E-Nose: Measuring Surface Microbial Contamination and Oxidative Stress of Cosmonauts – Results and Future Applications

Paper number

IAC-18,A1,7,8,x44708

Author

Dr. Jan Grosser, Germany, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Coauthor

Mr. Joachim Lenic, Germany, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Coauthor

Dr. Sergey Kharin, Russian Federation, SSC RF-Institute of Biomedical Problems RAS

Coauthor

Mr. Dmitry Tsarkov, Russian Federation, SSC RF-Institute of Biomedical Problems RAS

Coauthor

Mr. Yuri Smirnov, Russian Federation, Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)

Coauthor

Dr. Natalia Novikova, Russian Federation, Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)

Coauthor

Dr. Lana Moukhamedieva, Russian Federation, Institute for Biomedical Problems

Coauthor

Dr. Michael Dolch, Germany, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University

Coauthor

Mr. Viktor Fetter, Germany, Airbus DS GmbH

Coauthor

Mr. Thomas Hummel, Germany, Airbus DS GmbH

Coauthor

Dr. Ulrich Reidt, Germany, Airbus DS GmbH

Coauthor

Dr. Andrei Kornienko, Germany, Airbus Defence and Space - Space Systems

Coauthor

Mr. Robin Nitzer, Germany, Airbus Defence and Space

Coauthor

Dr. Andreas Helwig, Germany, Airbus Group Innovations

Coauthor

Mr. Peter Roth, Germany, Airbus DS GmbH

Year

2018

Abstract

The E-Nose project comprises of two types of measurement devices operated in the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). One E-Nose is used to identify microbial contamination on surfaces  inside the ISS. Such contaminations like fungi or bacteria pose a risk for the health of the crew and can degrade or destroy the affected surfaces by biologically induced corrosion. The second device called E-Nose Breath Gas is a modification of the aforementioned device in order to study changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in the breath gas associated with e.g. oxidative stress. In a two-step process the cosmonaut first exhales in a mask where the VOCs are collected in tubes with sorbent material. In a second step the VOCs are released by heating up the tubes. A gas flow with the released VOCs is then fed through an adapted E-Nose to determine the type and concentration of the VOCs.
The E-Nose was launched in December 2012 to the ISS and used in three campaigns covering approximately five months. Later, in March 2016 an improved air sampler and a lancet sampling device for the E-Nose was launched to the ISS , the latter to be used to identify contaminations in areas hard to access (behind racks or panels). Measurements were successfully taken during 9 campaigns and on different targets. The test data can be downlinked for further processing on ground. To identify the type of the microbial contamination by its individual “smell” a reference database was set up by performing measurements on selected cultivated strains on ground. This database contains 20 microorganisms (13 non-pathogenic and 7 pathogenic strains). The E-Nose Breath Gas is currently in production and qualification. Its launch to the ISS is foreseen beginning of 2019.
The presentation gives an overview on the evolution of the E-Nose projects, summarizes the main results obtained so far and gives a prospect of planned future steps including ground-based applications of E-Nose devices.

Abstract document

IAC-18,A1,7,8,x44708.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-18,A1,7,8,x44708.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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