Duckweed: A Helpful Plant for Biofilm Reduction

Bacterial and fungal produced biomass is a continuing issue in spacecraft wastewater systems. A variety of methods have been explored through the MSFC biofilm test stand with varying results. Through the work of a MSFC TID, the biofilm test stand will be testing a duckweed phytoremediation unit made by Space Lab Technologies to evaluate duckweed’s ability to pull key nutrients utilized by the bacterial and fungal strains causing biofilm in the ISS wastewater system. This project expands on a previously successful Jacobs Innovation Grant that saw Lemna Minor, a duckweed, mitigate 97% of biofilm.