3.2 Dynamics of PFASs in the Seine River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
3.3 Transfer of PFASs to Biota in the Seine River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
4 Pathogenic Protozoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
4.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 367
4.2 Occurrence of Pathogenic Parasites in the Seine River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
5 Antibiotics and Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.2 Sources of Antibiotics in the Seine Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.3 Antibiotic Contamination in the Seine River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
5.4 The Resistome and Antimicrobial Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
6 Conclusions and Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Abstract For over 30 years, the sources and the transfer dynamics of
micropollutants have been investigated in the PIREN-Seine programme. Recent
works included a wide range of chemicals and biological contaminants of emerging
concern (i.e. contaminants whose occurrence, fate and impact are scarcely
documented). This chapter presents a brief overview of research recently conducted
on contaminants as diverse as macro- and microplastics, poly- and perfluoroalkyl
substances (PFASs), pathogenic protozoa, antibiotics and the associated antibiotic
resistance. The multiscalar study of plastics and PFASs at a large spatial scale is rare;
the results produced in recent years on the Seine River catchment have provided an
original contribution to the investigation of the dynamics of these contaminants in
urban environments. The results also highlighted that pathogenic protozoa are
ubiquitous in the Seine River basin and that the contamination of bivalves such as
Dreissena polymorpha could reflect the ambient biological contamination of watercourses. The widespread occurrence of antibiotics in the Seine River was demonstrated, and it was shown that the resistome of biofilms in highly urbanised rivers
constitutes a microenvironment where genetic support for antibiotic resistance
(clinical integrons) and resistance genes for trace metals are concentrated.
Keywords Antibiotic resistance, Antibiotics, Bioaccumulation, Contaminants of
emerging concern, Macro- and microplastics, Pathogenic protozoa, PIREN-Seine,
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, Sediment, Water, Zone Atelier Seine
1 Introduction
The Seine River basin is under severe anthropogenic pressure for a number of
reasons, including the emission of micropollutants by industrial, agricultural and
urban activities in combination with relatively low river water flow per capita
(cf. [1]). Thus, the sources and the transfer dynamics of both organic micropollutants
and trace metals have been investigated over several decades within the PIRENSeine programme. As regards organics, previous studies addressed this issue at
different temporal and spatial scales, focusing, for instance, on polycyclic aromatic
356
P. Labadie et al.
3.3 Transfer of PFASs to Biota in the Seine River Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
4 Pathogenic Protozoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
4.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 367
4.2 Occurrence of Pathogenic Parasites in the Seine River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
5 Antibiotics and Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.2 Sources of Antibiotics in the Seine Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
5.3 Antibiotic Contamination in the Seine River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
5.4 The Resistome and Antimicrobial Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
6 Conclusions and Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Abstract For over 30 years, the sources and the transfer dynamics of
micropollutants have been investigated in the PIREN-Seine programme. Recent
works included a wide range of chemicals and biological contaminants of emerging
concern (i.e. contaminants whose occurrence, fate and impact are scarcely
documented). This chapter presents a brief overview of research recently conducted
on contaminants as diverse as macro- and microplastics, poly- and perfluoroalkyl
substances (PFASs), pathogenic protozoa, antibiotics and the associated antibiotic
resistance. The multiscalar study of plastics and PFASs at a large spatial scale is rare;
the results produced in recent years on the Seine River catchment have provided an
original contribution to the investigation of the dynamics of these contaminants in
urban environments. The results also highlighted that pathogenic protozoa are
ubiquitous in the Seine River basin and that the contamination of bivalves such as
Dreissena polymorpha could reflect the ambient biological contamination of watercourses. The widespread occurrence of antibiotics in the Seine River was demonstrated, and it was shown that the resistome of biofilms in highly urbanised rivers
constitutes a microenvironment where genetic support for antibiotic resistance
(clinical integrons) and resistance genes for trace metals are concentrated.
Keywords Antibiotic resistance, Antibiotics, Bioaccumulation, Contaminants of
emerging concern, Macro- and microplastics, Pathogenic protozoa, PIREN-Seine,
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, Sediment, Water, Zone Atelier Seine
1 Introduction
The Seine River basin is under severe anthropogenic pressure for a number of
reasons, including the emission of micropollutants by industrial, agricultural and
urban activities in combination with relatively low river water flow per capita
(cf. [1]). Thus, the sources and the transfer dynamics of both organic micropollutants
and trace metals have been investigated over several decades within the PIRENSeine programme. As regards organics, previous studies addressed this issue at
different temporal and spatial scales, focusing, for instance, on polycyclic aromatic
356
P. Labadie et al.