Work

Microbial fouling induced by typical extreme environment-resistant bacteria in oligotrophic solutions of simulated condensate of manned spacecrafts

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Microbial fouling is an important challenge in water recovery system of manned spacecrafts for longer term missions. Microbial fouling of 5A06 aluminium alloy induced by typical extreme environment-resistant bacteria in oligotrophic solutions of simulated condensate of manned spacecraft was investigated. Bacillus cereus showed poor survival ability to oligotrophic environments, and a small amount of remaining live B . cereus cells mainly existed in the form of spores without forming biofilms. And when B . cereus was mixed cultured with Cupriavidus metallidurans , the system was mainly affected by C . metallidurans biofilms rather than B . cereus cells. C . metallidurans could promote the thickness of passive films of aluminum alloy, so C . metallidurans posed a minor threat to the corrosion of 5A06 aluminum alloy. However, C . metallidurans showed strong adaptability to oligotrophic environments and formed a large number of biofilms. And the contamination threat of C . metallidurans still dominated even cultured with B . cereus . Even when cultured with B . cereus , the threat of contamination from C . metallidurans still pre-dominates. Therefore, C . metallidurans would pose a threat of microbial fouling to the oligotrophic water recovery system of manned spacecrafts.

Source: Chinese Journal of Aeronautics

DOI: 10.1016/j.cja.2024.103335