Gas Analysis Mass Spectrometry Applications in Fermentation and Cell Culture Processes

There are three variations of the fermentation process. In batch fermentation, a sterilized nutrient solution in the fermentor is inoculated with micro-organisms and incubation is allowed to proceed. During the course of the fermentation, oxygen is added (as in the case of aerobic microorganisms) and an acid or base to control the pH. The composition of the culture medium, the biomass concentration and the metabolite concentration generally change constantly as a result of cell activity. An enhancement of the closed batch process is the fed-batch fermentation, where substrate is added in increments as the fermentation progresses. In continuous fermentation, an open system is set up and sterile nutrient solution is added to the bioreactor continuously. An equivalent amount of converted nutrient solution with microorganisms is simultaneously harvested off the system.