The migration of uranium from polluted soil has been investigated in the field, and through modelling of thermodynamics and kinetics of uranium-water-rock interactions. Field monitoring following surface contamination by uranium deposits revealed up to 5 m deep uranium migration in soil and chalk substrate, as well as uranium concentrations in groundwater significantly higher than the geochemical background. Such observations can hardly be explained by a pure reactive transport dominated by reversible adsorption of uranium onto mineral phases. Therefore, a reactive transport model using the HYTEC code has been developed to better assess uranium migration through soil to the carbonate aquifer. Reactive transport modelling shows that adsorption of U (VI) at equilibrium on goethite at pH 7 is responsible for strong immobilization of uranium in the soil and carbonate matrix, matching uranium concentration profiles observed in boreholes. Simulations considering highly mobile ternary complex Ca2UO2(CO3)3(aq) in the aqueous phase cannot account alone for the rapid migration of uranium through the unsaturated zone. Without a mobile colloidal phase, the model clearly underestimates the concentration of aqueous U(VI) that reached groundwater underneath polluted soils.

[Departement_IRSTEA]Ecotechnologies [TR1_IRSTEA]TED [Axe_IRSTEA]TED-EPURE | International audience | In France, the number of PDA quickly increases in order to better protect receiving surface water bodies. Setting up design rules and maintenance guidelines is now urgent. | En France, l'installation de ZRV en vue de protéger davantage le milieu récepteur de surface est désormais fréquente. L'élaboration de règles de dimensionnement et de maintenance est désormais urgente.

National audience | This paper aims at gaining an insight into the PM10 daily threshold (50 micro g/m3) exceedances measured by French regional air quality monitoring networks for the last four years. As almost three quarter of these exceedances happens to occur between November and April, we focus here on such winter (broadly speaking) pollution episodes. The deployment of monitoring devices allowing for a proper account of semi-volatile material within PM10 was achieved concomitantly to the development particulate pollution episodes largely influenced by ammonium nitrate (which is semi-volatile) in March-April 2007. Since then, such pollution events are frequently observed at this period of the year, notably due to stable meteorological conditions favoring the condensation of semi-volatile material into the particulate phase along with the resumption of manure spreading, which constitutes a major source of ammonium nitrate gaseous precursors (at least at some points of the year). Such pollution events, which are also related to combustion emissions (among which mobile sources) are typically preceded, from November to February, by frequent daily threshold exceedances with potentially significant influences of biomass burning (e.g. residential wood burning). The winter period is also impacted by long range transport episodes, corresponding notably to increases of ammonium sulfate relative abundances within PM10. Moreover, as traffic sites are generally the first ones showing PM10 exceedances due the increment of direct emissions and resuspension processes, mobile sources are also considered as a major target for action plans. Finally, it is underlined that the occurrence of daily threshold exceedances is highly influenced by meteorological conditions, so that the yearly number of these exceedances shows well-marked inter-annual variations, with 2009 and 2011 (and 2012, but not shown here) being significantly more polluted than 2008 and 2010. The on-going development of efficient forecasting systems still suffer lacks of detailed emission inventories and strong knowledge on the physical and chemical transformation processes of particles and their gaseous precursors within the boundary layer. | Cette synthèse dresse une analyse non exhaustive des dépassements du seuil réglementaire journalier de 50 micro g/m3 pour les PM10 mesurés au niveau national par les Associations Agréées de Surveillance de la Qualité de l'Air (AASQA) au cours des quatre dernières années. Près des trois quarts de ces dépassements étant observés entre fin novembre et début avril, nous nous intéressons plus particulièrement ici à ces épisodes hivernaux (au sens large). La mise en oeuvre de techniques analytiques permettant une prise en compte correcte des espèces semi-volatiles dans la composition des PM10 a coïncidé en mars-avril 2007 à la survenue de nombreux dépassements de seuil journalier s'accompagnant d'importants niveaux de nitrate d'ammonium (composé semi-volatil). Ce type d'épisode est régulièrement observé à cette période. Il s'explique notamment par la conjonction de conditions atmosphériques stables et propices à la condensation en phase particulaire des espèces labiles, et de la reprise des épandages agricoles, constituant une source majeure, au moins ponctuellement, de précurseurs gazeux azotés du nitrate d'ammonium. Ce type d'épisode, mettant également en cause les émissions anthropiques de combustion (dont les transports), est typiquement précédé entre novembre et février de fréquents dépassements pour lesquels le rôle des combustions de biomasse (incluant notamment le chauffage au bois individuel) peut être important. La période hivernale est également marquée par l'occurrence de phénomènes de transport longue distance se caractérisant par une augmentation des contributions du sulfate d'ammonium. Les sites de proximité automobile étant généralement les premiers concernés par les dépassements du seuil journalier en raison du surplus de concentrations provenant des émissions à l'échappement et des phénomènes de remise en suspension, le transport routier est également considéré comme un levier incontournable pour le respect des valeurs limites. Enfin, il est souligné que l'occurrence des différents types d'épisodes de dépassements dépend fortement des conditions météorologiques, de sorte qu'on observe une forte variabilité interannuelle du nombre de dépassements hivernaux ? : 2009 et 2011 (et 2012) étant significativement plus impactées que 2008 et 2010. Une bonne prévision de ces épisodes passe encore par l'affinage des cadastres d'émission et une meilleure compréhension du devenir dans l'atmosphère des émissions primaires (gazeuses et particulaires).

International audience | The migration of uranium from polluted soil has been investigated in the field, and through modelling of thermodynamics and kinetics of uranium-water-rock interactions. Field monitoring following surface contamination by uranium deposits revealed up to 5 m deep uranium migration in soil and chalk substrate, as well as uranium concentrations in groundwater significantly higher than the geochemical background. Such observations can hardly be explained by a pure reactive transport dominated by reversible adsorption of uranium onto mineral phases. Therefore, a reactive transport model using the HYTEC code has been developed to better assess uranium migration through soil to the carbonate aquifer. Reactive transport modelling shows that adsorption of U (VI) at equilibrium on goethite at pH 7 is responsible for strong immobilization of uranium in the soil and carbonate matrix, matching uranium concentration profiles observed in boreholes. Simulations considering highly mobile ternary complex Ca2UO2(CO3)3(aq) in the aqueous phase cannot account alone for the rapid migration of uranium through the unsaturated zone. Without a mobile colloidal phase, the model clearly underestimates the concentration of aqueous U(VI) that reached groundwater underneath polluted soils.

International audience | Fish farming in barrage pond is a rearing system commonly used worldwide. Obtaining good water quality is essential to improve sustainability of these ecosystems, both for health of fish consumers and environmental considerations. However, ponds are often located in agricultural landscape, but few study reports impact of pesticide pressure on these ecosystems. This study characterizes five sites in Northeastern France. This work establishes an initial framework for pesticide monitoring with the aim to improve understanding of the fate of pesticides in ponds. This framework is based on surveys indicating managements and Geographical Information System (GIS) for five ponds and their watersheds (sites: C-0, C-25, C-45, C-75 and C-85) and completes with some analysis of a large spectrum of pesticide residues in surface waters. Watersheds show a gradient of crop proportion ranging from 0% to 82% of the watershed area, mainly rapeseed, wheat, barley and maize. Ponds were representative of local Northeastern France management. Many pesticides, and also nutrients, were measured in water with concentrations varying between sites and seasons. The sum of quantified molecules ranged from 0.17 mu g/l for site C-0 (March) to 8.81 mu g/l for site C-25 (October). Concentrations of metaldehyde, quinmerac, isoproturon and bentazon were sometimes above 1 mu g/l. There is a strong connection between pond and watershed, due to water supply throughout the fish production cycle. Sites with small pond/big watershed are the most exposed to acute contamination a few days after spraying because water discharges are not diluted.

International audience | Alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE) are toxics classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds; they are used in detergents, paints, herbicides, pesticides, emulsifiers, wetting and dispersing agents, antistatic agents, demulsifiers, and solubilizers. Many studies have reported the occurrence of alkylphenols in different environmental matrices, though none of these studies have yet to establish a comprehensive overview of such compounds in the water cycle within an urban environment. This review summarizes APE concentrations for all environmental media throughout the water cycle, from the atmosphere to receiving waters. Once the occurrence of compounds has been assessed for each environmental compartment (urban wastewater, wastewater treatment plants [WWTP], atmosphere, and the natural environment), data are examined in order to understand the fate of APE in the environment and establish their geographical and historical trends. From this database, it is clear that the environment in Europe is much more contaminated by APE compared to North America and developing countries, although these APE levels have been decreasing in the last decade. APE concentrations in the WWTP effluent of developed countries have decreased by a factor of 100 over the past 30 years. This study is aimed at identifying both the correlations existing between environmental compartments and the processes that influence the fate and transport of these contaminants in the environment. In industrial countries, the concentrations observed in waterways now represent the background level of contamination, which provides evidence of a past diffuse pollution in these countries, whereas sediment analyses conducted in developing countries show an increase in APE content over the last several years. Finally, similar trends have been observed in samples drawn from Europe and North America.

[Departement_IRSTEA]Ecotechnologies [TR1_IRSTEA]TED [Axe_IRSTEA]TED-EPURE | International audience | The Hydrus-2D software package allows to display the interaction of processes in constructed wetlands. Whereas several types of constructed wetlands were simulated successfully, the results for combined sewer overflow treatment wetlands are less satisfying so far. Main reasons can be found in the high variations of feeding characteristics as well as in extended dry periods of several weeks. In preparation of model improvements by considering organic filtrates as nutrient source in dry periods it seems to be essential to display hydraulics and solute transports correctly by tracer test studies. This was done in column experiments in the past, but not for full-scale constructed wetlands due to operational challenges. The given study shows tracer test results in pilot-scale operation in two different ways. Obtained measurement results were simulated with 1D and 2D approaches. Simulation results show the importance of considering inlet and outlet placement inside the filter beds correctly.