- Pollutions et risques écotoxicologiques : Impacts des polluants sur les biocénoses
- Risques et pollutions : nanoparticules toxicité
Concerns about plastic pollutants are growing around a major question: what are their fate and effects into the environment? Very recent studies have demonstrated the fractionation of plastics into nanoscale particles (called nanoplastics, NPs) whose fate remains completely unknown to date in aquatic systems. Yet they may be the most hazardous fraction of plastic wastes for aquatic life because of their nanometric properties which enable them to enter cells, and their important surface/volume ratio which facilitates the adsorption of environmental compounds, such as contaminants.
Therefore, determining the presence of NPs in the environment needs more attention to better answer several major questions: Can NPs accumulate into aquatic organisms? Or be elimi- nated? Can they convey other contaminants, and be toxic for aquatic life? To answer these questions, this project will group four research teams and an association, and focus on the workshop site of the Leyre river, because it is of great ecologic, touristic and economic importance for the Arcachon Bay.