Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations for Airborne Contaminants: Revision C

Abstract

The enclosed table lists official Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) for selected airborne contaminants. They are based upon experiments conducted at standard pressure and oxygen environments and may or may not be applicable to altered atmospheres. The values listed in this summary document are applicable only to ambient conditions at standard temperature and oxygen (14.7 psi and 21% O2 at 25°C). These are guideline values set by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Johnson Space Center (JSC) Toxicology Group in cooperation with the National Research Council Committee on Toxicology (NRCCOT), through publication in the peer- reviewed scientific literature, or NASA Technical Memoranda. Based on documented guidance (NRC, 1992; NRC, 2016), NASA has established SMACs for 58 chemical compounds that are particularly relevant to atmospheric contamination of the International Space Station (ISS) and targets of Exploration. Some long-term limits (1000-days) have also been established to support manned deep-space exploration. Summaries of these SMACs are presented in tabular form as part of this publication. This document provides a tabular summary of values that have been previously established based on guidelines established by NASA and the National Research Council’s Committee on Toxicology and vetted and published through the NRCCOT and/or non-NASA scientific literature and NASA Technical Memoranda. Short‐term (1‐ and 24‐hour) SMACs apply to off‐nominal situations, such as accidental releases aboard a spacecraft. These limits permit risk of minor, reversible effects, such as mild mucosal irritation. In contrast, the long‐term SMACs are set to fully protect healthy crewmembers from adverse effects resulting from continuous exposure to specific air pollutants for up to 1000 days. Because allergic reactions or chemical idiosyncrasy to certain airborne pollutants are very difficult to predict, crewmembers with allergies or unusual sensitivity to trace pollutants may not be afforded complete protection, even when long‐term SMACs are not exceeded.