In February 2014, a coal ash spill on Duke Energy's Dan River Plant in Eden, NC released approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River. It took approximately one week to stop the spill. Starting in February 2015, drinking water utilities using the Dan River experienced a series of taste and odor (TandO) events described as "earthy" or "musty". Similar TandO events were not documented before the coal ash spill. This research attempted to understand causes of the TandO events and if the coal ash spill was connected. A variety of water quality analyses were performed on twelve sites from August 2016 to September 2017 on the Dan and Smith Rivers. The Smith River served as the control. From concentrations of coal ash indicators (particularly Ba, Sr, As, V, and Br-), there was a signature of coal ash on the Dan River that was not present on the Smith River. The signature could not be attributed to the coal ash spill, as the signature was present upstream of the spill. Chronic ecosystem toxicity due to metals was low and not significantly different between the Dan and Smith Rivers. No substantial TandO events occurred during the period of this study. All monitored odorants were detected with varying frequencies in both the Dan and Smith Rivers. No significant change in odorant concentration was found above and below the location of the coal ash spill. / MS

La carbamazépine (CBZ) est un antiépileptique largement consommé, peu dégradé dans les stations de traitement des eaux usées et donc rejeté dans les eaux de surface. Cette thèse vise à étudier le devenir de CBZ et de deux métabolites, l'oxcarbazépine (OxCBZ) et l'acide 9-carboxylique acridine (9-CAA), sous irradiation par la lumière solaire dans des eaux naturelles douces et salées. Les suivis cinétiques ont permis de mettre en évidence des comportements différents en fonction des composés mais aussi des types d’eaux et impliquant des mécanismes de phototransformation directe et induite mais aussi des réactions d’atténuation naturelle. Pour approfondir ces résultats, la spectrophotométrie d’absorption résolue en temps et l’utilisation d’une sonde chimique ont souligné la formation d’espèces réactives (radicaux hydroxyles, carbonates et halogénés) et des réactions de compétition ont permis de mesurer leur réactivité avec les composés étudiés.La formation de dérivés issus de processus d’hydroxylation, d’oxydation, de perte de la fonction latérale, d’ouverture et/ou contraction de cycle aromatique (etc.) et de sous-produits halogénés dans les eaux salées ont été identifiés lors de la photodégradation de CBZ, OxCBZ et 9-CAA. Enfin, l’écotoxicité aiguë et chronique de CBZ, OxCBZ et 9-CAA a été évaluée individuellement et en mélange à dose environnementales sur 3 espèces vivantes de différents niveaux trophiques en mesurant les paramètres suivants : luminescence sur la bactérie Vibrio fischeri, phytométabolites sur la lentille d'eau Lemna minor et altération aux niveaux population, cellulaire et moléculaire sur le cnidaire Hydra circumcincta. / Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a widely consumed anti-epileptic pharmaceutical drug, inefficiently removed in activated sludge secondary treatment process. Consequently, it is almost completely rejected in its original form into surface waters. Hence, this thesis aimed to study the fate of CBZ and two of its known bio-metabolites, i.e. oxcarbazepine (OxCBZ) and 9-carboxylic acridine acid (9-CAA), under solar light irradiation in fresh and salty waters. Kinetic monitoring revealed different behaviours both compounds and water types dependent implying photolysis, induced photodegradation but also natural attenuation reactions. To deeper understand these results, laser flash photolysis experiments and the use of a chemical probe highlighted the formation of reactive species (hydroxyl, carbonate and halogenated radicals). By implementing competition reactions, the rate constants of each compound with each chemical radical species were determined.The formation of derivatives from hydroxylation, oxidation, ring contraction, loss of side function, aromatic ring opening (etc.) and also halogenated by-products in salty waters were identified throughout CBZ, OxCBZ and 9-CAA phototransformations.Finally, acute and chronic ecotoxicity of CBZ, OxCBZ and 9-CAA individually and in mixture at environmental concentration levels were investigated on 3 living species from different trophic levels. The following endpoints were monitored: luminescence on the bacteria Vibrio fischeri, growth and development and phytometabolites on the duckweed Lemna minor and alterations at the population, cellular and molecular levels on the cnidarian Hydra circumcincta.