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International audience; Recently, Comte et al. (2022) re-examined the natural degradation of chlordecone (CLD) in the soils of the French West Indies (FWI) by introducing an additional ‘dissipation parameter’ into the WISORCH model developed by Cabidoche et al. (2009). Recent data sets of CLD concentrations in FWI soils obtained by Comte et al. enabled them optimizing the model parameters, resulting in significantly shorter estimates of pollution persistence than in the original model. Their conclusions jeopardize the paradigm of a very limited degradation of CLD in FWI soils, which may lead to an entire revision of the management of CLD contamination. However, we believe that their study is questionable on several important aspects. This includes potential biases in the data sets and in the modeling approach. It results in an inconsistency between the estimated dissipation half-life time (DT50) of five years that the authors determined for CLD and the fate of CLD in soil from the application period 1972–1993 until nowadays. Most importantly, a rapid dissipation of CLD in the field as proposed by Comte et al. is not sufficiently supported by data and estimates. Hence, the paradigm of long-term persistence of CLD in FWI soils is still to be considered.

Chlordecone (Kepone) (CLD) is a highly persistent pesticide formerly used in the French West Indies. High levels of this pesticide may be found in soils and constitute a subsequent source of contamination for outdoor-reared animals due to involuntary ingestion of consistent amounts of soil. In that context, carbonaceous materials may be used to amend soil to efficiently decrease the bioavailability of such organic pollutants. The present study aims to assess the efficiency of diverse amendments of a contaminated Guadeloupe nitisol using two physiologically based approaches. A set of 5 carbonaceous materials (ORBO, DARCO, Coco CO2, Oak P1.5, Sargasso biochar) was tested and used to amend Nitisol at 2% (mass basis). Bioaccessibility assessment was performed using the Ti-PBET assay (n = 4). The relative bioavailability part involved 24 piglets randomly distributed into 6 experimental groups (n = 4). All groups were exposed during 10 days to a contaminated soil, amended or not with carbon-based matrices. A significant decrease in relative bioaccessibility and CLD concentrations in liver were observed for all amended groups in comparison to the control group, with the exception of the biochar amended soil in the bioaccessibility assay (p

Ingested soil may expose free-range animals to environmental pollutants. In pigs, soil ingestion is few described whereas their burrowing behaviour suggests that it could be high. Although highly productive pigs are generally reared indoor, free-range farming is increasing in view of ethical considerations for animal welfare and is a common practice for subsistence agriculture systems. The experiment lasted 8 weeks (2 for adaptation, 6 for measurements) with 24 growing pigs of Guadeloupean Creole (CR) or Large White (LW) breeds. Pigs were assigned to 3 outdoor treatments: high pasture HP (60 days of regrowth), low pasture LP (35 days of regrowth), and sweet potato SP (sweet potato field). Titanium (soil marker) and chromium (faecal output marker) contents of faeces, vegetation and soil samples were used to estimate individual daily soil ingestions. The average, 10th and 90th percentiles were 440, 200 and 726 g of dry soil per 100 kg body weight, respectively, without significant differences between the 3 outdoor treatments or the 2 breeds but with a significant period (i.e. week of measurements) × treatment interaction (P 0.001). In the French West Indies, animals may be exposed to chlordecone (CLD), a very persistent organochlorine insecticide. Simulations of CLD tissue contamination due to ingestion of contaminated soil were carried out and compared to the maximum residue limit. These results show that grazing management needs to be adapted to effectively limit soil ingestion by pigs and the impact of a contaminated environment on the sustainability of pig systems.

The use of biochars (BCs) and activated carbons as a way of sequestering soil-bound pollutants such as chlordecone (CLD) is increasingly being studied. This study aims at assessing the impact of Sargassum BC/AC particle size and Sargassum BC amendment rate on CLD adsorption in Nitisol and in Andosol. Four different types of carbonaceous matrices were tested: Sargasso carbon activated by phosphoric acid (SargH

International audience; This article critically reviews the current state of knowledge on the quality of animal-source foods according to animal production and food processing conditions, including consumer expectations-behaviours and the effects of consumption of animal-source foods on human health. Quality has been defined through seven core attributes: safety, commercial, sensory, nutritional, technological, convenience, and image. Image covers ethical, cultural and environmental dimensions associated with the origin of the food and the way it is produced and processed. This framework enabled to highlight the priorities given to the different quality attributes. It also helped to identify potential antagonisms and synergies among quality attributes, between production and processing stages, and among stakeholders. Primacy is essentially given to commercial quality attributes, especially for standard commodity animal-source foods. This primacy has strongly influenced genetic selection and farming practices in all livestock commodity chains and enabled substantial quantitative gains, although at the expense of other quality traits. Focal issues are the destructuration of chicken muscle that compromises sensory, nutritional and image quality attributes, and the fate of males in the egg and dairy sectors, which have heavily specialised their animals. Quality can be gained but can also be lost throughout the farm-to-fork continuum. Our review highlights critical factors and periods throughout animal production and food processing routes, such as on-farm practices, notably animal feeding, preslaughter and slaughter phases, food processing techniques, and food formulation. It also reveals on-farm and processing factors that create antagonisms among quality attributes, such as the castration of male pigs, the substitution of marine-source feed by plant-based feed in fish, and the use of sodium nitrite in meat processing. These antagonisms require scientific data to identify trade-offs among quality attributes and/or solutions to help overcome these tensions. However, there are also food products that value synergies between quality attributes and between production and processing phases, particularly Geographical Indications, such as for cheese and dry-cured ham. Human epidemiological studies have found associations between consumption of animal-source foods and increased or decreased risk for chronic non-communicable diseases. These associations have informed public health recommendations. However, they have not yet considered animal production and food processing conditions. A concerted and collaborative effort is needed from scientists working in animal science, food process engineering, consumer science, human nutrition and epidemiology in order to address this research gap. Avenues for research and main options for policy action are discussed

Chlordecone (Kepone) (CLD) is a highly persistent pesticide formerly used in the French West Indies. High levels of this pesticide may be found in soils and constitute a subsequent source of contamination for outdoor-reared animals due to involuntary ingestion of consistent amounts of soil. In that context, carbonaceous materials may be used to amend soil to efficiently decrease the bioavailability of such organic pollutants. The present study aims to assess the efficiency of diverse amendments of a contaminated Guadeloupe nitisol using two physiologically based approaches. A set of 5 carbonaceous materials (ORBO, DARCO, Coco CO

International audience; In France, more than 90% of monitored watercourses are contaminated with pesticides. This high contamination level increases at the head of agricultural watersheds, where dilution capacities are low and transport from treated lands is direct. Ponds, numerous around headwater streams, could provide additional protection against pesticide pollution. Because of their long hydraulic residence time and large water volumes, they mitigate pesticide concentrations between upstream and downstream rivers. However, pesticide transformation products may also be responsible for the degradation of environments, owing to their presence at high concentrations and their persistence, but related data are scarce, particularly because of their high level of molecular diversity. We first reported on the state of water contamination in agricultural headwater streams, based on high frequency water sampling. Analysis of 67 molecules (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) showed pesticides and pesticide transformation product mixtures of up to 29 different compounds in one sample. Regardless of the sampling location, transformation products represented at least 50% of the detected compounds. Then, we demonstrated the capacity of a pond to reduce contaminant concentrations in downstream rivers for 90% of the detected compounds. Upstream from this pond, environmental quality or ecotoxicological standards were exceeded during sampling, with pesticide and transformation product sum concentrations of up to 27 μg/L. Downstream from the study pond, few exceedances were observed, with a maximum total concentration of 2.2 μg/L, reflecting significant water quality improvement.

International audience; The ‘organic’ label guarantees a production process that avoids the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and hormones and minimises the use of veterinary drugs; however, consumers are demanding guarantees regarding food quality. This article reviews the current state of knowledge on the quality of organic animal products, including the authentication of their organic origin. Quality has been considered as an integrative combination of six core attributes: commercial value, and nutritional, sensory, technological, convenience and safety attributes. The comparison of these attributes between organic and conventional animal products shows high heterogeneity due to variability in farming pratices in both organic and conventional systems. To overcome this, we pinpoint the farming practices underlying the differences observed. This enables light to be shed on the consequences of possible trajectories of organic farming, if specifications are relaxed or tightened up on commitments concerning farming practices that impact product quality. Two recent meta-analyses showed better nutritional attributes in organic milk and meat linked to their higher poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, particularly n-3 PUFAs. Regarding safety, we point to a lack of integrated studies quantifying the balance between positive and negative effects. Organic farming reduces the risk of drug residues and antibiotic resistance, but both outdoor rearing and a frequently longer rearing period increase the animals’ exposition to environmental contaminants and the risk of their bioaccumulation in milk, eggs, meat and fish flesh. We highlight antagonisms between quality attributes for certain animal products (lamb, pork). In general, attributes are more variable for organic products, which can be explained by lower genetic selection (poultry), lower inputs and/or greater variability in farming conditions. However, the literature does not address the implications of this greater variability for the consumers’ acceptability and the necessary adaptation of manufacturing processes. Further research is needed to document the impacts on human nutritional biomarkers and health. Methods used to authenticate organic origin are based on differences in animal diet composition between organic and conventional systems, but their reliability is hampered by the variability in farming practices.

The objective of the Piegeachlor project is to reduce the availability of several families of organochlorine contaminants found in soils. The selected contaminants are polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and furans, as well as chlordecone. The initial hypothesis of the project was that carbonaceous matrices resulting from pyrolysis of woody plants such as biochars could play a role of sequestration for this purpose. Following preliminary tests, it turned out that these matrices had on the one hand rather similar characteristics and this in spite of the mobilization of ligneous of different origin and the use of 2 temperatures of pyrolysis (500 and 700°C) and on the other hand a very limited capacity of retention. New carbonaceous matrices were then introduced, in particular activated carbons. The latter could not be produced by the industrial partner and were purchased commercially but characterized with the same rigor as the initial biochars. The sequestration propertieswere tested using several methodologies. The first one is based on an in vitro approach, qualifying the environmental availability. It simulates the capacity of an aqueous medium to desorb pollutants. The others used a target biota (worm, radish, zucchini, chicken) to determine the relative bioavailability of each contaminant according to the carbon matrix used. These approaches were first applied to OECD-type artificial soils with peat as endogenous organic matter. After a selection of the best performing carbonaceous matrices in terms of sequestration, part of the previously described tests were applied on natural soils collected in France (Saint-Cyprien) and in Martinique (Morne-Rouge, Trinité), respectively contaminated with PCB+PCDD/F and CLD. On the artificial soils, safety tests were conducted on the microbiota and earthworms.The project mainly shows an interaction between the type of test (environmental availability or relative bioavailability depending on the target organism), the carbon matrix used (10 were used at least once) and the contaminants. For the latter, the effect goes beyond the family to which they belong, particularly within the PCBs. It has been shown that the structure of the molecule, through a gradient of polarity or steric hindrance, could be at the origin of very different behaviors. The PCDD/F family is the one that responded best, at least in hens. For carbonaceous matrices, it is clear that microporosity (abundance of pores of the order of nm in size) is a necessary condition for good sequestration of contaminants. It is mainly this property that explains the difference in efficiency between biochars and activated carbons. Finally, a bibliographic study has shown that the choice of highly condensed carbonaceous matrices of the activated carbon type corresponds to a form of carbon that is recalcitrant to biodegradation in soils, which means both an extended capacity over time to sequester the contaminants of interest and also a long term carbon storage. If the economic aspects of this strategy have not been investigated, it should be stressed that this environmental service should be deducted from the overall cost. In terms of perspective, a development of adapted tests for the evaluation of the innocuity is necessary because the carbon matrix is suspected to interact with the good progress of the classic enzymatic tests and thus to bias the results. Similarly, the incorporation rate of the carbonaceous matrix was not tested in the project because of the multiplication of the modalities, but now that certain matrices have been identified for their sequestering power, it would be appropriate to try to optimize it, or even to reduce it in order to limit the deleterious effects on soil life; Le projet Piegeachlor s'est donné pour objectif de réduire la disponibilité des plusieurs familles de contaminants organochlorés retrouvés dans les sols. Les contaminants étudiés sont les polychlorobiphényles, les polychloro-dibenzodioxines et furanes, ainsi que la chlordécone. L'hypothèse initiale du projet était que des matrices carbonées issues de pyrolyse de ligneux telles que des biochars pouvaient jouer un rôle de séquestration. Les propriétés de séquestration ont été testées en mobilisant plusieurs méthodologies. La première est basée sur une approche in vitro, qualifiant la disponibilité environnementale. Elle simule la capacité d'un milieu aqueux à désorber les polluants. Les autres utilisaient un biote cible (ver, radis, courgette, poule) pour déterminer la biodisponibilité relative de chacun des contaminants en fonction de la matrice carbonée utilisée. Ces approches ont été appliquées d'abord sur des sols artificiels de type OCDE avec de la tourbe comme matière organique endogène. Après une sélection des matrices carbonées les plus performantes en termes de séquestration, une partie des tests précédemment décrits a été appliquée sur des sols naturels prélevés en métropole (Saint-Cyprien) et en Martinique (Morne-Rouge, Trinité), respectivement contaminé en PCB+PCDD/F et en CLD. Des essais d'innocuité de l'amendement ont également été menés.

International audience; Abstract Free-range livestock are exposed to environmental contaminants by ingesting contaminated matrices mainly soil. Several works evaluated precisely the soil ingestion and its variation factors in ruminants. Contrary to temperate grazing systems, tropical ones were poorly documented whereas weather or traditional grazing practices may change models established in temperate systems. The study was performed in the French West Indies, which are concerned by a widespread environmental chlordecone contamination. The work evaluated daily soil and grass ingestions by tethered growing bulls grazing on a very high sward close to 50 cm for 11 days without being moved. This grazing management is representative to local practices by small farmers or not professional holders and allows completing the results previously obtained. Daily soil ingestion did not significantly increase across time and was on average 26.9 g dry matter/100 kg body weight (i.e. 1.4% of the total mass ingested). Marked individual variations indicated that exposure risk assessments would require experimental designs based on a sufficient number of individuals. This study was also the first to investigate the changes in sward soiling with respect to the distance from the stake and reported lower soil loading on grass in the peripheral than central and intermediate areas.

To reduce the exposure of the French West Indies population to the pollutant chlordecone (CLD), the contamination of consumed products must be reduced. One of the strategies to secure safe animal products is related to the depuration of contaminated animals. In order to set up this strategy in situ, characterizing CLD distribution and elimination appears to be essential. The aim of this study is to characterize CLD distribution and elimination in ewes, and establish correlations between CLD concentrations in tissues following a continuous oral contamination period and a depuration period. The experiment consisted in a 90-d period of CLD exposure via daily feeding at 0.01 mg kg−1 body weight, followed by a 127-d period of depuration. A total of 24 ewes were sequentially slaughtered and serum, liver, perirenal fat, subcutaneous fat, shaft muscle, longissimus dorsi muscle and heart samples were collected. CLD concentrations in serum and tissues were analyzed by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, respectively. Whatever the time of sampling, CLD concentrations in liver were significantly higher than in other collected tissues. However, the results showed that fat tissues stored the higher portion of CLD body burden, followed by muscle, liver, serum and heart. CLD half-lives did not differ significantly between tissues including serum and ranged between 20.2 ± 4.0 and 24.1 ± 4.9 d. Two linear models were developed to estimate CLD concentration in tissues from a blood sample. This study illustrates the theoretical methodology to estimate the time required to decontaminate farm animals from a blood sample.

Un des aspects de la securite alimentaire est le controle des teneurs en elements-traces des aliments d'origine vegetale (pour l'homme et le betail). Pour assurer de ce point de vue la qualite des denrees, il est necessaire de connaitre les facteurs regissant le transfert des elements traces du sol vers l'organe recolte de la plante, puis ceux qui ont une incidence sur la teneur finale de l'aliment et donc sur l'exposition des consommateurs aux elements-traces. L'objectif principal de cet ouvrage est de faire l'etat de l'art sur le transfert de douze elements-traces (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Tl, Zn) des sols vers les plantes a vocation alimentaire et d'aborder rapidement l'aspect alimentation d'origine vegetale et l'exposition des consommateurs francais aux elements-traces issus des aliments d'origine vegetale. L'interet de ce livre est egalement de servir de manuel de reference pratique dans les domaines suivants : teneurs courantes en elements-traces dans les organes consommes des vegetaux, seuils reglementaires ou recommandes en elements-traces dans les aliments d'origine vegetale, experimentations de plein champ ayant pour but d'etudier le transfert sol- plante des elements-traces.

International audience; The consumption of private hold poultry foodstuffs, escaping of official maximum residue limit (MRL) controls in the commercial foodstuff, is an important exposure way for the local populations to chlordecone on the French West Indies. Therefore, chlordecone contamination of different tissues in 42 birds from 32 private holders was determined depending on the contamination of the soil of the outside plot but also surveying the rearing practices of these holders of both islands. Chlordecone contents in tissues increased rapidly with this of the topsoil of the site. The most sensitive tissues to chlordecone presence were egg yolk and liver, followed by abdominal fat and finally leg tissue. The rearing practices varied between the surveyed private holders of both islands. Nevertheless, practices for the distribution of feed and water as well as covering of soil were hardly protective, what would increase the exposure risk of these birds to this potentially present soil-bound contaminant. Although depuration of birds seems possible, the ongoing modelization of the necessary time to meet MRL thresholds indicates that such time lapse seems hardly compatible with acceptable delays for private holders. Therefore, very protective rearing practices are the main way to obtain poultry foodstuffs compliant to MRL, what seems possible if the topsoil is contaminated at less than 0.1 mg kg(-1) and perhaps up to 0.5 mg kg(-1) if protective practices vis-a-vis of soil exposure are very strict. Nevertheless, a higher contamination of the topsoil seems not compatible with compliant poultry foodstuffs.

The use of chlordecone (CLD), a chlorinated polycyclic pesticide used in the French West Indies banana fields between 1972 and 1993, resulted in a long-term pollution of agricultural areas. It has been observed that this persistent organic pollutant (POP) can transfer from contaminated soils to food chain. Indeed, CLD is considered almost fully absorbed after involuntary ingestion of contaminated soil by outdoor reared animals. The aim of this study was to model toxicokinetics (TKs) of CLD in growing pigs using both non-compartmental and nonlinear mixed-effects approaches (NLME). In this study, CLD dissolved in cremophor was intravenously administrated to 7 Creole growing pigs and 7 Large White growing pigs (1 mg kg−1 body weight). Blood samples were collected from time t = 0 to time t = 84 days. CLD concentrations in serum were measured by GCMS/MS. Data obtained were modeled using Monolix (2019R). Results demonstrated that a bicompartmental model best described CLD kinetics in serum. The influence of covariates (breed, initial weight and average daily gain) was simultaneously evaluated and showed that average daily gain is the main covariate explaining inter-individual TKs parameters variability. Body clearance was of 76.7 mL kg−1 d−1 and steady-state volume of distribution was of 6 L kg−1. This modeling approach constitutes the first application of NLME to study CLD TKs in farm animals and will be further used for rearing management practices in contaminated areas.

International audience; Chlordecone (kepone or CLD) was formerly used in French West Indies as an insecticide. Despite its formal ban in 1993, high levels of this pesticide are still found in soils. As such, sequestering matrices like biochars or activated carbons (ACs) may successfully decrease the bioavailability of halogenated compounds like CLD when added to contaminated soils. The present study intends (i) to produce contrasted sequestering matrices in order to (ii) assess their respective efficiency to reduce CLD environmental availability. Hence, the work was designed following two experimental steps. The first one consisted at producing different sequestering media (biochars and ACs) via pyrolysis and distinct activation processes, using two lignocellulosic precursors (raw biomass): oak wood (Quercus ilex) and coconut shell (Cocos nucifera). The chemical activation was carried out with phosphoric acid while physical activation was done with carbon dioxide and steam. In the second step, the CLD environmental availability was assessed either in an OECD artificial soil or in an Antillean contaminated nitisol (i.e., 2.1-1μg CLD per g of soil dry matter, DM), both amended with 5 wt% of biochar or 5 wt% of AC. These both steps aim to determine CLD environmental availability reduction efficiency of these media when added (i) to a standard soil material or (ii) to a soil representative of the Antillean CLD contamination context. Textural characteristics of the derived coconut and oak biochars and ACs were determined by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. Mixed microporous and mesoporous textures consisting of high pore volume (ranging from 0.38 cm3.g−1 to 2.00 cm3.g−1) and specific (BET) surface areas from 299.9 m2.g−1 to 1285.1 m2.g−1 were obtained. Overall, soil amendment with biochars did not limit CLD environmental availability (environmental availability assay ISO/DIS 16751 Part B). When soil was amended with ACs, a significant reduction of the environmental availability in both artificial and natural soils was observed. AC soil amendment resulted in a reduced CLD transfer by at least 65% (P

International audience; ► Actes de colloque. Recueil de communications sélectionnées dans le cadre du colloque international de recherche interdisciplinaire Transitions Ecologiques en transactions et actions « T2020 », programmé à Toulouse, Université J. Jaurès, en juin 2020.

International audience; Plants were sampled from four different types of chlordecone-contaminated land in Guadeloupe (West Indies). The objective was to investigate the importance of biological and agri-environmental parameters in the ability of plants to bioaccumulate chlordecone. Among the plant traits studied, only the growth habit significantly affected chlordecone transfer, since prostrate plants concentrated more chlordecone than erect plants. In addition, intensification of land use has led to a significant increase in the amount of chlordecone absorbed by plants. The use of Bayesian networks uncovers some hypothesis and identifies paths for reflection and possible studies to identify and quantify relationships that explain our data.

International audience; To reduce the exposure of the French West Indies population to the organochlorine insecticide chlordecone (Kepone; CLD), the contamination of currently consumed foodstuffs must be reduced. Depuration of contaminated animals before slaughter could be a strategy to obtain safe animal products. The aim of this study was to characterize and quantify CLD elimination in contaminated ewes during depuration process. Experiments A and B consisted in a single intravenous (i.v.) administration of CLD (n = 5) and CLDOH (chlordecol; n = 3) followed by a 84-d and 3-d depuration period respectively with collection of blood, faeces and urine samples. After CLD administration, CLD and conjugated-CLDOH (CLDOH-C) were quantified in serum and urine and CLD and CLDOH were quantified in faeces. Based on calculations of faecal, urinary and body clearances of CLD and CLDOH-C, faeces appeared as the major route of CLD excretion with 86 % of the CLD administered dose eliminated in faeces, either as CLD (51 %) or as CLDOH (35 %).

This work aims to valorize an invasive brown macroalga (Sargassum spp. consisting of two species Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans) by producing biochars (BCs) and activated carbons (ACs). Its abundant and frequent occurrence along the Caribbean coastlines, Florida, Gulf of Mexico during the last past nine years, have triggered human health concerns and have negatively impacted local economy, ecology and the environment. In this paper, BCs and ACs were developed to assess the reduction of chlordecone (CLD) environmental availability in artificial and tropical contaminated soils. Such innovative approach was proposed to limit CLD bio-availability to fauna and outdoor reared-animals. The BCs were prepared by pyrolysis at 700 °C while ACs samples by chemical or physical activation. Textural characterization, has evidenced that bi-modal structures with micro- and mesopores, various surface and high pore volumes were successfully obtained. Finally, the environmental availability tests resulted in various ability of BCs or ACs to significantly sequestrate CLD on artificial contaminated soils and on a natural nitisol. In particular, the BCs prepared with a 3 h pyrolysis time, exhibited the highest porosities properties and was the best candidate to efficiently sequestrate CLD in soil samples.

International audience; Gold mining generates trace elements in the environment that are often associated with adverse effects on human health. This study determines trace elements levels in water, soil and plants (Datura inoxia and Calotropis procera) in Komabangou area, the main artisanal gold mining site in Niger. The collected samples were pre-treated before trace element analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for soils samples and by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for waters and plants samples. For soils, concentrations reached up to 555 mg kg(-1) and 468 mg kg(-1) for As and Zn, respectively. In waters, highest levels were observed for Zn (540 mg L-1), followed in decreasing order by Cu (7.4 mg L-1) and Al (4.27 mg L-1). As and Zn concentrations were 134 mg kg(-1) and 388 mg kg(-1); 49 mg kg(-1) and 46 mg kg(-1) respectively in leaves of Datura inoxia and Calotropis procera from gold site, whereas As and Zn, represented only 0.56 mg kg(-1) and 0.48 mg kg(-1); 6.40 mg kg(-1) and 46 mg kg(-1) respectively in leaves of control species. In fact, results obtained revealed both contaminations by trace elements of soil and water for the majority of samples taken in gold zone with an exceeding of limit values recommended by WHO in particular for As, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn. Therefore, the establishment of a monitoring and treatment program for polluted soils and waters in this gold zone would be necessary to preserve human health.

International audience; Fishponds are man-made shallow water bodies that are still little studied because of their small size. They represent high value ecosystems, both environmentally (biodiversity hotspot) and economically (fish production). They can have a high place on the hydrographic network, so their influence on water quality is of first importance for rivers and water bodies located downstream and monitored under the Water Framework Directive. These small water bodies can be a source of contaminants during draining period or an efficient buffer for pesticides. We wanted to evaluate whether these ponds could also be a remediation tool against metals by following the annual evolution of upstream/downstream flows. Cadmium, copper, lead and zinc concentrations were quantified in the dissolved phase upstream and downstream of three ponds, each one having a specific agricultural environment (traditional or organic). Metal concentration was quantified in sediments and water. For the dissolved phase, the predictive non-effect concentration was often exceeded, suggesting an environmental risk. Results highlighted also greater quantity of metals at the downstream of the pond compared to the upstream, suggesting remobilization into the ponds or direct cross-sectional contributions from the watershed (e.g. runoff from crops) or even remobilization. Regarding sediments, minimal contamination was shown but a high mineralogical variability. No buffer effect of ponds, which could reduce the risk of acute or chronic toxicity, was detected.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are widely used and present in human food. Due to the increased susceptibility to pollutants of the young children, we conducted a total diet study focusing on this population. Around 200 baby and common food composite samples, prepared “as consumed”, have been analysed for PFAAS, hexabromocyclododecanes, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and tetrabromobisphenol A. The dietary exposure of 705 children aged 1–36 months was assessed. PFAAS were detected only in one fish sample. Detection rates varied from 4 to 93% for BFRs, depending on the congeners. Regarding the provisional health-based guidance values set by EFSA in 2018 for PFOA and PFOS at 0.8 and 1.8 ng kg bw−1.d−1, respectively, 20–100% of children exceeded them, depending on the age. Efforts should be made to decrease the PFAAs contamination of common foods. This study also highlighted that for other PFAAs, toxicological studies are needed to set dietary health-based guidance values, to assess their related health risk. Conversely, dietary exposures to BRFs were much lower than the respective health based guidance values or margins of safety were high enough, and consequently not considered at-risk due to very low contamination of the infant specific foods.

A total diet study (TDS) was undertaken to estimate the chronic dietary exposure to pesticide residues and health risks for the French infants and young children below 3 years old. As a whole, 516 pesticides and metabolites were analysed in 309 food composite samples including 219 manufactured baby foods and 90 common foods, which cover 97% of infants and young children's diet. These composite samples were prepared using 5,484 food products purchased during all seasons from 2011 to 2012 and processed as consumed. Pesticide residues were detected in 67% of the samples and quantified in 27% of the baby food samples and in 60% of the common foods. Seventy-eight different pesticides were detected and 37 of these quantified at levels ranging from 0.02 to 594 µg/kg. The most frequently detected pesticides (greater than 5% samples) were (1) the fungicides 2-phenylphenol, azoxystrobin, boscalid, captan and its metabolite tetrahydrophthalimide, carbendazim, cyprodinil, difenoconazole, dodine, imazalil, metalaxyl, tebuconazole, thiabendazole, (2) the insecticides acetamiprid, pirimiphos-methyl and thiacloprid, (3) the herbicide metribuzin and (4) the synergist piperonyl butoxide. Dietary intakes were estimated for each of the 705 individuals studied and for 431 pesticides incl. 281 with a toxicological reference value (TRV). In the lower-bound scenario, which tends to underestimate the exposure, the TRV were never exceeded. In the upper-bound scenario that overestimates exposure, the estimated intakes exceeded the TRV for dieldrin and lindane (two persistent organic pollutants) and propylene thiourea, a metabolite of propineb. For these three substances, more sensitive analyses are needed to refine the assessment. For 17 other detected and/or prioritised pesticides, the risk could not be characterised due to the lack of a valid TRV, of certain food analyses or the absence of analytical standards for their metabolites. Keywords: Food safety, Infants and young children, Pesticide residues, Total diet study, Exposure assessment, Risk characterization

Cette etude s’inscrit dans un projet de recherche portant sur l’evaluation des impacts environnementaux et sanitaires de l’orpaillage dans la zone de Komabangou au Niger. L’objectif est de determiner les niveaux de contamination des elements traces dans les sols et d'analyser leur distribution spatiale. Des echantillons des sols ont ete preleves en 2016 dans 27 localites dont 24 sur differents sites de la zone aurifere de Komabangou et 3 sur sites temoins. Les concentrations en elements traces (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb et Zn) dans les sols ont ete determinees par spectrometrie de masse avec plasma a couplage inductif (ICP-MS). La pollution des sols a ete evaluee en calculant les index de pollution (IP) des sols. Les resultats montrent que les concentrations en elements traces metalliques (ETM) dans les sols different en fonction du site et du metal considere. Les cartes de repartition spatiale montrent une importante concentration des elements traces tels que As, Cd, Pb et Zn au centre de la zone aurifere. Plusieurs de ces teneurs en ETM sont superieures aux seuils reglementaires. Aussi sur les 27 sites etudies, 12 ont des valeurs d’IP superieures a 1 revelant ainsi une contamination des sols par plusieurs elements. Ces resultats montrent une accumulation des metaux dans les sols qui peuvent persister dans l’environnement. Cela peut poser de serieux risques sanitaires pour l’Homme. Pour prevenir tout risque, un plan de surveillance de la contamination des sols devrait etre mis en place et il faudrait envisager de traiter les sites pollues. © 2019 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Mots cles : Orpaillage, sols, contamination, elements traces metalliques, valeurs limites, Komabangou, Niger. English Title : Spatial distribution of metallic trace elements in soils of Komabangou gold zone in Niger This study is part of research project on environmental and health impacts of gold mining in Komabangou area of Niger. The objective is to determine pollution levels of trace elements in soils and to analyze their spatial distribution. Soil samples were collected in 2016 at 27 localities, including 24 at different sites in Komabangou gold zone and 3 at control sites. Concentrations of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soils were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Soil pollution was assessed by calculating soil pollution index (PI). The results show that metal trace element concentrations in soils differ depending to the site and the metal. Spatial distribution maps show a high concentration of trace elements such as As, Cd, Pb and Zn in the center of the gold zone. Many concentrations of trace elements in soils are above regulatory thresholds. Also, of the 27 sites studied, 12 have PI values greater than 1, revealing soil contamination by several elements. These results show an accumulation of metals in soils, which can persist in the environment. This can pose serious health risks for humans. To prevent any risk, soil contamination monitoring plan should be put in place and consideration should be given to treating polluted sites. Keywords : Gold panning, soils, contamination, trace elements, limit values, Komabangou, Niger.

International audience; Chlordecone (Kepone) (CLD) is a highly persistent pesticide formerly used in the French West Indies. High levels of this pesticide are still found in soils and represent a subsequent source of contamination for outdoor-reared animals which may ingest involuntary non negligible amounts of soil. In that context, sequestering matrices like activated carbons (ACs) may be used to efficiently decrease the bioavailability of such organic pollutants. The present study intends to assess the respective efficiency of two sequestering strategies where two different ACs were provided either via feed incorporation or via soil amendment. This study involved 20 piglets randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups (4 replicates). All groups were exposed to 10 mu g of CLD per kg of BW per day during 10 days via a contaminated soil. In both "Soil-ACs" treatment groups, the contaminated soil was amended by 2% (mass basis) of one of the two ACs. The two "Feed-ACs" groups received the contaminated soil and one dough ball containing 0.5% (mass basis) of one of the ACs. The piglets were then euthanized before collection of pericaudal adipose tissue and the whole liver and CLD analysis. A significant decrease of CLD concentrations in liver and adipose tissue was observed only in the "Soil-ACs" groups in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001). This decrease was particularly important for the coconut shell activated carbon where relative bioavailability was found lower than 1.8% for both tissues.

International audience; A total diet study (TDS) was conducted between 2010 and 2016 to assess the risk associated with chemicals in food of non-breast-fed children from 1 to 36 months living in France. Food samples were collected, prepared "as consumed", and analyzed for chemicals of public health interest. Acrylamide, furan and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed as heat-induced compounds produced mainly during thermal processing of foods. Dietary exposure was assessed for 705 representative children using food consumptions recorded through a 3-consecutive-days record. As all calculated margins of exposure (MOE) for PAHs exceeded 10 000, dietary exposure of the infant and toddler population was deemed tolerable with regard to the carcinogenic risk. Conversely, the exposure levels to acrylamide and furan were considered as of concern, requiring management measures to reduce the exposure essentially by reducing the formation of heat-induced compounds during food production or preparation processes. Efforts should mainly focus on major contributors to the exposure, i.e. sweet and savoury biscuits and bars, and potatoes and potato products for acrylamide, baby jars of vegetables, with or without meat or fish for acrylamide and furan.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants accumulating along the food chain, and particularly in fish. Consequently, the European Commission has set regulatory limits for PCBs in both sea- and freshwater fish. Focusing on freshwater fish, the French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety has developed a method to determine the areas in France where the consumption of locally caught freshwater fish is not recommended due to PCB contamination. To determine these areas of potential health concern, an existing statistical model of the relationship between the consumption of local fish by freshwater anglers and their PCB body burden is linked to a newly determined critical PCB body burden threshold for the population. The main conclusions of this study are that the consumption of two freshwater fish per week from rivers in the areas of France where the median contamination level in fish is greater than 250 ngg(-1) could lead to some exceedance of the critical body burden threshold.

La grande majorité des populations humaines réside dans les villes en 2018 et cette tendance s’intensifie. Pour répondre aux enjeux de bien-être et santé de ces populations, des projets d’alimentation durable se développent et concernent en particulier les productions de proximité, la reconnexion des consommateurs avec la production des denrées, ainsi que les considérations environnementales. C’est ainsi que des élevages non commerciaux de poules apparaissent en ville, souvent encouragés par les élus ou agences gouvernementales pour réduire aussi les quantités de déchets organiques des ménages. Afin d’inscrire dans une démarche d’amélioration continue ces nouvelles pratiques urbaines qui se démarquent des élevages traditionnels, il convient de les décrire (typologies, pratiques et règlements associés aux poulaillers urbains), puis de cerner les opportunités et les risques environnement-santé liés à ces élevages. C’est l’objectif de cette publication co-écrite par des chercheurs et associations, qui aborde de façon interdisciplinaire (environnement-santé, société, risques et réglementation) les diverses facettes des poulaillers urbains, pour éclairer les différents acteurs concernés et souligner également les lacunes de connaissances à combler. In 2018, the majority of human populations reside in cities and this trend is intensifying. To promote both the well-being and health of these urban populations, sustainable food projects are developing and concern in particular local production, the reconnection of consumers with food production, as well as environmental considerations. Thus, non-commercial urban poultry houses appear, often encouraged by official agencies for environment in order to reduce the amount of organic waste in households. With the aim of continuous improvement, it’s crucial to increase the knowledge about these new urban practices : typologies, practices and regulations associated, then to identify the opportunities and the potential environment-health risks related to these family urban poultry houses. This is the aim of this publication, co-written by researchers and associations, which tackles the various facets of urban poultry houses in an interdisciplinary way (environment-health, society, risks and regulation), in order to enlighten the various actors concerned and also to highlight knowledge gaps to be filled.

A QuEChERS extraction method followed by HPLC-MS/MS analysis was developed to simultaneously analyze chlordecone and its metabolite chlordecol in animal livers. The overall method was validated with accuracy profiles according to the French Standard NF V03-110 and European Union guidelines. The validation was performed on bovine, ovine and porcine liver samples. Linearity, matrix effect, accuracy, within-laboratory repeatability, specificity, LOQ, Q/q relative ion intensities, and uncertainty were reported. Recoveries were between 70% and 120%. LOQs of 1.36 µg chlordecone kg-1 and 2.50 µg chlordecol kg-1 of fresh liver were found. Twelve contaminated livers of bovine, ovine and porcine origin from the French West Indies or samples from in vivo studies were analyzed. In these liver samples from contaminated animals, chlordecone was quantified at concentrations higher than the maximum residue limit and chlordecol in very low amounts in all the samples. In addition, these results confirm that chlordecone can be metabolized in ruminant species.

International audience; Sixteen weaned male Alpine kids (Capra hircus) were subjected to a 21-day oral daily exposure of 0.05 mg kg 1 BW. d 1 of chlordecone (CLD) and 0.30 mg kg 1 BW. d 1 of each non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs, congeners 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180). Four kids, identified as the CONTA group, were slaughtered at the end of the exposure, while the remaining animals (n ¼ 12) were fed with specific diets for an additional 21-day decontamination period before slaughtering. Kids from the DECONTA (n ¼ 4) group were fed a control diet, while those from the AC10% and PO8% group received pellets supplemented with 10% activated carbon (AC) and 8% paraffin oil (PO), respectively. CLD and NDL-PCB levels in blood, liver, peri-renal fat and muscles from different groups were analysed to compare the decontamination dynamics of the pollutants and to determine the efficiency of AC and PO to decrease the body levels of pollutants. After the decontamination period, the CLD levels considerably decreased (more than 60%) in blood, liver, muscles and fat. Concerning NDL-PCBs, the decontamination process was much lower. Overall, CLD appeared to be less retained in kids’ organism compared with NDL-PCBs, and the decontamination dynamics of these pollutants appeared to be different because of their specific physicochemical properties and lipophilicity. Furthermore, the dietary supplementation with AC or PO did not significantly affect the decontamination dynamics.

Chlordecone (CLD) is a Persistent Organic Pollutant used between 1972 until 1993 in the French West Indies (FWI). Due to its persistence and extensive application, a quarter of the total local agricultural acreage is still moderate to heavily polluted. In consequence, livestock may be contaminated at various levels. This is a major public health concern, particularly for local consumers. In order to better understand the fate of CLD in livestock organisms, in vivo studies are required. There is no information available about its metabolism and elimination in ruminants, common livestock in the FWI. To be able to monitor the fate of chlordecone and its metabolites in livestock and to assess if the compounds could be released in the environment, urinary and fecal samples were logically targeted. In order to reach this goal, robust and validated analytical methods are required. For this purpose, Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction methods were validated to analyze CLD and its metabolites in the urine and feces. The analysis was carried using liquid phase chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and validated according to French standard NF V03-110 and SANTE guidelines. Matrix effect, Accuracy, within-laboratory repeatability, specificity, Q/q relative ion intensities and uncertainty were reported. Recoveries between 70% and 120% were obtained from urine and feces. The limits of quantification (LOQ) in urine samples were 0.1 μg CLD L−1, 0.1 μg total CLD (CLD and its conjugates)·L−1, 1.3 μg CLDOH L−1 and 2.4 μg total CLD (chlordecol and its conjugates) L−1 of urine. LOQ in fresh feces were 3.2 μg CLD kg−1 and 5.8 μg CLDOH kg−1. Contaminated urinary and fecal samples from ewes were analyzed to confirm the relevance of the methods. In urine, CLD and conjugated CLDOH could be quantified whereas only free CLD and free CLDOH were found in feces. These methods are essential for future toxicokinetic studies and also to estimate the environmental contamination.

National audience

Deuterium oxide dilution space (DOS) determination is one of the most accurate methods for in vivo estimation of ruminant body composition. However, the time-consuming vacuum sublimation of blood preceding infrared spectroscopy analysis, which is traditionally used to determine deuterium oxide (DO) concentration, limits its current use. The use of isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to determine the deuterium enrichment and thus quantify DO in plasma could counteract this limitation by reducing the sample preparation for plasma deproteinisation through centrifugal filters. The aim of this study was to validate the DOS technique using IRMS in growing goat kids to establish in vivo prediction equations of body composition. Seventeen weaned male Alpine goat kids (8.6 wk old) received a hay-based diet supplemented with 2 types of concentrates providing medium ( = 9) or high ( = 8) energy levels. Kids were slaughtered at 14.0 ( = 1, medium-energy diet), 17.2 ( = 4, medium-energy diet, and = 4, high-energy diet), or 21.2 wk of age ( = 4, medium-energy diet, and = 4, high-energy diet). Two days before slaughter, DOS was determined after an intravenous injection of 0.2 g DO/kg body mass (BM) and the resulting study of DO dilution kinetics from 4 plasma samples (+5, +7, +29, and +31 h after injection). The deuterium enrichment was analyzed by IRMS. After slaughter, the gut contents were discarded, the empty body (EB) was minced, and EB water, lipid, protein, ash, and energy contents were measured by chemical analyses. Prediction equations for body components measured postmortem were computed from in vivo BM and DOS. The lack of postmortem variation of fat-free EB composition was confirmed (mean of 75.3% [SD 0.6] of water), and the proportion of lipids in the EB tended ( = 0.06) to be greater for the high-energy diet (13.1%) than for the medium-energy diet (11.1%). There was a close negative relationship (residual CV [rCV] = 3.9%, = 0.957) between EB water and lipid content, whereas DOS was closely related to total body water (rCV = 2.9%, = 0.944) but DOS overestimated it by 5.8%. Adding DOS to BM improved the in vivo predictions of EB lipid and energy content (rCV = 13.1% and rCV = 7.9%, respectively) but not those of protein or ash. Accuracy of the obtained prediction equations was similar to those reported in studies determining DOS by infrared spectroscopy. Therefore, the use of IRMS to quantify DOS provides a highly accurate measure of the in vivo body composition in goat kids.

International audience; Shells fired during World War I exhibited different explosive compounds and some of these weapons also contained a wide variety of chemical warfare agents. At the end of the war, for safety purposes, the large quantity of weapons remaining on the former front needed to be dismantled and destroyed. A large amount of the remaining shells was destroyed in specific sites which led to the contamination of the surroundings in Belgium and France.In the 1920s, 1.5 million chemical shells and 30,000 explosive shells were destroyed in a place close to the city of Verdun, in the East of France. In this paper, the risk for human health related to the consumption of foodstuffs produced on this site was assessed. To this end, food products of plant and animal origin were sampled in 2015-2016 and contaminant analyses were conducted. Human exposure was assessed using a specifically built methodology. The contaminants considered in this study were trace elements (TEs - primarily Zn, As, Pb and Cd), nitroaromatic explosives (trinitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2-amino-4,6-dinitroluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene), phenylarsenic compounds including diphenylarsinic acid and triphenylarsine, perchlorate, tetrabromoethane and vinyl bromide. Depending on the compound, different approaches were used to assess the risk for both adults and children.Exposure to these contaminants through the consumption of foodstuffs produced locally on the considered site was unlikely to be a health concern. However, as for inorganic arsenic, given the presence of highly contaminated zones, it was suggested that cereals should not be grown on certain plots.

The former use of chlordecone (CLD) in the French West Indies has resulted in long-term pollution of soils. CLD is known to be potentially transferred towards animal products of animals reared outdoors, mainly through accidental soil ingestion. Several studies indicate that soil bound CLD is bioavailable when administered to farm animals. Currently there is a need to quantify the level of CLD absorption and its toxicokinetic characteristics in the ruminant and particularly in the goat. These are considered as important farm species in the French West Indies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the absorption rate and the half-life of CLD in the non-lactating goat. The goats were administered either intravenously (i.v., n = 6) or orally (p.o., n = 6) one dose (1 mg kg −1 body weight) of CLD. Blood samples were collected at defined times up to 160 days post-dosing. CLD was analyzed in serum by high-resolution gas chromatography. A comparison of the area under the serum concentration-time curves (AUC) showed that the i.v. route is equivalent to the oral route. Thus, CLD is considered almost completely absorbed after p.o. administration, as shown by the mean absolute bioavailability. The comparison between the pharmacokinetic profiles of CLD following oral and intravenous dose showed a difference during the first 14 days and a similar kinetic after this period. The half-life of CLD in serum was close to 20 days. These results highlight a possible strategy of decontamination due to the short half-life of CLD, obtained in dry goats that did not excrete fat matter.

International audience; Perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanol based phosphate diester (SAmPAP) is a potential perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS) precursor. To examine whether SAmPAP exposure would result in fish contamination by perfluoro and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), juvenile Eurasian perch were dietarily exposed to this compound (dosed group) or exposed to the same tank water but fed control feed (control group). SAmPAP and metabolites were monitored in the muscle, liver, and serum during the 45-day exposure phase and 35-day depuration phase. SAMPAP' was only detected in the dosed group and the absorption efficiency (0.04-2.25%) was very low, possibly related to its low-bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract, steric constraints in crossing biological membranes, and clearing by enterohepatic circulation. Although SAmPAP was biotransformed and eliminated at a slow rate (t(1/2). > 18 days), its biomagnification factor was low. The observed metabolites in fish were N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonamide, and PFOS. Considering that SAmPAP was the only source of PFASS in the tanks, the occurrence of Metabolites indicates that SAmPAP could be biotransfOrmed in fish and contribute to PFOS bioaccumulation. However, levels of metabolites were not significantly different in the dosed and control groups, indicating that metabolite excretion followed by re -exposure to these metabolites from water was the main uptake route. (GRAPHICS)

Soil is the main matrix which contributes to the transfer of environmental pollutants to animals and consequently into the food chain. In the French West Indies, chlordecone, a very persistent organochlorine pesticide, has been widely used on banana growing areas and this process has resulted in a long-term pollution of the corresponding soils. Domestic outside-reared herbivores are exposed to involuntary soil intake, and tethered grazing commonly used in West Indian systems can potentially favour their exposure to chlordecone. Thus, it appears necessary to quantify to what extent grazing conditions will influence soil intake. This experiment consisted of a cross-over design with two daily herbage allowance (DHA) grazed alternatively. Six young Creole bulls were distributed into two groups (G1 and G2) according to their BW. The animals were individually tethered and grazed on a restrictive (RES) or non-restrictive (NRES) levels of DHA during two successive 10-days periods. Each bull progressed on a new circular area every day. The two contrasting levels of DHA (P0.05) due to the lower DMI of RES compared with NRES treatment.

Laying hens are likely to be exposed to a wide range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). To improve the safety of poultry farming systems in terms of POPs, the present research focused on assessing the impact of physiological characteristics of the hen on the transfer of ingested PCBs to eggs. Modeling was used as a research tool to explore the impact of some physiological characteristics on the transfer of PCBs in the laying hen. The mathematical model simulates the dynamics of the size of the lipid compartments in the animal and the frequency of laying, with the PCB concentrations in egg yolk and adipose tissue being model outputs. Simulations were run to assess effects of animal characteristics on the transfer of PCBs to eggs. Laying rate proportionally influenced the PCB level of eggs and adipose tissue at steady state. Body fat diluted absorbed PCBs in the absence of laying and significantly influenced the decontamination rate of tissues during depuration after an exposure period. Application of the present model to actual exposure cases highlights its value in improving the support of risk management in livestock farming. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:173-183. (c) 2014 SETAC