TY - JOUR
T1 - Microbial contamination monitoring and control during human space missions
AU - Van Houdt, Rob
AU - Mijnendonckx, Kristel
AU - Leys, Natalie
A2 - Mergeay, Max
N1 - Score = 10
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - The ubiquity and resilience of microorganisms makes them unavoidable in most environments including space habitats. The impaired immune system of astronauts in flight raises the level of concern about disease risk during human space missions and additionally these biological contaminants may affect life support systems and hardware. In this review, the microbial contamination observed in manned space stations and in particular the International Space Station ISS will be discussed, demonstrating that it is a microbiologically safe working and living habitat. Microbial contamination levels were in general below the implemented quality standards, although, occasional contamination hazard reports indicate that the current prevention and monitoring strategies are a strict minimum.
AB - The ubiquity and resilience of microorganisms makes them unavoidable in most environments including space habitats. The impaired immune system of astronauts in flight raises the level of concern about disease risk during human space missions and additionally these biological contaminants may affect life support systems and hardware. In this review, the microbial contamination observed in manned space stations and in particular the International Space Station ISS will be discussed, demonstrating that it is a microbiologically safe working and living habitat. Microbial contamination levels were in general below the implemented quality standards, although, occasional contamination hazard reports indicate that the current prevention and monitoring strategies are a strict minimum.
KW - Microbial contamination
KW - International Space Station
KW - Quality standards
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/ezp_117955
UR - http://knowledgecentre.sckcen.be/so2/bibref/8702
U2 - 10.1016/j.pss.2011.09.001
DO - 10.1016/j.pss.2011.09.001
M3 - Article
SN - 0032-0633
VL - 60
SP - 115
EP - 120
JO - Planetary and Space Science
JF - Planetary and Space Science
IS - 1
ER -