New Handheld Contactless Biomass Sensor: The OPTURA®PALM®

Handheld contactless biomass sensor offers accurate cell density measurement in seconds

Aber Instruments (Aber), a global leader in biomass monitoring technology, proudly unveils the OPTURA® PALM® handheld biomass sensor. This innovative sensor allows non-invasive, rapid, and accurate measurement of cell density without sampling, ideal for laboratory applications such as seed train monitoring and determining optimal cell harvest or virus infection times.

The OPTURA® PALM® uses near-infrared (NIR) bio-reflectance technology for contactless biomass analysis. Users simply point the sensor at a culture vessel, and it provides cell density readings within seconds, maintaining sterility. The device can store up to 1,000 readings, with data easily downloadable via accompanying software, enabling use in remote locations and subsequent data transfer for custom biomass calibration curves.

The robust OPTURA® PALM® consists of a NIR unit and a sensor measurement face, operating by emitting a NIR laser into the media. Only cells reflect light back to the sensor, making reflectance directly proportional to biomass. The NIR laser penetrates through glass or plastic vessel walls up to 10mm thick and 2.5 cm deep, allowing measurements in various labware, including shake flasks, T-flasks, roller bottles, and polypropylene tubes, without sampling.

The sensor saves time and effort by eliminating the need for off-line measurements, reducing contamination risk, and minimizing experiment repetition. Its non-invasive method allows environmentally friendly data collection without single-use consumables like pipette tips or cuvettes. Evaluated against traditional OD600 spectrophotometer analysis, the OPTURA® PALM® provides measurements in just five seconds, with detection limits from 0.5 OD600 for E.coli, 1 x 10^6 for yeast cells, and 3 x 10^6 for CHO cells, matching the accuracy of traditional methods across various cell types.

Dr. Lindsey Male, OPTURA product manager at Aber Instruments, highlights the time-consuming nature of off-line biomass measurement methods and contamination risks. The OPTURA® PALM® addresses these challenges by offering quick, non-invasive measurements, saving hours of repetitive tasks and consumable costs. This sensor is poised to become as essential as a pH meter in labs where accurate cell density measurement is crucial.