Log Book for January 6, 2011

Science Report

Judah Epstein Reporting

The purpose of this project is to explore the effectiveness of a slow sand sedimentary water filtration system in a planetary environment. To simulate a planetary environment the experiment will be conducted at the Mars Desert Research Station, a self-sustaining planetary research experiment and simulation expedition.

The filter development will be comprised of washed Martian regolith simulants (JSC Mars-1A) which are chemically similar to the Mars surface sample analyzed at the Viking lander 1 site. Two additional filters will be created; one with the filter media comprised of commercially purchased sand, and the third filter comprised of locally found sand regolith at the Mars Desert Research Station obtained during an EVA while in Martian Simulation.

The slow sand water filtration system will be compared to the currently existing system. Current space missions utilize advanced technology such as reverse osmosis and nanotechnology. Water filtration at the Mars Desert Research Station is conducted utilizing a wetland-type system in an enclosed Greenhab where aerobic bacteria break down contaminants and a series of five different tanks with wetland-type plants remove nitrogen and other contaminants in a denitrification process.

Influent is greywater to the system which is then filtered and reused as input water to the toilet system. Further improvements of this process could lead to the output of the filtration system to be suitable for potable use.

Through the sedimentary filtration project, the output water from the slow sand filter will be analyzed and tested for its productive use as compared to the water effluent from the current wetland system. Proper scientific analysis will determine if the:

• Slow sand filtration system is not a suitable replacement or backup for the wetland system

• Slow sand filtration is a suitable replacement or backup for the wetland system and can potentially be utilized in the place of the wetland system

• Slow sand filtration is an optimal solution as compared to the wetland system and should likely be utilized in the place of the wetland system

• Slow sand filtration produces potable water and is a definite improvement and should thus be considered as a primary water filtration source as compared with other advanced technological systems such as reverse osmosis and nanotechnology

The major benefit of exploring feasibility of a slow sand filtration system is that this system is an age-old proven technology for over 150 years. In the case of space exploration to other planets such as Mars, success of new technology is mandatory; especially in the case of life-sustaining systems such as water. On a long term space expedition, failure of an advanced water purification system would likely lead to death of the astronauts and thus the end of the scientific mission. Advanced water purification technologies are a great development to bring to new worlds, but plans must be enabled in case of failures. Long-term expeditions in remote and planetary environments need to be able to adapt and utilize basic and proven alternative methods with locally available resources. The advantage of a slow sand filtration system is that the entire system could be developed in a planetary environment utilizing locally found materials on the planetary environment without necessity for electrical or power input. By studying the feasibility of the system beforehand in a simulated planetary environment, future planetary expeditions could have knowledge of developing such a system in an emergency scenario and know what to expect in terms of creation and its longevity as a potable water solution or extending the availability of the currently source-able potable water.

As a best case scenario of the efficiency as a potable water solution, the slow sand filtration system could not simply be analyzed as a backup in case of emergency, but could be utilized as the main source of water filtration; whereas successful exploration expeditions are often conducted utilizing minimal equipment but instead making use of local resources. In addition to local resources to create the filtration system, the system could also be analyzed as a method to develop potable water from locally found planetary water resources.

Slow sand filters are made up of a bed of sand which is initially about 1 meter in depth, with about 1 meter of supernatant water. Slow sand filters are excellent at removal of microorganisms. This is primarily accomplished through the top layer of the biological activity in the schmutzdecke. This is the slimy surface layer of biological activity, consisting of bacteria, algae, various single and multiple cell organisms, and bits of amorphous organic particulate matter such as fragments of rotting leaves. The schmutzdecke is naturally formed over time through usage of the filter system. In the biological activity of this layer, larger organisms prey upon the small biological particles; as a water filtration mechanism and is responsible for pathogen inactivation and the removal of organics from the influent water.

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The following water sources are measured in the project:

Slow Sand Filter 1: Martian Regolith Simulant

Slow Sand Filter 2: Commercial Sand

Slow Sand Filter 3: Local MDRS Utah Sands

Filter 4: MDRS HAB Wetland filtration

Test 5: Analysis of Greywater properties (before filtration)

Test 6: Analysis of MDRS HAB Potable Water Source

The following tools are used to take water measurements:

- Timer (measuring time of to filter to determine Hydraulic Conductivity)

- TDS probe (measure Total Dissolved Solids)

- pH meter (measure pH and Temperature)

- Qanta Probe (measure Temperature, Specific Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Dissolved Oxygen percentage, and Oxidation Reduction Potential) - (DO levels may be incorrect because of bubble in sensor. pH levels may be incorrect due to calibration)

- Turbidity Tool (measure Turbidity)

- Hach Test Strips (measure Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid) - not measured everyday

- Jungle Aquarium Test Kit (measure pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Hardness, and Alkalinity) - not measured everyday

- WaterSafe Bacteria Test Kit (measure if bacteria is present) - not measured everyday

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The following data was collected yesterday (January 5):

Slow Sand Filter 1: Martian Regolith Simulant

K 0.000140129
t 16860
TDS 58
pH 7.8
Temp no data
Temp 15.83
SpC 0.000
DO 22
pH 9.67
TDS 0.0
DO % 172
ORP -14
Turbidity 4.47
Hardness 500
Total Chlorine 0
Total Bromine 0
Free Chlorine 0.5
Alkalinity 240
Cyanuric Acid 0
pH 8.4
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 300
Alkalinity 300
Bacteria - positive

Slow Sand Filter 2: Commercial Sand

K - no data
t - clogged, no data
TDS 124
pH 7.9
Temp no data
Temp 10.53
SpC 0.000
DO 20.7
pH 10.25
TDS 0.0
DO % 132
ORP -12
Turbidity 36.7
Hardness 500
Total Chlorine 0
Total Bromine 0
Free Chlorine 0.5
Alkalinity 240
Cyanuric Acid 0
pH 8.4
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 300
Alkalinity 300
Bacteria positive

Slow Sand Filter 3: Local MDRS Utah Sands

K 0.000126611
t 18660
TDS 65
pH 8.3
Temp no data
Temp 12.67
SpC 1.17
DO 8.5
pH 10.37
TDS 0.8
DO % 76
ORP -22
Turbidity 378
Hardness 100
Total Chlorine 0
Total Bromine 0
Free Chlorine 0.5
Alkalinity 240
Cyanuric Acid 0
pH 7.8
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 150
Alkalinity 300
Bacteria positive

Filter 4: MDRS HAB Wetland filtration

TDS 78
pH 8.3
Temp no data
Temp 10.5
SpC 1.74
DO 8.9
pH 10.28
TDS 1.1
DO % 80
ORP 292
Turbidity 5.47
Hardness 0
Total Chlorine 3
Total Bromine 5
Free Chlorine 10
Alkalinity 180
Cyanuric Acid 300
pH 8.4
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 150
Alkalinity 180

Bacteria negative (but from water tank which receives bleach each day. in future will be tested from tank before bleach)

Test 5: Analysis of Greywater properties (before filtration)

TDS 72
pH 7.6
Temp no data
Temp 14.8
SpC 0.9
DO 11
pH 10.17
TDS 0.7
DO % 52
ORP 114
Turbidity 325
Hardness 0
Total Chlorine 0
Total Bromine 0
Free Chlorine 0.5
Alkalinity 240
Cyanuric Acid 0
pH 7.2
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 75
Alkalinity 300
Bacteria positive

Test 6: Analysis of MDRS HAB Potable Water Source

TDS 30
pH 8.4
Temp no data
Temp 10.3
SpC 0.539
DO 8.9
pH 10.48
TDS 0.3
DO % 77
ORP 167
Turbidity 1.66
Hardness 0
Total Chlorine 0
Total Bromine 0
Free Chlorine 0.5
Alkalinity 240
Cyanuric Acid 0
pH 7.2
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0.5
Hardness 25
Alkalinity 120

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K (Hydraulic Conductivity) is calculated as a Falling Head Permeameter with equation: K = (dt*dt*L / dc*dc*t)*ln(ho/h) cm/s

L = 74 cm. ho = 25 cm. h = 15 cm. dt = 1.27 cm. dc = 5.08 cm.

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Units are below:

K - cm/s
t- seconds
Temp - C
Spc - ms/com
DO - mg/L
TDS - g/L
ORP - mV
Turbidity - NTU
Hardness, Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine, Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid - ppm
Nitrate - ppm. mg/L
Nitrite - ppm. mg/L

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Data collected yesterday is compared with all previously collected data:

21-Dec 22-Dec 23-Dec 24-Dec 25-Dec 26-Dec 27-Dec 28-Dec 29-Dec 30-Dec 31-Dec 1-Jan 2-Jan 3-Jan 4-Jan 5-Jan

Mission Support note: Table values below have been commented out because they won't survive conversion into HTML. We will try to post the original spreadsheet files.