Optical inline measurement procedures for counting and sizing cells in bioprocess technology

To observe and control cultivation processes, optical sensors are used increasingly. Important parameters for controlling such processes are cell count, cell size distribution, and the morphology of cells. Among turbidity measurement methods, imaging procedures are applied for determining these process parameters. A disadvantage of most previously developed imaging procedures is that they are only available offline which requires sampling. On the other hand, available imaging inline probes can so far only deliver a limited number of process parameters. This chapter presents new optical procedures for the inline determination of cell count, cell size distribution, and other parameters. In particular, by in situ microscopy an imaging procedure will be described which allows the determination of direct and nondirect cell parameters in real time without sampling.