Compact optical sensor for real-time monitoring of bacterial growth for space applications.
During long-duration manned space missions, complex chemical and biological processes need to be managed accurately for recycling human wastes and to produce human consumables. As a result, there is increasing interest in how the characteristics of microbes are influenced by microgravity. Compact optical instrumentation allows for real-time and non-invasive measurement of bacterial growth parameters during flight experiments. In close collaboration, the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands (NLR) and Bioclear Environmental Biotechnology developed and tested an on-line optical biomass sensor successfully. The sensor concept is based on a turbidity measurement technique operating in the VIS-blue part of the light spectrum with use of blue LED sources. A diagnostic tool has been developed using com-pact spectrometers and optical fibers to characterize bacterial cultures. As a result a few sensor applications operating at different colors and sensor layouts are discussed in the paper.
van Benthem
R C
RC
National Aerospace Laboratory, NLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. vdassem@nlr.nl
Van Den Assem
D
D
Krooneman
J
J
D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D001709:Biotechnology; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D013026:Space Flight