Helping NASA Clear the Air

The International Space Station (ISS) faced a growing problem: On-board contaminants were  undergoing chemical reactions, forming new compounds that ended up in the air and water systems. That might not be a huge issue earthside, but in the research hub’s closed environment, orbiting 227 nautical miles above the planet, every drop of water and breath of air must be cycled regularly to keep astronauts alive. So NASA called in Suffolk University Chemistry Professor Kelsey Stocker to investigate the likely culprit: volatile methylsiloxanes (VMS). 

VMS are common contaminants released by materials such as plastic and found in personal care products such as perfume and baby wipes. They’re not known to cause health issues  during typical household use, but in the delicately balanced environment of the ISS, such  contaminants can become problematic. “You can’t just open a window in space,” explains Stocker.  

The compounds were meant to be captured by the station’s activated charcoal air filters. But NASA scientists also discovered VMS in the water processing system.  

Stocker and her student researchers used computer modeling and data from the ISS to uncover  the issue. They concluded that VMS compounds were oxidizing in the air, forming products that could evade air filters and build up in the water system. With the help of samples collected on the ISS, they also found evidence that clumps of oxidized VMS could form aerosol droplets on the station’s surfaces. 

Using these findings, NASA will be able to design new detection and filtration methods specifically for oxidized VMS, protecting critical equipment and preventing further complications.  

For Stocker, the work was especially rewarding because her NASA grant allowed her to involve students in solving this  out-of-this-world puzzle. 

“This was such a fun project to pitch to students because there’s a direct connection between our work and the people who are going to use that data to solve the problem,” says Stocker. “NASA is going to use this to help keep astronauts safe.”