Microbes extract platinum metals from meteorites in space station test
An experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station has shown that microbes can extract valuable platinum group metals from meteorite material in microgravity, offering a potential pathway for sustainable resource extraction during future deep space missions.
The BioAsteroid experiment, led by researchers from Cornell University and the University of Edinburgh, examined how a bacterium and a fungus interact with L chondrite type asteroid material under weightless conditions. NASA astronaut Michael Scott Hopkins carried out the space based portion of the study on the ISS, while parallel tests were conducted on Earth for comparison.
The findings, published in the journal npj Microgravity, indicate that the fungus Penicillium simplicissimum was particularly effective at extracting palladium, a key platinum group metal widely used in catalytic converters and fuel cells. In microgravity, the fungus increased its production of carboxylic acids, carbon based compounds that bind to minerals and help release them, leading to enhanced extraction of palladium and platinum compared with non biological methods.
Rosa Santomartino, lead author of the study and assistant professor of biological and environmental engineering at Cornell, described the experiment as likely the first of its kind on the International Space Station involving meteorite material.
Researchers analyzed 44 elements and found that while conventional chemical leaching struggled in the absence of gravity, microbial extraction rates remained stable across gravitational conditions. Of the 44 elements tested, 18 were successfully extracted using biological processes.
The results address a major challenge for long duration human space exploration: the high cost of transporting heavy mining equipment from Earth. Microbial biomining systems could offer a lightweight alternative for extracting resources on the Moon, Mars or even asteroids.
Palladium holds particular value for space applications. It functions as a catalyst in life support systems and can absorb up to 900 times its own volume in hydrogen, making it useful for fuel cells. Its resistance to heat and corrosion also makes it suitable for rocket engines and advanced electronics.
Alessandro Stirpe, a microbiology research associate and co author of the study, said extraction efficiency varied depending on the specific metal, the microorganism involved and the gravitational environment. The team used both the bacterium Sphingomonas desiccabilis and a fungal species to better understand their distinct extraction capabilities.
Santomartino noted that microbial diversity and the complexity of space conditions make it difficult to draw universal conclusions at this stage. Beyond space exploration, the researchers said the findings could support more efficient recovery of minerals from mining waste and in resource limited environments on Earth.
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