Inner filter effects and their interferences in the interpretation of culture fluorescence.

Inner filter effects and their interferences in the measurement and interpretation of culture fluorescence are discussed. An approximate light intensity model for a typical open-ended culture fluorescence measuring device is developed for calculating the fluorescence response of a component of interest in a general three component solution. The model is tested using well defined synthetic fluorescent systems. The model is then extended for correlating culture fluorescence with cell density and metabolic state of microbial cultures based on a lumping approximation. The extended model has been utilized to derive culture fluorescence parameters of yeast culture at three distinct metabolic states.