Methods and apparatuses for measuring biological processes using mid-infrared spectroscopy

1. A method of measuring biological processes, the method comprising:

directing a mid-infrared signal into an initial sample of a biological process before a biologically active phase;

detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form an initial sample spectrum before the biologically active phase;

generating an initial reference spectrum through a reference media comprising water, fermentation material, fiber optic cable, or combinations thereof, before the biologically active phase;

combining the initial sample spectrum and the initial reference spectrum to form an adjusted initial sample spectrum;

subtracting the adjusted initial sample spectrum from the adjusted sample spectrum to form a difference spectrum;

directing a the mid-infrared signal into a sample of a the biological process during the biologically active phase;

detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form a sample spectrum;

generating a reference spectrum through a the reference media; and

combining the sample spectrum and the reference spectrum to form an adjusted sample spectrum.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mid-infrared signal comprises wave numbers of between about 4,000 centimeters −1 to about 400 centimeters −1 .

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mid-infrared signal penetrates into the sample between about 1 micron and about 10 microns.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample spectrum contains values corresponding to molecular stretching, molecular bending, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample spectrum contains values corresponding to carbon-oxygen bonds, carbon-nitrogen bonds, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directing a mid-infrared signal utilizes attenuated total reflectance having at least 1 reflection of the mid-infrared signal off an internal surface in fluid communication with the at least a portion of the biological process.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample spectrum contains values corresponding to acetone, acetaldehyde, ethanol, butanol, pentanol, isoprenol, isoprene, butyraldehyde, acetic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, glycerol, pentose, hexose, fatty alcohols, fatty acids, acylgylcerides, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological process comprises production of renewable materials.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological process comprises biomass fermentation to an alcohol.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form a sample spectrum comprises detecting the mid-infrared signal reflected or transmitted from the sample of the biological process.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying one or more spectra on a display screen;

printing one or more spectra on a printing substrate; or

recording one or more spectra on a recording media.

12. A method of measuring biological processes, the method comprising:

directing a mid-infrared signal into an initial sample of a biological process, wherein. the mid-infrared signal comprises wave numbers of between about 4,000centimeters −1 to about 400 centimeters −1 ;

detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form an initial sample spectrum;

generating an initial reference spectrum through a reference media comprising fiber ,optic cable;

combining the initial sample spectrum and the initial reference spectrum to form an adjusted initial sample spectrum;

directing the mid-infrared signal into one or more subsequent samples of the biological process;

detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form one or more subsequent sample spectra;

generating one or more subsequent reference spectra through the reference media corresponding to each of the one or more subsequent sample spectra;

combining the one or more subsequent sample spectra and the corresponding one or more subsequent reference spectra to form one or more adjusted subsequent sample spectra; and

subtracting the adjusted initial sample spectrum from each of the one or more adjusted subsequent sample spectra to form one or more difference spectra.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biological process comprises batch biomass fermentation to an alcohol.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising combining the one or more difference spectra to generate one or more time dependent spectra.