Tag

Perchlorate

All articles tagged with #perchlorate

space9 days ago•12 min saved

Mars dust hides a thyroid risk: perchlorate in soil could challenge future habitats

Mars soil contains about 0.4–0.6% perchlorate salts, per Phoenix measurements, which can disrupt thyroid iodide uptake; NASA’s 2026 dust limits argue inhalation risk is low if total fine-dust exposure is controlled, but any dust inside a habitat remains a risk via suits, airlocks, or repeated excursions. Engineering controls—airlocks, dust-resistant fabrics, filtration—and research into perchlorate-reducing processes are being explored, though authentic Martian airborne dust hasn’t yet been tested.

via Space Daily|

#martian-soil #nasa-dust-limit #perchlorate

science4 months ago•4 min saved

Tiny Yeast Fends Off Mars‑Like Shock With RNA‑Protein Shields

Researchers exposed Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Mars-like shock waves generated by the HISTA tube and 100 mM sodium perchlorate, finding that yeast survive (though slower) due to ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates—stress granules and P-bodies—that protect RNA and proteins; yeast unable to form these condensates showed sharply reduced survival, suggesting even simple life could endure extreme planetary conditions and informing future space exploration models.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#extremophiles #mars #perchlorate

space6 months ago•80 min saved

Mars bricks by bacteria: perchlorate helps turn dust into habitat material

New IISc-led research shows the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii can form stronger brick-like material from Martian regolith simulant when perchlorate—an actual Mars soil toxin—is present, thanks to enhanced extracellular matrix production that binds calcium carbonate crystals into cemented bricks; this biocementation could enable in-situ resource utilization for Mars habitats, with tests planned in CO2-rich Martian-like air and findings published in PLOS One.

via Space|

#biocementation #insitu-resource-utilization #mars

space7 months ago•4 min saved

Electric Dust Storms Forge Perchlorates on Mars, Rewriting Surface Chemistry

A new study argues that Martian dust storms generate electrostatic discharges that create high-energy electrons, driving reactions between atmospheric CO2 and ground chloride salts to form perchlorates and carbonates without liquid water. This electrochemical pathway also explains the observed isotopic imbalances, with lighter isotopes preferentially involved in these reactions. The research, demonstrated in lab chambers simulating Mars’ environment, suggests electrical processes are a key driver of Mars’ surface chemistry, poses ongoing challenges for future missions (due to perchlorates), and may have parallels on other dusty worlds.

via Universe Today|

#dust-storms #electrochemistry #isotopes