Automatic on-line analyser of microbial growth using simultaneous measurements of impedance and turbidity

An apparatus for the measurement of bacterial growth is described. The instrument applies alternate adequate sequential currents of two different frequencies through a pair of electrodes immersed in a cultured medium. It monitors, detects and quantifies the growth of micro-organisms based on the measurement of the impedance across the two electrodes and, simultaneously, it measures the variation in the medium turbidity. The medium conductivity and the interface electrode impedance changes can be extracted from the measured impedance. The variations in turbidity can be calibrated in absorbance or optical density units. Moreover, all these parameters are also proportional to bacterial proliferation. The computer-controlled apparatus processes and displays the parameters on a monitor showing bulk resistance, electrode impedance and turbidity changes as time course events. The equipment can detect aerobic or anaerobic micro-organisms and permits the operator simultaneously to assess impedance and turbidity, or it can produce each parameter as a separate event. Time growth curves of different micro-organisms are presented in the results.