Lunar Airborne Dust Toxicity Assessment Group (LADTAG) - NASA

Lunar Airborne Dust Toxicity Assessment Group(LADTAG)Noreen Khan-Mayberry, Ph.D.,Space ToxicologistSpace Life Sciences, Johnson Space Center – Houston, TX

India – short term headwinds, but long term positiveGrowth(Potential growth in the 7.5–8.5% rangein the near term, graduating to 9.0%)ConsumptionFavourable demographicsRising household purchasing powerInvestmentPoised to be the keydriver of GDP growthEconomic reformsInfrastructure, Education, Agriculture,Energy and Financial SectorConsumption – the driving force: Increased social spending, implementation of the “right to work” with the introduction of NREGA, a real estate boom and agricommodityinflation have increased the purchasing power of rural India. Improving demographics and rising income levels are changing the profile of the foodbasket and discretionary spending patterns.Investment – need of the hour: India is a severely constrained economy and the government needs to give a big push to both industrial capex and infrastructureactivity. After a hectic 2006-09, there seems to have been a pause due to environmental issues and corporates repairing their balance sheets. We expect thingsto pick up in next 6-8 months once the current macro headwinds abate.Reforms – badly needed to fast track growth: Economic reforms have been the most significant facilitator of growth since the early 1990s and have broughtabout positive structural changes in India’s economy. However, the government needs to maintain the pace of reforms, which often get sidelined around issuessuch as scams, corruption charges and standoffs with the opposition parties.Limited upside; time to be selective: While the market looks fairly priced at the moment, the uncertain outlook on inflation and interest rates indicates that risksare to the downside. Investors should consider focusing on accumulating good quality names that have strong balance sheets and visibility in earnings. Our fairvalue estimate of the Sensex is 20500 by March-end 2012; implying a 16x PER on FY12 eps. However, macro headwinds and risk aversion may keep valuationsaround long-term avg. of 14.5-15x.Page 2

LADTAG’s Logic•LADTAGresearch studiesaregearedtowardsproducingdeliverables aimed at reducing uncertainty in contributing factors(size distribution, time, activity, dose, species)•In2006, LADTAG reviewed the available lunar dust literature andthetechnicalexpertiseoftheadvisorygroup.Thegrouprecommended that in order to set a representative health standard,we must test multiple types of lunar dusts, specifically finest fraction(

Known Toxic Effects of Dusts• Dermal irritation & penetration• Eye irritation & corrosion– Chemical– Mechanicalc• Respiratory injury– Upper air ways– Lower airways• Edema• Inflammation• Fibrosis• Cancer?• What effects will simulants produce?Courtesy: J.T. James, NASA (2005)

Unknown Toxic Effects of Lunar Dusts• Dermal irritation & penetration• Eye irritation & corrosion– Chemical?– Mechanical?• Respiratory injury?– Lung clearing of unusual particle shape?– Effective clearance mechanisms?– Effect in 1/6 g?– Effect of highly reactive/ activated particles?– Effect of inactive i particles?– Rate of passivation?– Effect of nanophase Fe?– Cellular injury? Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species(ROS)?

Toxic Effects of Simulants???• Simulants are high-fidelity (chemically and physically)• The Lunar Simulant MSDS: Is the current Material Safety DataSheet (MSDS) accurate for all simulants? - The last MSDS that Ireviewed in 2007 needed significant improvement – Occ Health agreed.• Parent Simulant (JSC-1 or JSC-1A):Potential for toxic effects willdepend upon several variables:– Amounts (dosage) will vary depending upon type of experiment/test conducted– Size fraction the user is exposed to (fine, ultrafine) Will vary depending type ofexperiment/test conducted– Type of PPE employed during exposure? (need to protect from ultrafines at aminimum)• I have personal experience breathing simulants (not fun!)• Suggest respiratory protection• Dermal protection (case by case basis only – contingent upon type ofuse)

Questions for persons working with Simulants• How much (quantity) of simulants are you working with?• What is the size range of the simulants that you are workingwith?• How long do you routinely expose yourself to simulants?• Do you use PPE? What type (s) of PPE?• Do you monitor your area for the amount of particulate in airwhen you work with simulants?• Is one “generic” MSDS sufficient i for all simulants?– Should each type of simulant have its own unique MSDS, that reflectsthe eu unique quec chemical ca make eupa and dco content?

Preliminary Toxicity Data on Lunar Simulants• Reactivation of JSC-1APreliminary results show measurable activation of simulants bygrinding– The activation was measured by the amount of free radicals generated: Activatedsimulants have generated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) i.e., production ofhydroxyl free radicals– Simulants and controls appear highly charged upon grinding• Dissolution of Simulants– Tests have shown that simulants leach chemicals into solution (H 2 O)– Solutions of varying pH are also being tested (various pH will relate to varyingpH found in respiratory defense mechanisms – ex: macrophages)– Simulants behave very differently from actual lunar dust in solution• Abrasivity of simulants to dermis– Simulants appear to be as abrasive as “industrial” sandpaper

Questions???Sorry that I could not join you personally! E-mail me or callme! Noreen.n.khan-mayberry@nasa.govy@ or 281-483-1876