Inspiration From the time I realised bacteria are capable of breaking down the products of modern day society, a new question popped in my mind. What is stopping us from using bacteria everywhere? In space, for example, everything we send cost upwards of thousands of dollars, yet sending Mother Nature's solutions, such as physical filtration systems, is what we send. What would happen if we used her solutions? Well, I realized that is a more complex question than I thought.

What it does This system applies the natural bioremediation processes of various bacteria to provide solutions for complex wastewater and chemical pollutant recycling problems that can exist on missions and spacecraft. Bacillus subtilis has proven that it is the perfect bacterium to use to clean up all sorts of wastewater and pollutants as well as some polymer based waste.

How we built it I engineered Bacillus subtilis to become an efficient wastewater, cleaner through a complex genetically engineered approach.

Challenges we might run into Even though the strain is robust, maintaining bacteria at a functional level is difficult because it is sensitive to even the slightest of variations of its surrounding environment.

With a reduced gravity effect, the bioremediation units fail to float, which would seriously hamper performance.

Accomplishments that we're proud of I demonstrated the potential for building biological components for future systems to meet space goals with the design of a sustainable closed-loop, low mass payload. By addressing a gap in efficiency through environmental control, B. subtilis became a real option. A new standard for evaluating trade-offs between fluid residence time and the chemical degradation rate can replace pricey mechanical hardware.

What we learned Designing for microgravity compelled us to reconsider even basic principles that apply on Earth like the use of gravity for setting, surface tension, and gas bubble removal. Understanding how design for space influences biological reactor design on the ground will lead to better-informed designs.

What's next for Bacillius Subtilis in Closed Loop Systems The obvious answer is to actually put the theory to the test. Making my own clinostat in order to simulate a microgravity environment and testing different biostimulant chemicals' the effects on the efficiency by creating a controlled experiment. I plan to set up three controlled nitrate‑polluted environments so I can measure and compare how well biological treatment works.

Control Environment 1: nitrate‑polluted environment experiences Earth gravity (1G) and receives standard Bacillus subtilis treatment. Experimental Environment 2: nitrate‑polluted environment sits on a clinostat to mimic microgravity fluid motion and metabolic conditions. Experimental Environment 3: nitrate‑polluted environment in microgravity (μG) receives selected biostimulant chemicals such as glucose, molybdate, calcium, and ascorbic acid to increase microbial metabolic throughput and resilience.