At BioSurface Technologies, we are always thrilled to see our products used in groundbreaking research, and this new study is truly out of this world.
Researchers Dr. Madelyn (Maddie) Mettler and Dr. Brent Peyton, both from Montana State University’s Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) just down the street from us in Bozeman, recently published a study titled “Multimodal biofilm control strategies for spacecraft water systems: Evaluating coatings, nutrient removal, and biocides for improved sustainability” in Gravitational and Space Research. This paper is part of Maddie’s recently completed PhD dissertation, and we couldn’t be more excited to see her work making waves.
The research addresses a critical challenge: how to prevent biofilm growth in spacecraft water recovery systems, which are vital for providing safe, sustainable water during long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.
Biofilms (microbial communities that attach to surfaces) have previously clogged valves in the International Space Station (ISS) water recovery system, leading to part replacement and reduced efficiency. To help solve this challenge, the researchers tested three strategies for biofilm control:
Surface Coatings: Using Sher-Loxane® 800, a protective coating by Sherwin-Williams
Nutrient Limitation: Excluding phosphorus from the growth medium
Biocides: Regular dosing with silver fluoride
What made this work especially unique was the use of a defined microbial consortium representing four organisms (three bacteria and one fungus) isolated directly from ISS water recovery systems, grown in a synthetic ISS wastewater medium. As Maddie herself described it in a recent LinkedIn post: “Basically, the data set was a doozy but it was a fun project with some pretty incredible results and microscopy images.”
The results were striking:
Coatings proved to be a key factor in reducing biofilm accumulation.
Combining all three strategies nearly eliminated viable biofilm after just seven days.
We are especially proud to see Maddie leading this effort. During her time with the Standardized Biofilm Methods Laboratory (SBML), she played a huge role in the design and development of our Industrial Surfaces Biofilm Reactor (ISBR). It’s inspiring to see her career continue to shape biofilm science, now extending into space applications.
This study also featured our CDC Biofilm Reactors® equipped with our PTFE (RD128-PTFE) and Inconel (RD128-Inc) disc coupons with a specialized coating, providing precise, reproducible testing under conditions relevant to space travel.
This research underscores how innovative approaches (in this case combining coatings, nutrient control, and biocides) could help astronauts maintain safe and reliable water systems on future missions. It also highlights how Earth-based industries may adopt similar strategies for more sustainable water treatment.
At BioSurface Technologies, we love seeing our products contribute to advancing human exploration and discovery. Congratulations to Maddie, Brent, and the entire research team at MSU and the CBE for pushing the boundaries of science both on Earth and beyond.