00:00 You want to know what's more polluted than an average American household?
00:03 The International Space Station.
00:05 A study published in the Environmental Science and Technology Letters
00:09 found levels of organic pollutants in dust samples from ISS air filters
00:13 were higher than the median values found in US and Western European homes.
00:18 The Hill reports some of the contaminants found in this so-called "space dust"
00:22 have been classified as human carcinogens and fire retardants.
00:26 The scientists noted the vulnerability of spacecraft to fire
00:30 means that very careful attention is paid to the flammability of ISS contents.
00:35 According to the study, the air inside a spacecraft is constantly recirculated,
00:40 with 8 to 10 changes per hour.
00:42 And although it does eliminate carbon dioxide and gaseous trace contaminants,
00:46 it is unknown to what degree it can remove chemicals like flame retardants.
00:51 Researchers said their findings have implications for future space stations and habitats,
00:55 where it may be possible to exclude many contaminant sources
00:59 by careful material choices in the early stages of design and construction.
