Mycological Evaluation of Crewmember Exposure to ISS Ambient Air (Myco) Microbiology
Research Area: Microbiology
Expedition(s): 21- 29
Principal Investigator(s): ● Chiaki Mukai, MD, PhD, Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency, Tsukuba, Japan
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Microflora on crew members are thought to strongly reflect the condition of the International
Space Station (ISS) environment, which is a completely closed orbital living space in
microgravity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the risk of microorganism inhalation, and
adhesion to exposed skin, to the ambient air during stays aboard the ISS.
EARTH BENEFIT
The result is possible to be applied to air quality and radiation
exposure measurements in terrestrial air travel and other
environments.
SPACE BENEFIT
This provides a standard for the basic data collection in space
environmental measurement, the space medicine field, and the life
science field. It is possible to use this information for the verification,
and the operation method, of the radiation exposure prediction
calculation model.
RESULTS
Preliminary results showed that the number of Colony Forming Units (CFU) tended to decrease
aboard the ISS and recovered after the return. On the other hand, the amount of fungal DNA
extracted from skin samples increased during spaceflight. Additional detailed microbial analysis
of these samples by culture-based methods and the latest molecular-genetic methods are
underway.
PUBLICATION(S)
Makimura K, Satoh K, Sugita T, Yamazaki TQ. Fungal biota in manned space environment and
impact on human health. Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2011;66(1):77-82. doi: 10.1265/jjh.66.77.
This investigation is ongoing and additional results are pending publication.
Cultivated colonies from an
airway sample. JAXA image.