Mycodestruction of polymeric materials on the Earth and in space

1Rudenko, AV, 1Koval, EZ, 2Saveliev, Yu.V, 3Aljochova, TA, 3Novozhylova, TYu., 1Lenova, LI, 1Voloschuk, EM
1Institute of Urology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
2Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
3Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Kosm. nauka tehnol. 2003, 9 ;(Supplement2):020-023
https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2003.02s.020
Publication Language: Russian
Abstract: 
Processes of mycodestruction were noted in various polymeric materials almost in all climatic areas of the Earth. Above 300 species of micromycetes are known to be able to colonize polymers, which is attributable to their physiological and biochemical properties. In closed space with sufficiently high parameters of humidity and temperature, about 50 species of destructors are found, which allows one to forecast the display of their destructive activities also under conditions of space orbital stations. Some species of Penicillium and Aspergillus which are widely distributed on the Earth have already been recovered on equipment and apparatus surfaces in the "Mir" spacecraft cabin. The species were isolated from various sites of cosmonaut bodies. All the species of micromycetes recovered in space flight conditions relate to the ecological group of extremophiles and are of potentially hazardous for a man in a medical sense.
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