Prospects and risks of using lunar regolith to form isolated ecosystems

The study investigates the potential for cultivating agricultural crops in lunar regolith from the lunar seas. The research utilized the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant, “Celesta F1” radish seeds, “Gulyaipilsky” garlic cloves, and “Lidiya” peppermint rhizomes. Control experiments were conducted on pure quartz sand and the universal potting soil mix “Eco plus, Peatfield”. The aim of the work is to explore the potential of lunar regolith as an edaphic basis for isolated ecosystems within future lunar bases. In line with this aim, the following objectives were set: to study the potential of using the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant for crop germination; to model the potential for spontaneous ecosystem transformations with the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant as the edaphic basis; to predict the dynamics of agroecosystem processes using the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant as the edaphic basis. The ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant is capable of supporting the germination of seeds and the initial development of seedlings (from bulbs or rhizomes) for a short period. A correlation exists between the nutrient reserves in the seeds or seedlings and their growth performance on the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant. The low albedo and granulometric structure of the lunar regolith result in water loss while simultaneously promoting its retention within the substrate’s capillary structure. Untreated regolith, without the addition of mineral nutrients to the irrigation system, is suitable for growing short-season crops primarily for young sprouts (microgreens). Furthermore, regolith is susceptible to colonization by microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria and fungi. There is also a risk of introducing aggressive weed seeds into the regolith system.