THEME 5: COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Seawater, underground water and surface water all contain dissolved chemical substances which require monitoring. The EU Water Framework Directive and future directives on underground waters and soils, which aim to re-establish the sound ecological and chemical status of aquatic habitats, demand deployment of effective tools for detecting even trace elements of pollutants. For drinking water controls alone, 12 800 surface water collection points must be monitored – and of course equipped – at a national level. The demand for sampling personnel runs into several thousands for the ten years ahead.

STRACES passive sensors make it possible to push back the boundaries of what it is currently possible to achieve in the way of sampling. Placed in a permanently submerged location, the sensors continuously extract even tiny doses of pollutants using absorbent materials. They are regularly inspected and the results analysed in the laboratory. Given established factors such as period of immersion, water temperature and extent of diffusion layer, the concentration of contaminant in the water can be calculated. An innovative method of field analysis using a spectrometer adapted for the marine environment and developed by IFREMER will also be trialled.

These different techniques will enable not only the more familiar pollutants such as heavy metals, polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) to be detected, but also endocrine disrupters and pharmaceutical residues present as trace elements in water and still demonstrating biological activity.

Ultimately, the deployment of automatic field samplers with the potential to signal an alert, should for example a gust of wind stir up polluted sediment, will lead to genuine routine surveillance of these traces at critical points, such as water catchments, treatment plant discharge outlets, sensitive coastal ecosystems (oyster farms), polluting wrecks, etc.

STRACES PROJECT PARTNERS

Companies 

• Anjou Recherche Maisons Laffitte (78) – The Veolia Environnement chemical analysis lab is a world leader in the analysis of organic micro and macro pollution particularly in mud, waste water, industrial effluent and drinking water.
• FR Environnement Nautique in Douarnenez (29) is a small business specialising in environmentally friendly harbour planning relating to the sailing industry. As partner and consultant for blue flag initiatives, the company is involved in treatment processes for technical and dry dock facilities and catchment basins.

Research centres

• BRGM in Orléans (45) is project co-ordinator and is a key player in the water-related sector and in the characterisation and monitoring of pollution.
• IFREMER in Brest is also co-ordinating the project which involves three of its departments, namely “Technologie des Systèmes Instrumentaux” (TSI – Instrumentation Systems Technology), “Bio-géochimie et Eco-toxicologie” (BE – Biogeochemistry and Ecotoxicology) and “Essais et Recherche Technologique” (ERT – Technology Testing and Research). A team from the Toulon centre is responsible for part of the development and specific appraisals relating to the Mediterranean.
• CEDRE Brest, a technical and scientific research centre, provides advice and support to the French authorities relating to accidental water pollution. It is developing research programmes designed to improve measures for preventing and combating pollution spills.

Contacts

marie-marguerite.bourbigot@pole-mer-bretagne.com
jacques.legrand@pole-mer-bretagne.com