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Yo-Ann Velez Justiniano

Publications and source records attributed to Yo-Ann Velez Justiniano.

11 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2021

Microbial Food Safety in Space Production Systems

While traveling to deep space is difficult for many reasons, food is a crucial one. Round-trip Mars mission scenarios last 3 years, demanding food with a shelf-life of 5 years; this means that feeding human crew sustainably for long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) will ultimately lead to a paradigm shift away from the current Earth-based food production system, which depends upon storing and transporting prepackaged foods, and toward bio-regenerative production of food in space. Pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements face similar challenges. Moreover, the methods we currently use to detect dangerous microbes in food require sample return to Earth, a situation not viable for deep-space missions. While the science behind generating foods and bioproducts is covered by other white papers, in this paper we discuss a crucial gap uniting all of them: how to ensure that such products are free of unwanted microbial contamination and safe for crew to consume. Because Earth-based food safety systems cannot be directly applied in space, safety assurance is currently a critical bottleneck in the space production of food and other bioproducts. Future sustainable deep-space missions will require NASA to devote more resources in the coming decade to understanding the biological and physical science principles underlying microbial food safety in space, and to developing efficient, reliable methods in this area.

microbiology↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CDC Bioreactor Configuration Method for Volume Level Control with Controlled Inlet and Outlet Flow

Environmental Control Life Support Systems and other microbiological biofilm studies often utilize small scale bioreactors. Among these options are the popular BioSurface CDC bioreactors, currently being utilized by Marshall Space Flight Center groups researching the impact of biofilms on life support systems. After a recent experimental regime, it was determined additional equipment could be added to augment the capabilities of the bioreactors. Previous research configurations such as ASTM E3161-21 relied on an outlet stream gravity draining from a side drain port located above sampling coupons. This limited applications to experimental conditions with a controlled inlet and uncontrolled outlet flow. With the introduction of a small single pole single throw (SPST) reed float switch and a peristaltic pump connected to the outlet drain and a chassis controller, the bioreactor is able to maintain a set level. The modification allows additional variables to be tested, including highly adjustable fill and flush cycles, bioreactor volume, draining and filling control. Once the configuration modifications were implemented through the installation of the new equipment, data was collected to ensure the stability of the level measurements. As the level control switch is a float switch, consideration was taken into account for effects of internal stirring speed, along with effects of inlet and outlet flow rate. Data presented in this study will illustrate the stability and effectiveness of the configuration changes in equipment made to the bioreactor. These configuration changes have demonstrated control method to conduct biofilm mitigation techniques for ECLSS hardware research. The controlled level capabilities allow for a constant drip feed flow rate into the bioreactors, a key aspect of the biofilm mitigation testing.

CDC Bioreactor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Analysis of CDC Bioreactor Internal Thermal Measurements and Sample Coupon Temperatures

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bioreactor is an integral laboratory tool for the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) biofilm formation and growth research program. Critical to this research is the need to adjust and maintain various surface temperatures of the coupons housed within the CDC Bioreactor. The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative temperature gradient information when the CDC Bioreactor was operating according to several process scenarios. Two primary process parameters were evaluated. For the first set of test parameters, the liquid level was maintained at 350 mL, with an inlet flowrate of 0.1 mL/min, 1 mL/min, 10 mL/min. The liquid was allowed to gravity drain out of the outlet spout. For the second set of test parameters, the liquid level within the reactor was maintained at 550 mL, with an inlet flow of 0.1 mL/min, 1 mL/min, 10 mL/min and draining intermittently controlled to 0.8 mL/min to maintain the 550 mL level. Due to the placement of the thermocouple in the reactor, a difference in temperature occurred between the coupon surfaces and target Bioreactor temperature when operated according to the first set of test parameters. When the reactor was operated according to the second set of parameters, which resulted in the thermocouple being submerged, the temperature gradient was eliminated. The results demonstrated minimal temperature gradient between the top and bottom coupon surfaces for coupons placed in a single rod within the CDC Bioreactor for both sets of test parameters evaluated. The collection of this information helped to explain previous ECLSS biofilm formation test runs, along with providing guidance on best operating practices for future ECLSS experiments. The placement of the thermocouple also helps to explain the challenge of achieving and maintaining bulk liquid temperatures when biofilm is grown according to the standardized test methods.

CDC Bioreactor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CDC Bioreactor Configuration Method for Volume Level Control with Controlled Inlet and Outlet Flow

Environmental Control Life Support Systems and other microbiological biofilm studies often utilize small scale bioreactors. Among these options are the popular BioSurface CDC bioreactors, currently being utilized by Marshall Space Flight Center groups researching the impact of biofilms on life support systems. After a recent experimental regime, it was determined additional equipment could be added to augment the capabilities of the bioreactors. Previous research configurations such as ASTM E3161-21 relied on an outlet stream gravity draining from a side drain port located above sampling coupons. This limited applications to experimental conditions with a controlled inlet and uncontrolled outlet flow. With the introduction of a small single pole single throw (SPST) reed float switch and a peristaltic pump connected to the outlet drain and a chassis controller, the bioreactor is able to maintain a set level. The modification allows additional variables to be tested, including highly adjustable fill and flush cycles, bioreactor volume, draining and filling control. Once the configuration modifications were implemented through the installation of the new equipment, data was collected to ensure the stability of the level measurements. As the level control switch is a float switch, consideration was taken into account for effects of internal stirring speed, along with effects of inlet and outlet flow rate. Data presented in this study will illustrate the stability and effectiveness of the configuration changes in equipment made to the bioreactor. These configuration changes have demonstrated control method to conduct biofilm mitigation techniques for ECLSS hardware research. The controlled level capabilities allow for a constant drip feed flow rate into the bioreactors, a key aspect of the biofilm mitigation testing.

CDC Bioreactor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CDC Bioreactor Configuration Method for Volume Level Control with Controlled Inlet and Outlet Flow

Environmental Control Life Support Systems and other microbiological biofilm studies often utilize small scale bioreactors. Among these options are the popular BioSurface CDC bioreactors, currently being utilized by Marshall Space Flight Center groups researching the impact of biofilms on life support systems. After a recent experimental regime, it was determined additional equipment could be added to augment the capabilities of the bioreactors. Previous research configurations such as ASTM E3161-21 relied on an outlet stream gravity draining from a side drain port located above sampling coupons. This limited applications to experimental conditions with a controlled inlet and uncontrolled outlet flow. With the introduction of a small single pole single throw (SPST) reed float switch and a peristaltic pump connected to the outlet drain and a chassis controller, the bioreactor is able to maintain a set level. The modification allows additional variables to be tested, including highly adjustable fill and flush cycles, bioreactor volume, draining and filling control. Once the configuration modifications were implemented through the installation of the new equipment, data was collected to ensure the stability of the level measurements. As the level control switch is a float switch, consideration was taken into account for effects of internal stirring speed, along with effects of inlet and outlet flow rate. Data presented in this study will illustrate the stability and effectiveness of the configuration changes in equipment made to the bioreactor. These configuration changes have demonstrated control method to conduct biofilm mitigation techniques for ECLSS hardware research. The controlled level capabilities allow for a constant drip feed flow rate into the bioreactors, a key aspect of the biofilm mitigation testing.

CDC Bioreactor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development and Testing of a New Partial Gravity Urine Processor Design and Urine Pretreatment

The Planetary Urine Processor (PUP) is a urine distillation system for lunar or planetary applications, taking advantage of local gravity for phase separation as well as the movement and storage of waste feeds and distillate. The PUP utilizes a stationary evaporator with an integrated disposable bag to process urine and capture remaining precipitates. This system aims to increase water reclamation percentage to greater than 96%, reduce resource requirements, and enhance reliability and maintainability due to lower system complexity over the existing water recovery system on the International Space Station (ISS). This paper focuses on the hardware development, testing efforts, and the associated urine pretreatment development work.

Water Recovery↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

More Than a Decade of International Space Station Microbial Sampling in the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems

Microbial monitoring has taken place in major units belonging to the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) of the International Space Station (ISS). For at least a decade multiple modules including US and RU segments were sampled. In the US ECLSS, water reclamation and air systems combine their microbial contents downstream where biofilm incidents have been recorded. Understanding the microbial contents of segments provides a longitudinal perspective to microbiome changes in the system that contribute to this issue. The US ECLSS have been consistently sampled, especially in the Potable Water Bus (PWB) where bacteria from upstream sources have been observed.

Yo-Ann Velez Justiniano↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

More Than a Decade of International Space Station Microbial Sampling in the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems

Microbial monitoring has taken place in major units belonging to the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) of the International Space Station (ISS). For at least a decade multiple modules including US and RU segments were sampled. In the US ECLSS, water reclamation and air systems combine their microbial contents downstream where biofilm incidents have been recorded. Understanding the microbial contents of segments provides a longitudinal perspective to microbiome changes in the system that contribute to this issue. The US ECLSS have been consistently sampled, especially in the Potable Water Bus (PWB) where bacteria from upstream sources have been observed.

Yo-Ann Velez Justiniano↗