MEMBRANE INLET MASS-SPECTROMETRY IN PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

Membrane inlet mass spectrometry is a well established, inexpensive technique for continuous measurement in solution of most gases of interest in microbial physiology and fermentor control. Significant progress has recently been made in extending the capability of the technique to the measurement of volatile organic compounds in aqueous solution. This paper is a review of the technique of membrane inlet mass spectrometry for the measurement of dissolved gases and volatile organic compounds and its use in laboratory research on microbial physiology and in fermentor monitoring.