Break-Through Cell Biomass Sensor for On-Line Fermentation Monitoring

CONCORD, Calif., May 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BugLab LLC, a US-based manufacturer of sensors for bioprocess monitoring, introduces the proBE 3000, the first on-line sensor capable of accurately measuring cell biomass over the full range of process conditions typically encountered during microbial fermentations, in small (250 mL and less) to large (100 L and higher) scale vessels.  

According to Martin Debreczeny, Co-Founder of BugLab, "this product fulfills a long-standing need for combining a very wide linear range of sensitivity to cell biomass while discriminating against the effects of bubbles in on-line fermentation monitoring."  

Traditional on-line Optical Density (OD) probes provide linear response over about one order of magnitude biomass range, whereas fermentations commonly span more than 3 orders of magnitude biomass range. Use of multiple OD probes has sometimes been employed in an attempt to fill the resultant measurement gaps, but this approach is costly and burdensome. Further, accurate on-line monitoring of cell biomass requires immunity to varying rates of gassing and agitation. This is a known weakness of traditional on-line OD sensors, which are susceptible to error in the presence of bubbles. 

As a result, off-line measurement has long been the preferred method for biomass monitoring in fermentors; typically used to capture key decision points in the fermentation process, such as inoculation, induction, and harvesting. The down-side of off-line sampling is, of course, that it is labor-intensive and invasive, so is typically performed only at occasional intervals. Off-line sampling is also prone to user error, especially in the high biomass range where dilution of highly viscous samples is required. The sparsity of data, risk of contamination, and the potential for cross-user error combine to make off-line sampling non-ideal as a process monitoring method. 

The proBE3000 sensor eliminates the need to perform off-line cell biomass testing or use multiple on-line biomass probes:

• One proBE 3000 provides a linear range of cell biomass from less than 0.01 to over 200 g/L dry cell weight (roughly equivalent to 0.03 to 600 OD at 600 nm) while maintaining strong immunity to changes in process variables such as agitation and gassing rate. 
• Small diameter (3 or 4 mm) probe options provide access to even the smallest ports and fermentor sizes.

BugLab has been providing innovations in biomass monitoring in the bioprocess industry for over 14 years. More information can be found at www.buglab.com.

Martin Debreczeny
BugLab LLC
925-208-1952
[email protected]

SOURCE BugLab LLC