Mid-infrared spectroscopic determination of sugar contents in plant-cell culture media using an ATR method

A simple, rapid, and accurate method for determining sugar contents in plan t-cell culture media by mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy was developed by us ing a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer equipped with an atte nuated total reflectance (ATR) accessory. We examined the potential of this method by comparison with a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and applied it to the determination of sugar consumption by plant ce lls. The cultivation was carried out with Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yell ow No. 2 cells. We determined that MIR spectroscopy is at least as useful a s the HPLC method for the sugar content determination in the culture medium and may be available to monitor the overall cell metabolisms. This study r epresents an important step in the development of nonintensive on-line moni toring devices for bioreactors and of simple, rapid, and accurate analysis of the cellular metabolism through the composition changes in media.