The Use of Photosynthesis in the Control of Enclosed Environments

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Abstract
The use of algal-bacterial cultures in treating human wastes and providing necessary oxygen in space flight is feasible. Employing an especially designed vessel in which both dissolved and free oxygen released by algae are made available to bacteria, and conversely, both free and dissolved CO2 as well as decomposition products of bacterial activity are made available to the algae, it was possible to stabilize 2 g (dry wt) of feces and 30 ml urine per liter of combined culture. With apparatus of present design, only 250 1 of algal-bacterial culture are required to treat the solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes of one man and provide his oxygen needs. When apparatus can be designed to provide optimum conditions, especially for algal activity, the necessary volume can be reduced to about 57 1.