• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Degradation of Nanoparticles by Microbes Found on Spacecraft

Undergraduate #94
Discipline: Nanoscience
Subcategory: Microbiology/Immunology/Virology

April Harding - Southern University at New Orleans
Co-Author(s): Neyda Chacon, Pamela Marshall, Christian Clement, and Illya Tietzel, Southern University at New Orleans, New Orleans, LA



Nanoparticles are increasingly being used in the manufacture of the air and space industry. Strategic road maps of NASA plan the increased use of nanoparticles in the next years. Microbes are ubiquitous and interact with nanoparticles. Very few information is available if microbes can break down nanoparticles including those used for spacecraft. The increased use of nanoparticles and the ubiquitous nature of microbes make this a pressing research question. Bacilli such as Bacillus cereus were found on spacecraft. Therefore, it is hypothesized that bacteria can degrade nanoparticles. In order to test the hypothesis three different types of nanoparticles were tested; sulfate, amino, and carboxylate. Degradation was studied with morphometric analysis using ImageJ software. This software was used to compare the different area sizes of the nanoparticles without or with exposure to microbes. Nanoparticles of the same size (1000nm) were obtained from the Polyscience Inc: amino, sulfate, and carboxylate. Nanoparticles in dilution series alone or together with Bacillus cereus were incubated at room temperature over night. Morphometric analysis using Image J showed an average size of carboxylate nanoparticles of 0.4 area size (arbitrary units) without bacteria and 0.1 with bacteria. Sulfate nanoparticles alone had an area size of 0.06 compared to 0.01 with microbes and amino nanoparticles were 0.1 compared to 0.04 with exposure to bacteria.

These data suggest that nanoparticles can be degraded by microbes such as B. cereus. In the future, different nanoparticles and microbes will be used. The chemical reactions of B. cereus that degrade nanoparticles needs to be studied.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): The research was supported by NASA CAN NNX13AR32 - subcontracts OSP-14-216821-00E and OSP-14-216821-02E to I. Tietzel.

Faculty Advisor: Illya Tietzel,

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science