Project title: Investigating residual embryotoxicity of micropollutants and degradation products (WP3)
Host Institution: Watchfrog
Country: France
Supervisor : D. du Pasquier, D. Patureau (PhD promoter) ; Co-supervisors : Raf Dewil (KU LEUVEN), M. de Kreuk (TU Delft)
Objectives: To assess embryotoxicity and environmental impact of treated sludges, digestates, and char-based materials in the context of agricultural land use. To link toxicity with the presence of specific classes of molecules.
DC10 will assess embryotoxicity and endocrine disruptive properties of the INCLUE sludges and digestates, and use this to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments to depollute the sludge. DC10 will employ bioassays, and in vivo bioanalytical assessment at the whole organism level, using fish and amphibian embryos (e.g., Medaka). DC10 will identify the most efficient treatment for toxicity removal and provide guidance to optimize the individual treatments towards toxicity decrease. DC10 will identify the chemicals acting as drivers of embryonic or endocrine toxicity in sludges, using Effect Directed Analysis, which is based on the fractionation of the samples followed by the identification of positive fractions using bioassays.
Expected Results: Bioassays developed for monitoring ecotoxicity, by creating knowledge on (i) the chemicals as drivers of sludge ecotoxicity, (ii) the effectiveness of the INCLUE sludge treatment methods towards depollution of sludge.
Enrolment in Doctoral degree(s): Gaia Doctoral School, University of Montpellier (FR)
Planned secondments: