BACTERIAL DEGRADATION OF CELLULOSIC SUBSTRATES UNDER TERRESTRIAL AND LONG TERM MANNED SPACE MISSION CONDITIONS: A REVIEW (Part I)

Abstract

The Earth and the lower atmosphere (troposphere and stratosphere) are constantly faced with numerous environmental challenges, one of which is the growing pollution due to the incineration of cellulose-containing waste with accumulating potential. In recent years scientists have focused on the complexity of ecological mechanisms in the biosphere of our planet - Earth, starting from laboratory, scaled and closed ecosystems. Onboard the spacecraft, textile products with antimicrobial properties are widely used which limits the spread of infections and ensures safety, comfort and resistance of the user. Another type of waste is the remains of sanitary and medical consumables, personal hygiene materials (e.g. wet and dry wipes, toilet paper, etc.), paper, inedible parts of greenhouse plants, etc., being usually subjected to microbial degradation. On Earth, the accumulation of these cellulose containing waste can cause serious environmental problems. Nowadays, many researchers are trying in experimental conditions on Earth to solve the problem of cellulose-containing waste by means of different approaches – burning, composting, burial, etc. The main risk and environmental problem is that the burial of waste in the soil and composting should contribute to the spread of microorganisms with pathogenic potential. Nevertheless, a promising approach is the microbial degradation of cellulose containing substrates realized by microbial consortia depending on the conditions of the surrounding environment. Therefore, the recent review aims to make a comparative analysis of the bacterial species involved in the degradation processes of cellulose-containing waste and to assess their potential for possible application in space conditions, including the International Space Station.