Design of an innovative OLED-based screening system for phototrophic microorganisms (OLEmibi)

Microalgae are a diverse group of photosynthetic prokaryotic and eukaryotic micro-organisms which use carbon dioxide, water and light energy to build-up biomass. Due to their rapid growth characteristics and simple genetic structure they are promising host organisms for the production of recombinant high value products on the basis of carbon dioxide. Nevertheless, algal research is still in a very early stage and so a more comprehensive knowledge in the fields of physiological characterization, molecular biology techniques and photobioreactor design are necessary.
Various photobioreactor designs with different light sources ranging from halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps to light emitting diods (LEDs) are available for lab scale cultivations. However, to date no small scale photobioreactor design is available that supplies a homogenous light distribution for photosynthetic microorganisms and a process integrated monitoring.
The aim of the project is the design of a small scale OLED- based flat panel airlift reactor (FPA) system with integrated optical sensors for the cultivation parameters pH, dissolved oxygen, cell viability (chlorophyll fluorescence), cell density (scattered light) and recombinant product (fluorescence) formation.

OLEDs (organic ligth emmiting diodes) are two dimensional light sources (Fig. 1) that enable a homogenous light supply in contrast to point light sources like LEDs. The emission wave length of the organic emitters is adjustable during the manufacturing process and, hence, can be adapted to the biological requirements.
Unique characteristics of the OLED technology by Fraunhofer COMEDD are a continuously adjustable luminance density, a freely selectable shape and the integration and application of OLEDs in various substrates like glass, silicon, metal or foil.
This project provides an innovative small scale cultivation platform for photosynthetic microorganisms with integrated process monitoring.

Project funding:

Saxon Ministry of Science and Fine Arts ​

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Project head:

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Thomas Bley

Project staff:

Chair of Bioprocess Engineering:

Felix Krujatz, MSc.
Tel.: +49 351 463 32727
Fax: +49 351 463 37761
felix.krujatz(at)tu-dresden.de

Fraunhofer COMEDD:

Matthias Jahnel, MSc.
Tel.: +49 351 8823 206
Fax: +49 351 8823 266

Co-operation partner:

Fraunhofer Research Institution
for Organics, Materials and Electronic Devices
COMEDD

Press coverage:

• 06.01.2014: Electrooptics issue 239: Organic light for organic production
• 19.12.2013: YouTube: OLED let algae grow! 
• 25.11.2013: pt-Magazine: Algae power – CO2 to proteine
• 29.10.2013: press release of the Fraunhofer COMEDD - OLED let algae grow 

Project term:

01.05.2013 - 31.12.2014

Contact:

Krujatz, Weber, Bley