Reactive Oxygen Species Generation by Lunar Simulants

Introduction: The current interest in human exploration of the Moon and past experiences of Apollo astronauts has rekindled research into the harmful effects of Lunar dust on human health. While the mineralogical composition of lunar regolith has been well documented, other factors, such as partial melting due to space weathering, UV irradiation, and dryness may also contribute to the toxicity of lunar dust. For example, the presence of elemental iron “nano-particles” in agglutinatic material in the respirable size fraction has been recognized as a possible health concern[1]. Building on earlier work on mineral toxicity [2-5], we have started a research program focused on the reactivity of lunar dust in the context of inhalation exposures. As a first step, we have evaluated the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by several Lunar simulants.