Catherine Sirguey (ENSAIA site) and Sonia Henry (Thionville-Yutz site), senior lecturers at the University of Lorraine, recently obtained their qualification to supervise research (HDR) on this topic, which is of particular interest to the Soil and Environment Laboratory. A look back at their presentations.
We would like to extend a warm congratulations to our colleagues Catherine Sirguey and Sonia Henry, who have recently been awarded their Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR). Catherine’s defence took place on Friday 20 March at ENSAIA, and Sonia’s on 1 April at the IUT in Thionville/Yutz.
Their commitment, expertise and long-standing contribution to phytoremediation are widely recognised. Their work is fully in line with the research focus of the Soil and Environment Laboratory (LSE), which is dedicated to the restoration of degraded environments.
During their presentations, the audience was treated to fascinating overviews of phytomanagement strategies, including innovative approaches such as phytorhizoattenuation, stabilisation and phytoextraction. These methods, based on ecological engineering, offer sustainable solutions for treating contaminated soil, particularly in the Grand Est region, where many industrial or former industrial sites are affected by multiple contaminants.
Thanks to these approaches, which combine the use of plant species, remediation processes and biomass recovery, it is possible to restore soils, restore their functionality and restore their ecological and economic value.
Congratulations to both of you on this wonderful achievement, which is the culmination of years of research and dedication!
The two “HDR thesis manuscripts” reflect these researches :
"Hyperaccumulator plants for the sustainable and multifunctional management of contaminated soils".
Abstract: Soils contaminated with trace metals represent a major challenge at the intersection of environmental protection, human health and the ecological transition. The management of such soils is currently shifting from a focus on decontamination towards phytomanagement, an integrated approach aimed at controlling risks whilst maintaining or restoring ecosystem services.
Catherine Sirguey’s HDR thesis is part of this paradigm shift, placing hyperaccumulator plants at the heart of strategies for the sustainable management of contaminated soils. The first part presents a review of the current state of knowledge on soil fragility, the ecosystem services they provide, and the potential of heavily anthropogenised soils for biomass production, carbon storage and resource supply. The second part summarises research into the phytoextraction of metals, particularly cadmium, using hyperaccumulator plants such as Noccaea caerulescens, by analysing the diversity of soil–plant–microorganism systems and the main factors for optimisation. Part Three outlines a research project aimed at rethinking phytoextraction within a phytomanagement framework, taking into account multiple stresses, biotic interactions and the design of new cropping systems.
The manuscript as a whole highlights the central role of hyperaccumulator plants as scientific and practical tools for the sustainable and multifunctional management of contaminated soils.
“Plant-microorganism associations to restore the value of degraded soils”
Abstract: Soils are an essential and multifunctional resource that play a key role through the services they provide (production of food biomass, biomaterials, therapeutic treatments, leisure and well-being, etc.).
However, human activity has caused significant damage to these ecosystems, threatening, amongst other things, food security and ecosystem resilience. Sonia’s research has led her to work on brownfield sites and to develop innovative nature-based solutions (using plants and microorganisms) to improve the quality (reducing pollutant levels, increasing agronomic capacity) and soil health (the ability of soil to function as a living ecosystem that maintains its functions).
The projects carried out have also made it possible to explore various ways of utilising the plant biomass produced on these degraded sites (energy production, biocomposites). This tends to demonstrate the potential of brownfield sites, when managed through phytomanagement, to restore ecosystems and create integrated projects combining, for example, habitats, gardens and craft zones in the heart of cities.
This approach also makes it possible to develop value chains that reduce competition with agricultural land, whilst enabling the local production of biomass with low CO₂ emissions and promoting regional self-sufficiency.
