Bags and single-use bioreactors are in the process of revolutionising the way biopharmaceuticals are manufactured. Our non-invasive oxygen sensors are the tools to make the cultivation vessels fully disposable. As non-invasive pH sensors are also available, the two key parameters oxygen and pH can be controlled on-line.

Non-invasive oxygen sensors measure both in liquid and in gaseous (headspace) phases. They perform through transparent materials up to a thickness of 10 mm and even through slightly opaque packaging. The measurement is carried out by firmly holding the fiber optic probe against the side of a PET bottle where the sensor spot is positioned. Adjustable mountings and bespoke fixtures are available. This system allows even the parallel measurement of different bottles as the fiber can be moved from bottle to bottle.

O2 supply is one of the major issues in the cultivation of aerobic organisms. Shaking flask cultures are widely applied in academic and industrial bioprocess development. As adequate methods for real monitoring of dissolved oxygen were missing, sufficient O2 supply is usually assumed. The non-invasive oxygen sensors in shaking flasks now ensure oxygen supply and give new insights into metabolic activity.