Description: There is limited capability for water quality analysis onboard current spacecraft. Several hardware failures have occurred onboard ISS which demonstrate the need for measurement of inorganic contaminants. Monitoring capability is of interest for identification and quantification of inorganic species in potable water, thermal control system cooling water, and human wastewater. Needed attributes for such multi-ion analyzers to be used in NASA manned space exploration missions include: minimal sample preparation, use of small sample volumes, little or no need for reagent resupply, instrument of minimum size and weight, high sensitivity, accuracy and reliability, in situ calibration, and operation in microgravity and partial gravity. Lynntech proposes to develop a reagent-regenerative, microgravity-compatible, compact-sized ion analyzer, which has desirable attributes of no sample preparation, low weight, small volume, high sensitivity, no reagent resupply, and operation in microgravity and partial gravity, which will impact the reduction of its equivalent system mass. In the Phase I Lynntech will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach with a breadboard system. An automated prototype will be delivered to NASA during Phase II.

Benefits: Direct NASA applications of the reagent-regenerative, microgravity-compatible, compact-sized ion analyzer (RMCIA) include the on-board water quality monitor to frequently analyze the crew water supply in order to quickly indicate if the Exploration Water Recovery System (EWRS) is not functioning properly. The multi-analyte capability will expand the applications to measurements on typical ionic species in humidity condensate, potable water, wastewater, byproducts of water treatment such as brines, and biomedical and science samples for manned space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit. The expected results of the Phase I project will provide a strong technical base for Phase II follow-on research and development work, so as to apply this technology to NASA's roadmap in the discipline area of Advanced Environmental Monitoring & Control (AEMC) of the theme of Advanced Human Support Technologies (AHST).

Successful development of the reagent-regenerative, microgravity-compatible, compact-sized ion analyzer (RMCIA) as a portable device will have a high commercial applicability to a wide range of industries where water quality assurance and control is important, such as semiconductor industries, food and drink industries, and pharmaceutical industries, and where water quality analysis of inorganic pollutants in both environmental and potable water sources is critical, such as municipal utilities and remote potable water production.