Science at theUM [S06-ep03]: Nuclear Waste at the Bottom of the Sea
This week on *A l’UM * Science, Benoit Ildefonse, a researcher at the Géosciences Montpellier, tells us about the Nodssum mission, which is dedicated to monitoring radioactive waste at sea. The report takes us to the Polyphénols platform at the SPO research platform, accompanied by Nicolas Sommerer. Finally, Françoise Fons introduces us to the Mushroom and Fall Plants Fair. A program broadcast every Wednesday on the radio station Divergence.
Between 1949 and 1982, 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste were simply dumped 5,000 meters below the surface of the northeastern Atlantic. More than 40 years after this practice was discontinued, scientists from the CNRS and Ifremer, along with members of the ASNR (the French Nuclear and Radioactive Safety Authority) and several national and international partners, returned to investigate the fate of these drums and assess the potential environmental impact of their contents.
Following an initial mission in 2025 to map the dumping site, the researchers involved in this mission—known as Nodssum —returned to sea from May 27 to June 28 of this year, this time with the goal of exploring the areas identified during the first campaign and getting as close as possible to the barrels. Benoit Ildefonse was part of this incredible expedition; he is a geologist and, above all, a seasoned veteran of marine expeditions with the French oceanographic fleet, and he tells us about this mission in the depths.
In the second part of the program, we visit the polyphenol analysis lab at SPO. These compounds are, of course, found in wine, but not only there, as the lab’s director, Nicolas Sommerer, explains.
Finally, Françoise Fons introduces us to the Mushroom and Fall Plants Fair, which will take place on October 17 and 18 at the School of Pharmacy, featuring tours, exhibits, and lectures.
At "UM : Science," here's the lineup—let's get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Reporting: Aline Périault
Director: Bruno Bertrand
Listen to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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