Spatial distribution of total, ammonia-oxidizing, and denitrifying bacteria in biological wastewater treatment reactors for bioregenerative life support.

ABSTRACT: Bioregenerative life support systems may be necessary for long-term space missions due to the high cost of lifting supplies and equipment into orbit. In this study, we investigated two biological wastewater treatment reactors designed to recover potable water for a spacefaring crew being tested at Johnson Space Center. The experiment (Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project-Phase III) consisted of four crew members confined in a test chamber for 91 days. In order to recycle all water during the experiment, an immobilized cell bioreactor (ICB) was employed for organic carbon removal and a trickling filter bioreactor (TFB) was utilized for ammonia removal, followed by physical-chemical treatment. In this study, the spatial distribution of various microorganisms within each bioreactor was analyz

SUBMITTER: Sakano Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC127532 | biostudies-literature | 2002 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature