Small Sensors Go Big: Towards High-Resolution Monitoring of Industrial Fermentations
Helena Junicke, Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Technical University of Denmark
Miniaturized sensors are shaping new opportunities for bio-based
manufacturing. Whether food, pharma or chemical production, fermentation
processes form an integral part of many key industries and face high
demand in this growing bioeconomy. However, monitoring and control of
bioprocesses remain challenging tasks due to the limitations of current
measurement devices. Concentration gradients, for example, are typical
phenomena in large-scale industrial fermentations and can lead to
substantial performance losses. Such conditions go unnoticed by local
sampling campaigns using standard analytical probes. Microfabricated
sensors allow an improved spatial surveillance of production units with
sensors located in several critical locations, and even with freely
floating sensors in the fermentation broth. These sensors provide
continuous on-line data regarding key metabolites and empower plant
operators to obtain an all-round view of the fermentation conditions.
This is only a small step away from data-driven control decisions and
efficient error forecasting. GreenLogic is a research initiative
exploring the application potential of biosensors for butanol
production, a next-generation biofuel with properties similar to
gasoline. In this frame, the authors will report on a novel enzyme-based
sensor for butanol quantification and discuss sensor requirements for
industrial diagnostic systems. Sensor applications for high-throughput
process design will also be addressed.
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