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Microbial detection and monitoring in advanced life support systems like the International Space Station

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Abstract

Potentially pathogenic microbes and so-called technophiles may form a serious threat in advanced life support systems, such as the International Space Station (ISS). They not only pose a threat to the health of the crew, but also to the technical equipment and materials of the space station. The development of fast and easy to use molecular detection and quantification methods for application in manned spacecraft is therefore desirable and may also be valuable for applications on Earth. In this paper we present the preliminary results of the SAMPLE experiment in which we performed molecular microbial analysis on environmental samples of the ISS as part of an ESA-MAP project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Sandra P. van Tongeren, Gerwin C. Raangs, Gjalt W. Welling & Hermie J. M. Harmsen

  2. Bioclear Environmental Biotechnology, Rozenburglaan 13c, PO Box 2262, 9704 CG, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Janneke Krooneman

Authors
  1. Sandra P. van Tongeren
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  2. Janneke Krooneman
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  3. Gerwin C. Raangs
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  4. Gjalt W. Welling
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  5. Hermie J. M. Harmsen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandra P. van Tongeren.

Additional information

This article is a reprint of Microgravity sci. technol. XVIII-3/4 (2006). Tab. 1 has been corrected.

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van Tongeren, S.P., Krooneman, J., Raangs, G.C. et al. Microbial detection and monitoring in advanced life support systems like the International Space Station. Microgravity sci. Technol. 19, 45–48 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02911866

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