peer reviewed | Associations of tunas and dolphins in the wild are quite frequent events and the question arises how predators requiring similar diet in the same habitat share their environmental resources. As isotopic composition of an animal is related to that of its preys, stable isotopes (13C/12C and 15N/14N) analyses were performed in three predator species from the Northeast Atlantic: the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis, and the albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga, and compared to their previously described stomach content. Heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cu and Fe) are mainly transferred through the diet and so, have been determined in the tissues of the animals. Tunas muscles display higher delta15N than in common and striped dolphins (mean: 11.4 0/00 vs. 10.3 0/00 and 10.4 0/00, respectively) which reflects its higher trophic level nutrition. Higher delta13C are found in common (-18.4 0/00) and striped dolphin (-18.10/00) muscles than in albacore tuna (-19.3 0/00) likely in relation with its migratory pattern. The most striking feature is the presence of two levels of cadmium concentrations in the livers of the tunas (32 mg kg-1 dry weight vs. 5 mg kg-1 dry weight). These two groups also differ by their iron concentrations and their delta15N and delta 13C liver values. These results suggest that in the Biscay Bay, tunas occupy two different ecological niches likely based on different squid input in their diet.

International audience | Results for the concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ΣPAH) and the PAH profile in leaves from three deciduous tree species from the same woodland are presented, and discussed with reference to environmental and leaf-related variables. There were significant differences between oak, ash and hazel leaves in their ΣPAH concentrations (sum of 23 PAHs), and in the relative contribution of individual PAHs to the sum. Leaves exhibiting pubescence (hairiness) were found to have significantly higher ΣPAH concentrations than hairless leaves, regardless of their position in the vegetation strata of the wood. Hazel leaves from the understorey had a PAH profile consisting of a greater proportion of the 4-, 5- and 6-ring PAHs than oak or ash from the canopy. This was concluded to be the result of the filtering effect of the main canopy on the air passing over and through it, with subsequent transfer of particles and attendant PAHs to the understorey below. The proportion of ΣPAH contributed by the 6-ring PAH in hazel leaves was negatively correlated with distance from the southern edge of the canopy. It is proposed that the predominantly windward edges of the woodland, where atmospheric turbulence is likely to be greatest, favoured the deposition of particle-bound PAHs to leaves.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) use in irrigation for erosion control has increased water infiltration and reduced soil erosion. This has improved runoff water quality via lower concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, and pesticides, and decreased biological oxygen demand. Since non-toxic high molecular weight anionic PAMs removed clay size sediment particles in flowing water, it was hypothesized that PAM would effectively remove or immobilize microorganisms in flowing water. In an agricultural field at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Idaho, USA, the efficacy of PAM-treatment of furrow irrigation water to remove several categories of microorganisms in the inflow and runoff was determined. Treatments were: (1) PAM application and a control; (2) three flow rates; (3) two distances from the inflow point; and (4) three times during each irrigation. After water travelled 1 m at 7.5 and 15.5/min, PAM-treatment reduced total bacterial and microbial biomass and total fungal biomass relative to the control treatment. After water travelled 40 m at 7.5, 15.5, and 22.5/min, PAM-treatment reduced algae, the numbers active and total bacteria, active and total fungal length, and total bacterial biomass, total fungal and microbial biomass relative to the control treatment. Although specific organisms were not identified or monitored in this study, the results clearly have implications for controlling the spread of soil-borne plant pathogens and other classes of harmful organisms within and among fields via irrigation water and in re-utilized return flows. Beyond furrow-irrigated agriculture, new methods to manage overland transmission of harmful microorganisms could potentially help control transport of pathogens from animal waste in runoff and groundwater.

Une estimation des emissions biogeniques annuelles de composes organiques volatils (COV) non methaniques dues a la couverture forestiere en France a ete realisee. Trente-deux especes d'arbres representant 98 % de la foret francaise ont ete retenues pour l'estimation. Celle-ci a porte sur un reseau constitue de 93 mailles (departements) de 75 km x 75 km de dimensions moyennes. On a affecte des taux d'emission et des densites de biomasse foliaire specifiques a chacune des 32 especes. Les variables micrometeorologiques (temperatures, intensites lumineuses) ont ete collectees pour l'ensemble des departements francais. Un effort a ete fait pour utiliser, dans les algorithmes de calcul de "Guenther" des facteurs emissifs specifiques aux especes poussant en France ou bien dans les pays limitrophes de celle-ci. Sur les cinq annees (1994-1998) de l'etude, on a calcule la moyenne annuelle des emissions d'isoprene, de monoterpenes et autres composes organiques volatils (ACOV) a l'echelle des departements et de la France. Sur le plan national, l'isoprene dont l'emission estimee est de 457 kt/an represente environ 49 % de l'emission totale, alors que les monoterpenes avec 350 kt/an, et les ACOV avec 129 kt/an representent respectivement 37 % et 14 % du total. L'emission biogenique annuelle de COV en France represente sensiblement la moitie de la source anthropique. Cependant, dans certaines regions (mediterraneennes), les emissions naturelles peuvent largement depasser durant certaines periodes les emissions anthropiques. Notons que l'ensemble de ces resultats demeure empreint d'une grande incertitude, puisque les estimations effectuees sont proposees avec des facteurs correctifs qui peuvent atteindre des valeurs comprises entre 4 et 7

Face au developpement de l'utilisation de produits de desodorisation dits "neutralisants" ou "destructeurs" des odeurs, en pulverisation dans l'atmosphere, a l'emission ou a proximite immediate d'ouvrages responsables d'odeurs, l'INERIS (Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques) a procede, pour le compte du ministere de l'Amenagement du Territoire et de l'Environnement et de l'ADEME (Agence de l'environnement et de la maitrise de l'energie), a une etude visant une meilleure connaissance des performances de ces produits. Deux types de produits ont ete testes, en pulverisation ou en lavage sommaire des gaz, dans des conditions reelles d'effluents industriels, et dans des conditions de laboratoire, en determinant les efficacites de traitement olfactometriques (reduction de l'odeur) et physico-chimiques (abattement des composes responsables des odeurs) au moyen d'analyses simultanees. A l'issue de ces essais, on peut conclure que les produits de traitement des odeurs, proposes actuellement sur le marche pour desodoriser l'air vicie dans l'industrie, doivent etre utilises avec une grande prudence. En effet, la plupart des produits de pulverisation peuvent apporter un reel confort olfactif par effet de masquage (remplacement d'une mauvaise odeur par une odeur "agreable"), mais il ne faut pas en attendre, a priori, un abattement significatif des polluants presents dans l'air malodorant