Plastic degradation is considered a significant source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release to the environment. This plastic-derived DOC includes oligomers at different oxidation levels, as well as organic additives such as phthalates, brominated (e.g., PBDEs) and fluorinated compounds (e.g., PFASs), organophosphate esters, chlorinated paraffins, and bisphenols. By mass, additives account for 6% of global plastic production and provide polymers crucial characteristics such as flexibility or resistance to degradation by heat and light. Most plastic additives that have been detected in coastal and offshore environments are endocrine disruptors and can interact with marine organisms :
- upon release from ingested plastic debris (PDs),
- through contact uptake when in the dissolved aqueous phase, and
- through trophic transfer to higher trophic level organisms.
Trophic transfer of PDs and their additives is, however, still poorly understood, although it is of primary importance to assess the impact on fisheries resources (fisheries and aquaculture in Vietnam = 5% GDP, 10% of jobs, 10% of exports) and on the health of the food chain basis (phyto- and zooplankton).
In this context, the central topic of this research project is to determine the fate of PDs and their additives in the Red River Vietnam, to the Gulf of Tonkin.
This will be apprehended through 5 objectives:
- to develop and adapt analytical methods for PD and additives
- to estimate the fluxes of PD and additives at the continent/ocean interface
- to determine trophic transfer of PDs and additives to aquaculture species
- to evaluate PD degradation and additive release in tropical and deep-sea environments
- to qualify emissions of oxidized additives/oligomers during plastic open burning
This thesis project relies on three laboratories: the Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry (LCE, Dr. Laure Malleret, lecturer at the University of Aix-Marseille, habilitation to supervise research in progress), the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH, Dr. BUI Van Hoi, lecturer), the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO, Dr. Vincent Fauvelle, researcher IRD). In addition, this research project is part of several networks and transverse research entities: the Asian observation network UNEP CounterMEASURE project, the GDRi PASSPORT-2C, the GDRi SOOT-SEA and the LMI LOTUS (International Mixed Laboratory that brings together Vietnamese laboratories including the USTH, and French laboratories including the MIO).
The Research Team
Laure Malleret - LCE/AMU
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Vincent Fauvelle MIO/IRD Researcher working on organic contaminants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, plastic additives, mainly at the continent/ocean interface, with different fundings (JPIO PLASTOX, JPIO ANDROMEDA, ANR POTOMAC, and more local contracts). An IRD researcher at MIO since 2020, with research activities expanding to Vietnam together with Vietnamese partners. Vincent has co-supervised 1 postdoc, 4 PhD students, and 7 Master students. Author of 25 publications (H-index 15, 625 citations) in various types of scientific journals, among which a recent paper as a first-author in Nature Communications. 
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BUI Van Hoi - University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) Lecturer-researcher at University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH). His main research is focused on the development, validation of analytical method for analyzing organic contaminants in environmental samples. 
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Join the team !
PhD Position
Kalliope Pediaditi - Project Manager of the Institute of Ocean Sciences AMU - (OCEAN)
Richard Sempéré - Director of the Institute of Ocean Sciences AMU - (OCEAN)