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Lunar and Martian Regolith Simulants Desorb and Weather after Exposure to Bioregenerative Life Support System
Harrison R Coker1, Daniella Saetta2, Misle M Tessema3
1Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
ACS Earth & Space Chemistry
|February 25, 2026
Summary
Lunar and Martian regoliths can fortify bioregenerative life support systems (BLiSS) with essential plant nutrients. This study shows regolith
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology
- Soil Science
- Planetary Science
Background:
- Sustainable extraterrestrial agriculture requires nutrient recycling via bioregenerative life support systems (BLiSS).
- BLiSS may have reduced nutrient quantities, necessitating fortification using extraterrestrial regolith.
- Lunar (JSC-1A) and Martian (MGS-1) regolith simulants were investigated for their potential to amend BLiSS effluent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if lunar and Martian regolith simulants can fortify bioregenerative life support system (BLiSS) effluent.
- To analyze the sorption and dissolution of elements when simulants react with BLiSS effluent.
- To compare the reactions of BLiSS effluent with regolith simulants against inorganic nutrient solutions and water.
Main Methods:
- Batch experiments reacting lunar and Martian simulants with high-fidelity BLiSS effluent.
- Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for elemental quantification.
- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope-electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for surface and mineral analysis.
Main Results:
- Phosphorus (P) exhibited Langmuir sorption, while Zinc (Zn) and Potassium (K) showed Freundlich sorption isotherms.
- Lunar simulant desorbed Sulfur (S), Calcium (Ca), and Magnesium (Mg). Martian simulant desorbed S, Mg, Ca, and Sodium (Na).
- Elemental bonding of Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), P, and Ca was observed on the simulant solid phase. Significant differences were noted between BLiSS effluent and inorganic nutrient solution reactions.
Conclusions:
- Lunar and Martian regoliths possess soluble components capable of enhancing BLiSS effluent with essential plant nutrients and valuable metals.
- Regolith-BLiSS interactions differ significantly from reactions with simple inorganic solutions, highlighting the need for high-fidelity studies.
- Extraterrestrial regoliths show promise for fortifying nutrient solutions in future space agriculture.
