Mold in space: Can researchers help protect astronauts’ health?

Columbus, OH — Moisture and mold go together – even in space – so it’s important to control dust and humidity in space stations to protect astronauts, researchers say.

A team from Ohio State University analyzed dust samples from the International Space Station. Dust aboard the ISS is often produced by crew members as they complete their daily activities, an OSU press release notes. Left unchecked, these floating particles can cause a range of negative health issues for the crew, such as asthma or allergies, and degrade building materials and equipment.

Although astronauts clean the protective screens that cover space station air ventilation filters weekly, “fungi and bacteria can grow in the same concentrated amounts as dust collected from residential homes on the ground.”

The researchers found that the characteristics of spacecraft – enclosed spaces in which people routinely exhale moisture – can enhance the growth of these microbes despite improved moisture control. They’ve developed a model that helps track mold growth, aiding astronauts in staying ahead of cleaning while limiting buildup.

“It’s really important to understand the exposures that happen in the space environment in part because we see immune system changes in astronauts,” Karen Dannemiller, senior study author and an associate professor of civil, environmental, and geodetic engineering and environmental health sciences at OSU, said in the release. “People who are normally healthy individuals may be especially vulnerable to microbes in space, more so than on Earth.”

The study was published online in the journal Microbiome.