title: Image analysis of light distribution in a photobioreactor.
abstract: Light intensity is a crucial factor that determines the growth of photosynthetic cells. This study analyzed the light distribution in a photobioreactor by processing images, captured with a digital camera, of a rectangular photobioreactor containing Synechococcus sp. PCC6801 as a model microorganism. The gray-scale images obtained clearly demonstrate the variation of the light-distribution profiles upon changing cell concentrations and external light intensity. Image-processing techniques were also used to predict the cell density in the photobioreactor. By analyzing the digitized image data with a neural network model, we were able to predict the cell concentrations in the photobioreactor with a <5% error.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-Dong, Pohang 790-784, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sun Bok
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000166:cytology*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D018462:Photobiology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010783:Photometry / Q000379:methods*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods