Problems in predicting cell damage from bubble bursting

The question is addressed as to whether observed parameter(s) characterizin g single bubble burst (bubble jet height and speed) can be used to predict cell damage in sparged animal cell cultures. Bubble burst profiles are exam ined in the presence of realistic concentrations of fetal calf serum (FCS) or Pluronic F-68 using a high-speed video technique. The damage to TBC3 hyb ridoma cells from bubble sparging, characterized as a first-order decline, is reduced by even very small concentrations of both FCS and Pluronic F-68, but neither single bubble burst parameters nor surface properties give use able correlations with death rate constants. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, In c.