Simulation of hyporheic self -purification in rivers: the assimilative capacity of proteins

P. Namour (1) , P. Le Pimpec (1)

1 UR QELY - Qualité des eaux et prévention des pollutions

Simulation de l'autopurification hyporhéique des rivières : la capacité d'assimilation des protéines. / For the biochemical study of assimilation capacity (AC), two hypotheses were put forward (three levels of response, the hyporheon being the main site of self-purification). A physical model was designed, simulating the hyporheon and its response to increasing inputs of proteins was studied. The analyses evidence a low accumulation of, proteins in the hyporheic biofilms for daily flows ranging from 0. 1 to 20 mg/day The percolation of, proteins stimulates the proteolytic activity (increase in Vm) whereas the Km, shows no significant change; the assimilation capacities thus stimulated are vastly superior to the daily loads introduced into the system and explain the low accumulation of proteins. This stimulation concerns only a shallow active zone < 2 cm. For the future, a method of localising zones of hyporheic infiltrations (micro-piezometry, tracing, etc.) should be developed to monitor in situ the action of inputs of organic matter (OM) to estimate the AC of the river.

Mots clés: PROTEINE; CINETIQUE DE REACTION; ENZYME; CHIMIE ORGANIQUE; AUTOEPURATION DE L'EAU; COURS D'EAU; SIMULATION; CAPACITE D'ASSIMILATION

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

P. Namour, P. Le Pimpec. Simulation of hyporheic self -purification in rivers: the assimilative capacity of proteins. Water Science and Technology, 2001, 43 (5), p. 231 - p. 238. ⟨hal-00876250⟩