Space Toxicology

2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noreen Khan-Mayberry ◽  
John T. James ◽  
Rochelle Tyl ◽  
Chiu-wing Lam
Keyword(s):  
Space Station ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Altered State ◽  
Toxic Compounds ◽  
International Space ◽  
Chemical Exposures ◽  
Mineral Dusts ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
Safe Limits

Space toxicology is a unique and targeted discipline for spaceflight, space habitation, and occupation of celestial bodies including planets, moons, and asteroids. Astronaut explorers face distinctive health challenges and limited resources for rescue and medical care during space operation. A central goal of space toxicology is to protect the health of the astronaut by assessing potential chemical exposures during spaceflight and setting safe limits that will protect the astronaut against chemical exposures while in a physiologically altered state. In order to maintain sustained occupation in space on the International Space Station (ISS), toxicological risks must be assessed and managed within the context of isolation, continuous exposures, reuse of air and water, limited rescue options, and the need to use highly toxic compounds for propulsion and other purposes. As we begin to explore other celestial bodies, in situ toxicological risks, such as inhalation of reactive mineral dusts, must also be managed.

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) Newly Released V5.2 Validation of Ozone and Water Vapor Data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Kizer ◽  
David Flittner ◽  
Marilee Roell ◽  
Robert Damadeo ◽  
Carrie Roller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
International Space Station ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Stratospheric Aerosol ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
Science Data ◽  
International Space ◽  
Lunar Occultation ◽  
Data Continuity

<p>The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III (SAGE III) instrument installed on the International Space Station (ISS) has completed over three and a half years of data collection and production of science data products. The SAGE III/ISS is a solar and lunar occultation instrument that scans the light from the Sun and Moon through the limb of the Earth’s atmosphere to produce vertical profiles of aerosol, ozone, water vapor, and other trace gases. It continues the legacy of previous SAGE instruments dating back to the 1970s to provide data continuity of stratospheric constituents critical for assessing trends in the ozone layer. This presentation shows the validation results of comparing SAGE III/ISS ozone and water vapor vertical profiles from the newly released v5.2 science product with those of in situ and satellite data .</p>

Investigation on Mechanism of Faceted Cellular Array Growth in International Space Station

2012 ◽  
Vol 323-325 ◽  
pp. 533-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Inatomi ◽  
I. Yoshizaki ◽  
K. Sakata ◽  
T. Shimaoka ◽  
T. Sone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Solute Concentration ◽  
Butyl Alcohol ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
International Space ◽  
Cellular Array ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Solid Liquid

Anin situobservation experiment of faceted cellular growth was carried out using transparent organic alloy, salol -t-butyl alcohol, in microgravity conditions on the International Space Station. The temperature and solute concentration fields in the vicinity of the solid-liquid and the growth rate were simultaneously measured by microscopic interferometers.

scholarly journals Very Low Nucleation Rates of Glucose Isomerase Crystals under Microgravity in the International Space Station

Crystals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Yoshihisa Suzuki ◽  
Takahisa Fujiwara ◽  
Katsuo Tsukamoto ◽  
Seijiro Fukuyama ◽  
Taro Shimaoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Glucose Isomerase ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
International Space ◽  
High Supersaturation ◽  
Very High

In situ observation of the nucleation and growth of glucose isomerase (GI) crystals under microgravity was conducted using an optical microscope during the first flight of the Advanced Nano Step project undertaken in the International Space Station (ISS). Very low apparent nucleation rates (J’) of GI crystals in the solution and on the substrate of the growth container were confirmed compared with those on the ground. In particular, J’ of GI crystals in the solution were a few times lower than that on the substrate. The growth rates (R) of the {101} faces of GI crystals on the substrate and the apparent growth rates (R’) in the solution were measured. The very low nucleation rates allowed us to successfully measure R at a very high supersaturation region (up to ln(C/Ce) = 6), at which R cannot be measured on the ground.

Electrochemical Peroxide Generation for In Situ Disinfection

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santosh Vijapur ◽  
Tim Hall ◽  
Jennings E. Taylor ◽  
DAN WANG ◽  
Maria Inman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Closed Space ◽  
Decomposition Products ◽  
International Space ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Space Environments

Novel technologies with limited earth support are required to enable energy-efficient maintenance of closed air, water, and waste systems in microgravity spacecraft habitats such as International space station (ISS). One area of need for the interstellar travel community is cleaning/sanitizing supplies to meet personal hygiene requirements, which is currently accomplished through the use of pre-packaged, disposable, wetted wipes, or ion exchange cartridges. These items represent an appreciable carry-along mass and disposal/replacement burden requiring earth based support. Therefore, if a system could be developed to use onboard utilities to create cleaning and disinfecting solutions it would reduce the astronaut’s dependence on earth based supplies.We are addressing this challenge by demonstrating a technology that will use utilities on-board the spacecraft habitat to create sanitizing solutions and eliminate the need for regular delivery of disinfecting wipes. This concept is founded on the electrochemical reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide using readily available on-board supplies of O2 and water. Peroxide is well-established disinfectant with non-toxic decomposition products (viz., O2 and H2O), that is safe enough for human contact to be sold commercially as a 3% w/w solution. Thus, it is an ideal disinfecting solution for closed space environments.

scholarly journals BioRock: new experiments and hardware to investigate microbe–mineral interactions in space

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire-Marie Loudon ◽  
Natasha Nicholson ◽  
Kai Finster ◽  
Natalie Leys ◽  
Bo Byloos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Flight Tests ◽  
International Space

AbstractIn this paper, we describe the development of an International Space Station experiment, BioRock. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate biofilm formation and microbe–mineral interactions in space. The latter research has application in areas as diverse as regolith amelioration and extraterrestrial mining. We describe the design of a prototype biomining reactor for use in space experimentation and investigations onin situResource Use and we describe the results of pre-flight tests.

Human factors assessment of International Space Station (ISS) medical equipment packs

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Paige Smith ◽  
Vicky E. Byrne ◽  
Cynthia Hudy ◽  
Mihriban Whitmore
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
International Space Station ◽  
Medical Equipment ◽  
Space Station ◽  
International Space

Dose Tracker Application for Collecting Medication Use Data from International Space Station Crew

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia. E. Wotring ◽  
LaRona K. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
International Space Station ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
International Space ◽  
Flight Data ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Share Data ◽  
Usability Feedback

INTRODUCTION: There are knowledge gaps in spaceflight pharmacology with insufficient in-flight data to inform future planning. This effort directly addressed in-mission medication use and also informed open questions regarding spaceflight-associated changes in pharmacokinetics (PK) and/or pharmacodynamics (PD).METHODS: An iOS application was designed to collect medication use information relevant for research from volunteer astronaut crewmembers: medication name, dose, dosing frequency, indication, perceived efficacy, and side effects. Leveraging the limited medication choices aboard allowed a streamlined questionnaire. There were 24 subjects approved for participation.RESULTS: Six crewmembers completed flight data collection and five completed ground data collection before NASA’s early study discontinuation. There were 5766 medication use entries, averaging 20.6 ± 8.4 entries per subject per flight week. Types of medications and their indications were similar to previous reports, with sleep disturbances and muscle/joint pain as primary drivers. Two subjects treated prolonged skin problems. Subjects also used the application in unanticipated ways: to note drug tolerance testing or medication holiday per research protocols, and to share data with flight surgeons. Subjects also provided usability feedback on application design and implementation.DISCUSSION: The volume of data collected (20.6 ± 8.4 entries per subject per flight week) is much greater than was collected previously (<12 per person per entire mission), despite user criticisms regarding app usability. It seems likely that improvements in a software-based questionnaire application could result in a robust data collection tool that astronauts find more acceptable, while simultaneously providing researchers and clinicians with useful data.Wotring VE, Smith LK. Dose tracker application for collecting medication use data from International Space Station crew. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(1):41–45.

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