Oxygen Transfer to Cell Culture by Membrane Diffusers

A. Bottino, G. Capannelli, A. Comite and R. Di Felice

Abstract
The oxygen supply to cell cultures of Saccharomices cerevisiae by porous membranes has been investigated. Two diffusers with different surface areas were prepared by end sealed capillary polypropylene membranes with a nominal pore diameter of 0.2 μm. The diffusers were immersed in the cell culture kept under constant agitation. Air was fed in the membrane lumen and diffused into the cell culture without any visible large bubble formation. Bath and fed-batch cultivations were performed and the variation of cell, glucose and oxygen concentration, during the cultivation, was investigated. The results obtained by membrane diffuser were compared with those of a traditional gas sparger. The advantages of membrane diffuser over the sparger are discussed.

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Keywords
Membrane diffuser, capillary membrane, oxygen transfer, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cell culture