ONLINE DETECTION OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION

Abstract

It is expected that microbial contamination in long-term space missions such as the ISS will rise to a severe problem with respect to safety. Thus, an online monitor-ing system is crucial to detect contamination sources in time in order to start counter measures (decontamina-tion). It could be demonstrated that an Electronic Nose on the basis of metal oxide sensors is a capable tool for a rapid detection of fungi and bacteria on materials of the ISS interior. The technology is able to detect micro-organisms by their odour profile with high reproducibil-ity and with short measuring times (not more than 60 seconds). A differentiation of fungal and bacterial spe-cies is possible as well as an identification of the micro-bial growth stage. The successful detection of fungi and bacteria in very early growth phases underlines that the Electronic Nose technology can be applied as an early-warning system for microbial contamination in space missions. Furthermore, the technology can be used as an instrument for the success control of decontamination measures in orbit. The final adoption of the E-Nose technology for contamination control during space mis-sions requires a further training of the instrument by extension of relevant microbial species and consortia.