Cure or Curse? Simulation indicates that microbes proliferate under disinfection measures in the space station

Abstract

The long-term stay on the space station requirement poses a knotty issue about the stable hardware and reliable guarantee of astronauts' health. Despite regular cleaning with wipes, microbes still proliferate in the space station. This study distilled three key factors—low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR), dilution and quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) from the scenario. Species abundance and differential metabolites were applied to test their sole/combined influences on the three-simple-species microbial community succession. Mechanisms were built in mathematical models to generate the structural and behavior similarity. Results showed that LDIR, dilution and QAC, solely or jointly, could contribute to microbial proliferation. The synergy of disturbances might convert them from harmful factors to rewarding ones (e.g. the transformation of QAC into nutrients under LDIR), leading to this "Ecological Surprise". These results shed light on mechanisms driving microbial community succession in the space station and highlighted the need for tailored biocontrol strategies in the specific environment.