Ongoing projects funded through call for proposals

 

ACTIONS – Etude de l’impact d’Agents de ConTraste Iodés sur deux OrgaNismes aquatiqueS modèles par des approches métabolomiques et métallomiques – Further information on ANSES web site

Funded by the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES), under program PNREST – grant agreement n°2018/1/222- Duration: 40 months, 2018 – 2022

Coordination: Institute of Analytical Science – UMR 5280

Partners: IPREM UMR 5254, UMR I-02 SEBIO

Objective: The aim of the project is to acquire first data on two iodinated contrast agents’ global effects on two model aquatic organisms. Based on exposures of a mollusk and a fish at environmental concentrations of both iodinated contrast agents, the iodine speciation and repartition into the organisms will be performed (by elementary imaging and metallomic approach) together with bioaccumulation studies. The effects of these compounds onto the organisms’ metabolome will be addressed by HRMS (High Resolution Mass Spectrometry).

Innovative methods will be developed to address common issues in metabolomics and environmental metallomics. Indeed, due to low-dose exposures to iodinated contrast agents and small biological samples, methodologies developed will have to meet the needs of sensitivity, specificity and selectivity. In particular, for the metabolomic approach at ISA, they will be based on miniaturized sample preparation (micro-extraction) followed by separation by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry for detection and identification of pertinent metabolites (exposure markers and biomarkers) at the individual scale. This component is therefore an important challenge for the identification of intraspecific and interspecific variability. A metabolite identification strategy will be implemented to annotate discriminating signals from the statistical processing of data acquired by untargeted high resolution mass spectrometry. Given the analytical challenge associated with the study of complex biological matrices processes, and the lack of available data on invertebrate metabolism, the project will allow advances in both analytical methodologies and environmental metabolomics.

 

FROG – Functional Responses Of Groundwater ecosystems to managed aquifer recharge in urban area – Further information on FROG web site

Funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR), ANR-16-CE32-0006)- Duration: 42 months, 2017 – 2021

Coordination: Laboratoire d’Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés – UMR 5023

Objective: Modern societies increasingly rely on goods and services provided by subterranean ecosystems for their well-being and development. Groundwater is increasingly being extracted for drinking water supply to accommodate the world population growth and surface water pollution. Alternative water management practices such as the intentional stormwater infiltration developed in urban areas can increase groundwater recharge. Nevertheless, studies on the functional response of groundwater ecosystems to these managed aquifer recharge (MAR) are lacking. The present project aims to fill these gaps through field and laboratory experimental approaches.

Research will be developed along closely related tasks.

The WP1 is devoted to the development of sampling tools based on integrative samplers to evaluate the transfer of bacterial and chemical contaminants from surface water to groundwater in MAR. One difficulty is to adapt the tool to the small size of groundwater monitoring devices and the wide range of pollutants potentially present. A prototype of a Chemcatcher is designed with the help of the University of Portsmouth. Two complementary analytical approaches are then developed:

(1) a suspect screening approach using high-resolution spectrometry (LC-QToF) to detect and identify contaminants from managed aquifer recharge practice;

(2) a calibration of the chemcatchers followed by quantification by LC-MS/MS (QqQ) to quantify and monitor the transfer of these pollutants.

This WP1 is completed by the hydrogeological modelling of the water transfer and the coupling of this modelling approach with chemical and biological contaminant transfers during stormwater events (WP2) and by the quantification of the functional responses of local groundwater microbial communities to disturbances associated with MAR practices (WP3).

All these tasks will contribute to increase knowledge on the functioning of groundwater ecosystems and their responses and vulnerabilities to urban-impacted conditions.

 

BUZHUG – La contamination multi-résiduelle par les pesticides dans les paysages agricoles menace-t-elle la faune ingénieure du sol et ses services écosystémiques ?

Funded by the François Sommer Fundation – Duration: 24 months, 2019 – 2021

Partners: Laboratoire ECOBIO Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution– UMR 6553

Objective: To compile an inventory of residual soil contamination by pesticides in various agrosystems based on their dependence on pesticide use in order to assess the risks to soil engineering biodiversity (earthworms), which supports their fertility

The project is structured around two objectives that will aim to: (i) Characterize multi-residual soil contamination by pesticides at the landscape level: establishment of spatio-temporal patterns of contamination according to agricultural uses and soil management; and (ii) assess the relationship between levels of residual soil contamination and levels of chemical stress perceived by wildlife in agricultural landscapes: case of soil macrofauna, soil engineering and vertebrate food resource.

A strategy for quantifying pesticides at ultra-trace thresholds will be implemented. As expected residual levels may be less than 0.5 ng/g in soils and organisms, the methods will be the most sensitive ever achieved on such matrices in a multi-residue approach.

 

RISMEAU – Risks related to residues of drugs, biocides and antimicrobial resistance of human and veterinary origin on the water resources of the Arve catchment area

Funded by Agence de l’Eau RMC, Agence Française pour la Biodiversité, SM3A – Duration: 42 months, 2019 – 2022

Partners: INRA Narbonne, INRA Paris-Grignon, INSA Lyon, Université de Limoges, LEHNA-UMR5023, Syndicat des Eaux des Rocailles et de Bellecombe, SM3A

Objective: To produce knowledge and diagnostic tools that can contribute to the implementation of strategies and action levers to reduce the impacts of discharges related to human and veterinary health and hygiene practices on water resources in the Arve catchment area. It focuses specifically on antibiotic-resistant bacteria and micropollutants (drug residues and biocides).

RISMEAU is structured into 3 independently funded projects:

– Project 1 – Identification of drug residues: qualitative diagnosis at the scale of the Arve catchment area using passive integrators and non-targeted screening (2018-2019, SM3A funding).

– Project 2 – TELESPHORE: transfers of drug residues and biocides related to the spreading of organic waste products (2019-2022, RMC Water Agency funding).

– Project 3 – PERSEPHONE: Short- and long-term impacts of drug residues, biocides, heavy metals and antibiotic resistance related to agricultural land application on terrestrial organisms (2019-2022, AFB funding).

From an analytical point of view, this study will focus on the analysis by LC-MS of substances for which very little data currently exists, due to their analytical difficulties. Four main challenges, in terms of sample preparation and analysis, have to be addressed:

– Polymyxins are part of the antimicrobial peptide family. With high molecular weights, their extraction and analysis require specific conditions

– Aminoglycosides are highly polar molecules and therefore impossible to characterise with standard LC-MS conditions. Different methodologies, such as HILIC mode, will be developed

– Penicillins: these substances hydrolyze rapidly in aqueous media; it will be necessary to determine their main metabolites, in particular by using HRMS

– Finally, the extraction and analysis methods developed should allow an accurate and robust quantification of antibiotics in complex solid matrices: several strategies to limit matrix effects will be evaluated.

 

EMNAT – National network for prospective monitoring of the chemical quality of aquatic environments

Funded by Agence Française pour la Biodiversité (AFB) – Duration: 24 months, 2018 – 2020

Partners: EPOC-UMR5805, INERIS, BRGM, IFREMER, Irstea, LNE

Objective: Implementation of research and development actions aimed at improving methods for monitoring and evaluating the chemical quality of aquatic environments

ISA is in charge of developing LC-MS/MS-based approaches targeting the characterization of detergents and biocides in different aquatic environments: surface waters, effluents, sludge from wastewater treatment plants, sediments.

The absence of analytical standards for the targeted substances or reference matrices requires the deployment of original quantification methods in these various complex matrices.