POLLUTION OF SOILS, SUBSURFACE AND ASSOCIATED WATERS
UNDERSTANDING AND REMEDIATION TO SOIL, SURBSURFACE AND GROUNDWATER POLLUTION
In France, more than 4,000 sites are polluted by heavy metals (lead, copper, chromium …), hydrocarbons, or organochlorine compounds (pesticides, solvents …). Decontaminating them is a major challenge for our environment. The identification and quantification of pollution as well as the prediction of the potential impact are essential in order to propose site remediation solutions.
IMPROVE SOIL STABILITY
Low-quality soil development is increasingly necessary, given the growth of humanity and its activities. Certain types of soil, hitherto neglected because they have weak mechanical characteristics, must be reinforced to ensure the stability of the buildings and the civil engineering infrastructures they are called to wear. Better consideration of cyclical and dynamic loads (earthquakes, waves, tides, etc.) in the design of large structures as well as the prediction of soil liquefaction phenomena are also necessary for soil stability.
THE PLATFORMS CONCERNED
O-ZNS
PRESERVING BEAUCE’S WATER TABLE AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER
The O-ZNS platform, managed by ISTO, aims to understand how and how fast rainwater and associated contaminants move from the ground surface to the Beauce water table.
PRIME
REMEDY TO SOIL, BASEMENT AND GROUNDWATER POLLUTION
PRIME platforms, managed by the BRGM, aim to study soil, subsoil and groundwater pollution, predict their potential impact on our environment and propose solutions for decontamination of affected areas.
PESAa
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES WITH LESS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The aim of the PESAa platform, managed by INRA, is to quantify greenhouse gas emissions between agricultural soils and the atmosphere. It also analyzes the effect of precision irrigation practices on agricultural production and the environmental impacts of agriculture.
PESAt
FIGHT AGAINST THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT WITH PEATLANDS
Peatlands have stored 30% of the carbon accumulated in global soils. The PESAt platform, managed by the CNRS, measures peatland carbon fluxes to know if these systems still continue to store carbon, or if, under the influence of human activities and climate disruption, they release them in particular in the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.
PERMECA
IMPROVE SOIL STABILITY
The PERMECA platform, managed by Antea Group, develops tools for the study of soil stability, particularly soils exposed to vibrations (earthquakes, wind turbines, waves, etc.).
