BEXUS 30 Stardust – Preliminary Results of Investigation of Microbes in the Stratosphere

Mateusz Grzybowski; Marcin Jasiukowicz; Paulina Podpirko; Bartosz Rybacki; Natalia Czortek; Dawid Rekowski; Jakub Pawłowski; Kacper Loret; Dominika Tomaszewska; Szymon Magrian; Karol Pelzner; Beata Krawczyk

BEXUS 30 Stardust – Preliminary Results of Investigation of Microbes in the Stratosphere

Abstract

The stratospheric microbiome has been investigated several times using the methods of classical microbiology. In this experiment, we have combined them with some novel approaches.. Diversification of methods has helped better describe the collected microorganisms. The results of the experiment may help better understand the mechanisms of survivability of microorganisms in stratospheric conditions.

The microorganisms have been collected in the stratosphere by a sampling system equipped with six filters: three sampling filters and three filters placed between ever-closed valves as control filters. Two of the sampling ones provided the microorganisms for setting up cultures on agar media. Two control filters were treated similarly. The stratospheric microbiome has been compared to the microbiome of air collected from the place of the balloon’s start, using an identical, on-ground system. All the parameters of the balloon's flight and the sample collection have been recorded.

The results have shown that the stratosphere is poor in microorganisms in comparison to the regular, tropospheric air. Most of the airborne bacteria in the stratosphere are gram-positive. Thick layers of peptidoglycan in their cell walls may protect them from the harsh conditions.

The experiment was launched on board BEXUS30 balloon sent within REXUS/BEXUS programme.