the role of geology and NORM occurrence

Mathilde Zebracki, Gabrielle Seignemartin, Anne de Vismes Ott, Emmanuelle Montargès-Pelletier, Anne Meyer, Alexandra Coynel, Claire Gréau, Frédérique Eyrolle

Rivers constitute the receptacle for solid particles and associated contaminants originating from soil erosion and leaching. A wide range of particle reactive contaminants follows the transferring road towards the marine environment and part of them accumulate temporary or definitively within sediment repositories. Well preserved sedimentary riverine deposits provide unique tool to reconstruct current and historical contamination events at the river catchment scale. In France, the total catchment area of seven major rivers covers 78 % of the metropolitan territory and displays differences in geology and basin history. Although sedimentary archives have been investigated in major French rivers for common stable trace metals and organic pollutants (e.g., Desmet et al., 2012; Dendievel et al. 2022), there is a lack of knowledge regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides from 238U and 232Th series. This study examines the distribution of these radionuclides in sedimentary archives collected from seven major rivers of France (Figure 1): the Garonne, Loire, Meuse, Moselle, Rhin, Rhone and Seine rivers. The role of geology was assessed based on the spatial analysis of the mapped U distribution of soils in France (Ielsch et al. 2017). The occurrence of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) was estimated through the temporal analysis of radionuclide content coupled to the economic history of river basin, and the radioactive disequilibrium between radionuclides from 238U and 232Th series. Sediment cores were collected in 2020, 2021 and 2022, with a total core length varying from 82 to 419 cm. A total of 308 sediment samples was analyzed for gamma-emitter radionuclides by gamma spectrometry and for stable trace elements by ICP-MS after a digestion step. Based on 210Pb and 137Cs radioactive methods, the sediment cores were dated in a parallel study (Eyrolle et al., under review). The sediment of the seven French rivers displayed different U content (Figure 2): the median value of U content varying from 1.4 to 4.9 ppm for the Seine and Loire rivers, respectively. This difference was attributed to the difference in catchment geological settings: the Seine river mainly drains sedimentary deposits while the Loire catchment largely spreads over metamorphic rocks. A positive relationship was highlighted by the plot of median U content in riverine sediment according to the mapped U stock in the soils of the catchment, reflecting the role of geological heterogeneity. An excess of radioelement (U, Th, Ra) was searched in the Loire archive as the Loire basin concentrated most of the former uranium mining sites, but no evidence of contamination was provided. However, a radioactive anomaly in 230Th was detected in sediment deposited in the early 1960s but no explanation could be given. In the Moselle basin, the concomitant increase of U content with other trace metals (Cr, Pb) in the period 1950 – 1980 was attributed to past steel industry activities. Based on U and Th contents in sediment, this study also provides new baselines at the scale of French river catchment that were discussed considering other guideline values (crustal rocks, FOREGS).

(24/11/2024)

IRSN/PSE-ENV/SPDR/LT2S, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SPDR, IRSN, ENTPE, LEHNA, UCBL, ENTPE, CNRS, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SAME, IRSN, LEM, INPL, CNRS, LIEC, INSU - CNRS, UL, CNRS, LTSER-ZAM, UL, CNRS, RZA, INEE-CNRS, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SERPEN/BERAD, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SERPEN, IRSN, IRSN/PSE-ENV/STAAR/LRTA, IRSN/PSE-ENV/STAAR, IRSN

Spatial and temporal analysis of the sedimentary record of 238U and 232Th series in seven major French rivers: the role of geology and NORM occurrence

Mathilde Zebracki, Gabrielle Seignemartin, Anne de Vismes Ott, Emmanuelle Montargès-Pelletier, Anne Meyer, Alexandra Coynel, Claire Gréau, Frederique Eyrolle

Rivers constitute the receptacle for solid particles and associated contaminants originating from soil erosion and leaching. A wide range of particle reactive contaminants follows the transferring road towards the marine environment and part of them accumulate temporary or definitively within sediment repositories. Well preserved sedimentary riverine deposits provide unique tool to reconstruct current and historical contamination events at the river catchment scale. In France, the total catchment area of seven major rivers covers 78 % of the metropolitan territory and displays differences in geology and basin history. Although sedimentary archives have been investigated in major French rivers for common stable trace metals and organic pollutants (e.g., Desmet et al., 2012; Dendievel et al. 2022), there is a lack of knowledge regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides from 238U and 232Th series. This study examines the distribution of these radionuclides in sedimentary archives collected from seven major rivers of France (Figure 1a): the Garonne, Loire, Meuse, Moselle, Rhin, Rhone and Seine rivers. The role of geology was assessed based on the spatial analysis of the mapped U distribution of soils in France (Ielsch et al. 2017). The occurrence of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) was estimated through the temporal analysis of radionuclide content coupled to the economic history of river basin, and the radioactive disequilibrium between radionuclides from 238U and 232Th series. Sediment cores were collected in 2020, 2021 and 2022, with a total core length varying from 82 to 419 cm. A total of 308 sediment samples was analyzed for gamma-emitter radionuclides by gamma spectrometry and for stable trace elements by ICP-MS after a digestion step. Based on 210Pb and 137Cs radioactive methods, the sediment cores were dated in a parallel study (Eyrolle et al., under review). The sediment of the seven French rivers displayed different U content (Figure 1b): the median value of U content varying from 1.4 to 4.9 ppm for the Seine and Loire rivers, respectively. This difference was attributed to the difference in catchment geological settings: the Seine river mainly drains sedimentary deposits while the Loire catchment largely spreads over metamorphic rocks. A positive relationship was highlighted by the plot of median U content in riverine sediment according to the mapped U stock in the soils of the catchment, reflecting the role of geological heterogeneity. An excess of radioelement (U, Th, Ra) was searched in the Loire archive as the Loire basin concentrated most of the former uranium mining sites, but no evidence of contamination was provided. However, a radioactive anomaly in 230Th was detected in sediment deposited in the early 1960s but no explanation could be given. In the Moselle basin, the concomitant increase of U content with other trace metals (Cr, Pb) in the period 1950 – 1980 was attributed to past steel industry activities. Based on U and Th contents in sediment, this study also provides new baselines at the scale of French river catchment that were discussed considering other guideline values (crustal rocks, FOREGS).

(24/11/2024)

IRSN/PSE-ENV/SPDR/LT2S, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SPDR, IRSN, EVS, ENS de Lyon, Mines Saint-Étienne MSE, IMT, UL2, UJML, INSA Lyon, INSA, UJM, ENTPE, ENSAL, CNRS, ALLHiS, UJM, IRSN/PRP-ENV/STEME/LMRE, IRSN, LIEC, INSU - CNRS, UL, CNRS, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SAME, IRSN, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEREN/BERAD, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEREN, IRSN, IRSN