Lethal events during gas sparging in animal cell culture.

The lethal effects of gas sparging on hybridoma cells obtained from a chemostat culture were examined in a bubble column. Experiments were performed to identify and quantify the main hazardous event: bubble formation, bubble rising, or bubble breakup. The results indicate that bubble breakup is the main cause of cell death. The protective activity of the surfactant Pluronic F68 against sparging seems to result from a direct interaction with the cells rather than influencing bubble-liquid interface properties.