{"id":5599,"date":"2015-08-14T09:31:14","date_gmt":"2015-08-14T09:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revoscience.com\/en\/?p=5599"},"modified":"2015-08-14T09:31:14","modified_gmt":"2015-08-14T09:31:14","slug":"trusty-not-rusty-pipelines-owe-a-debt-to-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/trusty-not-rusty-pipelines-owe-a-debt-to-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Trusty, not rusty, pipelines owe a debt to space"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Oil<\/a><\/dt>\n
Oil pipe line<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

When a Dutch company working on soil pollution teamed up with ESA to build a better, bacteria-based air filter for space, they also created the foundation for a new way of keeping iron pipelines from corroding in the ground.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Until recently, finding corrosion on pipelines was like looking for a needle in a haystack. With thousands of kilometres of pipeline to check, companies had to send inspectors out on spot checks and hope for the best.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, pipeline owners can identify which stretches of soil are inhabited by corrosion-causing bacteria, and then target these weak spots.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
\"International<\/a>
International Space Station<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It all came about thanks to ESA\u2019s efforts to make sure the air in space stations is safe to breathe. One idea was to create a biological air filter. Among other partners, ESA called on Bioclear, a Dutch company focused on soil pollution.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn a spacecraft you have a lot of contaminants that build up,\u201d explained Sytze Keuning, CEO of Bioclear. \u201cIt\u2019s not so different from your office. There, you have furniture and it has chemical substances such as the glue used in the desk that evaporates in low concentrations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While an office worker can just open a window, astronauts have no such option: \u201cA spacecraft is a closed system. Contaminants build up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\"Astronauts<\/a>
Astronauts on ISS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To solve this problem, Bioclear scientists drew on their experience working with microbiology to remove pollutants from soil. Using bacteria, they created a system that degrades contaminants into carbon dioxide and water, which could then be reused in the spacecraft. \u201cThe system recycles itself,\u201d said Sytze. \u201cIt\u2019s a living system, like in nature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, this posed a new potential risk. What if, in addition to breeding \u2018good\u2019 bacteria, the biological air filter also started to breed \u2018bad\u2019 bacteria?<\/span><\/p>\n

ESA and Bioclear decided that they needed to develop a screening method that could quickly tell astronauts if there were harmful bacteria in the filter. \u201cAfter all, pathogens could start to grow, and then we need to be warned in an early stage,\u201d said Sytze.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Microbial<\/a>
Microbial growth test on Space Station<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bioclear turned to DNA analysis and created an artificial strand of a pathogen\u2019s DNA. This artificial strand was then impregnated with fluorescent compounds. These would be coloured, say, blue. If the artificial DNA strand came into contact with the pathogen, it would bind with the pathogen\u2019s DNA. Then, under a microscope, dangerous pathogens would show up blue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlready, at the time, we expected that this was a promising technique,\u201d said Marc Heppener, who was Head of Science and Applications in the ESA directorate of Human Spaceflight and Exploration at the time, \u201cso we were keen to validate it for the space environment in view of its many advantages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Space microbial analysis helps on Earth<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"Rust<\/a>
Rust on iron<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ESA was also eager to explore the technology’s potential on Earth. \u201cTogether with the Dutch Technology Transfer Programme and national funds, ESA\u2019s Technology Transfer Programme supported Bioclear in assessing the feasibility of applying this technology on Earth, as well,\u201d explained Len van der Wal of TNO, the Dutch broker in ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme network supporting industry in using technologies developed for space programmes to improve terrestrial applications.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Bioclear uses this same technology in multiple field applications on Earth, for example, cleaning contaminated soil.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Once their work with ESA was finished, Bioclear continued honing the DNA screening techniques they had developed with the space agency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, thanks to their Microbial Analysis technology, Bioclear can identify the presence of a bacterial threat in water or soil. They can also estimate how powerful that threat might be.<\/span><\/p>\n

This has come in handy for a variety of commercial applications, from tracking hygiene issues in drinking water to monitoring pollutant-degrading bacteria in contaminated soil. However, \u2018biocorrosion\u2019 is their largest market.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fighting rust<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Hole<\/a>
Hole caused by micro organisms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Corrosion of metal is a chemical process,” explained Sytze. “But 40-50% of this corrosion is stimulated by certain bacteria.”<\/span><\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n
\u00a0By analysing a sample of water or soil, Bioclear determines the risk posed to metals there.<\/span>This is useful in a number of scenarios, including ships docked in harbours. But one of the company\u2019s largest biocorrosion markets is pipelines, says Sytze: \u201cA pipeline is in the ground, running through different soil types. If you know a certain soil promotes corrosion, you can adjust your inspection schedule.\u201d<\/span>Noting that certain bacteria can speed the corrosion of metal by up to 100 times, Sytze added: \u201cWhen you have kilometres of pipeline, it\u2019s interesting to know where the weak spots are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Maurice Walrave of Europe Exova in the Netherlands said his company has been using Bioclear\u2019s approach for more than a year, mostly for clients working with pipelines.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBioclear uses DNA analysis, which gives us a lot of information for our customers,\u201d said Maurice. \u201cThere\u2019s a huge demand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, the company launched Bioclear Microbial Analysis, a spin-off company focused on the DNA-screening technology that emerged from Bioclear’s work in space.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Gas<\/a>
Gas pipeline<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is very satisfying, from an ESA perspective,\u201d ESA\u2019s Marc Heppener said. \u201cWe co-invested in research that was interesting both for space applications and for Earth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bioclear is also happy about its space connection, as this spin-off has made it possible to create new business and jobs in the Netherlands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were very early in field of microbial analysis using these techniques,\u201d notes Sytze. \u201cThe work with ESA was very important, otherwise we could have never started in this field. Ten years later, it might have been too late to get the position we have now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oil pipe line When a Dutch company working on soil pollution teamed up with ESA to build a better, bacteria-based air filter for space, they also created the foundation for a new way of keeping iron pipelines from corroding in the ground.\u00a0 Until recently, finding corrosion on pipelines was like looking for a needle in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-space-news"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium-300x185.jpg",300,185,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"ultp_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"ultp_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"ultp_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"ultp_layout_square":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"newspaper-x-single-post":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"newspaper-x-recent-post-big":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"newspaper-x-recent-post-list-image":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",95,59,false],"web-stories-poster-portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",305,189,false],"web-stories-publisher-logo":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",96,59,false],"web-stories-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Oil_pipe_line_medium.jpg",150,93,false]},"author_info":{"info":["Amrita Tuladhar"]},"category_info":"Space\/ AstroPhysics<\/a>","tag_info":"Space\/ AstroPhysics","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5599","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5599"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5599\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}