Étude magnétique des particules en suspension dans l’air (PM) capturées dans des biocollecteurs et des filtres à air dans différents environnements urbains

Soutenance de thèse de doctorat d’Arua da Silva Leite

Abstract

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is understood nowadays as a major health risk. The finer PM fraction is the most dangerous for human health. Environmental magnetism offers a great opportunity for PM investigation, being sensible enough to investigate the finer fractions (sub-micrometric) of iron oxides present in PM even when they occur in small concentrations. Here we combine magnetic methods with biocollectors in citizen science collaboration projects in order to better understand the indoor-outdoor PM problem in different contexts. The main goal of this thesis was to characterize anthropogenic PM emissions indoors and outdoors and the relationship between them. The results indicate firstly that different anthropogenic emission sources had a narrow grain size distribution. Traffic emissions dominated the magnetic fraction of PM that is carried indoors both in domestic environments and schools. Ultrafine iron oxides spherules of about 50nm (and finer) are related to traffic emissions, as detected in the SEM. Overall, this thesis provided new insights on the anthropogenic emission of PM, and their indoor-outdoor relationship which can be used in characterizing the domestic and school environment air quality. 

Le jury sera composé de 

Mme. France LAGROIX (Directrice de recherche, CNRS, Rapporteuse)
M. Pierre CAMPS (Directeur de recherche, CNRS, Rapporteur)
M. Bruno LARTIGES (Professeur d’université, Université Toulouse III, Examinateur)
M. Edmilson D. FREITAS (Professeur d’université, Universidade de São Paulo, Examinateur)
Mme. Helena SANT’OVAIA (Professeure associée, Universidade do Porto, Examinatrice)
Mme. Christine FRANKE (Enseignante-chercheuse, MINES-ParisTech, Examinatrice)
Mme. Melina MACOUIN (Chargée de recherche, CNRS, Directrice)
M. Ricardo TRINDADE (Professeur d’université, Universidade de São Paulo, Co-directeur)