Lionel Rard
Research Subjects
Research Interests
Lionel Rard has a total of 6 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Angel Negrete Velasco
Group of Environmental Physical Chemistry, Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
1 shared publication - David Lebrun
Odysseus 3.1, 31 Grande rue de la Guillotière, 69007 Lyon, France
1 shared publication - Franck Lebrun
Odysseus 3.1, 31 Grande rue de la Guillotière, 69007 Lyon, France
1 shared publication - Franck Pothe
Odysseus 3.1, 31 Grande rue de la Guillotière, 69007 Lyon, France
1 shared publication - Serge Stoll
Department F.-A. Forel for environmental and aquatic sciences, University of Geneva,Institute of Environmental Sciences, Group of environmental Physical Chemistry, 66, boulevard Carl-Vogt, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
1 shared publication - Wilfried Blois
Odysseus 3.1, 31 Grande rue de la Guillotière, 69007 Lyon, France
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
Microplastic and Fibre Contamination in a Remote Mountain Lake in Switzerland
The contamination of aquatic environments by microplastics has been largely documented in the last years, especially in oceans, rivers, and lakes, but their occurrence in remote mountain lakes has been scarcely considered. This work aims to investigate the presence and abundance of microplastics and fibres in a remote, alpine, and uninhabited lake in Switzerland (Sassolo). In this study, the water column as well as the sediments were analysed. The isolation of microplastics and fibres from the samples of the sediment was achieved with a digestion process using H2O2 and a density separation technique with NaI. Classification of microparticles (from 5 mm to 125 μm) was first developed with an optical microscope. Infrared spectroscopy was then used to identify and characterize the chemical nature of the microplastics and fibres. On average, 2.6 microplastics and 4.4 fibres per litre were identified in the water column. On the other hand, the results of the sediment samples revealed significant fibre concentrations compared to plastic microparticles (514 fibres and 33 microplastics per kilogram). The most abundant types of microplastic identified in the samples were composed of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Microplastic and fibre sources were not determined, but it is likely that the number of human activities in this area as well as aerial deposition are contributing to contaminate this remote environment with microplastics and fibres.
Open AccessMicroplastic and Fibre Contamination in a Remote Mountain Lake in Switzerland
The contamination of aquatic environments by microplastics has been largely documented in the last years, especially in oceans, rivers, and lakes, but their occurrence in remote mountain lakes has been scarcely considered. This work aims to investigate the presence and abundance of microplastics and fibres in a remote, alpine, and uninhabited lake in Switzerland (Sassolo). In this study, the water column as well as the sediments were analysed. The isolation of microplastics and fibres from the samples of the sediment was achieved with a digestion process using H2O2 and a density separation technique with NaI. Classification of microparticles (from 5 mm to 125 μm) was first developed with an optical microscope. Infrared spectroscopy was then used to identify and characterize the chemical nature of the microplastics and fibres. On average, 2.6 microplastics and 4.4 fibres per litre were identified in the water column. On the other hand, the results of the sediment samples revealed significant fibre concentrations compared to plastic microparticles (514 fibres and 33 microplastics per kilogram). The most abundant types of microplastic identified in the samples were composed of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Microplastic and fibre sources were not determined, but it is likely that the number of human activities in this area as well as aerial deposition are contributing to contaminate this remote environment with microplastics and fibres.