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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2021

Persistence of a Potential Pathogen on a Plant Microbiome-Does Seed Sanitization Matter?

Microbial interactions on, in, and around the seeds can have profound effects on plant growth, development, and productivity. These interactions can be casual or intimate in nature, but ultimately they all contribute in varying degrees to an ever-evolving microbiome. Plant microbiomes have been investigated over decades and new data continue to reveal how microbiomes play an important role in the plant’s success. Many eubacteria and fungi have been found to have a symbiotic relationship with plants and other microorganisms. The source of the plant microbiome on adult plants is provided by the seed via vertical transmission to leaf, root, flowers or fruit, as well as the surrounding environment.

Anirudha R. Dixit↗
NASA NTRS1997

Application of NASA's Advanced Life Support Technologies in Polar Regions

The problems of obtaining adequate pure drinking water and disposing of liquid and solid waste in the U.S Arctic, a region where virtually all water is frozen solid for much of the year, has led to unsanitary solutions. Sanitation and a safe water supply are particularly problems in rural villages. These villages are without running water and use plastic buckets for toilets. The outbreak of diseases is believed to be partially attributable to exposure to human waste and lack of sanitation. Villages with the most frequent outbreaks of disease are those in which running water is difficult to obtain. Waste is emptied into open lagoons, rivers, or onto the sea coast. It does not degrade rapidly and in addition to affecting human health, can be harmful to the fragile ecology of the Arctic and the indigenous wildlife and fish populations. Current practices for waste management and sanitation pose serious human hazards as well as threaten the environment. NASA's unique knowledge of water/wastewater treatment systems for extreme environments, identified in the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment report entitled An Alaskan Challenge: Native Villagt Sanitation, may offer practical solutions addressing the issues of safe drinking water and effective sanitation practices in rural villages. NASA's advanced life support technologies are being combined with Arctic science and engineering knowledge to address the unique needs of the remote communities of Alaska through the Advanced Life Systems for Extreme Environments (ALSEE) project. ALSEE is a collaborative effort involving the NASA, the State of Alaska, the University of Alaska, the North Slope Borough of Alaska, Ilisagvik College in Barrow and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The focus is a major issue in the State of Alaska and other areas of the Circumpolar North; the health and welfare of its people, their lives and the subsistence lifestyle in remote communities, economic opportunity, and care for the environment. As advanced technologies are transferred to the commercial sector the ALSEE project Offers the potential for development of new industries in Alaska to supply the products to support remote communities of the globe.

Bubenheim, David L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Effects of Plasma Application on Radish Seeds with Implications for Space Crop Production

In extended space missions, the astronaut diet will consist mostly of prepackaged foods. This could result in nutritional deficiencies due to the gradual breakdown of certain vitamins. To address this deficiency, fresh produce must be grown from seed during spaceflight. Stored seeds, however, can be vulnerable to microbial contamination which could jeopardize plant health and crop food safety. To alleviate this concern, the current practice is to sanitize seeds on the ground before spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS). Methods of seed sanitization include alcohol soaking and chlorine gas fumigation, which have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Plasma application is a new sanitization approach that avoids these negative side effects while potentially elevating germination rate and improving growth rate; yet plasma application requires specific exposure time, power, and pressure to achieve these benefits. In the present study, Raphanus sativus ‘Cherry Belle’ radish seeds were exposed to either low pressure (Diener) plasma or atmospheric pressure plasma for varying increments of time (30s-1200s). Data collected includes immediate germination rate (viability) and microbial log reduction. Additionally, seeds were stored for later germination rate testing. Microbial assay controls have highlighted variability in initial microbial load between individual seeds, and further work is being performed to determine the standard microbial load of an untreated seed. In some samples, a negative log reduction was observed after plasma treatment encouraging further study to determine if the plasma is perforating the seed coat and releasing endophytic microbes. Treatment with Diener plasma shows promising microbial log reduction, but lower viability. In contrast, treatment with atmospheric pressure plasma offers high viability, but poor microbial log reduction. Further study will aim at determining whether plasma treatment is effective at not only sanitization, but sterilization. This research was funded by a NASA grant at the Kennedy Space Center.

Plasma↗
NASA NTRS1977

Spacecraft disinfectant/cleansing agent development

The sanitation agent container, which was selected in a trade off study, employs two chambers, a rigid outer container and an inner flexible bladder. The bladder contains the sanitation agent formulation and its release is controlled by a manually operated valve. The outer container holds a high pressure vapor. There is no void in the bladder which makes the package operation independent of orientation and therefore usable in zero gravity. Foam is developed by a low boiling point fluid or dissolved in the product. When the product is dispensed at atmospheric presure, the evolved gas or vapor whips up a goam in the valve. The sanitation agents were initially formulated with freons which produces an excellent foam. However freon is incompatible with the life support system and was replaced with carbon dioxide dissolved at high pressure. The CO2 system may limit high temperature exposure to prevent leakage or package distortion. The sanitation agents have been shown to be effective in cleaning soils from personnel and material.

Abbate, M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Effects of Plasma Application on Radish Seeds with Implications for Space Crop Production

In extended space missions, the astronaut diet will consist mostly of prepackaged foods. This could result in nutritional deficiencies due to the gradual breakdown of certain vitamins. To address this deficiency, fresh produce must be grown from seed during spaceflight. Stored seeds, however, can be vulnerable to microbial contamination which could jeopardize plant health and crop food safety. To alleviate this concern, the current practice is to sanitize seeds on the ground before spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS). Methods of seed sanitization include alcohol soaking and chlorine gas fumigation, which have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Plasma application is a new sanitization approach that avoids these negative side effects while potentially elevating germination rate and improving growth rate; yet plasma application requires specific exposure time, power, and pressure to achieve these benefits. In the present study, Raphanus sativus ‘Cherry Belle’ radish seeds were exposed to either low pressure (Diener) plasma or atmospheric pressure plasma for varying increments of time (30s-1200s). Data collected includes immediate germination rate (viability) and microbial log reduction. Additionally, seeds were stored for later germination rate testing. Microbial assay controls have highlighted variability in initial microbial load between individual seeds, and further work is being performed to determine the standard microbial load of an untreated seed. In some samples, a negative log reduction was observed after plasma treatment encouraging further study to determine if the plasma is perforating the seed coat and releasing endophytic microbes. Treatment with Diener plasma shows promising microbial log reduction, but lower viability. In contrast, treatment with atmospheric pressure plasma offers high viability, but poor microbial log reduction. Further study will aim at determining whether plasma treatment is effective at not only sanitization, but sterilization. This research was funded by a NASA grant at the Kennedy Space Center.

Space Crop Production↗
NASA NTRS1977

Bonded Lubricants

Another spinoff to the food processing industry involves a dry lubricant developed by General Magnaplate Corp. of Linden, N.J. Used in such spacecraft as Apollo, Skylab and Viking, the lubricant is a coating bonded to metal surfaces providing permanent lubrication and corrosion resistance. The coating lengthens equipment life and permits machinery to be operated at greater speed, thus increasing productivity and reducing costs. Bonded lubricants are used in scores of commercia1 applications. They have proved particularly valuable to food processing firms because, while increasing production efficiency, they also help meet the stringent USDA sanitation codes for food-handling equipment. For example, a cookie manufacturer plagued production interruptions because sticky batter was clogging the cookie molds had the brass molds coated to solve the problem. Similarly, a pasta producer faced USDA action on a sanitation violation because dough was clinging to an automatic ravioli-forming machine; use of the anti-stick coating on the steel forming plates solved the dual problem of sanitation deficiency and production line downtime.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

Identifying Geographic Areas at Risk of Soil-transmitted Helminthes Infection Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems: Boaco, Nicaragua as a Case Study

Several types of intestinal nematodes, that can infect humans and specially school-age children living in poverty, develop part of their life cycle in soil. Presence and survival of these parasites in the soil depend on given environmental characteristics like temperature and moisture that can be inferred with remote sensing (RS) technology. Prevalence of diseases caused by these parasitic worms can be controlled and even eradicated with anthelmintic drug treatments and sanitation improvement. Reliable and updated identification of geographic areas at risk is required to implement effective public health programs; to calculate amount of drug required and to distribute funding for sanitation projects. RS technology and geographical information systems (GIS) will be used to analyze for associations between in situ prevalence and remotely sensed data in order to establish RS proxies of environmental parameters that indicate the presence of these parasits. In situ data on helminthisasis will be overlaid over an ecological map derived from RS data using ARC Map 9.3 (ESRI). Temperature, vegetation, and distance to bodies of water will be inferred using data from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat TM and ETM+. Elevation will be estimated with data from The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Prevalence and intensity of infections are determined by parasitological survey (Kato Katz) of children enrolled in rural schools in Boaco, Nicaragua, in the communities of El Roblar, Cumaica Norte, Malacatoya 1, and Malacatoya 2). This study will demonstrate the importance of an integrated GIS/RS approach to define clusters and areas at risk. Such information will help to the implementation of time and cost efficient control programs and sanitation efforts.

Moreno, Max J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Microbial Characterization Space Solid Wastes Treated with a Heat Melt Compactor

The on going purpose of the project efforts was to characterize and determine the fate of microorganisms in space-generated solid wastes before and after processing by candidate solid waste processing. For FY 11, the candidate technology that was assessed was the Heat Melt Compactor (HMC). The scope included five HMC. product disks produced at ARC from either simulated space-generated trash or from actual space trash, Volume F compartment wet waste, returned on STS 130. This project used conventional microbiological methods to detect and enumerate microorganisms in heat melt compaction (HMC) product disks as well as surface swab samples of the HMC hardware before and after operation. In addition, biological indicators were added to the STS trash prior to compaction in order to determine if these spore-forming bacteria could survive the HMC processing conditions, i.e., high temperature (160 C) over a long duration (3 hrs). To ensure that surface dwelling microbes did not contaminate HMC product disk interiors, the disk surfaces were sanitized with 70% alcohol. Microbiological assays were run before and after sanitization and found that sanitization greatly reduced the number of identified isolates but did not totally eliminate them. To characterize the interior of the disks, ten 1.25 cm diameter core samples were aseptically obtained for each disk. These were run through the microbial characterization analyses. Low counts of bacteria, on the order of 5 to 50 per core, were found, indicating that the HMC operating conditions might not be sufficient for waste sterilization. However, the direct counts were 6 to 8 orders of magnitude greater, indicating that the vast majority of microbes present in the wastes were dead or non-cultivable. An additional indication that the HMC was sterilizing the wastes was the results from the added commercial spore test strips to the wastes prior to HMC operation. Nearly all could be recovered from the HMC disks post-operation and all were showed negative growth when run through the manufacturer's protocol, meaning that the 106 or so spores impregnated into the strips were dead. Control test strips, i.e., not exposed to the HMC conditions were all strongly positive. One area of concern is that the identities of isolates from the cultivable counts included several human pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus. The project reported here provides microbial characterization support to the Waste Management Systems element of the Life Support and Habitation Systems program.

Strayer, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Langley Research Center Utility Risk from Future Climate Change

The successful operation of NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) depends on services provided by several public utility companies. These include Newport News Waterworks, Dominion Virginia Power, Virginia Natural Gas and Hampton Roads Sanitation District. LaRC's plan to respond to future climate change should take into account how these companies plan to avoid interruption of services while minimizing cost to the customers. This report summarizes our findings from publicly available documents on how each company plans to respond. This will form the basis for future planning for the Center. Our preliminary findings show that flooding and severe storms could interrupt service from the Waterworks and Sanitation District but the potential is low due to plans in place to address climate change on their system. Virginia Natural Gas supplies energy to produce steam but most current steam comes from the Hampton trash burning plant, thus interruption risk is low. Dominion Virginia Power does not address climate change impacts on their system in their public reports. The potential interruption risk is considered to be medium. The Hampton Roads Sanitation District is projecting a major upgrade of their system to mitigate clean water inflow and infiltration. This will reduce infiltration and avoid overloading the pump stations and treatment plants.

De Young, Russell J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Microgreens Food Safety Evaluation

Microgreens have been recently identified as a new type of pick and eat salad crop that can be utilized in space crop production systems. The majority of traditionally grown leafy green crops can be grown as microgreens, in addition to crops such as legumes (e.g. pea shoots), sunflower, buckwheat, most herbs, and corn, presenting hundreds of microgreen crop options. With a wide variety of flavors, exceptional nutritional density, short growth cycles (7-14 days), and unmatched volume optimization potential, microgreens present as an interesting option for sustainable production of nutritious and flavorful crops in space. The food safety aspects of microgreens have been investigated by USDA in recent years, however, an assessment for crew consumption purposes has not yet been conducted to capture the variety of microgreen cultivar types grown in spaceflight relevant environmental conditions and hardware that could be a part of the astronaut diet. Seed sanitation methods will be developed for each microgreen cultivar to sanitize the seed coat and ensure viable germination and plant growth. Food safety analysis will be performed on 24 different fast-growing cultivars of microgreens by performing aerobic plate counts (APC), fungal counts, and select pathogen screening of edible plant tissue before and after treatment with ProSan sanitizing produce wash. Additional avenues of investigation into microgreens food safety will be undertaken to understand impacts of plant height at time of harvest (able to be manipulated by light spectrum), seed density at time of planting, and role of blue light in food safety metrics of microgreens (n=6-12 microgreen cultivars tested, depending on variable). These findings will be included in the Space Crop Production Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. This new work is currently postponed due to Covid-19.

M E Hummerick↗
NASA NTRS2022

Charging Experiments and Filtration Testing on Facemask Materials: Towards Goals of Full Performance Restoration of Used N95 Masks and Enhancement of Common-Fabric Facemasks

Different techniques have been developed for sanitizing N95 masks while retaining whatever charge remains on them. However, these sanitizing methods do not address the fact that the electrical charge, filtration efficacy, and breathability of such masks may be expected to degrade during long-term use based on mechanisms known in the literature. In this study, approaches to electrically (re)charging facemask filter materials were explored in response to the COVID-19 induced shortage of N95 masks. The effort consisted of charging experiments followed by filtration testing conducted at the coupon level during a month-long period (May 2020). The main focus of the work was to develop a recharging technique which could eventually be adapted and used as part of a broader full-performance restoration process for used N95 masks, e.g., which might employ simple washing by alcohol or soapy water as a preceding step for sanitization and declogging. Most tested coupons were therefore nonwoven meltblown fibrous polypropylene (PP) filter media extracted from decades old N95 masks. Keeping in mind commonly used cloth facemasks, limited trials were also performed with some commercially available fabrics. Charging was done at elevated temperature and was followed by cooling to freeze in the applied charges produced from corona discharges using different electrode configurations and parameter combinations, or from triboelectric rubbing. Charging was also focused on using potentially scalable equipment, e.g., Van de Graaff generators or consumer ionic hair products. Some degree of success was achieved with one of the fabrics and the PP filter media which was first purposefully discharged to have typical filtration efficiency (FE) of ~35%. Numerous attempts at corona charging discharged media resulted in filtration efficiency (FE) ≥ 80 – 85%. Some measure of charge robustness was also established via stable performance during loading testing. However, results where FE ≥ 90% were not reliably repeatable and no results met the FE ≥ 95% goal due to shortcomings of the charging process. The best three trials for PP media statistically met the FE ≥ 90% criteria, amounted to a small percentage of the trials relying on an ionic hair dryer, and are attributed to good embedding of charges via aerodynamic force. Triboelectric charging significantly enhanced the viability of one of the polyester fabrics –measured FE increased from 19% up to 46% while maintaining a reasonably low pressure drop.

N95↗
NASA NTRS1995

Advanced Life Systems for Extreme Environments: An Arctic Application

The problems of obtaining adequate pure drinking water and disposing of liquid and solid waste in the U.S. Arctic, a region where virtually all water is frozen solid for much of the year, has led to unsanitary solutions (U.S. Arctic Research Commission). These solutions are also damaging to the environment. Sanitation and a safe water supply are particularly problems in rural villages. About one-fourth of Alaska's 86.000 Native residents live in these communities. They are without running water and use plastic buckets for toilets. The outbreak of diseases is believed to be partially attributable to exposure to human waste. Villages with the most frequent outbreaks of disease are those in which running water is difficult to obtain (Office of Technology Assessment, 1994). Waste is emptied into open lagoons, rivers, or onto the sea coast. It does not degrade rapidly and in addition to affecting human health, can be harmful to the fragile ecology of the Arctic and the indigenous wildlife and fish populations. Advanced Life Systems for Extreme Environments (ALSEE) provides a solution to sanitation and safe water problems. The system uses an advanced integrated technology developed for Antarctic and space applications. ALSEE uses the systems approach to address more than waste and water problems. By incorporating hydroponic horticulture and aquaculture into the waste treatment system, ALSEE addresses the quality and quantity of fresh foods available to Arctic residents. A temperate climate is required for year-round plant growth. ALSEE facilities can be designed to include a climate controlled area within the structure. This type of environment is a change from the long periods of darkness and cold found in the Arctic and can help alleviate stress so often associated with these extremes. While the overall concept of ALSEE projects is advanced, system facilities can be operated by village residents with appropriate training. ALSEE provides continuing training and education as a part of the project. Not only is this desirable but necessary. There is ample evidence in "gravoyard" throughout rural Alaska of technologies which failed not because they were not applic4tble, but because they were not integrated and could not be operated or repaired by village residents. Waste streams in villages will vary depending on the human diet and the non-food waste stream. ALSEE units can be adapted to different village situations once the content of the waste stream is known. Units located in population hubs can serve as research, education. and demonstration centers. Appropriate modifications can be determined at these centers to transfer technology to more remote locations where waste stream conditions may differ.

Lewis, Carol E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Technology for Water Treatment

There are approximately 500,000 water cooling towers in the United States, all of which must be kept clear of "scale" and corrosion and free of pollutants and bacteria. Electron Pure, Ltd. manufactures a hydro cooling tower conditioner as well as an automatic pool sanitizer. The pool sanitizer consists of two copper/silver electrodes placed in a chamber mounted in the pool's recirculation system. The tower conditioner combines the ionization system with a water conditioner, pump, centrifugal solids separator and timer. The system saves water, eliminates algae and operates maintenance and chemical free. The company has over 100 distributors in the U.S. as well as others in 20 foreign countries. The buildup of scale and corrosion is the most costly maintenance problem in cooling tower operation. Jet Propulsion Laboratory successfully developed a non-chemical system that not only curbed scale and corrosion, but also offered advantages in water conservation, cost savings and the elimination of toxic chemical discharge. In the system, ozone is produced by an on-site generator and introduced to the cooling tower water. Organic impurities are oxidized, and the dissolved ozone removes bacteria and scale. National Water Management, a NASA licensee, has installed its ozone advantage systems at some 200 cooling towers. Customers have saved money and eliminated chemical storage and discharge.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2004

Handling Procedures of Vegetable Crops

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is working towards future long duration manned space flights beyond low earth orbit. The duration of these missions may be as long as 2.5 years and will likely include a stay on a lunar or planetary surface. The primary goal of the Advanced Food System in these long duration exploratory missions is to provide the crew with a palatable, nutritious, and safe food system while minimizing volume, mass, and waste. Vegetable crops can provide the crew with added nutrition and variety. These crops do not require any cooking or food processing prior to consumption. The vegetable crops, unlike prepackaged foods, will provide bright colors, textures (crispy), and fresh aromas. Ten vegetable crops have been identified for possible use in long duration missions. They are lettuce, spinach, carrot, tomato, green onion, radish, bell pepper, strawberries, fresh herbs, and cabbage. Whether these crops are grown on a transit vehicle (e.g., International Space Station) or on the lunar or planetary surface, it will be necessary to determine how to safely handle the vegetables while maintaining acceptability. Since hydrogen peroxide degrades into water and oxygen and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS), hydrogen peroxide has been recommended as the sanitizer. The objective of th is research is to determine the required effective concentration of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, it will be determined whether the use of hydrogen peroxide, although a viable sanitizer, adversely affects the quality of the vegetables. Vegetables will be dipped in 1 % hydrogen peroxide, 3% hydrogen peroxide, or 5% hydrogen peroxide. Treated produce and controls will be stored in plastic bags at 5 C for up to 14 days. Sensory, color, texture, and total plate count will be measured. The effect on several vegetables including lettuce, radish, tomato and strawberries has been completed. Although each vegetable reacts to hydrogen peroxide differently, the data suggest that 5% hydrogen peroxide reduces the shelf life of the vegetable. A dip of either 1 % or 3% hydrogen peroxide helps reduce the microbial total count while not adversely affecting the quality of the vegetable.

Perchonok, Michele↗
NASA NTRS2011

Analysis of Association Between Remotely Sensed (RS) Data and Soil Transmitted Helminthes Infection Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS): Boaco, Nicaragua

Soil-transmitted helminths are intestinal nematodes that can infect all members of a population but specially school-age children living in poverty. Infection can be significantly reversed with anthelmintic drug treatments and sanitation improvement. Implementation of effective public health programs requires reliable and updated information to identify areas at higher risk and to calculate amount of drug required. Geo-referenced in situ prevalence data will be overlaid over an ecological map derived from RS data using ARC Map 9.3 (ESRI). Prevalence data and RS data matching at the same geographical location will be analyzed for correlation and those variables from RS data that better correlate with prevalence will be included in a multivariate regression model. Temperature, vegetation, and distance to bodies of water will be inferred using data from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat TM and ETM+. Elevation will be estimated with data from The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Prevalence and intensity of infections are determined by parasitological survey (Kato Katz) of children enrolled in rural schools in Boaco, Nicaragua, in the communities of El Roblar, Cumaica Norte, Malacatoya 1, and Malacatoya 2). This study will demonstrate the importance of an integrated GIS/RS approach to define sampling clusters without the need for any ground-based survey. Such information is invaluable to identify areas of high risk and to geographically target control programs that maximize cost-effectiveness and sanitation efforts.

MorenoMadrinan, Max J.↗
NASA NTRS2013

VEG-01: Veggie Hardware Verification Testing

The Veggie plant/vegetable production system is scheduled to fly on ISS at the end of2013. Since much of the technology associated with Veggie has not been previously tested in microgravity, a hardware validation flight was initiated. This test will allow data to be collected about Veggie hardware functionality on ISS, allow crew interactions to be vetted for future improvements, validate the ability of the hardware to grow and sustain plants, and collect data that will be helpful to future Veggie investigators as they develop their payloads. Additionally, food safety data on the lettuce plants grown will be collected to help support the development of a pathway for the crew to safely consume produce grown on orbit. Significant background research has been performed on the Veggie plant growth system, with early tests focusing on the development of the rooting pillow concept, and the selection of fertilizer, rooting medium and plant species. More recent testing has been conducted to integrate the pillow concept into the Veggie hardware and to ensure that adequate water is provided throughout the growth cycle. Seed sanitation protocols have been established for flight, and hardware sanitation between experiments has been studied. Methods for shipping and storage of rooting pillows and the development of crew procedures and crew training videos for plant activities on-orbit have been established. Science verification testing was conducted and lettuce plants were successfully grown in prototype Veggie hardware, microbial samples were taken, plant were harvested, frozen, stored and later analyzed for microbial growth, nutrients, and A TP levels. An additional verification test, prior to the final payload verification testing, is desired to demonstrate similar growth in the flight hardware and also to test a second set of pillows containing zinnia seeds. Issues with root mat water supply are being resolved, with final testing and flight scheduled for later in 2013.

Massa, Gioia↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Space Microbe Invasion: To Eat or Not to Eat

Objective: To investigate how different cleaning agents sanitize an assortment of vegetables and fruits for ~nsumption on board the International Space Station (ISS). -Description: This laboratory investigation will have students testing different cleaning agents on a variety of vegetables and fruits that can be grown on board the ISS. Students will determine which cleaning agent most effectively lowers the number of bacteria on a variety of vegetables and fruits. This lab will also lend itself to investigations dealing with pH and its' role in lowering bacterial counts. In addition, students will figure out the correct balance between plant architecture and effectiveness of sanitizing these surfaces to achieve lower bacteria counts. This will be determined based on swabbed bacteria samples later grown on a Petri dish.

Munoz, Angela↗
NASA NTRS2014

Microbiological Quality and Food Safety of Plants Grown on ISS Project

The goal of this project is to select and advance methods to enable real-time sampling, microbiological analysis, and sanitation of crops grown on the International Space Station (ISS). These methods would validate the microbiological quality of crops grown for consumption to ensure safe and palatable fresh foods. This would be achieved through the development / advancement of microbiological sample collection, rapid pathogen detection and effective sanitation methods that are compatible with a microgravity environment.

Technology Portfolio System↗