FR3077217A1 - DEVICE FOR ASPIRATING A FLUID FROM AN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT FOR TRAPPING CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OF SUCH A MEDIUM AND MODULE (S) OF SUCH A DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a module for trapping chemical compounds from an aquatic environment intended to be connected to a vertical submersible pump configured to suck up the aquatic medium, the module comprising a central cylindrical tube (11) comprising openings (12) arranged on its periphery, a hollow porous reservoir (13) which is inserted around the cylindrical tube (11), the reservoir (13) being intended to contain a trapping material.

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL AREA AND STATE OF THE ART

The invention relates to the capture of natural substances produced by a marine invertebrate or a colony of invertebrates in their natural environment. As such, the invention relates to the capture of organic molecules from an aquatic environment by means of a device for aspirating a fluid from an aquatic environment for trapping chemical compounds from such an environment as well as a module for the implementation of such a device.

Natural bioactive products are the preferred source for the discovery of drugs active on various pathologies (cancer, infections, neurodegenerative diseases, immune diseases ...). Natural products are isolated from various bioresources. Among these bioresources, marine invertebrates represent an important source.

Marine invertebrates are animals that die quickly once removed from their natural ecosystem, an ecosystem in which they live in permanent interaction with other organisms associated with them (microorganisms, microalgae, annelids, bivalves ...). The marine invertebrate is thus qualified as holobionte, a term which indicates an organism made up of the association of several interdependent species.

Marine invertebrates are increasingly rare in nature and undergo various climatic (global warming) and anthropogenic stresses (intensive collections, non-selective uprooting, poaching, etc.). In addition to these stresses, many marine invertebrates are endangered, difficult to cultivate, difficult to collect when they colonize inaccessible sites, difficult to dispatch and to keep alive.

International regulations preserve the biodiversity of marine invertebrates and their collection is increasingly regulated or even prohibited for the most threatened.

Usually, the chemistry of marine invertebrates is studied in several ways:

- by collecting invertebrates in different marine areas;

- by cultivating invertebrates in aquariums;

- by growing invertebrate cells.

These solutions are however not satisfactory. In fact, cell culture is anecdotal for fundamental research purposes only. Cultivation of marine invertebrates is extremely slow and random before reaching exploitable quantities. In addition, the invertebrate is studied outside of its habitat and the conditions that characterize it, and without its natural symbionts associated with it.

Also in order to study invertebrates as well as possible, the only existing solution consists in collecting the invertebrate and its natural environment and extracting it in the laboratory to recover the natural substances. Thus the invertebrate is systematically studied dead and the contribution of its symbionts completely eluded.

There is therefore a need to have technologies for studying the chemistry of marine invertebrates in their natural environment, avoiding collecting them and minimizing any disturbance which would lead to abnormal behavior of the animal or to the degradation of its ecosystem. . Such devices must have zero impact on invertebrates and their environment. In the state of the prior art, such devices have still not been developed, hence the object of the invention.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and its object is to capture / trap the natural substances produced by a marine invertebrate or a colony of invertebrates in their natural environment, without collecting or stressing them, whatever the place or the depth at which they develop.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a module for trapping chemical compounds from an aquatic medium intended to be connected to a vertical submersible pump configured to suck up the aquatic medium, the module comprising a central cylindrical tube comprising openings arranged on its periphery, a hollow porous tank which is inserted around the cylindrical tube, the tank being intended to contain a trapping material.

The invention, according to the first aspect, is advantageously supplemented by the following characteristics, taken alone or in any of their technically possible combinations:

the module comprises a hollow base into which the central tube is inserted, the tube and the base being fixed one with the other by snap-fastening;

the module comprises a casing surrounding the tank, the casing surrounding the tank and the central tube in order to keep the tank in position around the central tube;

the housing includes a thread so that a plug can be screwed or so that a cylindrical tube can be screwed to the housing;

the housing is fixed to the hollow base by snap-fastening;

the module comprises a grid disposed above the tank;

the reservoir is made of porous materials configured to let a fluid pass.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an assembly comprising at least two modules according to the first aspect of the invention, the modules being assembled in series, the assembly comprising at least one ring disposed between two successive modules.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a device for aspirating a fluid preferably originating from an aquatic medium comprising: a vertical submersible pump configured to aspirate the fluid; and at least one module according to the first aspect of the invention connected to said pump.

The device according to the third aspect is advantageously supplemented by the following characteristics, taken alone or in any one of their technically possible combination:

it comprises at least two modules arranged above the pump in series or in parallel;

it includes a dome covering a zone to be studied from the aquatic environment, the dome being conical and extending from the inlet of the pump;

the dome is made of transparent material;

the dome includes armatures extending conically and evenly from the inlet of the pump;

the dome comprises a circular lower base, the armatures extending from the inlet of the pump towards said base;

the device further comprises a floating platform configured to supply the pump, the device comprising links for attaching the pump to the platform.

the device comprises solar panels so as to supply power to the pump.

The invention allows the trapping of compounds released by invertebrates (holobionts), or by a community of invertebrates directly in their natural habitat.

The module is left for a predefined period and is then recovered. The trapping material is then recovered and the target compounds are desorbed.

The invention therefore aims to bring the laboratory closer to the invertebrate living in its natural habitat rather than bringing a dead invertebrate to the laboratory.

The invention allows the trapping of compounds released by invertebrates (holobionts), or by a community of invertebrates. The invention is compatible with all aquatic environments (basin, river, lake, sea ...) and is advantageously autonomous.

PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which should be read with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a suction device for a fluid from an aquatic medium according to the invention;

- Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate a trapping module according to the invention;

- Figure 4 illustrates two arrangements of trapping modules according to the invention;

- Figures 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate the assembly of trapping modules according to the invention;

- Figure 6 illustrates a sectional view of a trapping module according to the invention;

- Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a dome of a suction device according to the invention;

- Figures 11a and 11b illustrate a platform of an aspiration device for an aquatic medium according to the invention.

In all of the figures, similar elements bear identical references.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an aspiration device for chemical compounds of all kinds, from an aquatic environment, arranged above marine invertebrates. The device allows in particular the trapping of organic compounds released by the invertebrate and its symbionts.

Such a device comprises a floating platform to which is connected a vertical submersible pump 20 and modules 10 for trapping the compounds.

Preferably, a dome 30 is connected to the inlet 21 of the pump 20. Such a dome 30 makes it possible to clearly delimit the analysis zone.

Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate a trapping module 10. Such a module 10 comprises a central cylindrical tube 11 comprising openings disposed on its periphery, a hollow porous reservoir which is inserted around the cylindrical tube 11. Thus, the central cylindrical tube 11 carries openings arranged in four columns on its periphery.

The reservoir 13 makes it possible to contain a trapping material, advantageously, a neutral resin formed by a co-polymer pol y styrene-divinyl benzene.

Preferably, the neutral resin is of the XAD 2, XAD 4, XAD 6, XAD 7HP, XAD16, Diaion HP-20 or Sepabeads type.

Alternatively, the reservoir may include, without limitation, other graphite type trapping means or even polyurethane balls.

The reservoir 13 typically has a volume of 1L.

The central tube 11 is inserted into a hollow base 14 and is fixed to the base 14 by snap-fastening. To do this, the base 14 includes elastic tabs 141 which engage in grooves 110 formed on the periphery of the tube 11 at its lower end. The upper part of the tube 11 passes through the reservoir 13. The tube 11 is plugged at its end, which forces the water sucked through the reservoir 13 through the perforations 12.

A casing surrounds the reservoir 13 and the tube 11 and a ring. The housing is fixed to the latter by snap-fastening. Again, the housing includes elastic tabs which engage in grooves formed on the periphery of the ring.

Advantageously, the casing comprises on its open upper part, a thread so as to allow the modules 10 to be connected together or else to connect a plug if the casing is the last. The cap is not airtight because the fluid must be able to drain over all of the modules 10.

In a complementary manner, a grid 17 disposed above the reservoir 13 makes it possible to maintain the latter. In this way, in operation, the water having passed through the reservoir 13 can thus pass into a second module 10 through the perforations of the grid 17.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the trapping modules 10 are either connected in series or parallel to a transition module 10, which has all the characteristics of a module 10 except the casing which here has two openings making it possible to accommodate two elbows which allow the modules 10 to be connected in parallel to this 10 'transition module.

The fact of providing modules 10 in series makes it possible to have different types of trapping material in the different reservoirs 13 (sequential trapping). And the fact of providing the modules 10 in parallel makes it possible to share the water sucked directly into different trapping materials (parallel trapping).

We have illustrated in Figures 5a, 5b, 5c the assembly of several modules 10. In these figures we clearly see that the modules 10 are nested one inside the other. In particular, it can be seen that the central tube 11 of a module 10 is located above the grid 17 of the module 10 below. In particular, the central tube 11 is provided at its lower end which is below the ring with a thread so as to be able to be screwed to the thread of the casing.

An O-ring 19 is inserted into a groove made on the periphery of the base 14 in order to ensure a seal between the base 14 and the casing 15.

A ring is arranged between two successive modules 10 to ensure the connection between them.

The lower module 10 (of a set of several modules 10) is fixed to the pump 20 by screwing to a head disposed at the upper end of the pump 20.

As an example (see Figure 6):

the reservoir 13 has a height of 150 mm.

the central tube 11 has a diameter of 35 mm and has holes over a height identical to that of the reservoir 13 which surrounds it.

The module 10 has a height of 260 mm and a maximum external diameter of 130 mm.

The housing has a height of 210 mm.

The trapping material occupies a volume close to 1 Liter.

In operation, the pump 20 sucks the aquatic medium and when the fluid circulates in the hollow tube 11 it passes into the reservoir 13 through the pores provided for this purpose to come into contact with the trapping material so as to trap molecules of interest. The fluid continues on its way through the grids 17 and the tubes 11 and successively passes through the various modules 10 connected together which make it possible to successively trap the molecules of interest. Once arrived at the last module 10, the fluid is evacuated. Thus, as will be understood, it is an open fluid circuit. In addition, only molecules of interest from the aquatic environment are trapped, invertebrates (holobionts) are never extracted as such, but only the compounds released by them are trapped. FIG. 3C illustrates the flow of the fluid in a module 10 (shown diagrammatically by arrows).

As already presented, and as illustrated in detail in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10, the extraction device comprises a dome 30 for covering an area of the aquatic environment, the dome 30 is conical and extends in s flaring from the inlet 21 of the pump 20. It comprises an upper base 33 connected to the pump 20 by means of a flange 34 for fixing in half-shells, two screws 35 come to connect the two half-shells. The dome 30 includes a lower base 32 which is intended to overhang the targeted area Z.

Advantageously, depending on the target area, the lower base 32 of the dome 30 can have different diameters: 40, 80 or 120 cm and heights (these values are in no way limiting).

The dome 30 includes a flexible wall which extends from the upper base 33 to the lower base 32 to form a cone. Reinforcements 31 which extend along this cone are there to stiffen the assembly. The frames 31 are articulated at their attachment to the upper base. Having articulated frames 31 makes it possible to limit the mechanical stresses exerted on the dome 30. In addition, these frames 31 make it possible to fold the dome 30 when it is not in use.

The wall of the dome 30 is transparent to let the light through so as not to disturb the aquatic environment during the aspiration. In addition, at the upper base, the dome 30 has an opening to facilitate the circulation of water.

To facilitate the positioning of the dome 30, lugs 36 are distributed around the periphery of the lower ring. These tabs 37 include rings in order to optionally attach or ballast the dome 30 at the targeted area.

Also, as already mentioned, the extraction device is connected to a floating platform 40 by means of steel cables 41 (FIGS. 11a and

b). At least two cables 41 hold the device to the platform. The length of the cables 41 is not fixed in advance but depends on the depth at which the extraction device must be positioned. As such, the platform includes a double cable unwinder (not shown) 41 associated with the electric cable intended to operate the pump. The cable 41 makes it possible to adjust the depth to which the device must be deployed on the site to be studied.

The platform 40 further comprises at least one solar panel which makes it possible to supply the energy necessary for the pump 20. As such, sealed power cables (not shown) are connected from the energy source to the pump 20 .

Advantageously, the platform 40 comprises four solar panels supported by a parallelepipedal central frame (not shown).

The platform 40 intended to accommodate the personnel responsible for recovering the modules and actuating the process, for its part, is conical and has a large base 43 intended for outside the water and a small base 44 intended for being submerged.

Claims (16)

1. Module (10) for trapping chemical compounds from an aquatic environment intended to be connected to a vertical submersible pump (20) configured to suck up the aquatic environment, the module comprising a central cylindrical tube (11) comprising openings (12 ) arranged on its periphery, a hollow porous reservoir (13) which is inserted around the cylindrical tube (11), the reservoir (13) being intended to contain a trapping material. 2. Module according to claim 1, comprising a hollow base (14) into which is inserted the central tube (11), the tube (11) and the base (14) being fixed with one another by snap-fastening. 3. Module according to claim 2, comprising a casing (15) surrounding the reservoir (13), the casing (15) surrounding the reservoir (13) and the central tube (11) in order to keep the reservoir (13) in position around of the central tube (11). 4. Module according to claim 3, wherein the housing (15) comprises a thread (151) so that a plug (16) can be screwed or so that a cylindrical tube (11) can be screwed to the housing (15). 5. Module according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the housing (15) is fixed to the hollow base (14) by snap-fastening. 6. Module according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a grid (17) disposed above the tank (13). 7. Module according to one of the preceding claims, in which the reservoir (13) is made of porous materials configured to let a fluid through. 8. An assembly (100) comprising at least two modules (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the modules (10) being assembled in series, the assembly comprising at least one ring (18) disposed between two successive modules. 9. Device (100) for suction of a fluid preferably from an aquatic environment comprising: - a submersible vertical pump (20) configured to aspirate the fluid; - at least one module (10) according to one of the preceding claims connected to said pump. 10. Device according to the preceding claim, comprising at least two modules (10) arranged above the pump in series or in parallel. 11. Device according to one of claims 9 to 10, comprising a dome (30) covering a zone to be studied with the aquatic environment, the dome (30) being conical and extending from the inlet (21) of the pump. 12. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the dome (30) is made of transparent material. 13. Device according to one of claims 11 to 12, wherein the dome (30) comprises frames (31) extending conically and regularly from the inlet (21) of the pump (20). 14. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the dome comprises a lower circular base (32), the armatures (31) extending from the inlet (21) of the pump towards said base (32). 15. Device according to one of claims 9 to 14, further comprising a floating platform (40) configured to supply the pump, the device comprising links (41) for attaching the pump to the platform. 16. Device according to one of claims 9 to 15, comprising solar panels (42) so as to supply power to the pump. 1/6