TITLE:
Ammonia Removal from Rodent Habitat Operations in Space Using Phosphoric Acid Treated Activated Carbon
AUTHORS:
Zhe Lu, Jacob A. Hines, Daniel J. Rozewicz, Michael L. Hines
KEYWORDS:
Activated Carbon; Impregnation; Adsorption; Ammonia; International Space Station
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.4 No.12,
December
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: To accommodate long duration biology research with
rodent habitats on the International Space Station while providing a healthy
living and working environment for crewmembers, NASA Ames Research Center
developed a new exhaust filter for odor control for the Animal Enclosure Module
(AEM), which houses mice and rats. The new exhaust filter uses activated carbon
pellets as adsorbents, with phosphoric acid (H3PO4)
impregnated on the surface. The deodorization performance of the new exhaust
filters for AEM units housed with mice was evaluated. The ammonia breakthrough
time of the exhaust filters was also investigated. The results indicated that H3PO4 treated activated carbon exhibited a high ammonia adsorption capacity of
more than 90%. Furthermore, the new exhaust filter can effectively control the
odor from the AEM units for a 45-day (minimum) flight mission with a given
animal biomass.