The cessation of mining activities has not eliminated associated nuisances such as pollution and land subsidence. In France, these risks are governed through highly centralized regulatory frameworks relying on standardized forms of scientific expertise. Based on a qualitative, multi-method study conducted in three post-mining territories, this article examines how legitimate knowledge is constructed, negotiated, and hierarchized in post-mining risk governance, and how these processes shape trust in public action. The analysis combines documentary review, interviews with institutional actors, elected officials, residents, and associations, and field observations. The findings show that post-mining governance is structured by an expert-centred epistemic regime grounded in regulatory compliance and technical indicators. While this model ensures legal and procedural coherence, it marginalizes experiential and place-based knowledge and constrains residents’ capacity to influence decision-making. Participatory tools primarily operate as informational mechanisms, often generating frustration and mistrust. In response, inhabitants develop forms of “ordinary resilience” through everyday practices that sustain attachments to post-mining landscapes despite technical restrictions. The article argues that central challenge of post-mining governance lies not in participation per se, but in the institutional recognition of plural forms of knowledge, which is essential to enhancing trust and legitimacy in environmental risk management. Keywords: Post-mining exploration Territories, risk, plural expertise, controversy, public action

Les pressions demographiques et foncieres en zones urbaines incitent a la remediation des sols pollues des friches. Les phytotechnologies, qui reduisent, a un cout modere, les risques environnementaux et sanitaires et favorisent la refonctionnalisation des sols degrades, se developpent donc. Cependant, un suivi dans le temps du site traite, la mise en place de filieres de gestion des plantes contaminees et une communication aupres des populations sont requis. La phytoextraction, la phytostabilisation et la phytovolatilisation appliquees aux sols pollues par les metaux persistants sont abordees de facon transversale : recherche scientifique, reglementation et applications.

Health impacts associated with exposure to atmospheric aerosols are of global concern and are not completely understood. In addition, health studies are, especially, complicated in developing countries such as South Africa. Oxidative potential (OP), defined as a measure of the capacity of aerosols to oxidise target molecules, has been proposed as a viable alternative relevant biological metric to better quantify toxicological responses related to atmospheric aerosol exposure in health studies. The dithiothreitol (DTT) assay is the most commonly used method to determine OP of aerosols, which was used in this study to quantify the OP of outdoor and indoor atmospheric particulates collected at three low-income settlements in South Africa. This technique is easy-to-operate, low-cost, effective and reproducible. The DTT methodology had to be modified according to previous applications, which required choosing a suitable extraction procedure and -setup. The redox activity of size-resolved sampled aerosols was evaluated and related to their chemical composition with correlation analysis. The seasonal variations of DTT redox activity were established by normalizing in terms of aerosol mass and sampled volume for indoor and outdoor particulate samples. Higher redox activity was determined for the smallest aerosols (aerodynamic diameter

Biogeochemical activity of trace elements in the environment significantly relies on their chemical speciation. Solution pH influences the chemical speciation and biogeochemical activity of trace elements in the soil-plant continuum. The current study was conducted to simulate the influence of solution pH on chemical fractions of 11 trace elements (arsenic, lead, zinc, copper, chromium, cadmium, mercury, nickel, strontium, antimony, and selenium) using Visual Minteq, a chemical equilibrium model used for the calculation of metal speciation, sorption etc. Results delineated that pH-mediated variations in the chemical speciation of trace elements differed with their type. The results of the current study revealed a dominance of chemical trace element species at acidic (1-6), neutral (7.0), and alkaline (8-14) pH. Divalent trace elements (zinc, cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel, and lead) were the dominant species at acidic pH. However, mercury dominance has a narrow pH range (1-3), while strontium dominance has a wider pH range (1-13). Nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate fractions of trace elements also occurred at pH <8. However, at pH >8, trace elements existed in hydroxide (OH) fractions. In the case of arsenic (arsenite As3+ and arsenate As5+), selenium (selenite Se4+ and selenate Se6+), and antimony (antimonite Sb3+ and antimonate Sb5+), their dominant species get oxidized with increasing pH. Multivariate analysis was conducted for various metals for their dominance as a function of pH. Moreover, Principal Component Analysis verified a linear relation of trace element fractions with pH. Results revealed that solution pH affects the chemical fractions and the phytoavailable fraction of trace elements in growth culture and associated health hazards through soil-plant transfer.

Agroecological transitions in collective urban gardens in Toulouse region were studied through the prism of global health (2011–2022). The specific meaning of “global health” in the context of urban gardens concerns the health of gardeners (well-being and physical health), plants, soil, and animals, as well as the interactions between humans and non-humans, which are crucial for gardeners. A sociotechnical research project was developed on four different collective gardening sites, consisting of the following: 1. surveys issued to 100 garden stakeholders to highlight issues and practices, participation in meetings with the social centers in charge of events, and focus groups; 2. participative agronomic and environmental measurements and field observations, including soil quality analyses; and 3. analysis of the available documentary corpus. In order to produce the results, these three research methods (surveys, agronomy, document analysis) were combined through a transdisciplinary approach, in that both the field experimentation outcomes and retrieved scientific publications and technical documents informed the discussions with gardeners. Consideration of the four different sites enabled the exploration of various contextual factors—such as soil or air quality—affecting the production of vegetables. A rise in the concerns of gardeners about the impacts of their activities on global health was observed, including aspects such as creating and enjoying landscapes, taking care of the soil and biodiversity, developing social connections through the transmission of practices, and regular outside physical activity and healthier eating. The increased consideration for global health issues by all stakeholders promotes the implementation of agroecological practices in gardens to improve biodiversity and adherence to circular economy principles. Four concepts emerged from the interviews: health, production of vegetables, living soil, and social interactions. Notably, nuances between the studied sites were observed, according to their history, environment, and organization. These collective gardens can thus be considered as accessible laboratories for social and agroecological experimentation, being areas that can strongly contribute to urban ecosystem services.

Health-related impacts e.g. respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, associated with exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) are globally considered important and are not completely understood. Oxidative potential (OP), defined as a measure of the capacity of PM to oxidise target molecules, has been previously proposed as an alternative relevant biological metric in health studies to better quantify toxicological responses associated with PM exposure than aerosol mass alone. Several methods are currently used to assess the oxidative capacity of PM. In this study, the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay was used, which is the most commonly used technique to estimate OP. This assessment is easy-to-operate, low-cost, effective and reproducible. The first step was to modify the DTT methodology based on previous applications, which entailed choosing an appropriate extraction procedure and -setup. The redox activity of size-resolved PM samples collected in three low-income urban settlements in South Africa, i.e. Jouberton, KwaZamokuhle and Zamdela was evaluated and related to their chemical composition through correlation analysis. Furthermore, it was attempted to determine seasonal variations of DTT redox activity through normalisation according to PM mass (DTTm) and sampled volume (DTTv) for outdoor and indoor environments. The results indicated higher redox activity for the finest (<1 mu m) particles compared to the coarser particulates (1-10 mu m) for both outdoor and indoor environments. DTT redox activity of PM, especially, in the PM1-10 particle size fraction, had strong correlations with elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC), as well as trace elements and water-soluble inorganic species for outdoor and indoor samples. Possible atmospheric aerosol emission sources suggested from these correlations include primary emissions from domestic- and open biomass burning, vehicles and industrial activities, as well as secondary particle formation (e.g. sulphate).

Copper-based nanoparticles (NPs) are gradually being introduced as sustainable agricultural nanopesticides. However, the effects of NPs on plants requires carefully evaluation to ensure their safe utilization. In this study, leaves of 2-week-old lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were exposed to copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs, 0 [CK], 100 [T1], and 1000 [T2] mg/L) for 15 days. A significant Cu accumulation (up to 1966 mg/kg) was detected in lettuce leaves. The metabolomics revealed a total of 474 metabolites in lettuce leaves, and clear differences were observed in the metabolite profiles of control and CuO-NPs treated leaves. Generally, phenolic acids and alkaloids, which are important antioxidants, were significantly increased (1.26–4.53 folds) under foliar exposure to NPs; meanwhile, all the significantly affected flavonoids were down-regulated after CuO-NP exposure, indicating these flavonoids were consumed under oxidative stress. Succinic and citric acids, which are key components of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, were especially increased under T2, suggesting the energy and carbohydrate metabolisms were enhanced under high-concentration CuO-NP treatment. There was also both up- and down-regulation of fatty acids, suggesting cell membrane fluidity and function responded to CuO-NPs. Galactinol, which is related to galactose metabolism, and xanthosine, which is crucial in purine and caffeine metabolism, were down-regulated under T2, indicating decreased stress resistance and disturbed nucleotide metabolism under the high CuO-NP dose. Moreover, the differentially accumulated metabolites were significantly associated with plant growth and its antioxidant ability. Future work should focus on controlling the overuse or excessive release of NPs into agricultural ecosystems to limit their adverse effects.

Sensitive experiences made in the interaction between gardeners and their gardens have been studied in Occitania, as part of a research thesis in environmental sociology. Entering through situated experiences, we put into perspective a pragmatic reading making it possible to make visible in the gardens sensitive, ordinary, affective and emotional elements; which are discussed with the gardeners to clarify their beliefs, feelings, representations, values, and thus understand their intentions, knowledge, practices and techniques developed in the gardens. More broadly, our research explores how sensory experiences in the garden contribute to the reconfiguration of relationships with the environment on the one hand and with other humans on the other. The research hypothesis tested is as follows: “Through the grips they generate both in the body and the mind, through gestures, the mobilization of the senses, techniques, objects, sensitive experiences into garden strengthen the freedom and creativity of gardeners in their relationship with the environment.” An embedded ethnology in contact with experiences in the gardens is mobilized as a survey device to shed light on the sensitive aspects. The observations and exchanges with the gardeners immersed in the gardens, allow the integral restitution of in situ experiences in connection with things, beings, places and atmospheres.

Water contamination by arsenic (As) is widespread and is posing serious health threats globally. Hence, As removal techniques/adsorbents need to be explored to minimize potentials hazards of drinking As-contaminated waters. A column scale sorption experiment was performed to assess the potential of three biosorbents (tea waste, wheat straw and peanut shells) to remove As (50, 100, 200 and 400 µg L−1) from aqueous medium at a pH range of 5–8. The efficiency of agricultural biosorbents to remove As varies greatly regarding their type, initial As concentration in water and solution pH. It was observed that all of the biosorbents efficiently removed As from water samples. The maximum As removal (up to 92

Soil processes affect metal chemical speciation and their biogeochemical activity. ● The current study predicted chemical speciation of eight metals in two soil layers. ● Divalent forms of metals predominated in both soil layers (79.9%). ● Chromium showed a chemical speciation that varied from that of the other metals (95.8% as CrOH+). ● Mean percentage ages of all metal ions were similar for all 15 field locations investigated. From soil contamination and risk assessment perspectives, it is imperative to understand the ecological processes occurring in soils. Certain soil processes greatly affect chemical speciation of potentially toxic metals (PTMs), and thus also influence their biogeochemical activity. The current study analyzed chemical speciation of eight PTMs (Cd, Cr, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Pb) in upper and lower soil layers for 15 agronomic fields of Vehari-Pakistan using Visual Minteq software. The divalent forms of most PTMs (PTM2+) generally predominated in both soil layers (79.9% overall occurrence). However, chromium revealed a different pattern of chemical speciation (95.8% as CrOH+) compared to other PTMs. The mean percentage of all the PTMs2+ was slightly higher for the lower soil layer (81.3%) than in the upper layer (78.4%), the trend being same for all the PTMs, except Cr. This higher PTMs2+ percentage in lower soil layers than upper layers was due to lower content of organic matter and other anions such as Cl− and HCO3−. The mean percentage ages of all the PTMs2+ was similar among all the 15 agronomic fields, which was confirmed by strong Pearson correlation values (R2 > 0.95). The PCA graph grouped all the agronomic fields and PTM2+ closely, except Cr2+ and Cu2+. This grouping confirmed the similar chemical speciation of PTMs, except Cu and Cr in studied fields.

The risk assessment of trace elements has received substantial attention for the achievement of UN Sustainable Developmental Goals (UN-SDGs). The present study aimed to evaluate health and ecological risks associated with trace element accumulation in Brassica oleracea under wastewater irrigations from three different areas. This study, for the first time, compared the pros and cons of mixed water crop irrigation (wastewater with fresh/groundwater). A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the buildup of eight trace elements (As, Cu, Cd, Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni and Zn) in soil and B. oleracea plants irrigated with wastewater alone and mixed with fresh/groundwater. Specific ecological [degree of contamination (Cd), potential ecological risk index (PERI), pollution load index (PLI), geo-accumulation index (Igeo)], phytoaccumulation [bioconcentration factor (BCF) and transfer factor (TF)] and health risk models [chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), cancer risk (CR)] were applied to assess the overall contamination of trace elements in the soil–plant–human system. Moreover, these indices were compared with the literature data. The concentration of Cd, Fe and Mn exceeded the threshold limits of 10, 500 and 200 mg kg−1, respectively, for agricultural soil. Overall, all the irrigation waters caused significant pollution load in soil indicating high ecological risk (Cd > 24, PERI > 380, Igeo > 5, PLI > 2). Not all the mixing treatments caused a reduction in trace element buildup in soil. The mixing of wastewater-1 with either groundwater or freshwater increased trace element levels in the soil as well as risk indices compared to wastewater alone. The BCF and TF values were > 1, respectively, for 66