Papers by Philippe Le Coustumer
For the fulfillment of the thirsty ambition of self-sufficiency of the Soviets for cotton product... more For the fulfillment of the thirsty ambition of self-sufficiency of the Soviets for cotton production, the arid Central Asian region and in particular Uzbekistan has been extensively exploited. In fact, vast tracts of deserts have been converted into irrigated agricultural lands without proper consideration to environment and technical standards. As a result trends in natural resource degradation (soil salinity, desertification, water quality) as well as declining crop yields have dramatically increased. The agricultural sector is the backbone for employment, food security and export revenues of the Central Asian countries. Since the independence of the Central Asian countries (after the breakup of the former Soviet Union) the situation has changed dramatically in terms of institutional, political and technical systems. Political transition, which is defined as a shift from once planned centralized economy to a market-driven one, has introduced 'new' concepts like land tenure, water rights and different kinds of ownership. All of such transformations have impacted the agricultural production in Central Asia. The institutional change can be described as decentralization of the farming systems i.e., transition from the former state collective farms into the smaller forms of private farms. The institutional interventions are aimed to increase agricultural production through improving water management. It is arguable that private production systems are the most effective business driven forces but the situation is quite different in Central Asia due to the irrigated agriculture. The biggest challenge for a sustainable irrigated agricultural production lies in the recent reforms of water management sector in Central Asia and Uzbekistan. The water users associations have been established for replacing the former collective farming systems for irrigation water distribution and maintenance of irrigation infrastructures at on-farm level. The intention of the national government was to shift the operation, maintenance and management of irrigation infrastructures to non government institutions (decentralization). However, these institutions have not fulfilled their promising tasks because of i) a rapid increase of number of private farms along canals; ii) the cropping structure is mosaic with different crop water requirements against the former monoculture; iii) a poor financial, trained and technical capacities of new established institutions; iv) a state ordered agricultural production quota system (for cotton and wheat). This paper analyzes the historical aspects of transformation in the farming production institutions in Central Asia with special focus on Uzbekistan and comprehensively overviews the main current challenges facing the farming system and potential opportunities for reversing the situation.
Journal of Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences
In 2014, the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Agenc... more In 2014, the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation de l'environnement et du travail) in its annual report wrote: "Nanomaterials can be absorbed by the body and migrate to other organs, leading to a potential systemic risk.
Frontiers in Water
One of the most serious problems affecting coastal aquifers is seawater intrusion. Senegal is cur... more One of the most serious problems affecting coastal aquifers is seawater intrusion. Senegal is currently facing an increased demand for freshwater resources due to population growth and economic development in coastal areas. In areas affected by saltwater contamination, chloride concentrations as high as 8880 mg/L were measured in groundwater samples taken from wells near the coastal zone, indicating deterioration in water quality. Our study aims to identify the zones of degradation of the water quality by determining the chemical composition of groundwater and the geochemical processes controlling the chemical patterns. Hydrogeochemical (Piper and Chadha diagrams, chloroalkaline indices, normalized bivariate plots) and multivariate statistical (Hierarchical cluster analyses) techniques were used. Forty-two groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for concentrations of major and some minor ions, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), temperature, and pH. F...
Frontiers in Environmental Science
Plastics are widely used in every part of life. Microplastics (MPs) are classified as emerging co... more Plastics are widely used in every part of life. Microplastics (MPs) are classified as emerging contaminants in nature. Yet, microplastic transportation parameters in groundwater are not characterized well. In this study, microplastic transport in saturated homogeneous media was investigated. For this purpose, one-dimensional column tests were performed using the fluorescent and microplastic tracers to figure out the hydrodynamic conditions for the microplastic transport. Large silica, small silica, sand, and coarse gravel were the tested media. The hydrodynamic transport parameters were calculated by inverse solution methodology using the experimental and the analytical solution results. Only the coarse gravel medium with a minimum 1 mm and maximum 20 mm (5 mm of median) pore sizes and kinematic porosity 40.2% were found to be suitable for the transport of the used polyethylene (PE) whose particle size was between 200 and 500 µm. It is not possible to transport PE particles of selec...
As for most Mediterranean countries, groundwater is the main resource for irrigation and drinking... more As for most Mediterranean countries, groundwater is the main resource for irrigation and drinking supply in most parts of Syria, however this resource suffers from mismanagement. In the study area (Northeast of Mt. Hermon), the lack of information makes water management in this area extremely difficult. Assessing groundwater pollution risk is the most essential issue for water resources management, especially in the regions where complex interaction between climate, geology, geomorphology, hydrogeology, water scarcity and water resource mismanagement exist. This complexity leads to significant complication in determining pollution risk of studied system. In the present work, we adopted an Integrative Approach to assess groundwater pollution risk in the study area. This methodology is based on the analysis of hydrogeological characteristic of aquifer system and the available information about socio-economic context and physio-chemical groundwater condition that might affect this syst...
International Journal of Education, 2017
Ibuprofen is one of the pharmaceutical drugs that can be obtained over the counter in the Philipp... more Ibuprofen is one of the pharmaceutical drugs that can be obtained over the counter in the Philippines. It is widely used for easing inflammation and pain. The Pasig River situated in a highly industrialized and urbanized area in the Philippines was studied. This is in order to know if Ibuprofen can be detected in this natural aqueous milieu using in-situ passive probe (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler or POCIS). This river is facing a lot of challenges with regard to the sewage systems and waste water treatments. This study shows the occurrence of the Ibuprofen in the important river of the capital of the country. Despite, different physico-chemical conditions of the Pasig River, Ibuprofen was still present. Compared to the concentrations found in the literatures, for a river, the concentration presented is high. Ibuprofen as an emerging pollutant can pose significant environmental concerns in terms its persistence and exposure of the microorganisms in this aquatic system....
Emergent Contaminants (ECs) including nanoparticles (NPs) are preoccupation cause for concern for... more Emergent Contaminants (ECs) including nanoparticles (NPs) are preoccupation cause for concern for the scientific community, industrials, territorial communities and the general public. High production volume, potential release from consumer product, environmental exposure, we need to measure the environmental concentrations of NPs and their behavior in natural waters. This is too complicated given the complexity of natural particles and the similarity of Engineering NanoParticles (ENPs) with Natural NanoParticles (NNPs) called here NPs. Thus, we need new methods/protocols dedicated to NPs as ECs which cover the sampling strategy, the analysis and the data valorization using new approaches, theory, paradigms! Our objective is to propose a global approach addressing the above mentioned concerns conveying: sampling, analysis and concept(s) dedicated to Metallic Trace Elements (MTEs) and Nanoparticles (NPs). • Sampling: A crucial point due to the representativeness of the samples regard...
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2018
This long-term field trial aimed at remediating a Cu-contaminated soil to promote crop production... more This long-term field trial aimed at remediating a Cu-contaminated soil to promote crop production and soil functions at a former wood preservation site. Twenty-eight field plots with total topsoil Cu in the 198-1,169 mg kg -1 range were assessed. Twenty-four plots (OMDL) were amended in 2008 with a compost (made of pine bark chips and poultry manure, OM, 5% w/w) and dolomitic limestone (DL, 0.2%), and thereafter annually phytomanaged with a sunflower-tobacco crop rotation. In 2013, one untreated plot (UNT) was amended with a green waste compost (GW, 5%) whereas 12 former OMDL plots received a second compost dressing using this green waste compost (OM2DL, 5%). In 2011, one plot was amended with the Carmeuse basic slag (CAR, 1%) and another plot with a P-spiked Linz-Donawitz basic slag (PLD, 1%). Thus six soil treatments, i.e., UNT, OMDL, OM2DL, GW, CAR, and PLD, were cultivated in 2016 with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv Ethic). Shoots were harvested and their ionome analyzed. At high soil Cu contamination, the 1M NH 4 NO 3 -extractable vs. total soil Cu ratio ranked in decreasing order: Unt (2.35) > CAR (1.02), PLD (0.83) > GW (0.58), OMDL (0.44), OM2DL (0.37), indicating a lower Cu extractability in the compost-amended plots. All amendments improved the soil nutrient status and the soil pH, which was slightly acidic in the UNT soil. Total organic C and N and extractable P contents peaked in the OM2DL soils. Both OMDL and OM2DL treatments led to higher shoot DW yields and Cu removals than the GW, CAR, and PLD treatments. Shoot DW yields decreased as total topsoil Cu rose in the OMDL plots, on the contrary to the OM2DL plots, demonstrating the benefits to repeat compost application after 5 years. Shoot Cu concentrations notably of OMDL and OM2DL plants fitted into their common range and can be used by biomass Mench et al. Phytomanagement of Cu-Contaminated Soils processing technologies and oilseeds as well. In overall, there is a net gain in soil physico-chemical properties and underlying soil functions. -Compost incorporated into Cu-contaminated soils improves the sunflower growth. -Soil organic matter increases in compost-amended soils. -Extractable soil Cu decreases in compost-amended soils. -Shoot Cu removal by sunflower reaches 26-88 g Cu ha -1 year -1 .
Talanta, 2019
Three methods of membrane separation by dead-end, tangential, and centrifugal ultrafiltration (UF... more Three methods of membrane separation by dead-end, tangential, and centrifugal ultrafiltration (UF) were considered in order to understand the physicochemical phenomena occurring during the preconcentration of the colloidal phase of soil water. The analytical approach used involved dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), determination of total organic carbon (TOC-metry) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mass amounts of the major components of the colloidal phase, i.e. Al, Fe and total organic carbon (TOC), as well as the mass amount of uranium considered as a trace element of environmental interest, were determined, both in soil water, and in the concentrates (i.e. retentates) and filtrates of this water obtained by the 3 methods tested. Dead-end ultrafiltration led to an enlargement of the size distribution towards larger sizes because of agglomeration/aggregation phenomena. This method also generated enrichment of concentrates, in particular in organic matter. The consequence was that large structures were observed coating or embedding the particles initially present individually dispersed in the test sample. The mass amounts of elements and TOC increased more importantly than expected, which confirmed the enrichment of the concentrates from the dissolved phase probably by sorption on colloidal objects. To a lesser extent similar effects were observed after tangential ultrafiltration. Such phenomena were not observed after centrifugal ultrafiltration. From a practical point of view, both tangential and centrifugal ultrafiltration proved to be both the most practical and the best suited for the preconcentration of soil water sample. Finally, centrifugal ultrafiltration has proved to be the best compromise given the preservation of colloidal particles and method practicality.
Particle and Fibre Toxicology, 2017
Background: Lead is well known environmental pollutant, which can cause toxic effects in multiple... more Background: Lead is well known environmental pollutant, which can cause toxic effects in multiple organ systems. However, the influence of lead oxide nanoparticles, frequently emitted to the environment by high temperature technological processes, is still concealed. Therefore, we investigate lead oxide nanoparticle distribution through the body upon their entry into lungs and determine the microscopic and ultramicroscopic changes caused by the nanoparticles in primary and secondary target organs. Methods: Adult female mice (ICR strain) were continuously exposed to lead oxide nanoparticles (PbO-NPs) with an average concentration approximately 10 6 particles/cm 3 for 6 weeks (24 h/day, 7 days/week). At the end of the exposure period, lung, brain, liver, kidney, spleen, and blood were collected for chemical, histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analyses. Results: Lead content was found to be the highest in the kidney and lungs, followed by the liver and spleen; the smallest content of lead was found in brain. Nanoparticles were located in all analysed tissues and their highest number was found in the lung and liver. Kidney, spleen and brain contained lower number of nanoparticles, being about the same in all three organs. Lungs of animals exposed to lead oxide nanoparticles exhibited hyperaemia, small areas of atelectasis, alveolar emphysema, focal acute catarrhal bronchiolitis and also haemostasis with presence of siderophages in some animals. Nanoparticles were located in phagosomes or formed clusters within cytoplasmic vesicles. In the liver, lead oxide nanoparticle exposure caused hepatic remodeling with enlargement and hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes, centrilobular hypertrophy of hepatocytes with karyomegaly, areas of hepatic necrosis, occasional periportal inflammation, and extensive accumulation of lipid droplets. Nanoparticles were accumulated within mitochondria and peroxisomes forming aggregates enveloped by an electron-dense mitochondrial matrix. Only in some kidney samples, we observed areas of inflammatory infiltrates around renal corpuscles, tubules or vessels in the cortex. Lead oxide nanoparticles were dispersed in the cytoplasm, but not within cell organelles. There were no significant morphological changes in the spleen as a secondary target organ. Thus, pathological changes correlated with the amount of nanoparticles found in cells rather than with the concentration of lead in a given organ.
Environmental science and pollution research international, Jan 10, 2018
This study investigates the spatiotemporal variability of major and trace elements, dissolved org... more This study investigates the spatiotemporal variability of major and trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in surface waters of several hydrosystems of the Loire River watershed in France. In particular, this study aims to delineate the impact of the abovementioned water physicochemical parameters on natural iron and manganese physical speciation (homoaggregation/heteroaggregation) among fine colloidal and dissolved (< 10 nm), colloidal (10-450 nm) and particulate (> 450 nm) phases in Loire River watershed. Results show that the chemistry of the Loire River watershed is controlled by two end members: magmatic and metamorphic petrographic context on the upper part of the watershed; and sedimentary rocks for the middle and low part of the Loire. The percentage of particulate Fe and Mn increased downstream concurrent with the increase in SPM and major cations concentration, whereas the percentage of col...
Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2015
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2015
The spatio-temporal trend of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in a tropical urban 3 ... more The spatio-temporal trend of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in a tropical urban 3 estuary under the influence of monsoon was determined using Diffusive Gradient in Thin 4 Films (DGT) in situ samplers. Three (3) different climatic periods were observed: Period 1-5 dry with dredging activity; Period 2-intermediate meaning from dry to wet event; and Period 6 3-wet having continuous rainfall. Conforming to monsoon regimes, these periods correspond 7 to the following: transition from winter to summer; winter; and summer monsoons, 8 respectively. The distinction of each period is defined by their specific hydrological and 9 physico-chemical conditions. 10 Substantial concentrations of the trace metals were detected. The distribution and trend 11 of the trace metals under the challenge of a tropical climate were able to follow using DGT as 12 a sensitive in situ sampler. In order to identify the differences among periods statistical 13 analyses were performed. This allowed discriminating Period 2 (oxic water) as significantly 14 different compared to other periods. The spatio-temporal analysis was then applied in order to 15 distinguish the trend of the trace metals. Results showed that the trend of trace metals can be 16 described according to their response to: (i) seasonal variations (Cd and Cr); (ii) spatio-17 temporal conditions (Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb); and (iii) neither (i) nor (ii) meaning exhibiting no 18 response or having constant change (Zn). The correlation of the trace metals and the physico-19 chemical parameters reveals that Cd, Co, Cu, and Cr are proportional to the dissolved oxygen 20 (DO); Cd and Ni are correlated pH; and Zn lightly influenced by salinity.
Environmental Science: Nano, 2014
One major concern in the fate of nanomaterials in aquatic systems is the lack of data on nanomate... more One major concern in the fate of nanomaterials in aquatic systems is the lack of data on nanomaterial transformations under relevant environmental conditions. The disagglomeration of aggregates composed of manufactured anatase titanium dioxide nanoparticles is investigated here in the presence of alginate and Suwannee River humic acids at varying concentrations using dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic measurements. Stability of TiO 2 nanoparticle agglomerates at typical environmental concentrations of natural organic matter is discussed at a pH value corresponding to the point of zero charge of TiO 2 nanoparticles. In this scenario, the surface charge of TiO 2 is neutralized, allowing the nanoparticles to form large agglomerates. Alginate and Suwannee River humic acids exhibit a negative structural charge under this pH condition and adsorption of both natural polyelectrolytes on the surface of nanoparticle agglomerates leads to disagglomeration and significant redispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles into fragments. Results indicate that both electrostatic forces and steric interactions play key roles during the disagglomeration process and that the physicochemical properties of natural organic matter are found to influence the kinetics and importance of fragmentation in the disagglomeration process. Most importantly, our data indicate that the presence of natural organic matter at typical environmental concentrations induces significant disagglomeration of large submicron nanoparticle agglomerates. Such a result constitutes an important outcome with regards to the risk associated with manufactured nanoparticles by including the possible transformations of the micron size range structures they can form. One of the main problems in the ecological risk assessment of nanomaterials is the lack of important information on their environmental (bio)physicochemical transformations. The disagglomeration of manufactured titanium dioxide nanoparticles is investigated here in the presence of alginate and Suwannee River humic acids at realistic environmental concentrations. Under such concentration conditions, the adsorption of these compounds is found to induce disagglomeration and significant redispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles into fragments. Such a result constitutes an important outcome with regards to the risk associated with manufactured nanoparticles by considering one important life-cycle transformation of micron size range structures composed of nanoparticles in aquatic systems.
The aim of this study is to prepare a novel compound based on dextran coated hydroxyapatite (DHAp... more The aim of this study is to prepare a novel compound based on dextran coated hydroxyapatite (DHAp) nanoparticles as adsorption material for lead removal in aqueous solutions. Removal experiments of Pb 2+ ions were carried out in aqueous solutions with controlled Pb 2+ content at pH ~ 6. The structure and the composition of the dextran coated hydroxyapatite composite were determined by Xray diffraction measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The diffraction patterns show that HAp nanoparticles were successfully coated with dextran without any structural changes. HAp coated with dextran composite is transformed into DHAp_Pb via the adsorption of Pb 2+ ions followed by the cation exchange reaction.
The increased share of groundwater use for irrigation is observed in the Amu Darya River Basin du... more The increased share of groundwater use for irrigation is observed in the Amu Darya River Basin due to deteriorated and worn-out surface irrigation systems, recent droughts and high mineralization levels of surface water. This paper discusses the extent of groundwater resources, use and management in Amu Darya River Basin. As a consequence of increased surface irrigation and leaching, groundwater level has increased over great areas in lower reaches of the Basin and second salinization has been documented. Agriculture sector is the dominant sector of economy in the basin countries currently employing up to 40-50% of the total population, contributing to 28-50% of countries GDP. Because of that major role in the economy of Central Asian countries, it is for sure that in the futur more groundwater will be pumped out to meet the increasing demand.
Problématique Sols Caractéristiques des sols Caractéristiques des solutions de sols Site Conc... more Problématique Sols Caractéristiques des sols Caractéristiques des solutions de sols Site Conclusions
The Scientific World Journal, 2014
In this work, the preparation and characterization of silver doped hydroxyapatite thin films were... more In this work, the preparation and characterization of silver doped hydroxyapatite thin films were reported and their antimicrobial activity was characterized. Silver doped hydroxyapatite (Ag:HAp) thin films coatings substrate was prepared on commercially pure Si disks by sol-gel method. The silver doped hydroxyapatite thin films were characterized by various techniques such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy Dispersive X-ray attachment (X-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). These techniques have permitted the structural and chemical characterisation of the silver doped hydroxyapatite thin films. The antimicrobial effect of the Ag:HAp thin films onEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureusbacteria was then investigated. This is the first study on the antimicrobial effect of Ag:HAp thin films obtained by sol-gel method. The results of this study have shown that the Ag:HAp thin films withxAg=0.5ar...
Nanoscale Research Letters, 2012
Ag-doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (Ag:HAp-NPs) (Ca10-xAgx(PO4)6(OH)2,xAg = 0.... more Ag-doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (Ag:HAp-NPs) (Ca10-xAgx(PO4)6(OH)2,xAg = 0.05, 0.2, and 0.3) with antibacterial properties are of great interest in the development of new products. Coprecipitation method is a promising route for obtaining nanocrystalline Ag:HAp with antibacterial properties. X-ray diffraction identified HAp as an unique crystalline phase in each sample. The calculated lattice constants ofa = b = 9.435 Å,c = 6.876 Å forxAg = 0.05,a = b = 9.443 Å,c = 6.875 Å forxAg = 0.2, anda = b = 9.445 Å,c = 6.877 Å forxAg = 0.3 are in good agreement with the standard ofa = b = 9.418 Å,c = 6.884 Å (space group P63/m). The Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra of the sintered HAp show the absorption bands characteristic to hydroxyapatite. The Ag:HAp nanoparticles are evaluated for their antibacterial activity againstStaphylococcus aureus,Klebsiella pneumoniae,Providencia stuartii,Citrobacter freundiiandSerratia marcescens. The results showed that the ant...
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Papers by Philippe Le Coustumer