Direct application of biomineralization to life support systems, habitat water wall system, carbon sequestration, bioremediation and solving other vital environmental problems

The main objectives of this research project, is to investigate the efficiency of various microorganisms in CO2 sequestrations and other waste products during space missions. The report also examines current scientific literature in biomineralization and CO2 sequestration for the purpose of managing space mission waste products and air revitalization of spacecraft cabin atmospheres. The management of air pollutants, proper disposal or recycling of waste materials and toxic chemicals are factors in the planning, designing and implementing of space missions. The design and architecture of life support systems in space missions are principally geared towards the removal of toxic substances and revitalization of the habitat with life sustaining materials. Current mechanical and physical technologies of life supporting systems are not only complex and expensive, but are also error prone especially for extended duration missions. Such crucial and massive life support systems need to be augmented or wholly supported by simpler, efficient and reliable advanced technologies. The next generation life support technologies could be developed by the integration of multidisciplinary efforts of wide ranging fields such as Chemistry, Engineering, and Biotechnology. In recent years, waste recycling and pollution remediation technologies that are integrated with biological systems have become tremendously attractive and a subject of various applied research programs. Biologically mediated recycling of waste materials could be best suited for space missions due to their efficiency, simplicity and most importantly could be reliable and self-sustaining. Hence, the overarching goals of this project are to integrate microalgal organisms with NASA’s life support system and evaluate its usefulness as a sustainable technology. This life support system here after called the Water Wall (WW) system can sequester spacecraft pollutants and convert them into value added products. The WW architecture requires microorganisms that could facilitate the biodegradation of pollutants and revitalize the spaceship habitat. Hence, initial candidates of suitable microorganisms were selected and optimal growth conditions, critical limiting factors and efficiencies of air revitalization were investigated. Among the model microorganisms, Myxococcus Xanthus, Brevundimonas Diminuta, Anabaena (PCC 7120), Synechococcus (BG04351), Chlorella, Spirulina species and etc., have been studied to establish optimum growth conditions. In the preliminary optimization stage of the project variables such as growth media, levels of carbon dioxide, hydrogen ion concentration etc. have been evaluated and optimized.