Technical Paper
Survival of Human-Associated Bacteria in Prototype Advanced Life Support Systems
1999-07-12
1999-01-2061
The inclusion of bioregenerative life support elements (i.e., plant growth systems and bioreactors) will significantly increase the total abundance of microorganisms in extraterrestrial facilities. If the microbial communities associated with these systems (e.g., biofilms attached to plant roots or hardware surfaces) serve as reservoirs for potentially pathogenic human-associated bacteria, then bioregenerative systems may represent a human health risk. Research at the Kennedy Space Center during the past several years has attempted to quantify this risk by assessing the capacity of different human-associated bacteria to survive in prototype ALS systems.
