Abstract :

Translated abstract :

The numerous deleterious health impacts of poor air quality are now recognized. Assessing the concentrations and dispersions of ambient air particles appears necessary in the monitoring of contaminant emissions related to anthropogenic activities. The use of geochemical and magnetic measurements on vegetation, which acts as a natural sensor, offers an alternative to dedicated air quality monitoring stations. Magnetic and geochemical methods allow the processing of large numbers of samples, thus facilitating spatialized monitoring. The Estajerra and Téssékéré sites provide study sites for testing different types of vegetation and anthropogenic (industry, traffic) and natural (wind-borne desert lithic particles) sources. The project proposes to measure magnetic properties (magnetic susceptibility and magnetization in strong fields) as well as to acquire geochemical data (metallic traces) on 1- bark and leaves geolocated around the sites of interest and 2- to carry out exposure tests on bark in order to produce passive biosensors. These data will make it possible to identify the fingerprints of the sources. Estimating the capture of ambient air particles by plants will make it possible to -1- propose easy-to-implement biomonitoring methods, - 2 - propose passive biosensors for locations without vegetation and to set up, in the long term, participatory processes involving local stakeholders, and - 3 - estimate the role of vegetation in the retention of atmospheric particles in different environments.