Indicateurs Biologiques et chImiqueS de Contaminations UrbaineS – IBISCUS
A MINIATURIZED UV LED FLUOROMETER FOR TRACKING POLLUTIONS AT SEA
This project proposes to measure the fluorescence of contaminants at sea by the implementation of advanced optoelectronics and robotics methods. It responds to the call «ANR- ECHOTECH 2009« for projects dedicated to preservation of natural resources and management of environmental risks.
The detection of pollutants at sea, a major issue for public health and economy
Increasing populations on the shores and the development of industrial and agricultural activities are a priority for monitoring treatment plants, agriculture, and industry waste waters discharge at sea. Pollutants targeted by the project are fecal contamination carried by wastewaters and potential vectors of pathogens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) residues of fossil fuels and oil components and biocides, recognized as toxic, carcinogenic compounds and mutagenic. In this context, the objectives of the project are to identify and quantify these pollutants on the basis of their fluorescence properties in the organic matrix of coastal waters, to develop technology for continuous measurements by UV fluorescence sensors with LEDs and to integrate these sensors in autonomous vehicles for monitoring the marine environment (AUV, gliders). In addition to new fundamental knowledge on the fluorescence of marine organic matter, the expected benefits are economic with placement on the market of French original and miniaturized competitive sensors, and improvements of environmental management of discharges through the integration of these sensors on operational autonomous platforms of national observation and monitoring marine networks.
The originality of the proposed approach is based on the analysis of fluorophores excited at shorter wavelengths in the ultraviolet range. LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology allows to explore the spectral bands from ultraviolet (254 nm) to infrared (7 µm). The so-called «optical multimeter leds» technology developed by the company Micro Module (Brest) allows to measure very low light signals (some fW : 10-15 W on the scale of the second) over a large dynamic (50/100 dB). This technology is well suited to measure very dilute fluorescent compounds like contaminants in marine water. The laboratory study (MIO-Marseille, LECOB-Banyuls) of fluorescence standard mixtures and natural samples, combined with PARAFAC matrices fluorescence analysis was used to select target contaminants, namely phenanthrene, naphthalene, fluorene, pyrene for petroleum, carbaryl and phenyl phenol for biocides, tryptophan for fecal contamination. The interfacing of sensors with «moorings« or « AUV glider« is carried out by the company ACSA-Alcen (Europarc, Meyreuil), which actually has developed and produced the first French glider.
Four original fluorescence sensors with 2 optical channels were designed and miniaturized (Fig. 1). Their capacity to be integrated on profilers and autonomous underwater vehicles like the glider «Sea Explorer« makes these tools suitable for monitoring the quality of marine waters. Thanks to the Pôle Mer PACA, strong relationships between public laboratories and companies from PACA and Brittany were established. If this scenario continues, IBISCUS project will have built a lasting relationship between the project partners, a kind of virtuous ecosystem «Research« (MIO), «R&D« (MM) and Production/Marketing (ACSA-Alcen).
Figure 1: «Mini Fluorimetre-UV« produced by the consortium: 4 Mini-Fluos UV (a), digital format incorporated to the glider «Sea Explorer« ((b), analog format that can be incorporated to profilers (c).
Our perspective is to produce the sensors developed in the IBISCUS project by ACSA Cie in collaboration with the Micro Module Cie, and to promote their use by many end-users. They fit into the prospects of the European FP7 project NEXOS (2013-2017), as they bring together a consortium of European companies and public institutions, working on a new generation of sensor systems. The performance of our sensors can thus be compared to other emerging European sensors to monitor the environment around oil production platforms, control of microbiological wastewater load, and trigger alerts through a smart interface in case of pollution.
1) Seven publications in international journals, 2) communications in national conferences (Annual Exhibition of « Eco -Tech « ) and international (Ocean Science Meeting 2010, Portland (U.S.) Living Techno-Ocean 2010 Kobe (Japan), Ocean Optics Congress 2012, Glasgow (Scotland), Congress WOMS 2013 La Garde (France)), 3) a CNRS Patent No. FR 2972260 (submersible fluorometer sources of UV (< 300 nm light) to quantifying targeted aromatics).
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