ECOTECHNOLOGIES

The "Ecotechnology" unit is active in:

• the design, development and adjustment at industrial pilot scale of methods for processing mineral raw material (ores and industrial minerals), industrial waste water (e.g. purification plants) and contaminated land: 
• biological methods
• hydrometallurgical methods
• physical methods
• physico-chemical method

Developing clean technologies that better respect the environment involves reducing emissions (restriction of CO2 emissions), minimizing water consumption (recycling of process water), treating industrial and mine effluents, minimizing energy consumption,

• geo-microbiology for improving knowledge on the behaviour of pollutants in different compartments of the environment, in particular water resources and soil,

• the development of biological sensors to enable the monitoring of pollutants in the environment. For this, the department is equipped with a specialized molecular biology laboratory.

• Guide méthodologique de l'arsenic appliqué à la gestion des sites et des sols pollués.
  Editions BRGM. Rapport RP-52066-FR - 2003
  

• " Les processus biogéochimiques impliqués dans la mobilité de l'arsenic : intégration dans les fonctions de transfert et recherche de bioindicateurs" (Biogeochemical processes involved in the mobility of arsenic: integration in transfer phenomena and research of bio-indicators)
  Marianne Quémeneur - Thesis co-financed by ADEME and BRGM and supervised jointly by LIMOS-UHP Nancy and BRGM. Viva voce planned for October 2008.

• "Etude des processus biogéochimiques prépondérants responsables de la mobilité du Pb, Zn, Cd, As et Hg du sol vers l'hydrosphère" (Study of the main biogeochemical processes responsible for the mobility of Pb, Zn, Cd, As and Hg from soil to atmosphere)
  Antoine Joubert - Thesis work financed by the European Commission under the AquaTerra project and supervised jointly by LIMOS-UHP Nancy and BRGM. Viva voce planned for September or October 2007.
  

• AQUATERRA - Global Change and Ecosystem Integrated Project.
  This programm aims to provide the scientific basis for an improved river basin management through a better understanding of the river-sediment-soil-groundwater system as a whole, by integrating both natural and socio-ecnomics aspects at diferent temporal and spatial scales.
  Research Project of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme carried out in collaboration with the Water Division
  

• BioMinE - Biotechnologies for Metal bearing materials in Europe
  Research Project of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme
  

• BioShale - Search for a sustainable way of exploiting Black shale Ores using Biotechnologies
  Research Project of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme
  

• Coal tar pollution - Identification and test of a process for the physical separation of materials. BRGM project carried out in partnership with ATOFINA.
  Extract from the BRGM Annual Report 2004
  

• COBIAS - COmpréhension du rôle du BIofilm bactérien et maîtrise de son développement lors du traitement d'eaux ArSéniées en bioréacteurs à lit-fixe
  

• ELMAA - Integrated water management of Mediterranean phosphate mining and local agricultural systems
  Research Project of the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme
  

• HgSol - Development of a depollution process for mercury-contaminated soil and waste. BRGM project carried out in association with ADEME and the SOLVAY group.
  Extract from the BRGM Annual Report 2004
  

• Metalbioréduction  - Development of technologies using the activity of sulphate- and metal-reducing bacteria (SMRB) to remove heavy metals and metalloids from groundwaters and soils
  Research Project of the European Commission Fifth Framework Programme
  

• REWARD - Recovery of Electronic Waste through Advanced Recycling and Demonstration. Leader of the Project Promikron BV Reference sheet
  

• Ministry for Research

• Public institutions (ADEME, CEMAGREF, CNRS, INRA, IRD)

• University of Nancy

• List of participations at events
  

More information may be found on the following events web site:

• Les Journées thématiques (Theme days ): " Les Biofilms dans l'Environnement : procédés industriels et risques sanitaires " (Biofilms in the Environment: industrial processes and health risks) with the National Biofilm Network, which took place at Orléans the 14 and 15 June 2006
  

• Journée d'échanges ( Exchange day ) "Arsenic dans l'environnement et ses impacts" (Arsenic in the environment and its impacts) organized on 23 November 2004 at Orléans
  

• Colloque "Serge Winogradsky aujourd'hui" - 12 octobre 2006, Colombes
  

The BRGM publications list is available from the BRGM web site.

Most of the publications of the Environment & Processes Division can be found by entering Sols contaminés - Déchets et procédés in the formular.