New methods for microbial contamination monitoring:  an experiment on board the MIR orbital station.
Experiment T2, carried out during the Euromir'95 mission, was an important step toward innovative methods for spacecraft microbial contamination monitoring. A new standard sampling technique permitted samples to be analysed by different means. On board, two analysis methods were tested in parallel: Bioluminescence and Miniculture. In turn, downloaded samples are being analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a powerful and promising method for the rapid detection, identification and quantification of pathogens and biofouling agents in closed manned habitats.
Guarnieri
V
V
Alenia Spazio, Torino, Italy.
Gaia
E
E
Battocchio
L
L
Pitzurra
M
M
Savino
A
A
Pasquarella
C
C
Vago
T
T
Cotronei
V
V
D001419:Bacteria; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018531:Spacecraft / Q000295:instrumentation; D014893:Weightlessness