IN-SITU FLUORESCENCE MEASUREMENTS CLARIFYING OR BLURRING THE PICTURE

Several studies on fermentation systems have been made with in situ fl uorescence probes during the past fifteen years. These probes normally contain a stable UV light source and filters for selection of the app ropriate excitation and emission wavelengths. The objective of differe nt studies has varied. Culture fluorescence has been used for on-line biomass estimation, for monitoring of metabolic changes and for proces s control purposes. In this short review, different applications of in situ fluorescence measurements are discussed.