Scientists Strive to Make Bathroom on International Space Station a Little Less Clear – BGR

The International Space Station is like no other place on Earth, not just because it is not really sure Earth at all. The laboratory in orbit is inhabited by teams of scientists who live there for months before being replaced by new faces, which poses a huge challenge in terms of cleanliness.

It's not that astronauts are more messy than the rest of us, but they're certainly still human, and being human is a way of carrying a multitude of micro-organisms with you every day. Recent research has revealed that the bacteria spread by humans to the ISS are mutating, which poses a potential risk for future space users, but researchers are currently testing a new one. antimicrobial coating that could help clean things up a bit.

In a new article published in Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers have described the testing of a new coating based on silver and ruthenium, a platinum derivative. Elements such as silver have been shown to eliminate microorganisms with high efficiency, and silver coils are used in a variety of applications, such as cooling with water, to prevent bacteria growth.

The coating, dubbed AGXX by the researchers, was tested on one of the most disgusting surfaces of the International Space Station: the bathroom door. Tests were then performed on the surfaces after coating for several months and the results looked promising.

"After six months of exposure to the ISS, no bacteria have been detected on AGXX coated surfaces," said in a statement Professor Elisabeth Grohmann, lead author of the # 39; s book.

The tests were performed again between 12 and 19 months and, while some bacteria had managed to hang during this extended period, there was still an overall 80% reduction in bacterial activity . Researchers attribute this to the formation of microscopic materials on surfaces that prevented bacteria from coming into direct contact with the surface.

"With prolonged exposure time, some bacteria have escaped the antimicrobial action," says Grohmann. "Antimicrobial test materials are static surfaces, where dead cells, dust particles and cellular debris can accumulate over time and interfere with direct contact between the surface of the antimicrobial and the bacteria. "

This work is particularly important because of the stress experienced by astronauts during their stay aboard the space station. Dramatic changes in everyday life can reduce the effectiveness of human immune systems, and flying in space is one of the most stressful things that a person can live.