Parallel use of shake flask and microtiter plate online measuring devices (RAMOS and BioLector) reduces the number of experiments in laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors

Background Conventional experiments in small scale are often performed in a Black Box fashion, analyzing only the product concentration in the final sample. Online monitoring of relevant process characteristics and parameters such as substrate limitation, product inhibition and oxygen supply is lacking. Therefore, fully equipped laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors are hitherto required for detailed studies of new microbial systems. However, they are too spacious, laborious and expensive to be operated in larger number in parallel. Thus, the aim of this study is to present a new experimental approach to obtain dense quantitative process information by parallel use of two small-scale culture systems with online monitoring capabilities: Respiration Activity MOnitoring System (RAMOS) and the BioLector device. Results The same mastermix (medium plus microorganisms) was distributed to the different small-scale culture systems: 1) RAMOS device; 2) 48-well microtiter plate for BioLector device; and 3) separate shake flasks or microtiter plates for offline sampling. By adjusting the same maximum oxygen transfer capacity (OTRmax), the results from the RAMOS and BioLector online monitoring systems supplemented each other very well for all studied microbial systems (E. coli, G. oxydans, K. lactis) and culture conditions (oxygen limitation, diauxic growth, auto-induction, buffer effects). Conclusions The parallel use of RAMOS and BioLector devices is a suitable and fast approach to gain comprehensive quantitative data about growth and production behavior of the evaluated microorganisms. These acquired data largely reduce the necessary number of experiments in laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors for basic process development. Thus, much more quantitative information is obtained in parallel in shorter time.Cluster of Excellence “Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass”, which is funded by the Excellence Initiative by the German federal and state governments to promote science and research at German universities

Application of a novel oscillatory flow micro-bioreactor to the production of γ-decalactone in a two immiscible liquid phase medium

A novel micro-bioreactor based on the oscillatory flow technology was applied to the scale-down of the biotechnological production of γ-decalactone. A decrease up to 50% of the time required to obtain the maximum concentration of the compound was observed, when compared with other scaled-down platforms (stirred tank bioreactor or shake flask). A three-fold increase in γ-decalactone productivity was obtained by increasing oscillatory mixing intensity from Re o ∼482 to Re o ∼1447. This was presumably related to the effective contribution of the reactor geometry to enhanced mass transfer rates between the two immiscible liquid phases involved in the process by increasing the interfacial area. © Springer 2006

A new Certified Reference Material for radionuclides in Irish sea sediment (IAEA-385)

A new Certified Reference Material (CRM) for radionuclides in sediment (IAEA-385) is described and the results of the certification process are presented. Eleven radionuclides (K-40, Cs-137, Ra-226, Ra-228, Th-230, Th-232, U-234, U-238, Pu-238, Pu239+240 and Am-241) have been certified and information mass activities with 95% confidence intervals are given for seven other radionuclides (Sr-90, Pb-210(Po-210), U-235, Pu-239, Pu-240 and Pu-241). Results for less frequently reported radionuclides (Co-60, Tc-99, Cs-134, Eu-155, Ra-224 and Np-239) and information on some activity and mass ratios are also reported. The CRM can be used for quality assurance/quality control of the analysis of radionuclides in sediment samples, for the development and validation of analytical methods and for training purposes. (C) 2008 IAEA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved