International audience | This study aims to find the interaction between ionome and metabolome profiles of Pteris vittata L., an arsenic hyperaccumulator plant, to reveal its metal tolerance mechanism. Therefore, at the Pb-Zn mining sites located in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam, where these species dominate, soil and plant samples were collected. Their multi-element compositions were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and thus referred to as the "ionomics" approach. In parallel, the widely targeted metabolomics profiles of these plant samples were performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS). Nineteen elements, including both metals and nonmetals, were detected and quantified in both tissues of thirty-five plant individuals. A comparison of these elements' levels in two tissues showed that above-ground parts accumulated more As and inorganic P, whereas Zn, Pb, and Sb were raised mostly in the under-ground samples. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) model predicting the level of each element by the whole metabolome indicated that the enhancement of flavonoids content plays an essential contribution in adaptation with the higher levels of Pb, Ag, and Ni accumulated in the aerial part, and Mn, Pb in subterranean part. Moreover, the models also highlighted the effect of Mn and Pb on the metabolic induction of adenosine derivatives in subterranean parts. At the same time, the model presented the most contribution of As to the metabolisms of the amino acids of this tissue. On those accounts, the developed integration approach linking the ionomics and metabolomics data of P. vittata improved the understanding of the molecular mechanism of hyperaccumulation characteristics and provided markers that could be targeted in future investigations.

International audience | This study examined the long-term effects of the landfill disposal of untreated urban waste for soil fertilization on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles of various human opportunistic pathogens in soils from Burkina Faso. Samples were collected at three sites in the periphery of Ouagadougou during two campaigns in 2008 and 2011. At each site, amendment led to changes in physico-chemical characteristics as shown by the increase in pH, CEC, total C, total N, and metal contents. Similarly, the numbers of total heterotrophic bacteria were higher in the amended fields than in the control ones. No sanitation indicators, i.e., coliforms, Staphylococci, and Enterococci, were detected. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) were d e t e c t e d a t a l o w l e v e l i n o n e a m e n d e d f i e l d. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was detected from both campaigns at the three sites in the amended fields and only once in an unamended field. Diversity analysis showed some oppor-tunistic pathogen isolates to be closely related to reference clinical strains responsible for nosocomial-or community-acquired infections in Northern countries. Antibiotic resistance tests showed that P. aeruginosa and Bcc isolates had a wild-type phenotype and that most S. maltophilia isolates had a multi-drug resistance profile with resistance to 7 to 15 antibiotics. Then we were able to show that amendment led to an increase of some human opportunistic pathogens including multi-drug resistant isolates. Although the application of untreated urban waste increases both soil organic matter content and therefore soil fertility, the consequences of this practice on human health should be considered.

International audience

Growing edible vegetables on Technosols, Firts results of the Agrotechnosol Project. 8th Sino-French Workshop on Soil Pollution and Remediation

International audience | The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE) were described in benthic and pelagic species collected off Adélie Land, Antarctica. Strong differences were observed among species, with reduced PeCB and HCB levels in benthic species, and elevated PCB levels in the Antarctic yellowbelly rockcod, the Antarctic sea urchin and the snow petrel. Lower-chlorinated congeners were predominant in krill; penta-PCBs in benthic organisms; hexa- and hepta-PCBs in seabirds and cryopelagic fish. This segregation may result from sedimentation process, specific accumulation and excretion, and/or biotransformation processes. The presence of PBDEs in Antarctic coastal organisms may originate from atmospheric transport and partly from a contamination by local sources. Although POP levels in Antarctic marine organisms were substantially lower than in Arctic and temperate organisms, very little is known about their toxic effects on these cold-adapted species, with high degree of endemism.

International audience | Juvenile Helix aspersa snails exposed in field microcosms were used to assess the transfer of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn from forest soils amended with liquid and composted sewage sludge. Zri concentrations and contents were significantly higher in snails exposed to liquid and composted sludge after 5 and 7 weeks of exposure, when compared with control. Trends were less clear for the other metals. Present results show that Zn, among the cocktail of metallic trace elements (MTE) coming from sewage sludge disposal, represents the principal concern for food chain transfer and secondary poisoning risks. The microcosm design used in this experiment was well suited for relatively long-term (about 2 months) active biomonitoring with H. aspersa snails. The snails quickly indicated the variations of MTE concentrations in their immediate environment. Therefore, the present study provides a simple but efficient field tool to evaluate MTE bioavailability and transfer.

In this work influence of different concentrations of linear active substance (LAS-DBS) on activity of Serranus scriba CUV have been studied. Desynchronization of circadian rhythms is in direct correlation with LAS growing concentrations. The high disproportion was found between maximum permitted concentrations (3 mg/l) and our results which show the changes in fish behaviour at 0.2 mg/l LAS.

In 1996 (March and June) the mineral water "Rudovci" was sampled in its spring in the village Rudovci, Serbia (Yugoslavia). The physical-chemical analyses have shown that the temperature of the water was 180 deg C with sodium-carbonate content. It has been considered that the quality of water was variable in a short period from 3 months. Comparing the analyses of the mineral water from 1996, we can consider some remarkably distinctions in some chemical elements. The chemical analyses made in 1996, have shown changes in following contents: magnesium (47.6 and 64.5 mg/l); sodium (1313 and 1355 mg/l); iron (2.35 and 3.76 mg/l); boron (5.2 and 4.8 mg/l); arsenic (0.08 and 0.06 mg/l). In 1974, the chlorine content was 28.4 mg/l, but about 218 mg/l in 1996. The nitrate content varied from high (19.2 mg/l) in 1974 to low (about 0.75 mg/l) in 1996.

This work is based on biotests being experimented at sea organisms - fish Serranus scriba. We were studying the activity of the mentioned fish in sublethal concentrations of organochloric pesticide - lindane. Besides the classic biotests, we used some new methods for neurotoxic testing that include the influence of this pesticide on circadian activity of fish as well as the variations in obtaining the positive conditioned reflexive responses. The results of these experiments show that this kind of fish reacts at the subtile changes of toxic concentration with the change of quality and rhythm in its conditioned reflexive reactions, that appeared earlier than other global signs of intoxication.

The kinetics of phytoplankton is complicated function of phytoplankton present and their differing reactions to solar radiation, temperature and balance between nutrient availabilities and phytoplankton requirements. Computers program for water quality problems helps users interpret and predict water quality responses to natural phenomena. But model parameters and initial condition needs hydrodynamic and hydrologic measures in long time interval, with combination of laboratory studies. Lake Gracanka (Serbia, Yugoslavia) is good example for description of the processes kinetics of phytoplankton. But, simulation model can not be used to guide future monitoring efforts without needing measuring and developing network of measuring station.