Chen, L. C.

Galdanes, K.

Gordon, T.

Harrington, A. D.

Kaaden, K. E. Vander

Kaur, J.

McCubbin, F. M.

Schoonen, M. A. A.

Smirnov, A.

NASA Technical Reports Server

CARDIOPULMONARY INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES TO SUBACUTE METEORITE DUST 
EXPOSURES – IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION A.D. Harrington1,2,3, F.M. 
McCubbin1, J. Kaur3, K.E. Vander Kaaden4, A. Smirnov3,5, K. Galdanes2, M.A.A. Schoonen3,6, L.C. Chen2, and T. 
Gordon2 1NASA Johnson Space Center. 2Dept. of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine. 
3Dept. of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, 4Jacobs Technology, NASA JSC 5Geology Dept., Lone Star College. 
6Environmental Sciences Dept., Brookhaven National Laboratory. Andrea.D.Harrington@nasa.gov 
 
 
Introduction: The previous manned missions to 
the Moon represent milestones of human ingenuity, 
perseverance, and intellectual curiosity. However, one 
of the major ongoing concerns is the array of hazards 
associated with lunar surface dust. Not only did the 
dust cause mechanical and structural integrity issues 
with the suits, the dust ‘storm’ generated upon 
reentrance into the crew cabin caused “lunar hay 
fever” and “almost blindness [1-3]” (Figure 1). It was 
further reported that the allergic response to the dust 
worsened with each exposure [4]. The lack of gravity 
exacerbated the exposure, requiring the astronauts to 
wear their helmet within the module in order to avoid 
breathing the irritating particles [1]. Due to the 
prevalence of these high exposures, the Human 
Research Roadmap developed by NASA identifies the 
Risk of Adverse Health and Performance Effects of 
Celestial Dust Exposure as an area of concern [5]. 
Extended human exploration will further increase the 
probability of inadvertent and repeated exposures to 
celestial dusts. Going forward, hazard assessments of 
celestial dusts will be determined through sample 
return efforts prior to astronaut deployment.  
 
Figure 1. Eugene Cernan after a spacewalk (Apollo 17) 
Studies on the lunar highland regolith indicate 
that the dust is not only respirable but also reactive [2, 
6-9], and previous studies concluded that it is 
moderately toxic; generating a greater response than 
titanium oxide but a lower response than quartz [6]. 
The presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the 
surface of the dust has been implicated. However, 
there is actually little data related to physicochemical 
characteristics of particulates and pulmonary toxicity, 
especially as it relates to celestial dust exposure.  
As a direct response to this deficit, the authors 
initiated an extensive study evaluating the role of a 
particulate’s innate geochemical features (e.g., bulk 
chemistry, internal composition, morphology, size, 
and reactivity) in generating adverse toxicological 
responses in vitro and in vivo. This highly 
interdisciplinary study evaluates the relative toxicity 
of six meteorite samples representing either basalt or 
regolith breccia on the surfaces of the Moon, Mars, 
and Asteroid 4Vesta; three potential candidates for 
future human exploration or colonization. Terrestrial 
mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) is also used for 
comparison as a control sample.  
Preliminary research demonstrated that there are 
significant differences in the pulmonary inflammation 
generated upon acute exposure to the six celestial 
materials utilized, as well as the mid-ocean ridge 
basalt. More specifically, the acute exposure studies 
reveal relationships between toxicity and a meteorite 
sample’s origin, its pre-ejected state (unweathered 
versus processed), and geochemical features (Table 1) 
[10]. 
  
 
Experimental Details: The meteorite and 
terrestrial samples were first crushed using an agate 
mortar and pestle and then ground using an agate ball 
mill to a respirable size fraction (<10µm). The bulk 
chemistry was determined by electron probe 
microanalyses of the shocked glass generated by 
heating a representative aliquot of powdered sample to 
greater than 1600°C for 25 minutes and then 
quenching the samples [11]. The mineralogy was 
determined via x-ray diffraction. The geochemical 
reactivity of the dust was evaluated by quantifying 
Table 1. Sample Data Comparison to MORB 
Sample Iron
a H2O2b ISRc PMNsd 
% of MORB 
Tissint 83 208 618 163 
NWA 7034 20 4 318 132 
NWA 4734 30 83 246 172 
NWA 7611 2 28 145 128 
Berthoud 20 11 180 106 
NWA 2060 19 53 174 120 
a Iron leached from dust in simulated lung fluid after 8 days 
b H2O2 formed in water after 25 minutes 
c Cellular ISR at 24 hours post exposure only 
d Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) infiltration in BALF 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190002295 2019-08-30T21:22:51+00:00Z
iron solubility (FerroZine UV-Vis method) and in situ 
reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (ISO-HPO-
100 Microsensor for hydrogen peroxide). Both in vitro 
and in vivo toxicological techniques were used to 
determine the pulmonary inflammation caused by 
acute exposure. The in vitro method utilized a 
technique first published in [10], where the 
inflammatory stress response (ISR) of the cells to the 
presence of the dust is quantified systematically over 
24 hours. In vivo dust exposure was administered via 
oropharyngeal aspiration of dust slurries in acute 
(single dose) exposures and two different subacute 
exposures; specifically a 3-consecutive day and a three 
week exposure. The experimental endpoints were 
evaluated 24 hours after final dose.  Cytokine 
dysregulation and neutrophil infiltration into the 
bronchoalveolar lung fluid (BALF) were quantified to 
evaluate the body’s inflammatory pulmonary response 
to the presence of the particles. Wire myography was 
utilized to determine the difference in vasoconstriction 
and vasorelaxation of the aorta after exposure in order 
to understand cardiovascular health risks.    
Discussion: One of the main results of the 
subacute exposure study is that geochemical and 
toxicological correlations made during acute studies 
do not hold, however other correlations developed. For 
example, there is no correlation with bulk iron content 
and neutrophil (or PMN) infiltration into the lungs in 
subacute studies as there was for acute exposure but 
there is a correlation with particle derived reactive 
oxygen species (ROS) formation and PMN infiltration 
(Figure 1). Given the role that ROS have in the body’s 
inflammatory response, it is not unexpected that this 
correlation would develop over time. In fact, one of 
the possible explanations for why there was no acute 
correlation with particle derived ROS is that there was 
not enough time for the particulate generated ROS to 
overwhelm the initial biological inflammatory 
response to the particles.   
Although no longer correlated with PMN 
infiltration, there is a correlation between bulk 
chemical composition and cardiopulmonary 
endpoints. Specifically, there are strong correlations 
between: 1) IL-1β dysregulation and chromium and 
manganese content after a three day exposure (both 
positive), 2) IL-1β dysregulation and chromium and 
titanium content after a three week exposure (positive 
and negative, respectively), and 3) TNF-α 
dysregulation and titanium content (negative). There 
is also a very strong correlation indicating that 
increasing titanium concentrations enhance 
vasoconstriction (Figure 2). 
 
Summary: This comprehensive dataset allows 
for not only the toxicological evaluation of celestial 
materials but also clarifies important correlations 
between geochemistry and health. Furthermore, the 
utilization of an array of celestial samples from Moon, 
Mars, and asteroid 4Vesta enabled the development of 
a geochemical based toxicological hazard model that 
can be used for: 1) mission planning, 2) rapid risk 
assessment in cases of unexpected exposures, and 3) 
evaluation of the efficacy of various in situ techniques 
in gauging surface dust toxicity.  
 
References: [1] Armstrong A.E. and Collins M. 
(1969) NASA JSC, 81. [2] Cain, J.R. (2010) Earth 
Moon and Planets, 107, 107-125. [3] Sheenan T. 
(1975) JSC-09432. [4] Scheuring T. et al. (2008) Acta 
Astronautica 63, 980-987. [5] Scully R.R. et al. (2015) 
HRP SHFH Element. [6] Lam C.W. et al. (2013) Inhal 
Tox 25, 661-678. [7] Lam C.W. et al. (2002) Inhal Tox 
14, 917-928. [8] Lam C.W. et al. (2002) Inhal Tox 14, 
901-916. [9] McKay D.S. et al. (2015) Acta 
Astronautica 107, 163-176. [10] Harrington et al. 
(2017) LPSC Paper. [11] Vander Kaaden K.E. et al. 
(2017) COMPRES Meeting Paper. 
Figure 2. Aortic Vasoconstriction after 3 Consecutive Day Dust 
Exposure and Geochemical Correlations 
Figure 1. Neutrophil Infiltration into BALF after 3 Consecutive 
Day Dust Exposure and Geochemical Correlation 


Cardiopulmonary Inflammatory Responses to Subacute Meteorite Dust Exposures  Implications for Human Space Exploration

Cardiopulmonary Inflammatory Responses to Subacute Meteorite Dust Exposures Implications for Human Space Exploration

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