Imaging of oxygen in microreactors and microfluidic systems.

This review gives an overview on the state-of-the-art of oxygen imaging in microfluidics. Oxygen imaging using optical oxygen sensors based on luminescence is a versatile and powerful tool for obtaining profoundly space-resolved information of oxygen in microreactors and microfluidic systems. We briefly introduce the principle of oxygen imaging and present techniques of oxygen imaging applied in microreactors and microfluidic devices, including selection criteria and demands of sensing material and basic set-up for a 2D oxygen sensing system. A detailed review of oxygen imaging in microreactors and microfluidic systems is given on different applications in oxygen gradient monitoring, cell culturing, single-cell analysis and chemical reactions. Finally, we discuss challenges and trends of oxygen imaging in microfluidic systems.