Developing a technique to enhance durability of fibrous ion-exchange resin substrate for space greenhouses

One way to cut consumables for space plant growth facilities (PGF) with artificial soil in the form of fibrous ion-exchange resin substrate (FIERS) is on-board regeneration of the used medium. After crop harvest the procedure includes removal of the roots from the fibrous media with preservation of the exchanger properties and capillary structure. One type of FIERS, namely BIONA-V3ۛ, has been used in Russian prototypes of space conveyors. We describe a two-stage treatment of BIONA-V3ۛ including primary microwave heating of the used FIERS until (90 ± 5) °C in alkali-peroxide solution during 3.5 hrs. The second stage of the treatment is decomposition of root vestiges inside pores of BIONA-V3ۛ by using thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic bacteria Clostridium thermocellum, Clostridium cellulolyticum and Cellulosilyticum lentocellum during 7-10 days at 55 °C. The two-stage procedure allows extraction of 90% dead roots from the FIERS' pores and the preservation of root zone hydro-physical properties. A posterior enrichment of the FIERS by minerals makes BIONA- V3ۛ reusable.