Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #30866: Purifying Water in Space: Smart Membranes with a Biological Twist

Water is precious aboard the International Space Station, and reusing every drop is vital. The Urease-phospholipid Reactive Forward Osmosis Membranes experiment, led by Dr. Eduardo Nicolau from the University of Puerto Rico, explores a promising new method for reclaiming water—combining biology and advanced material science.

Conducted during Expedition 67, the experiment focuses on forward osmosis membranes enhanced with enzymes like urease and phospholipid coatings. These membranes are designed to filter out waste products from urine and wastewater, converting them into clean, drinkable water with higher efficiency and fewer energy requirements.

Urease breaks down urea, a key component of urine, into ammonia and carbon dioxide. Phospholipids enhance the membrane’s permeability while preventing biofouling—when bacteria and other organisms clog the system. Together, they offer a biologically active filter that mimics some of nature’s own processes.

Results from this experiment could revolutionize water treatment not just in space but also in remote Earth locations where clean water is scarce. By reducing the weight and power needs of water recycling systems, future space missions can extend further into the solar system while maintaining life support more sustainably.

This innovative project highlights how interdisciplinary science—merging biology, chemistry, and engineering—can deliver real-world benefits in the most extreme environments.

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