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Rutgers symposium on lunar settlements 3-8 June
2007 Rutgers University
 
A simple differential production method of
silicon utilizing organisms for futureuse in
lunar settlements    Satadal Das Peerless
Hospital B. K. Roy Research Centre Kolkata,
India
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Silicon utilizing organisms are probably the
fittest living creatures having a capacity of
survival in extraterrestrial situations where
they can tolerate more environmental stress and
strain than their equals on Earth. One can also
classify them according to their silicon
utilizing capacity.
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Abundance of chemicals on earth and moon
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It is well known that organisms with high silicon
content can survive in extremes of temperature,
pressure and radiation. In fact, Reynolds
described temperature tolerance of silicon
compounds in living creatures as early as in
1893. Thus organisms with high silicon content
can aptly be utilized within artificial
environments in extraterrestrial situations.
There are distinct Silicon accumulator plants
like Cyperaceae, Graminae, Juncaceae and Moquiles
spp. Organisms like marine phytoplanktons, marine
brown algae, horsetails, foraminifera and
porifera contain enough silicon, in the range of
60,000-4,37,000 mg per kg dry matter, and
bacteria contain about 180 mg silicon per Kg dry
matter.
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• There is a long list of silicon utilizing
  organisms.
• PROTOZOA
• Chrysomonadida
• Silicoflagellida
• Heterochlorida
• Ebriida
• Lobosia
• Arcellinida, Arcella, Difflugia
• Gromiida

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• PROTOZOA
• Radiolaria
• Porulosida
• Oculosida
• Centrohelida
• Desmothoracida

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SPONGES (PORIFERA)   Hexactinellida
Euplectella (Venuss flower basket)
Hyalonema ( Glass rope sponge)
Pheronema   Demospongia
Cliona Poterion
Pachychalina
Spongilla
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ALGAE Division Chrysophycophyta Class
Chrysophyceae (goldenbrown algae) Order
Rhizochrysidales Chrysamoeba
Ochromonas Class Bacillariophyceae
(yellowgreen algae)
Diatoms Class Xanthophyceae (yellowgreen
algae) Vaucheria LICHENS All
variety, Crustose, Foliose, Frutiose.
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• FUNGI
• Aspergillus
• Penicillium
• Alternaria
• Cladosporium
• PLANTS
• Dryland grasses such as oats and rye
• Wetland Grasses
• Bamboo e.g. Bambusa glaucesscens
• Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant)
• Anthurium scherzerianum (Flemingo Lily)
• Calathea makoyana (Peacock Plant)
• Aechmea fasciata (Silver Vase)

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• Spathipyllum (Peace Lily)
• Nephrolepsis exaltata (Boston Fern)
• Asparagus seteceus (Asparagus Fern)
• Equisetum arvense (Horsetail)
• Bambusa glaucescens (Bamboo)
• Agave Americana (Century Plant)
• Chamaedorea elegans (Parlor Palm)
• Codiaeum variegatium (Croton)
• Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm)
• Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree)

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• Syngonium podophyllum (Arrowhead Plant)
• Hedera helix (Ivy)
• Cordyline terminalis (Ti plant) good luck plant
• Hedera helix (Tree Ivy, Pia)
• Hypoestes phyllostachya (Pink Splash)
• Gynura aurantiaca (Purple Passion)
• Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig)
• Philodendron scandens (Philodendron)
• Acalypha pendula (Red-hot cats tail)
• Aglaonema commutatum (Chinese Evergreen)
• Cyperus alternifolius (Umbrella Sedge)
• Peperomia clusifolia (Baby Rubber Plant)
• Epipremnum aureum (Pothos)
• Dieffenbachia maculata (Dumb Cane)
• Dracaena deremensis (Dragon Tree)
• Dracaena marginata (Dragon Tree)

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• Rice Oryza sativa
• Sugarcane
• Wheat
• Citrus
• Strawberry
• Cucumber
• Tomato
• Rose
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• BACTERIA
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• Almost all gram positive bacteria

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There are some similarities between carbon and
silicon as they both belong to period IV of the
periodic table. Although carbon compounds are
abundantly found in living creatures on Earth and
they are the basis of evolution of life on earth,
there was at least a minor role of silicon
compounds in the development of the primitive
forms of life when the earth was quite
inhospitable for the development of carbon based
life.   Trevors (1997) Bacterial evolution and
silicon. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 71(3)271-6.
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Silicon utilizing organisms when cultivated on
medium prepared with carbon free constituents
containing little nitrogen and phosphates they
could grow better after repeated subcultures
probably with the help of a trace amount of
carry-over carbon during inoculation procedures.
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When silicon level was studied by electron prove
microanalyser after thorough washing steps we
find that silicon in cells grown in carbon free
silicate medium was 24.9 while when they were on
conventional carbon based medium they contain
only 0.84 silicon.
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In a series of studies by us we find that many
gram-positive bacteria and fungi can grow on
silicate medium prepared with carbon free
chemicals. In almost all cases initial growth was
earlier on silicate medium, however, further
growth was not good on carbon- free silicate
medium. Das et al (1992) Metabolism of silicon
as a probable pathogenecity factor for
Mycobacterium and Nocardia Sp. Indian J. Medical
Research (A) 95,59 65. Das S (1995) Silicon
utilization an important pathogenecity marker
of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The Japanese J.
Clinical Pathology, 43 (Supple.), 261. Das et al
(2000) Role of silicon in modulating the internal
morphology and growth of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. Indian J. Tuberculosis. 47 2000,
87-91.
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Fungi when grown on carbon free medium they
produced peculiar morphological patterns which
are hitherto unknown to us.
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Penicillium spp.
Aspergillus spp.
Aspergillus spp.
Mucor spp.
Epidermophyton spp.
Penicillium spp.
Epidermophyton spp.
Trichophyton spp.
Streptomyces spp.
Streptomyces spp.
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Silicon utilizing microorganisms can grow in
anaerobic condition. They can tolerate different
types of radiations. It was found that although
there are some metabolic changes in silicon
utilizing microorganisms in radiation, its gives
a positive impact on the nutritional quality
owing to reduction of CP ratio.
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Commercial gardening experiment in international
space stations indicated that seed to seed life
cycle is possible in space. Plants may help in
bioregenerative life support system to perform
chemistry of life support. Plants not only
release precious oxygen but they also help in
recycle drinking water. Microgravity situation
may induce less lignin formation in plants but
this will not prevent growth of these organisms
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It was also found that when titanium is present
the growth of silicon utilizing organisms were
more on solid medium while the growth was less in
liquid medium. This creates an unique opportunity
on lunar surface where both silicon and titanium
are present.
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Silicon utilizing organisms can thrive in sodium
metasilicate (SM) solution as high as up to 4
concentration. To confine common silicon
utilizing organisms from the environment for
future use in lunar settlements one has to
prepare SM solutions of four different
concentrations- 0.5, 1, 2 and 4. After
preparation of such solutions in plastic
containers one has to keep them in a greenhouse
for as long as 5 years. Different varieties of
organisms will grow in different concentrations-
from a light green color growth in 0.5 SM
solution, yellow color growth in 1 SM solution,
orange color growth in 2 SM solution and a
scanty whitish color growth in 4 SM solution.
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Besides many unknown microorganisms, algae are
present in every solution but are of different
kinds. Diatoms of diverse varieties are found in
profound numbers in 0.5 and 2 SM solutions
plenty unknown acid-fast bacilli are also found
in 1 SM solution
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Growth in 0.5 Silicate Solution
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Growth in 2 Silicate Solution
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Algal Growth in Control and 0.5 Silicate Solution
Control
0.5 silicate
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Algal Growth in 1.0 and 2.0 Silicate Solutions
2.0 silicate
1.0 silicate
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Diatoms in 0.5 and 2.0 Silicate Solutions
0.5 silicate
2.0 silicate
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Anaerobic Growth Mainly in 0.5 and 1.0 Silicate
Solution
0.5
Control
1.0
2.0
4.0
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Unidentified Anaerobic Bacteria in Silicate
Solution
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Unidentified Acid-fast Bacillary Growth in 1
Silicate Solution
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Fungal Growth in Control, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0
Silicate Solutions
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Scanty Growth of Unknown Microorganisms in 4
Silicate Solution
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pH changes in Silicate solutions after Growth of
Silicon-utilising Microorganisms
pH
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Phytoplanktons in Different Silicate Solutions
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Chemical Changes in Silicate Solutions after
Growth of Silicon-utilising Microorganisms
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The south pole for our primary lunar settlement
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A simple protocol may be followed to use these
silicate-utilizing organisms in lunar
settlements. After providing minimum essential
requirements for life in lunar extraterrestrial
situation, these organisms may be utilized.
Otherwise the protocol may be followed directly
on a lunar crater to allow the organisms to find
out a suitable zone for their growth.
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Lunar Crater Protocol Step 1
Microterraforming on moon In the initial venture
antibiosis between various species should be
prevented. Thus phytoplankton should be used
before zooplanktons. Diatoms of Eu-eurytherm
variety of Nitzschia and Chaetoceros group may be
selected initially. Then golden algae grown in
2 and then algae grown in 0.5SM solutions may
be scattered to boost up the algal inhabitants.
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Other silicon-utilizing algae
Silicon-utilizing bacteria
Eu-eurytherm silicon-utilizing algae
Diatoms
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• Step 1a Eu-eurytherm phase 3-12 months
• Nitzschia Subcurvata
• N. Curta
• N. Cylindrus
• N. Prolongatoides
• N. Pneudonana
• Chaetoceros Dichaeta
• C. Neglectus

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Step 1b High silicon utilizing algal phase 3-12
months Algae grown in 2.0 silicate Step 1c Low
silicon utilizing algal phase 3-12 months Algae
grown in 0.5 silicate Step 1d Lichens and
gram-positive bacterial phase 3-12 months Sub
cultivations even blind passage may be done if
necessary for 5-10 times during extending steps.
This is because active and passive dispersal
mechanism will be less on lunar surface
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Step 2 Macroterraforming of moon Important
silicon utilizing plants (specific silicon
utilizing strains) like horsetails, grasses,
lilies, silver vase, spider plant and following
that organisms (only extremophile variety) like
rotifers, tardigrades, nematodes, protozoa, fungi
and other bacteria may be added which will live
in close association of small silicon utilizing
plants and this process may continue.
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Dracaena deremensis (dragon tree)
Giant Equisetum arvense (horsetail)
Anthurium scherzerianum (Flemingo lily)
Cordyline terminalis (Ti plant) good luck plant
Calathea makoyana (peacock plant)
Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant)
Aglaonema commutatum (Chinese evergreen)
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• Step 2a
• High Silicon metabolizing plants phase 1-5 years
• Dryland grasses such as oats and rye
• Bamboo e.g. Bambusa Glaucesscens
• Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant)
• Anthurium scherzerianum (Flemingo Lily)
• Calathea makoyana (Peacock Plant)
• Aechmea fasciata (Silver Vase)
• Spathipyllum ( Peace Lily)

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• Step 2a
• Equisetum arvense (Horsetail)
• Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree)
• Hedera helix (Ivy)
• Cordyline terminalis (Ti plant) good luck plant
• Dracaena deremensis (Dragon tree)
• Dracaena marginata (Dragon tree)

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Step 2b Silicon accumulator plant phase
continued phase in close association of all
previous organisms Rice Oryza sativa Sugarcane Wh
eat Citrus Strawberry Cucumber Tomato Rose etc.
etc. Step 2c Introduction of rotifers,
tardigrades, nematodes, protozoa.
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Artificial support protocol In this protocol
silicon utilizing organisms may be used to
support growth of non silicon-utilizing organisms
and to produce a biosphere in artificial support
situations.As it is not practicable to carry all
essential nutrients for lunar settlements
creation of such biosphere is essential for
future survival of inhabitants in lunar
settlements.
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Regolith containing top
Iron frame with thick glasses inside the outer
border of regolith top
Solar energy lights may provide occasional
exposure in long darkness
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Thank You
Welcome to the Moon