title: Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of biological particulates collected during recent space shuttle missions.
abstract: Biological particulates collected on air filters during shuttle missions (STS-40 and STS-42) were identified using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS).  A method was developed for identifying the atmospheric particles and their sources through the analysis of standard materials and the selection of "marker" compounds specific to the particle type.  Pyrolysis spectra of biological standards were compared with those of airborne particles collected during two space shuttle missions; marker compounds present in the shuttle particle spectra were matched with those of the standards to identify the source of particles.  Particles of 0,5--1-mm diameter and weighing as little as 40 micrograms could be identified using this technique.  The Py-GC/MS method identified rat food and soilless plant-growth media as two sources of particles collected from the shuttle atmosphere during flight.
authors.affiliation: KRUG Life Sciences Inc., Houston, Texas 77058, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Matney
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Limero
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media / Q000032:analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005243:Feces; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D003470:Culture Media