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Optical analysis of perfusion bioreactor cell concentration in an acoustic separator
Author(s) -
Gorenflo Volker M.,
Chow Vincent S.,
Chou Christopher,
Piret James M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.20693
Subject(s) - bioreactor , perfusion , separator (oil production) , biomedical engineering , materials science , chinese hamster ovary cell , sterilization (economics) , chromatography , chemistry , cell culture , biology , medicine , physics , cardiology , genetics , organic chemistry , economics , monetary economics , foreign exchange market , thermodynamics , foreign exchange
Automated monitoring of cell concentration in perfusion bioprocesses facilitates the maintenance of constant cell specific perfusion rates. However, most on‐line measuring devices are relatively complex and foul as the culture progresses. A simple external optical sensor was developed using the transparent glass walls of acoustic separators for automated optical analysis of their contents. For each measurement, the separator was filled by an automated pumping system with triplicate representative bioreactor samples that were optically analyzed and the device returned to perfusion operation within ∼1 or 2 min. Chinese hamster ovary cell concentrations, ranging from 5 × 10 5 to 2 × 10 7 cells/mL, were highly correlated (R 2 = 0.99) with the 90° scattered light response. Since the device was operated externally, it did not complicate bioreactor sterilization or cleaning. Viability was not optically analyzed, but this information was not required between manual samples of a properly operated perfusion process. Using single‐point recalibration based on routine off‐line samples, this external optical system remained effective during a 4‐month perfusion run, thus providing a non‐invasive and easily maintained on‐line cell concentration monitoring system to improve the control of perfusion bioreactors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.