Bioassay of products of organic waste mineralization: An approach for closed ecosystems

The study assesses the usability of the method of organic waste mineralization in the hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution under application of an alternating current electric field in closed life support systems (CLSS). The effects of the mineralized organic wastes on the higher plant component of the CLSS intended for space flights were studied experimentally. Radish plants, representing the higher plant compartment of the CLSS, were chosen for their high sensitivity to the pollution of the gaseous environment. The study showed that plant productivity remained comparable to that of control plants in the experiments with gaseous and liquid products of mineralization of human wastes and inedible plant parts used both separately and simultaneously. Results of the study suggest that this method is eco-friendly and suitable for use in the CLSS.