L’argent (Ag, Nanoag) comme contaminant émergent dans l’estuaire de la Gironde : Evaluations scientifiques et gouvernance des risques

Cet article présente les résultats d'une recherche pluridisciplinaire (géochimie, sociologie) portant sur l'accroissement observé des concentrations d'argent sous la forme particulaire et nanoparticulaire (Ag et nanoAg) dans les milieux aquatiques de l'estuaire de la Gironde. Il propose conjointement d'analyser les risques d'une contamination des milieux aquatiques par l'argent et d'observer le processus de construction sociale et politique de ce risque par les gestionnaires de l'eau, les autorités sanitaires, les agences et comités d'expertise et d'évaluation des risques, des associations environnementales et des industriels utilisateurs d'argent. La mise à jour de quatre types de construction du risque permet de comprendre les différentes logiques d'argumentation mobilisées. Cette coopération scientifique pluridisciplinaire ouvre des perspectives sur les problématiques santé-environnement en diffusant des savoirs pour l'action et en favorisant la réflexivité des acteurs locaux confrontés au problème émergent de la concentration de l'argent dans les milieux aquatiques. / This article presents the results of multidisciplinary research (geochemistry, sociology) into the increasing concentrations of silver (Ag and nanoAg) in the environment and their potential impact on aquatic environments. We investigate simultaneously the risk of contamination of these environments by silver and the process of the social and political construction of this risk by water managers, health authorities, agencies and committees responsible for expert evaluations, environmental associations, and potential users of silver or nano-silver. Four updated models of risk construction allow us to understand the logic of arguments mobilized at this stage of the emerging risk. This interdisciplinary cooperation opens up possibilities for dealing with some environmental health issues; it highlights the benefits of an approach aiming to disseminate knowledge to enable action and to promote awareness and analysis by the local stakeholders and officials who face this emerging problem

Assessment of the effects of Cu and Ag in oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) using a battery of cell and tissue level biomarkers

International audienceOysters are considered sentinel organisms in environmental water quality monitoring programs in which cell and tissue level biomarkers are reliable tools. Copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) are present in relatively high concentrations in several estuaries, potentially affecting environmental and human health. Crassostrea gigas oysters were exposed during 28 days to a range of environmentally relevant concentrations of Cu and Ag alone or in mixture. Effects were studied through cell and tissue level biomarkers approach. Results indicated: changes in the Condition Index (CI), altered digestive gland epithelium and presence of histopathological alterations in the gonad and digestive gland of exposed oysters. A time-dependent increase in lipofuscin contents in exposed oysters and an increase in intralysosomal metal accumulation in digestive cells through the experiment were also recorded. The Integrative Biological Response (IBR) Index showed that even at low exposure levels, Ag and Cu can produce alterations on oysters’ health status. © 2016 Elsevier Lt

Impact écotoxicologiques et économiques des phénomènes de sous-oxygénation et de pollution des estuaires sur l'anguille européenne (Anguilla anguilla)?

International audienc

Collaborative study for the detection of toxic compounds in shellfish extracts using cell-based assays. Part I: screening strategy and pre-validation study with lipophilic marine toxins

Human poisoning due to consumption of seafood contaminated with phycotoxins is a worldwide problem, and routine monitoring programs have been implemented in various countries to protect human consumers. Following successive episodes of unexplained shellfish toxicity since 2005 in the Arcachon Bay on the French Atlantic coast, a national research program was set up to investigate these atypical toxic events. Part of this program was devoted to fit-for-purpose cell-based assays (CBA) as complementary tools to collect toxicity data on atypical positive-mouse bioassay shellfish extracts. A collaborative study involving five laboratories was conducted. The responses of human hepatic (HepG2), human intestinal (Caco2), and mouse neuronal (Neuro2a) cell lines exposed to three known lipophilic phycotoxins-okadaic acid (OA), azaspiracid-1 (AZA1), and pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2)-were investigated. A screening strategy composed of standard operating procedures and a decision tree for dose-response modeling and assay validation were designed after a round of "trial-and-error" process. For each toxin, the shape of the concentration-response curves and the IC(50) values were determined on the three cell lines. Whereas OA induced a similar response irrespective of the cell line (complete sigmoid), PTX2 was shown to be less toxic. AZA1 induced cytotoxicity only on HepG2 and Neuro2a, but not on Caco2. Intra- and inter-laboratory coefficients of variation of cell responses were large, with mean values ranging from 35 to 54 % and from 37 to 48 %, respectively. Investigating the responses of the selected cell lines to well-known toxins is the first step supporting the use of CBA among the panel of methods for characterizing atypical shellfish toxicity. Considering these successful results, the CBA strategy will be further applied to extracts of negative, spiked, and naturally contaminated shellfish tissues