Print Email Facebook Twitter Iron can be microbially extracted from Lunar and Martian regolith simulants and 3D printed into tough structural materials Title Iron can be microbially extracted from Lunar and Martian regolith simulants and 3D printed into tough structural materials Author Castelein, Sofie M. (Student TU Delft) Aarts, Tom F. (Student TU Delft) Schleppi, Juergen (Heriot-Watt University) Hendrikx, R.W.A. (TU Delft Team Amarante Bottger) Bottger, A.J. (TU Delft Team Amarante Bottger) Benz, D. (TU Delft ChemE/Product and Process Engineering; TU Delft ChemE/Chemical Engineering) Brouns, S.J.J. (TU Delft BN/Stan Brouns Lab) Meyer, A.S. (TU Delft BN/Anne Meyer Lab; University of Rochester) Lehner, B. (TU Delft BN/Stan Brouns Lab) Department ChemE/Chemical Engineering Date 2021 Abstract In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is increasingly acknowledged as an essential requirement for the construction of sustainable extra-terrestrial colonies. Even with decreasing launch costs, the ultimate goal of establishing colonies must be the usage of resources found at the destination of interest. Typical approaches towards ISRU are often constrained by the mass and energy requirements of transporting processing machineries, such as rovers and massive reactors, and the vast amount of consumables needed. Application of self-reproducing bacteria for the extraction of resources is a promising approach to reduce these pitfalls. In this work, the bacterium Shewanella oneidensis was used to reduce three different types of Lunar and Martian regolith simulants, allowing for the magnetic extraction of iron-rich materials. The combination of bacterial treatment and magnetic extraction resulted in a 5.8-times higher quantity of iron and 43.6% higher iron concentration compared to solely magnetic extraction. The materials were 3D printed into cylinders and the mechanical properties were tested, resulting in a 400% improvement in compressive strength in the bacterially treated samples. This work demonstrates a proof of concept for the on-demand production of construction and replacement parts in space exploration. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:cd96eb2c-76bd-4741-8f34-10efb742145e DOI https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249962 ISSN 1932-6203 Source PLoS ONE, 16 (April) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2021 Sofie M. Castelein, Tom F. Aarts, Juergen Schleppi, R.W.A. Hendrikx, A.J. Bottger, D. Benz, S.J.J. Brouns, A.S. Meyer, B. Lehner, More Authors Files PDF journal.pone.0249962.pdf 2.77 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:cd96eb2c-76bd-4741-8f34-10efb742145e/datastream/OBJ/view