A New Conception Of Closed Space Contamination
- Paper number
IAC-07-A1.6.03
- Author
Mrs. Elena Moshynets, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics - NAS of Ukraine, Ukraine
- Coauthor
Mr. Vitalii Kordium, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics - NAS of Ukraine, Ukraine
- Coauthor
Mrs. Maryna Vasilivetska, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics - NAS of Ukraine, Ukraine
- Coauthor
Mrs. Irina Kosakivska, Ukraine
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The habitats for microorganisms are considered to be both solid substratum and water. Though, the microorganisms in air are considered to exist in dormant condition. At the same time, the majority of ground organisms are submerged in atmosphere as well. But it is accepted to take it only as a source of oxygen and carbonic acid and as some niche for gas exchanges. Gas substrate contains considerable percentage of different organic compounds. Everything this is a real nutrition source for microorganisms, existing in atmosphere in suspended condition. Notwithstanding those facts, microorganism growth under such conditions is not accepted as reality. The main reason for this is considered to be in low level of relative humidity. They suppose that microorganism growth starts only under absolute humidity level. We prove in our experiments that it is not true. But more extraordinary situation appears under conditions of closed unnatural systems and gas exchange restricted spaces where organic components contribution into the whole atmosphere composition is several orders greater in comparison with opened systems. Closed on-orbit functioning systems contain many border surfaces with relatively small volume. This leads to forming of the niche favorable for living microorganisms. This aspect of closed system functioning still remains unexplored. Due to this a new system of methods allowing to study features of surface microflora behavior under different condition were eleborated by us. The principal ability of microorganisms to grow on inert surfaces at the expense of the only nutrition source, i.e. air, is shown. It is stated that though microorganism growth on border surfaces depends on relative humidity level greatly, presence of dropping-liquid water is not critical. Though microorganism growth on surfaces was considerable and variable under condition close to absolute humidity, it was also observed under moist room conditions. Direct observing methods allowing to study microorganisms right on the surface have a fundamental feature, i.e. the fact that overwhelming part of microorganisms can not be cultivated on artificial media and as a result they remain invisible and can not be studied via classic microbiology methods. The conducted theoretical analysis and direct experimental data studying surface microflora behavior under condition close to those on functioning ISS give a quite new approach toward understanding of a problem of microb contamination of closed space and open principally new possibilities for control surface microorganism growth.
- Abstract document