Conformal coatings to enhance biocarriers for rapid-startup of biofilm reactors

The resupply of essential resources is a critical constraint for long-duration space missions. Biomanufacturing, employing microbes to recycle life support system waste into usable materials, presents a viable solution. Biofilm reactors, which cultivate microbes on biocarrier supports like plastic or membranes, are central to this approach. However, a significant hurdle is the extended startup time required for these reactors. In terrestrial wastewater treatment plants, startup can take weeks or months, a prohibitive timeframe in space, especially during necessary reconfigurations or reactor failures. GVD Corporation, partnering with Boston University's el Microbial Integration Group (elMIG), aims to evaluate the feasibility and design of a rapid-startup biofilm bioreactor. GVD will develop specialized coating chemistries to accelerate microbial proliferation, employing high-throughput screening methods facilitated by elMIG's expertise. Subsequently, elMIG will characterize acetogen biofilm growth dynamics, resource needs, and productivity, providing critical data for GVD's prototype bioreactor design. This technology has applications beyond NASA, including advanced coating chemistries for enhancing wastewater treatment systems and biofilm reactors for pharmaceutical production.