Near-infrared optical probe and associated disposable sheath

1. A disposable polymer sheath for receiving an optical probe in a bioprocessing vessel, said disposable polymer sheath comprising:

a hollow tubular member for installation into a bioprocessing vessel, said hollow tubular member comprising an open end exterior to the bioprocessing vessel for receiving an optical probe, a closed end interior to the bioprocessing vessel, a sidewall, and an alignment feature configured to orient an optical probe within said hollow tubular member, and wherein the hollow tubular member is impermeable to fluid within the bioprocessing vessel;

an optical sampling region comprising at least two opposing surfaces, at least a portion of said surfaces comprising a polymer being at least partially optically transparent to near-infrared electromagnetic radiation;

wherein at least a portion of said optical sampling region is at least partially compressible whereby an optical path length is formed by compression.

2. The disposable polymer sheath of claim 1 , wherein said disposable polymer sheath comprises fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP).

3. The disposable polymer sheath of claim 1 , wherein said portion of said optical sampling region being compressible and forming an optical path length through the fluid of between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm inclusively.

4. The disposable polymer sheath of claim 1 , wherein said disposable polymer sheath is suitable for sterilization by one or more of gamma irradiation, beta irradiation, ethylene oxide, or autoclave.

5. The disposable polymer sheath of claim 1 , wherein said polymer is at least partially transparent to near-infrared electromagnetic radiation comprising wavenumbers between 3300 cm −1 and 5600 cm −1 .

6. The disposable polymer sheath of claim 1 , further comprising an optical probe, wherein said optical probe comprises:

a tubular body comprising a first end exterior to the bioprocessing vessel and a second end interior to the bioprocessing vessel, said second end comprising a first optical element and a second optical element, said first and second optical elements positioned to establish an optical path therebetween;

a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide configured to provide optical communication between an instrument and said first and second optical elements;

an alignment feature for aligning said optical probe with the polymer hollow tubular member;

wherein said first and second optical elements are configured to be positioned within the hollow tubular member and are configured to compress said at least partially compressible portion of the optical sampling region to define an optical path length;

wherein said optical probe is fluidically isolated from the contents of the bioprocessing vessel by the hollow tubular member.

7. The disposable optical sheath of claim 6 , wherein said first and second optical elements are configured to compress features of the hollow tubular member to provide an optical path length through the fluid between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm inclusively.

8. The disposable optical sheath of claim 6 , wherein said first and second optical waveguides comprise optical fibers comprising a material selected from the group consisting of low-OH silica, chalcogenide glass, zirconium fluoride (ZrF 4 ), and indium fluoride (InF 3 ).

9. A method for performing optical measurements in a bioprocessing vessel using an optical probe and associated polymer sheath, said method comprising the steps:

installing a polymer sheath for an optical probe within the bioprocessing vessel, wherein the sheath comprises at least partially compressible features configured to receive optical elements located on the optical probe;

installing an optical probe within said polymer sheath;

compressing said at least partially compressible features to provide a defined optical path length in a fluid sample contained within said bioprocessing vessel;

communicating near-infrared electromagnetic radiation from an optical instrument into said optical probe;

collecting at least a portion of near-infrared electromagnetic radiation having interacted with the contents of a bioprocessing vessel and communicating at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation to said an optical instrument;

determining with said optical instrument one or more quantities of substances in the fluid sample contained within said bioprocessing vessel.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of determining with said optical instrument one or more quantities of substances in a fluid sample comprises the step of measuring one or more of alcohols, sugars, lipids, organic acids, peptides, steroidal molecules, or proteins in the fluid sample.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of determining with said optical instrument one or more quantities of substances in a fluid sample comprises the step of measuring one or more of cell density, cell viability, or turbidity in the fluid sample.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of determining with said optical instrument one or more quantities of substances in a fluid sample is performed during a bioprocess selected from the group consisting of a growth stage, a product formation stage, a purification stage, a storage stage, and a product formulation stage.