Towards Process Spectroscopy in Complex Fermentation Samples and Mixtures

Supernatants from a fermentation process of Pichia pastoris were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Using partial least squares regression, the principal substrates glycerol and methanol could be predicted, however not the expressed protein. To gain further insight, a priori prepared calibration samples were studied by vibrational-, UV/Vis-, and fluorescence spectroscopy. For the quantification of glycerol and methanol, Raman spectroscopy was identified as the most sensitive technique, and superior to near-infrared spectroscopy, but not for protein contents below 1 g L–1. Both UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy are well suited for the quantification of protein, however, best results were obtained with UV/Vis absorption.