Claire Coutris

Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO)

I am a soil ecotoxicologist working at the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research. I am specialized in assessing the environmental fate of metallic nanoparticles in soils and conducting ecotoxicity tests required for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals and nanomaterials. Amongst others I am working with the characterization of nanomaterials (TEM, SEM/EDX, DLS, ultrafiltration and chemical extractions coupled to elemental analysis) and operate the robotized incubation system with GC-FID/EDC/TCD, used to describe microbial metabolism and effects of environmental pollutants on soil microorganisms.

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) is a national R&D institute under the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The main areas of competence are linked to food quality and safety, environmental protection and natural resources management. International collaboration is given high priority. NIBIO has a staff of about 700, with an annual turnover of ca. 85 M€. The Environment and Climate Division, with a scientific staff of approx. 60 persons, are specialized in research on fate and impact of environmental pollutants, including ecotoxicology, hazard assessment and soil remediation.

NIBIO has well equipped research laboratories including analytical chemistry instrumentation (LC-MS/MS, LC-HRMS, GC-MS/MS), climate controlled rooms, continuous cultures of test organisms (earthworms and collembolans), laminar flow cabinet, centrifuges, incubators, light microscopes, RT-PCR, state-of-the-art robotized incubators for studying anaerobic soil processes (GC-ECD/TCD/FID/NOA). In addition, nanoparticle characterization instrumentation is available on Campus Ås (NMBU), including electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), dynamic light scattering, Asymmetrical Flow Field Flow Fractionation.

 

Fields of scientific interest

My major interests are in the area of environmental fate of nanomaterials, with particular emphasis in processes occurring in terrestrial environments and functional ecotoxicity tests.

 

Projects

Year Project name Project description
2014-2018  NanoWaste Investigating the fate of nanomaterials in wastewater treatment plants; removal,release and subsequent impacts. Norwegian Research Council
2013-2017  NanoRem Taking nanotechnological remediation processes from lab scale to end user – Applications for the restoration of a clean environment. EU FP7
2007-2011 NanoEnvironment     Environmental fate and ecotoxicity of manufactured nanoparticles. Norwegian Research Council

 

Publications

  • Coutris C., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. (2012) Aging and soil organic matter content affect the fate of silver nanoparticles in soil. Science of the Total Environment 420:327-333, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.01.027
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. (2012) Bioavailability of cobalt and silver nanoparticles to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Nanotoxicology 6:186-95, doi:10.3109/17435390.2011.569094
  • Coutris C. and Joner E.J. (2012) Exposure and toxicity of metal and oxide nanoparticles to earthworms – In: Bhushan B., editor. Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology. New York, USA, Springer. p. 803-809, doi:10.1007/978-90-481-9751-4
  • Nuyts G., Lind O.C., Cagno S., Coutris C., Oughton D.H., Salbu B., Janssens K., Vanmeert F., Falkenberg G. (2012) Speciation of Co nanoparticles before and after biotest experiments with earthworms, Eisenia fetida. DESY annual report
  • Coutris C., Nilsen H., Oughton D.H., Tollefsen K.E. (2012) Toxicity of silver nanoparticles to the growth and fertility of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. (PhD thesis, ISBN 978-82-575-1059-6)
  • Coutris C., Bakken L.B., Joner E.J. (2012) Toxicity of silver nanoparticles to denitrifying bacteria Paracoccus denitrificans. (PhD thesis, ISBN 978-82-575-1059-6)
  • Lind O.C., Alfeld M., Nuyts G., Vanmeert F., Coutris C., Basnet P., Oughton D.H., Janssens K., Salbu B. (2011) Uptake of synthesized nanometer-micrometer sized U particles in earthworms (Eisenia fetida).DESY annual report
 
 

Conference Presentations

  • Hjorth R., Coutris C., Nguyen N., Sevcu A., Baun A., Joner E.J.– Ecotoxicity testing of nanoparticles for remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater – 13th International AquaConSoil Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, 9-12 June 2015 [Poster]
  • Coutris C. – Behaviour and traceability of engineered nanoparticles in the environment. Norwegian Environment Agency, Section for biocides and global chemical conventions, Lørenskog, Norway, 17-18 November 2014 [Plateform]
  • Sevcu A., Nguyen N., Coutris C. – Toxicity of iron nanoparticles: relationship between dose and response of (micro) organisms – 41th Conference on industrial toxicology and ecotoxicology, Kouty nad Desnou, Czech Republic, 5-7 May 2014 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Lapied E., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Earthworm exposure to cobalt and silver nanoparticles – XVI International Colloquium of Soil Zoology, Coimbra, Portugal, 6-10 August 2012 [Poster]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Lapied E., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Weathering of silver nanoparticles could increase their bioavailability – 6th SETAC World, Berlin, Germany, 20-24 May 2012 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Influence of carbon content and soil aging on the fractionation of silver nanoparticles in soil – 21st SETAC Europe, Milano, Italy, 15-19 May 2011 [Poster]
  • Lapied E., Coutris C., Moudilou E., Exbrayat J.M., Oughton D.H., Joner E.J. – Mode of exposure and nanoparticle size determine toxicity of silver nanoparticles measured as apoptosis in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris – Nanotoxicology Conference, Edimburgh, UK, 2-4 June 2010 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C.,Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Engineered cobalt and silver nanoparticles in soil ecosystems: bioaccessibility, uptake and biodistribution in earthworms – 3rd Norwegian Environmental Toxicology Symposium, Bergen, Norway, 14-16 April 2010 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C.,Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Environmental fate of engineered nanomaterials in soils – 3rd Norwegian Environmental Toxicology Symposium, Student symposium on Nanotechnology and the Environment, Bergen, Norway, 14 April 2010 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Large differences in earthworms exposure to cobalt and silver nanoparticles – Miljø2015 Konferansen II, Oslo, Norway, 16-17 February 2010 [Poster]
  • Joner E.J., Coutris C., Bakken L.R. – Effects of silver nanoparticles on denitrification - 4th International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Vienna, Austria, 6-9 September 2009 [Plateform]
  • Oughton D.H., Coutris C., Joner E. – The use of neutron activation as a method of tracing nanoparticles in environmental studies - 4th International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Vienna, Austria, 6-9 September 2009 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Uptake of cobalt and silver nanoparticles in earthworms (Eisenia fetida), using neutron activation as a tracing technique – 4th International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Vienna, Austria, 6-9 September 2009 [Poster]
  • Coutris C., Bakken L.R., Joner E.J. – Toxicity of silver nanoparticles to denitrifying soil bacteria –14th International Symposium on Toxicity Assessment, Metz, France, 29 August – 4 September 2009 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Exposure of earthworms to cobalt and silver nanoparticles: uptake, excretion and biodistribution – Responsible Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NANOMAT satellite meeting, Lillehammer, Norway, 18 June 2009 [Plateform]
  • Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Joner E.J., Oughton D.H. – Uptake of cobalt and silver nanoparticles in earthworms (Eisenia fetida), using neutron activation as a tracing technique – 19th SETAC Europe, Gothenburg, Sweden, 31 May - 4 June 2009 [Poster]
  • Oughton D.H., Coutris C., Hertel-Aas T., Pellicer E., Mendoza E., Joner E.J. – The use of neutron activation as a method of tracing nanoparticles – 3rd International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Birmingham, UK, 15-16 September 2008 [Plateform]

Published February 13, 2011