New sensor allowing continuous water activity measurement of submerged or solid-subs

Article
New sensor allowing continuous water activity measurement of submerged or solid-substrate fermentations
P. Gervais
Département de Biologie Physico-Chimique - E. N. S. B. A. N. A.-C. U. M., 21100 Dijon, France
setDOI("ADOI=10.1002/bit.260330304")
Abstract
Water activity of the substrate is an important and acute factor for growth as well as for metabolic production of microorganisms or for biocatalyst systems. A sensor has been designed in order to control this parameter on-line during submerged and solid-substrate fermentations. This sterilizable sensor allows the measurement of the relative humidity of the atmosphere in a small chamber by means of a capacitive element separated from the medium by a thin ethylenepolytetrafluoride membrane. For high aw values (>0.90) a sequential circulation of a dried gas prevents the sensor saturation. Measurements are rapid and accurate, and control of the water activity of a fermentation medium has been carried out for 5 days using this sensor.
Accepted: 12 January 1988

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)10.1002/bit.260330304 About DOI


Wiley InterScience :: JOURNALS :: Biotechnology and Bioengineering