Missions

Phytoextraction is a technology that enables plants to extract and concentrate heavy metals from soils, with various applications. It notably supports the development of “agromining,” which utilizes hyperaccumulator plants to produce marketable metals such as nickel or zinc. This method is also promising for agricultural soils contaminated by cadmium, as well as polluted urban or industrial sites, offering ecosystem services beyond remediation. However, managing the biomass rich in heavy metals after cultivation remains a challenge, with options such as incineration requiring strict controls to limit emissions of volatile metals.
The recruited person will be tasked with studying different pathways for stabilizing heavy metals to ensure the sustainable management of the biomass. He/she will particularly focus on evaluating the behavior (volatilization, leaching) of cadmium during combustion processes and proposing formulations to limit its transfer from the ashes. He/she will also explore possibilities for the direct extraction of contaminants from the biomass and determine hydrometallurgical processes for isolating cadmium.

Activités

The recruited person will:
- propose experiments and operating conditions to be tested based on a review of the literature;
- validate analytical methods for monitoring the behavior of cadmium and other elements in solid matrices, such as ash;
- set up the experiments and analyze the results obtained;
- aim to correlate the observations with thermodynamic data using speciation software for solid or liquid phases;
- communicate scientific progress both to the various project stakeholders and through conventional scientific channels such as conferences and publications.

Compétences

The position requires skills in:
- experimental and analytical work (ICP, XRD, TGA), with strong scientific rigor;
- proficiency in hydrometallurgical operations and/or solid waste treatment;
- scientific writing in both French and English.
Proficiency in speciation software such as Phreeqc or Factsage would be an asset.

Contexte de travail

The postdoctoral position will take place at LRGP (Laboratory of Reactions and Chemical Engineering), a joint research unit of the University of Lorraine and the CNRS, located on the ENSIC campus in Nancy (France, 54). The recruited researcher will join the HydrometO team, internationally recognized for its work on developing metal recovery processes from hyperaccumulator plants.
Close collaboration is expected with IPREM (Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials), a joint unit of CNRS and the University of Pau and the Adour Region.

This work is directly aligned with the pressing issue of cadmium contamination in agricultural soils, a topic recently highlighted in numerous news reports and articles. The position is funded as part of a broader phytoremediation program for a site located in French Polynesia.

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

The recruited person will work with plants containing heavy metals, with all the associated constraints and necessary safety precautions.