NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Lunar Dust Separation for Toxicology StudiesDuring the Apollo missions, crewmembers were briefly exposed to dust in the lunar module, brought in after extravehicular activity. When the lunar ascent module returned to micro-gravity, the dust that had settled on the floor now floated into the air, causing eye discomfort and occasional respiratory symptoms. Because our goal is to set an exposure standard for 6 months of episodic exposure to lunar dust for crew on the lunar surface, these brief exposures of a few days are not conclusive. Based on experience with industrial minerals such as sandblasting quartz, an exposure of several months may cause serious damage, while a short exposure may cause none. The detailed characteristics of sub-micrometer lunar dust are only poorly known, and this is the size range of particles that are of greatest concern. We have developed a method for extracting respirable dust (<2.5 micron) from Apollo lunar soils. This method meets stringent requirements that the soil must be kept dry, exposed only to pure nitrogen, and must conserve and recover the maximum amount of both respirable dust and coarser soil. In addition, we have developed a method for grinding coarser lunar soil to produce sufficient respirable soil for animal toxicity testing while preserving the freshly exposed grain surfaces in a pristine state.
Document ID
20100010242
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cooper, Bonnie L. (Oceaneering Space Systems Houston, TX, United States)
McKay, D. S. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Riofrio, L. M. (Oceaneering Space Systems Houston, TX, United States)
Taylor, L. A. (Tennessee Univ. Knoxville, TN, United States)
Gonzalex, C. P. (Jacobs Technologies Engineering Science Contract Group Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 2010
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-19517
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 1, 2010
End Date: March 5, 2010
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Inst., NASA Johnson Space Center
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

Related Records

There are no records associated with this record.
No Preview Available