campus mondial de la mer

Campus Mondial de la Mer: promoting Brittany’s marine science and technology research internationally

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If the ocean were a country, it would be the world’s 7th-largest economic power, according to a report by the WWF, and the wealth it produces could double by 2030. The Brittany region, at the forefront of marine science and technology research, can make an important contribution to this global development. This is what the Campus Mondial de la Mer (CMM), a Brittany-based academic community, intends to prove. The aim of the Campus is to promote regional research at the international level and support the development of a sustainable marine economy. René Garello, a researcher at IMT Atlantique, a partner of the CMM, answers our questions about this new consortium’s activities and areas of focus.

 

What is the Campus Mondial de la Mer (CMM) and what are its objectives?

René Garello: The Campus Mondial de la Mer is a community of research institutes and other academic institutions, including IMT Atlantique, created through the initiative of the Brest-Iroise Technopôle (Technology Center). Its goal is to highlight the excellence of research carried out in the region focusing on marine sciences and technology. The CMM monitors technological development, promotes research activities and strives to bring international attention to this research. It also helps organize events and symposiums and disseminates information related to these initiatives. The campus’s activities are primarily intended for academics, but they also attract industrial players.

The CMM hosts events and supports individuals seeking to develop new projects as part of its goal to boost the region’s economic activity and create a sustainable maritime economy, which represents tremendous potential at the global level. An OECD report on the sea economy in 2030 shows that by developing all the ocean-based industries, the ocean economy’s output could be doubled, from $1.5 trillion US currently to $3 trillion US in 2030! The Campus de la Mer strives to support this development by promoting Brittany-based research internationally.

What are the Campus Mondial de la Mer‘s areas of focus?

RG: The campus is dedicated to the world of research in the fields of marine science and technology. As far as the technological aspects, underwater exploration using underwater drones, or autonomous underwater vehicles, is an important focus area. These are highly autonomous vehicles, it’s as if they had their own little brains!

Another important focus area involves observing the ocean and the environment using satellite technology. Research in this area mainly involves the application of data from these observations, from both a geophysical and oceanographic perspective and in order to monitor ocean-based activities and the pollution they create.

Finally, a third research area is concerned more with physics, biology and chemistry. This area is primarily led by the University of Western Brittany, which has a large research department related to oceanography, and Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer.

What sort of activities and projects does the Campus de la Mer promote?

RG: One of the CMM’s aims is to promote the ESA-BIC Nord-France project (European Space Agency – Business Incubator Center), a network of incubators for the regions of Brittany, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France and Grand-Est, which provides opportunities for financial and technological support for startups. This project is also connected to the Seine Espace Booster and Morespace, which have close ties with the startup ecosystem of the IMT Altantique incubator.

Another project supported by the Campus Mondial de la Mer involves creating a collaborative space between IMT Atlantique and Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, based on shared research themes for academic and industrial partners and our network of startups and SMEs.

The CMM also supports two projects led by UBO. The first is the ISblue, the University Research School (EUR) for Marine Science and Technology, developed through the 3rd Investments in the Future program. The Ifremer and a portion of the laboratories associated with the engineering schools IMT Atlantique, ENSTA Bretagne, ENIB and École Navale (Naval Academy) are involved in this project. The second project consists of housing the UNU-OCEAN institute on the site of the Brest-Iroise Technology Center, with a five-year goal to be able to accommodate 25-30 individuals working at the center of an interdisciplinary research and training ecosystem dedicated to marine science and technology.

Finally, the research themes highlighted by the CMM are in keeping with the aims of GIS BreTel, a Brittany Scientific Interest Group on Remote Sensing that I run. Our work aligns perfectly with the Campus’s approach. When we organize a conference or a symposium, whether at the Brest-Iroise Technology Center or the CMM, everyone participates! This also helps give visibility to research carried out at GIS Bretel and to promote our activities.

Also read on I’MTech

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VIGISAT: monitoring and protection of the environment by satellite

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An ocean of environmental data to be processed

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Atmospheric reactive trace gases: low concentrations, major consequences

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Projets européens H2020Despite only being present in very small quantities, trace gases leave their mark on the atmospheric composition. Since they are reactive, they may lead to the formation of secondary compounds such as ozone or aerosols that have a significant impact on health and the climate. IMT Lille Douai is a partner in the ACTRIS H2020 project, which aims to carry out long-term observations of trace gases, aerosols and clouds to better understand how they interact with one another and how they impact the climate and air quality.

 

Take some nitrogen, add a dose of oxygen, sprinkle in some argon and a few other inert gases, add a touch of water vapor and a pinch of carbon dioxide and you have the Earth’s atmosphere, or almost! Along with this mix composed of approximately 78% nitrogen, an honorable 21% oxygen, less than 1% argon and 0.04% carbon dioxide, you will also find trace gases with varying degrees of reactivity.  Emitted by both anthropogenic and natural sources, these gases exist in concentrations in the nanogram range, meaning 0.000000001 gram per cubic meter of the atmosphere. Does this mean they are negligible? Not really! “Once emitted these gases are not inert, but reactive,” explains Stéphane Sauvage, a researcher in atmosphere sciences and environmental technology at IMT Lille Douai. “They will react with one another in the atmosphere and lead to the formation of secondary species, such as ozone or certain aerosols that have a major impact on health and the climate.” This is why it is important to be able to identify and measure the precise quantity of these gases in the atmosphere.

ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure) is a large-scale H2020 project which brings together 24 countries and over 100 laboratories, including IMT Lille Douai, as part of the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure). By combining ground-based and satellite measurements, the aim is to carry out long-term observations of the composition of the atmosphere to better understand the factors behind the contaminants and their impact on the climate and air quality. In terms of innovation, the project seeks to develop new techniques and methods of observation. “At IMT Lille Douai, we have been developing our skills in ground-based observation of trace gases for many years, which has led to our being identified as contributors with extensive expertise on the topic,” says Stéphane Sauvage.

 

Gases that leave a mark on the atmosphere

Trace gases, which come from automobile exhausts, household heating, agricultural activities and emissions from plants and volcanoes, are good “tracers,” meaning that when they are measured, it is possible to identify their original source. But out of the 200 to 300 different species of trace gases that have been identified, some are still little-known since they are difficult to measure. “There are some very reactive species that play a key role in the atmosphere, but with such short lifetimes or in such low concentrations that we are not able to detect them,” explains Stéphane Sauvage.

Sesquiterpenes, a family of trace gases, are highly reactive. Emitted from vegetation, they play an important role in the atmosphere but remain difficult to quantify with current methods. “These gases have a very short lifetime, low atmospheric concentrations and they degrade easily during sample collection or analysis,” says Stéphane Sauvage.

On the other hand, some species, such as ethane, are well-known and measurable. Ethane results from human activity and has a low level of reactivity, but this does not make it any less problematic. It is present at a non-negligible level on a global scale and has a real impact on the formation of ozone. “We recently published an article in the Nature Geoscience journal about the evolution of this species and we realized that its emissions have been underestimated,” notes Stéphane Sauvage.

 

Complex relationships between aerosols, clouds and trace gases

In addition, by reacting with other atmospheric compounds, trace gases can lead to the formation of aerosols, which are suspensions of fine particles. Due to their capacity to absorb light, these particles impact the climate but can also penetrate the respiratory system leading to serious health consequences. “Although natural and anthropogenic sources are partially responsible for these fine particles, they are also produced during reactions with reactive trace gases through complex processes which are not yet entirely understood,” explains Stéphane Sauvage. This illustrates the importance of the ACTRIS project, which will observe the interactions between trace gases and aerosols, as well as clouds, which are also affected by these compounds.

Read more on IMTech: What are fine particles?

The measurements taken as part of the ACTRIS project will be passed on to a number of different players including weather and climate operational services, air quality monitoring agencies, the European Space Agency and policy-makers, and will also be used in agriculture, healthcare and biogeosciences. “The ACTRIS infrastructure is currently being built. We will enter the implementation phase in 2019, then the operational phase will begin in around 2025 and will last 25 years,” says Stéphane Sauvage. This is a very long-term project to organize research on a European scale, drawing on the complementary skills of over 100 research laboratories from 24 countries — to take atmospheric sciences to a stratospheric level!

 

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A workshop on data from observations of reactive trace gases

Engineers and researchers from ten European countries met at IMT Lille Douai from 16 to 18 May for the annual ACTRIS project workshop on reactive trace gases. The objective was to review the data collected in Europe in 2017 and to discuss its validity along with the latest scientific and technical developments. All the players involved in making ground-based measurements of trace gases, aerosols and clouds will meet at IMT Lille Douai in October. Learn more

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VOC, Volatile organic compound

What is a volatile organic compound (VOC)?

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Pollution in urban areas is a major public health issue. While peaks in the concentration of fine particles often make the news, they are not the only urban pollutants. Volatile organic compounds, or VOC, also present a hazard. Some are carcinogenic, while others react in the atmosphere, contributing to the formation of secondary pollutants such as ozone or secondary aerosols—which are very small particles. Nadine Locoge, researcher at IMT Lille Douai, reviews the basics about VOCs, reminding us that they are not only present in outdoor air.  

 

What is a volatile organic compound (VOC)?

Nadine Locoge: It is a chemical composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen. Other atoms can be integrated into this molecule in variable amounts, such as nitrogen, sulfur, etc. All VOCs are volatile at ambient temperature. This is what differentiates them from other pollutants like fine particles, which are in condensed form at ambient temperature.

Read more on I’MTech: What are fine particles?

How do they form?

NL: On a global scale, nature is still the primary source of VOCs. Vegetation, typically forests, produce 90% of the earth’s total emissions. But in the urban setting, this trend is reversed, and anthropogenic sources are more prominent. In cities, the main sources of emissions are automobiles, both from exhaust and the evaporation of fuel, and various heating methods—oil, gas wood… Manufacturers are also major sources of VOC emissions.

Are natural VOCs the same as those produced by humans?

NL: No, in general they are not part of the same chemical families. They have different structures, which implies different consequences. The natural types produce a lot of isoprene and terpenes, which are often used for their fragrant properties. Anthropogenic activities, on the other hand, produce aromatic compounds, such as benzene, which is highly carcinogenic.

Why is it important to measure the concentrations of VOCs in the air?

NL: There are several reasons. First, because some have direct impacts on our health. For example, the concentrations of benzene in the outside air are regulated. They must not exceed an annual average of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Also, some VOCS react once they are in the air, forming other pollutants. For example, they can generate aerosols—nanoparticles—after interacting with other reactive species. VOCs can also react with atmospheric oxidants and cause the formation of ozone.

Are VOCs only found in outside air?

NL: No, in fact these species are particularly present in indoor air. All the studies at both the national and European level show that VOC concentrations in indoor air in buildings are higher than outside. These are not necessarily the same compounds in these two cases, yet they pose similar risks. One of the emblematic indoor air pollutants is formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic.

There are several sources of VOCs in indoor air: outdoor air due to the renewal of indoor air, for example, but construction materials and furniture are particularly significant sources of VOC emissions.  Regulation in this area is progressing, particularly through labels on construction materials that take this aspect into account. The legislative aspect is crucial as buildings become more energy efficient, since this often means less air is exchanged in order to retain heat, and therefore the indoor air is renewed less frequently.

How can we fight VOC emissions?

NL: Inside, in addition to using materials with the least possible emissions and ventilating rooms as recommended by the ADEME, there are devices that can trap and destroy VOCs. The principle is either to trap them in an irreversible manner, or to cause them to react in order to destroy them—or more precisely, transform them into species that do not affect our health, ideally into carbon dioxide and water. These techniques are widely used in industrial environments, where the concentrations of emissions are relatively significant, and the chemical species are not very diverse. But in indoor environments VOCs are more varied, with lower concentrations. They are therefore harder to treat. In addition, the use of these treatment systems remains controversial because if the chemical processes used are not optimized and adapted to the target species, they can cause chemical reactions that generate secondary compounds that are even more hazardous to human health than the primary species.

Is it possible to decrease VOC concentrations in the outside air?

NL: The measures in this area are primarily regulatory and are aimed at reducing emissions. Exhaust fumes from automobiles, for example, are regulated in terms of emissions. For the sources associated with heating, the requirements vary greatly depending on whether the heating is collective or individual. In general, the methods are ranked according to the amount of emissions. Minimum performance requirements are imposed to optimize combustion and therefore lead to less VOCs being produced, and emission limit values have been set for certain pollutants (including VOCs). In general, emission-reduction targets are set at the international and national level and are then broken down by industry.

In terms of ambient concentrations, there have been some experiments in treating pollutants—including volatile organic compounds—like in the tunnel in Brussels where the walls and ceiling were covered with a cement-based photocatalytic coating. Yet the results from these tests have not been convincing. It is important to keep in mind that in ambient air, the sources of VOCs are numerous and diffuse. It is therefore difficult to lower the concentrations. The best method is still to act to directly reduce the quantity of emissions.

 

 

eco-design

How eco-design earned its place in the corporate world

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Natacha Gondran, Mines Saint-Étienne – Institut Mines-Télécom

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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the 1970s, regulations were introduced to require companies to prevent industrial pollution. Examples include the Clean Air Act (1970) in the United States and legislation on facilities classified for the protection of the environment in France (1976).

Since then, awareness has grown about the impacts industry has on the environment, and companies’ strategic interest in reducing them has also increased. Beginning in the mid-90s, some companies have established approaches for controlling these impacts. ISO 14001 was the first standard on environmental management systems, which appeared in 1996.

At the same time, “global” ecological issues (climate change, depletion of the ozone layer and biodiversity) started to draw more attention. We came to understand, for example, that the greenhouse gas emissions generated at a particular time and place would continue to have an impact for decades to come, and they are not limited by borders! Preserving the quality of the local environment is no longer sufficient: these global problems require international negotiations between states, like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, under which COP21 was organized in Paris at the end of 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=dpwGUQtA1AE

Considering the upstream and downstream impacts

Alongside this globalization of environmental issues came the globalization of supply chains. Production activities, which generate the most significant environmental impacts, were often relocated to southern hemisphere countries.

Most products that are sold today involve businesses located all over the world. While the amount of direct emissions (of greenhouse gases, for example) generated in certain countries, like France, has stabilized, their ecological or carbon footprint – an indicator that takes into account all the emissions associated with the final consumption of a country’s population – has generally continued to increase.

This means that a company that wants to reduce its impacts on the environment can no longer do so simply by controlling the direct environmental impacts generated on its industrial site. It must also consider both the upstream (supply chain) and downstream (end-of-life) effects of its products.

European regulation encourages this approach within the framework of its Integrated Product Policy (IPP), which is aimed at “promoting the development of a market for greener products and, ultimately, stimulating public discussion on this topic.”

Therefore, European Directive 2009/125/EC establishes requirements for the eco-design of products related to energy (for example in terms of maximum energy consumption or of minimum amounts of recycled materials to be used in the manufacturing).

In addition, European Directive 2008/98/EC on waste introduced the principle of  Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which aims to “require producers, importers and distributors of these products or elements and materials used in their production to be responsible for or to contribute to eliminating the resulting waste.”

This principle aims to support the design and the manufacture of products based on processes that facilitate their repair, reuse, disassembly or recycling, with the goal of achieving greater efficiency in the use of natural resources. It applies to electrical and electronic equipment in the framework of Directive 2012/19/EU, which makes the producers of these devices responsible for recycling and disposing of the resulting waste.

Considering the product’s end-of-life

Eco-design is a concrete solution that companies can implement to prevent the transfer of impacts from one life-cycle phase to the next, or between different environmental impacts.

It is based on a multi-criteria (taking different categories of environmental impacts into account) and multi-actor approach (taking into account a product’s different life-cycle phases).

Eco-design is defined by Standard NF X 30-264 as the “systematic integration of environmental aspects starting with the design phase and product development (goods and services, systems), aimed at reducing negative environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycle for an equivalent or superior benefit. This approach, which begins upstream with preparation for the design process, aims to find the best balance between the environmental, social, technical and economic requirements for product design and development.”

It is based on the concept of life cycle, which, beyond the traditional design phases of manufacturing and intended use, takes into account the aspects related to the end of the product’s life: facilitating the processes of disassembly, shredding, sorting, recovery, etc.

An eco-design approach can even involve establishing new business models: for example, adopting a functional business model that extends the life of the product.

Different practices

Eco-design has changed over the past ten years. It has moved on from its initial precursors and environmental expertise to a period of eco-innovation and the creation of new business models.

Performance is at the center of these approaches, as witnessed by the changes in standards. The 2015 version of the ISO 14001 standard requires companies to show greater leadership and performance and integrate the life-cycle perspective.

Today, this requirement is being implemented differently from one company to the next; and the tools, methods and associated management vary greatly depending on the firm’s level of maturity and initial strategic positioning.

 

Samuel Mayer, Director of the Eco-design and Life Cycle Management Center, contributed to this article.

Natacha Gondran, Research Professor in Environmental Assessment, Mines Saint-Étienne – Institut Mines-Télécom

The original version of this article (in French) was published on The Conversation.

waste, Ange Nzihou

Waste worth its weight in gold

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For Ange Nzihou, waste is a valuable material. For over ten years, this researcher has been working on recovering waste to turn it into an important economic resource. However, his greatest scientific accomplishments have taken place outside the laboratories of IMT Mines Albi. Throughout his career, Ange Nzihou has done more than convert biomass into biofuels or manufacture catalysts using waste and different residues. By creating the global conference WasteEng and a journal dedicated to waste reuse, he has helped bring together an international scientific community with a shared interest in this theme of the future.

 

“I come from a country in Africa where everyone wants to work in the oil industry,” says Ange Nzihou, a researcher at IMT Mines Albi and director of its Rapsodee laboratory. Following this same path, he came to Toulouse in the early 1990s to begin a PhD thesis on the crystallization of gas hydrates—which he successfully completed. Everything was therefore in place for the young process engineering researcher to set out on a career in the oil industry. But research stories are, first and foremost, life stories. And events in Ange Nzihou’s life led him to abruptly reconsider the path he was about to embark on. “Since at that point I had not yet received French nationality I was basically an undocumented immigrant for a period of two years. It was during this difficult time that I developed the research project that I am still pursuing today, by analyzing what I saw around me and wondering what the future would be like.” 

The future, as he imagined it, would be one in which the tons of waste and pollutants produced by humans could be recovered and turned into a valuable resource, at a time when only treatment seemed to interest the scientific community. “For me, it wasn’t so much treatment that was of interest, but rather giving treated products new properties and functions to increase their economic value,” he says. It was at IMT Mines Albi that he started turning this vision into concrete research. Through different projects, he developed processes for recovering a wide range of waste, from sludge from our rivers, to household waste or industrial waste.

A worldwide event

But, Ange Nzihou admits, “my biggest accomplishment is not the patents or publications, but everything we’ve been able to create around this research.” Starting with WasteEng: a biennial international conference launched in 2005. “I thought about a hundred people would come,” recalls the researcher. As it turned out, more than 300 researchers and engineers took part in this first conference on the theme of waste and biomass valorization. “I knew there was a need for this sort of conference, but I underestimated just how great the need was,” he says.

Today, it has become the world’s leading event in this field. Every two years, more than 400 people from 50 different countries attend the event. For WasteEng’s creator, the fact that the community welcomes industry and institutions is one of the conference’s key strengths. “A quarter of the participants come from companies and government institutions, which is crucial since they’re the ones working in the field and really creating value.” Ange Nzihou also invites representatives from the European Commission to each edition of the conference to present trends and connect research to political decisions.

WasteEng, which will next be held in Prague in July 2018, is seen as a trailblazing event in its discipline.  The popularity of the conference reflects emerging concerns of societies around the world. Since waste recovery issues are not identical across the globe, the event’s international dimension is part of what makes it so valuable. “In France, we incinerate plastic that isn’t recyclable, but this simply cannot be done in Africa or other developing countries,” explains the researcher. “In those countries, they have to find a way to recycle it.”

Out of the many different topics covered at the conference, some are especially close to Ange Nzihou’s heart.  One such topic is producing energy from waste. “A lot of solutions today propose using biomass to generate energy. The problem is that this use competes with food and the availability of land to be cultivated. On the other hand, I really like the idea of using waste rather than biomass.”  (See text box 1) Another benefit the researcher cites is that this approach makes it possible to avoid environmental disasters like the one Malaysia experienced with the unchecked production of palm oil for energy purposes on land that could be used to produce food.

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Pyrog: an example of energy recovery from waste

In 2015, the Pyrog project, supported by the ADEME’s Investments of the Future program, (PIA) was launched with the aim of recovering energy using solid recovered fuel (SRF). These residues group together all waste that is currently difficult to recycle. IMT Mines Albi and IMT Atlantique work on the project collaboration with two companies: Séché Environnement and ETIA. Using a pyrolysis process, the synthetic gas produced is used for urban district heating. This project, implemented on the Seché site in Mayenne, demonstrates the potential of recycling waste to produce energy locally, with a lower environmental impact.

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Literature focusing on waste

Following WasteEng, Ange Nzihou went on to found a scientific journal with a review board dedicated to waste reuse issues, “Waste and biomass valorization.”  Launched in 2010 with the editor Springer, the journal was something of a gamble for the researcher. But it paid off, as it quickly became a success with the scientific community. Since 2010, the number of articles submitted to the journal has doubled every year. “It’s the first journal to focus on this theme,” says Ange Nzihou, who is editor-in-chief.

The journal is not the researcher’s only contribution to establishing a literary culture on the topic of waste recovery. He is also editor-in-chief of an encyclopedia being written on this subject. The work is intended to be a reference document for anyone who would like to know how to analyze, study, treat and convert waste and various residues. “We hope that it will be used by students as well as engineers, researchers and players in the economic world,” explains Ange Nzihou. In keeping with the international dimension of this research, he has brought together researchers from 17 countries to create the encyclopedia. It should be published in September 2018 and distributed in universities and libraries worldwide.

In all aspects of his work, Ange Nzihou has pursued his vision of a society that can better use its waste to support its needs. Since the beginning of his career, he has worked to take his questions and proposals outside of the laboratory by bringing together a global community with an increasingly urgent need for alternatives to fossil fuels.

[author title=”Ange Nzihou, a world-class researcher” image=”https://imtech-test.imt.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Portrait_Ange_Nzihou.jpg”]Since the beginning of this career, Ange Nzihou has always sought to anchor his research in an international context. The eleven PhD students in his team come from ten different countries. For the researcher, being open to exterior approaches is a guarantee of humility and of high-quality work. These different approaches allow him to question his ideas and develop new ones, by looking at how other societies are trying to use their waste. This research vision has led him to become a visiting professor at universities around the world: Princeton University in the USA, University College Dublin in Ireland and Zhejiang University in China. He also received the Progress and Innovation in Research award from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2015.

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environmental odors

Learning to deal with offensive environmental odors

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What is an offensive environmental odor? How can it be defined, and how should its consequences be managed? This is what students will learn in the serious game “Les ECSPER à Smellville”, part of the Air Quality MOOC. This educational tool was developed at IMT Lille Douai, and will be available in 2018. Players will be faced with the problem of an offensive environmental odor, and will have to identify its source and the components causing the smell, before stopping the emission and making a decision on its toxicity before a media crisis breaks out.

 

In January 2013, near Rouen, there was an incident in a manufacturing process at the Lubrizol company factory, leading to widespread emission of mercaptans, particularly evil-smelling gaseous compounds. The smell drifted throughout the Seine Valley and up to Paris, before being noticed the following day in England! This launched a crisis. The population panicked, with many people calling local emergency services, while the media latched onto the affair. However, despite the strong odor, the doses released into the atmosphere were well below the toxicity threshold. These gaseous pollutants simply caused what we refer to as an offensive environmental odor.

“There is often no predetermined link between an offensive environmental odor and toxicity… When we smell something new, we tend to compare it to similar smells. In the Lubrizol case, people smelt “gas”, and assimilated it with a potential danger” explains Sabine Crunaire, a researcher at IMT Lille Douai. “For most odorant compounds, the thresholds for detection by the human nose are much lower than the toxicity thresholds. Only a few compounds show a direct causal link between smell and toxicity. Hence the importance of being able to manage these situations early on, to prevent a media crisis from unfolding and causing unnecessary panic among the population.”

 

An educational game for learning how to manage offensive environmental odors

The game, “Les ECSPER à Smellville”, was inspired by the Lubrizol incident, and is part of the serious games series, Scientific Case Studies for Expertise and Research, developed at IMT Lille Douai. It is a digital educational tool which teaches players how to manage these delicate situations. It was created as a complement to the Air Quality MOOC, a scientific Bachelor’s degree level course which is open to anyone. The game is based on a situation where an offensive environmental smell appears after an industrial incident: a strong smell of gas, which the population associates with danger, causes a crisis.

The learner has a choice between two roles: Health and Safety Manager at the company responsible for the incident, or the head of the Certified Association for Monitoring Air Quality (AASQA). “For learners, the goal is to bring on board the actors who are involved in this type of situation, like safety services, prefectural or ministerial services, and understand when to inform them, with the right information. The scenario is a very realistic one, and corresponds exactly to a real case of crisis management” explains Sabine Crunaire, who contributed to the scientific content of the game. “Playing time is limited, and the action takes place in the space of one working day. The goal is to avoid the stage which the Lubrizol incident reached, which set off an avalanche of reactions on all levels: citizens, social networks, media, State departments, associations, etc.” The idea is to put an end to the problem as quickly as possible, identify the components released and evaluate the potential consequences in the immediate and wider environment. In the second scenario, the player also has to investigate and try to find the source of the emission, with the help of witness reports from nose judges.

Nose judges are local inhabitants trained in olfactory analysis. They describe the odors they perceive using a common language, like for example, the Langage des Nez®, developed by Atmo Normandie. These “noses” are sensitive to the usual odors in their environment, and are capable of distinguishing the different types of bad smells they are confronted with and describing them in a consensual way. They liken the perceived odor to a “reference smell”. This information will assist in the analyses for identifying the substances responsible for the odor. “For instance, according to the Langage des Nez, a “sulfur” smell corresponds to references such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) but also ethyl-mercaptan or propyl mercaptan, which are similar molecules in terms of their olfactory properties” explains Sabine Crunaire. “Three, four, even five different references can be identified by a single nose, in a single odor! If we know the olfactory properties of the industries in a given geographical area, we can identify which one has upset the normal olfactory environment.”

 

Defining and characterizing offensive odors

But how can a smell be defined as offensive, based on the “notes” it contains and its intensity? “By definition, an offensive environmental odor is described as an individual or collective state of intolerance to a smell” explains Sabine Crunaire. Characterizing an odor as offensive therefore depends on three criteria. Firstly, the quality of the odor and the message it sends. Does the population associate it with a toxic, dangerous compound? For instance, the smell of exhaust fumes will have a negative connotation, and will therefore be more likely to be considered as an offensive environmental odor. Secondly, the social context in which the smell appears has an impact: a farm smell in a rural area will be seen as less offensive by the population than it would in central Paris. Finally, the duration, frequency, and timing of the odor may add to the negative impact. “Even a chocolate smell can be seen as offensive! If it happens in the morning from time to time, it can be quite nice, but if it is a strong smell which lasts throughout the day, it can become a problem!” Sabine Crunaire highlights.

From a regulatory point of view, prefectural and municipal orders can prevent manufacturers from creating excessive olfactory disturbances, which bother people in the surrounding environment. The thresholds are described in terms of the concentration of the odor and are expressed in European Odor Units (uoE.m-3). The concentration of a mix of smells is conventionally defined as the dilution factor than needs to be applied to the effluent so that it is no longer perceived as a smell by 50% of a sample of the population, this is referred to as the detection threshold. “Prefectural orders generally require that factories ensure that, within a distance of several kilometers from the boundary of the factory, the concentration of the odor does not surpass 5 uoE.m-3“ Sabine Crunaire explains. “It is very difficult for them to foresee whether the odors released are going to be over the limit. The nature of the compounds released, their concentration, the sensitivity of people in the surrounding area… there are many factors to take into account! There is no regulation which precisely sets a limit for the concentration of odors in the air, unlike what we have for fine particles.”

To avoid penalties, manufacturers conduct testing of compounds at their source and dilute them using olfactometers, in order to determine the dilution factor at which the odor unit is perceived as acceptable. They use this amount and the modelling system to evaluate the impact of their odor emissions within a predetermined perimeter, but also to measure the treatment systems to be installed.

“Besides penalties, the consequences of a crisis caused by an environmental disturbance are harmful to the manufacturer’s image: the Lubrizol incident is still referred to in the media, using the name of the incriminated company” says Sabine Crunaire. “And the consequences in the media probably also lead to significant direct and indirect economic consequences for the manufacturer: a decrease in the number of orders, the cost of new safety measures imposed by the State to prevent the issue happening again, etc.”

The game “Les ECSPER à Smellville” will therefore raise awareness of these issues among students and train them in managing this type of crisis and avoiding the serious consequences. While offensive environmental odors are rarely toxic, they cause disturbance, both for citizens and manufacturers.

fine particles, Véronique Riffault, IMT Lille Douai

What are fine particles?

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During peak pollution events, everyone is talking about them. Fine particles are often accused of being toxic. Unfortunately, they do not only come out during episodes of high pollution. Véronique Riffault, a researcher in atmospheric sciences at IMT Lille Douai, revisits the basics of fine particles to better understand what they are all about.

 

What does a fine particle look like?

Véronique Riffault: They are often described as spherical in shape, partly because scientists speak of diameter to describe their size. In reality, they come in a variety of shapes. When they are solid, they can indeed sometimes be spherical, but also cubic, or even made up of aggregates of smaller particles of different shapes. Some small fibers are also fine particles. This is the case with asbestos and nanotubes. Fine particles may also be liquids or semi-liquids. This happens when their chemical nature gives them a soluble character, they then dissolve when they meet droplets of water in the atmosphere.

How are they created?

VR: The sources of fine particles are highly varied, and depend on the location and the season. They may be generated directly by human processes, which are generally linked to combustion activities. This is true of residential heating using wood burning, road traffic, industry, etc. There are also natural sources: sea salt in the oceans or mineral dust in deserts, but these particles are usually bigger. Indirectly, they are also created by condensation of gases or by oxidation when atmospheric reactions make volatile organic compounds heavier. These “secondary” emissions are highly dependent on environmental conditions such as sunshine, temperature, etc.

Why do we hear about different sizes, and where does the term “PM” come from?

VR: Depending on their size, fine particles have different levels of toxicity. The smaller they are, the deeper they penetrate the respiratory system. Above 2.5 microns [1 micron = 1 thousandth of a millimeter], the particles are stopped quite effectively by the nose and throat. Below this, they go into the lungs. The finest particles even get into the pulmonary alveoli and into the bloodstream. In order to categorize them, and to establish resulting regulations, we distinguish fine particles by specific names: PM10, PM2,5, etc. The figure refers to the higher size in micron, and “PM” stands for Particulate Matter.

How can we protect ourselves from fine particles?

VR: One option is to wear a mask, but their effectiveness depends greatly on the way in which they are worn. When badly positioned, they are useless. A mask can give the wearer a sense of security when they wear them during peak pollution events. The risk is that they feel protected, and carry on doing sport, for example. This leads them to hyperventilate, which increases their exposure to fine particles. The simplest measure would be to not produce fine particles in the first place. Measures to reduce traffic can be effective if it is not just a fraction of vehicles which are immobilized. Authorities can take measures to restrict agricultural spreading. Fertilizer produces ammonia which combines with nitrogen oxides to create ammonium nitrates, which are fine particles. People also need to be made aware that they should not burn green waste, such as dead leaves and branches, in their gardens, but to take them to recycling locations, and to reduce their use of wood fire heating during peak pollution events.

Also read on I’MTech Particulate matter pollution peaks: detection and prevention

Are fine particles dangerous outside of peak pollution events?

VR: Even outside of peak pollution events, there are more particles than there should be. The only European regulation on a daily basis is for PM10 particles. For PM2,5 particles, the limit is annual: fewer than 20 micrograms per cubic meter on average. This poses two problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a threshold of 10 micrograms per cubic meter. This amount is regularly exceeded at several sites in France. The only thing helping us is that we are lucky to have an oceanic climate which brings rain. Precipitation removes the particles from the atmosphere. On average over a year, we remain below the limit, but on a daily basis we could be breathing in dangerous amounts of fine particles.

Also read on I’MTech

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Fine particulate pollution: can we trust microsensor readings?

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Fine particles are dangerous, and not just during pollution peaks

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space, René Garello, IMT Atlantique

Climate change as seen from space

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René Garello, IMT Atlantique – Institut Mines-Télécom

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[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he French National Centre for Space Research has recently presented two projects based on greenhouse gas emission monitoring (CO2 and methane) using satellite sensors. The satellites, which are to be launched after 2020, will supplement measures carried out in situ.

On a global scale, this is not the first such program to measure climate change from space: the European satellites from the Sentinel series have already been measuring a number of parameters since Sentinel-1A was launched on April 3, 2014 under the aegis of the European Space Agency. These satellites are part of the Copernicus Program (Global Earth Observation System of Systems), carried out on a global scale.

Since Sentinel-1A, the satellite’s successors 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A have been launched successfully. They are each equipped with sensors with various functions. For the first two satellites, these include a radar imaging system, for so-called “all weather” data acquisition, the radar wavelength being indifferent to cloudy conditions, whether at night or in the day. Infrared optical observation systems allow the second two satellites to monitor the temperature of ocean surfaces. Sentinel-3A also has four sensors installed for measuring radiometry, temperature, altimetry and the topography of surfaces (both ocean and land).

The launch of these satellites builds on the numerous space missions that are already in place on a European and global scale. The data they record and transmit grant researchers access to many parameters, showing us the planet’s “pulse”. These data partially concern the ocean (waves, wind, currents, temperatures, etc.) showing the evolution of large water masses. The ocean acts as an engine to the climate and even small variations are directly linked to changes in the atmosphere, the consequences of which can sometimes be dramatic (hurricanes). Data collected by sensors for continental surfaces concern variations in humidity and soil cover, whose consequences can also be significant (drought, deforestation, biodiversity, etc.).

[Incredible image from the eye of #hurricane #Jose taken on Saturday by the satellite #Sentinel2 Pic @anttilip]

Masses of data to process

Processing of data collected by satellites is carried out on several levels, ranging from research labs to more operational uses, not forgetting formatting activity done by the European Space Agency.

The scientific community is focusing increasingly on “essential variables” (physical, biological, chemical, etc.) as defined by groups working on climate change (in particular GCOS in the 1990s). They are attempting to define a measure or group of measures (the variable) that will contribute to the characterization of the climate in a critical way.

There are, of course, a considerable number of variables that are sufficiently precise to be made into indicators allowing us to confirm whether or not the UN’s objectives of sustainable development have been achieved.

space

The Boreal AJS 3 drone is used to take measurements at a very low altitude above the sea

 

The identification of these “essential variables” may be achieved after data processing, by combining this with data obtained by a multitude of other sensors, whether these are located on the Earth, under the sea or in the air. Technical progress (such as images with high spatial or temporal resolution) allows us to use increasingly precise measures.

The Sentinel program operates in multiple fields of application, including: environmental protection, urban management, spatial planning on a regional and local level, agriculture, forestry, fishing, healthcare, transport, sustainable development, civil protection and even tourism. Amongst all these concerns, climate change features at the center of the program’s attention.

The effort made by Europe has been considerable, representing an investment of over €4 billion between 2014 and 2020. However, the project also has very significant economic potential, particularly in terms of innovation and job creation: economic gains in the region of €30 million are expected between now and 2030.

How can we navigate these oceans of data?

Researchers, as well as key players in the socio-economic world, are constantly seeking more precise and comprehensive observations. However, with spatial observation coverage growing over the years, the mass of data obtained is becoming quite overwhelming.

Considering that a smartphone contains a memory of several gigabytes, spatial observation generates petabytes of data to be stored; and soon we may even be talking in exabytes, that is, in trillions of bytes. We therefore need to develop methods for navigating these oceans of data, whilst still keeping in mind that the information in question only represents a fraction of what is out there. Even with masses of data available, the number of essential variables is actually relatively small.

Identifying phenomena on the Earth’s surface

The most recent developments aim to pinpoint the best possible methods for identifying phenomena, using signals and images representing a particular area of the Earth. These phenomena include waves and currents on ocean surfaces, characterizing forests, humid, coastal or flooding areas, urban expansion in land areas, etc. All this information can help us to predict extreme phenomena (hurricanes), and manage post-disaster situations (earthquakes, tsunamis) or monitor biodiversity.

The next stage consists in making processing more automatic by developing algorithms that would allow computers to find the relevant variables in as many databases as possible. Intrinsic parameters and information of the highest level should then be added into this, such as physical models, human behavior and social networks.

This multidisciplinary approach constitutes an original trend that should allow us to qualify the notion of “climate change” more concretely, going beyond just measurements to be able to respond to the main people concerned – that is, all of us!

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René Garello, Professor in Signal and Image Processing, “Image and Information Processing” department, IMT Atlantique – Institut Mines-Télécom

The original version of this article was published on The Conversation.

Young Scientist Prize, julien bras, biomaterial

Julien Bras: nature is his playground

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Cellulose is one of the most abundant molecules in nature. At the nanoscale, its properties allow it to be used for promising applications in several fields. Julien Bras, a chemist at Grenoble INP, is working to further develop the use of this biomaterial. On November 21st he received the IMT-Académie des Sciences Young Scientist Prize at the official awards ceremony held in the Cupola of the Institut de France.

 

Why develop the use of biomass?

Julien Bras: When I was around 20, I realized that oil was a resource that would not last forever, and we would need to find new solutions. At that time, society was beginning to become aware of the problems of pollution in cities, especially due to plastics, as well as the dangers of global warming. So I thought we should propose something that would allow us to use the considerable renewable resources that nature has to offer. I therefore went to an engineering school in chemistry on developing the use of agro-resources, and then did a thesis for Ahlstrom on biomaterials.

What type of biomaterials do you work with?

JB: I work with just about all renewable materials, but especially with cellulose, which is a superstar in the world of natural materials. Nature produces hundreds of billions of tons of this polymer each year. For thousands of years, it has been used to make clothing, paper, etc. It is very well known and offers numerous possibilities. Although I work with all biomaterials, I am specialized in cellulose, and specifically its nanoscale properties.

What makes cellulose so interesting at the nanoscale?

JB: There are two major uses for cellulose at this scale. We can make cellulose nanocrystals, which have very interesting mechanical properties. They are much more solid than glass fibers, and can be used, for example, to reinforce plastics. And we can also design nanofibers, which are longer and more flexible than the crystals, which are easily tangled. This makes it possible to make very light, transparent systems covering a large surface. In one gram of nanofiber, the available surface area for exchange can reach up to two hundred square meters.

In which industry sectors do we find these forms of nanocellulose? 

JB: For now, few sectors really use them on a large scale. But it’s a material that is growing quickly. We do find nanocellulose in a few niche applications, such as composites, cosmetics, paper and packaging. Within my team, we are leading projects with a wide variety of sectors, to make car fenders, moisturizer, paint, and even bandages for the medical sector. This shows how interested manufacturers are in these biomaterials.

Speaking of applications, you helped create a start-up that uses cellulose

JB: Between 2009 and 2012, we participated in the European project Sunpap. The goal was to scale-up cellulose nanoparticles.  The thesis conducted as part of this project led us to file 2 patents for cellulose powders and functionalized nanocellulose. We then embarked on an adventure to create a start-up called Inofib. As one of the first companies in this field, the start-up significantly contributed to the industrial development of these biomaterials. Today, the company is focused on developing specific functionalization and applications for cellulose nanofibers. It is not seeking to compete with other major players in this field, who have since begun working on nanocellulose with European support, rather it seeks to differentiate itself through its expertise and the new functions it offers.

Can nanocellulose be used to design smart materials?  

JB: When I began my research, I was working separately on smart materials and nanocellulose. In particular, I worked with a manufacturer to develop conductive and transparent inks for high-quality materials, which led to the creation of another start-up: Poly-Ink. As things continued to progress, I decided to combine the two areas I was working on. Since 2013, I have been working on designing nanocellulose-based inks, which make it possible to create flexible, transparent and conductive layers to replace, for example, layers that are on the screens of mobile devices.

In the coming years, what areas of nanocellulose will you be focusing on?

JB: I would like to continue in this area of expertise by further advancing the solutions so that they can be produced. One of my current goals is to design them using green engineering processes, which limit the use of toxic solvents and are compatible with an environmental approach. Then I would like to increase their functions so that they can be used in more fields and with improved performance. I really want to show the interest of developing nanocellulose. I need to keep an open mind, so I can find new applications.

 

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Biography of Julien Bras

Julien Bras, 39, has been an associate research professor at Grenoble INP- Pagora since 2006, as well as deputy director of LGP2 (Paper Process Engineering Lab). He was previously an engineer in a company in the paper industry in France, Italy and Finland. For over 15 years, Julien Bras has been focusing his research on developing a new generation of high-performance cellulosic biomaterials and developing the use of these agro-resources.

The industrial aspect of his research is not restricted to his collaborations as it also extends to the 9 registered patents and in particular, the founding of two spin-offs to which Julien Bras contributed. One is specialized in producing conductive and transparent inks for the electronics industry (Poly-Ink), and the other is specialized in producing nanocellulose for the paper, composite and chemical industries (Inofib).

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Fine particles are dangerous, and not just during pollution peaks

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Véronique Riffault, IMT Lille Douai – Institut Mines-Télécom and François Mathé, IMT Lille Douai – Institut Mines-Télécom

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[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) released a new notice concerning air pollution yesterday. After having been questioned on the potential changes to norms for ambient air quality, particularly concerning fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5), the organization has highlighted the importance of pursuing work on implementing long-term public policies that promote the improvement of air quality. They recommend lowering the annual threshold value for PM2.5 to equal the recommendations made by the WHO, and introducing a daily threshold value for this pollutant. As the following data visualization shows, the problem extends throughout Europe.

Average concentrations of particulate matters whose aerodynamic diameter is below 2.5 micrometers (called “PM2.5” which makes up “fine particles” along with PM10) for the year 2012. Amounts calculated using measures from fixed air quality monitoring stations, shown in micrograms per m3 of air. Data source: AirBase.

The level reached in peak periods is indicated by hovering the mouse over a given circle, the sizes of which will vary depending on the amount. The annual average is also provided, detailing long-term exposure and the subsequent proven impact on health (particularly on the respiratory and cardio-vascular systems). It should be noted that the annual target value for the particles (PM2.5), as specified by European legislation is currently 25 µg/m3. The level will drop to 20 µg/m3 in 2020, whilst the WHO currently recommends an annual threshold of 10 µg/m3.

The data shown on this map correspond exclusively to a so-called “fundamental” site typology, examining not only urban environments but also rural ones, which are far from being influenced by nearby pollution (coming from traffic or industry). Airbase also collects data supplied by member states that use measuring methods that can vary depending on the site but always respect the data quality objectives and are specific to the pollutant (90% of data on PM2.5 is approved annually, with an uncertainty of ± 25%). This perhaps explains why certain regions show little or no data (Belarus, Ukraine, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece), keeping in mind that a single station cannot be representative of the air quality across an entire country (as is the case in Macedonia).

The PM2.5 shown here may be emitted directly into the atmosphere (these are primary particles) or formed by chemical reactions between gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere (secondary particles). The secondary formation of PM2.5 often stems from peaks in pollution at certain points in the year when the sources of the pollutants are most significant and in meteorological conditions which allow them to accumulate. Sources connected to human activity are mainly linked to combustion processes (such as engines in vehicles or the burning of biomass and coal for residential heating systems) and agricultural activity.

The above map shows that the threshold suggested by the WHO has been surpassed in a large majority of stations, particularly in Central Europe (Slovakia, South Poland) due to central heating methods, or in Northern Italy (the Po Valley), which has been affected by poor topographical and meteorological conditions.

Currently, only 1.16% of stations are recording measurements that are still within the WHO recommendations for PM2.5 (shown in light green on the map). On top of this, 13.6% of stations have already reached the future European limits to be set in 2020 (shown in green and orange circles).

This illustrates that a large section of the European population is being exposed to concentrations of particles that are harmful to health and that some significant efforts are to be made. In addition, when considering that the mass concentration of particulates is a good indicator of air quality, their chemical composition should not be forgotten. This is something which proves to be a challenge for health specialists and policymakers, especially in real time.

Véronique Riffault, Professor in Atmospheric Sciences, IMT Lille Douai – Institut Mines-Télécom and François Mathé, Professor-Researcher, President of the AFNOR X43D Normalization Commission “Ambient Atmospheres”, Head of Studies at LCSQA (Laboratoire Central de Surveillance de la Qualité de l’Air), IMT Lille Douai – Institut Mines-Télécom

 

The original version  of this article was published in French in The Conversation France.