Inside the AppliSens DO₂ Sensor.
The AppliSens DO₂ is built around a single engineering decision that sets it apart from generic polarographic dissolved oxygen probes: a titanium membrane module specifically designed to minimize measurement drift over the long cultivation campaigns that define real bioprocess work. Polarographic DO measurement is the established Clark electrode principle—an oxygen reduction reaction across a gas-permeable membrane generates a current proportional to the dissolved oxygen—and the limitation of the technology has always been drift. The membrane module is the point at which every polarographic probe lives or dies: the more favorable the design, the faster the drift, the shorter the calibration interval, and the more frequent the membrane rebuild. The AppliSens DO₂ counters this failure mode with a titanium membrane module construction—corrosion-resistant, dimensionally stable over thermal cycles, and specifically designed for the long-term stable, precise measurements required by biotechnological processes. For groups that truly need polarographic DO measurement to deliver the signal stability upon which production-scale process control depends, the titanium module is the design decision that makes all the difference.
Built with Excellence and Experience.
The AppliSens DO₂ is the polarographic dissolved oxygen sensor in the AppliSens series—Applikon’s own sensor family, developed in parallel with the Applikon controller portfolio rather than acquired through partnerships. The practical implications are clear: The DO₂ sensor connects via native USB integration to Livit Flex, ez2-Control, my-Control, and in-Control , with the AppliSens driver built directly into the Applikon controller software. No external transmitter, no separate transmitter cabinet, no second software stack for learning. Sensor health, calibration history, and live values all appear on the same Applikon interface, which drives the rest of the bioprocess.
Ease of Setup with Advanced Process Control.
A microorganism or cell responds to oxygen concentration by adjusting its entire metabolism. This single biological reality is why dissolved oxygen is one of the few process variables that actually drives a bioprocess , rather than merely monitoring it. Cell viability depends on remaining within the appropriate DO window for the organism—drifting out of this window during a fed-batch causes metabolic stress, which manifests as titer loss. Productivity correlates directly with how closely the DO control loop follows the setpoint; the difference between ±2% DO control and ±10% DO control is reflected as percentage points in product yield. Process consistency across multiple runs depends on identical DO profiles—meaning that calibration drift of the DO probe becomes the limiting factor for batch-to-batch reproducibility. The AppliSens DO₂ exists to keep the probe out of this limiting position. Long-term stability through the titanium membrane module, easy calibration through native controller integration, and the cleanable design that withstands repeated SIP/CIP routines combine to create the operational profile that makes cell biology—not the DO sensor—the variable that defines the cultivation result.
The Resea DO sensor lineup — choosing across the AppliSens range and beyond
The Resea Biotec sensor catalogue includes four dissolved oxygen measurement options across two technology families — classical polarographic with AppliSens (Applikon-native) and optical with AppliSens or Hamilton. The right choice depends on three operational questions: whether the bioprocess benefits from optical DO measurement (no electrolyte, no membrane refills, longer calibration intervals), whether native AppliSens integration is the priority (single-vendor calibration workflow, consolidated service contract), and whether the lab already runs the Hamilton Arc ecosystem for pH, biomass and dissolved CO₂ that the new DO sensor should fit alongside.
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AppliSens DO₂ — Classical polarographic with titanium membrane module, AppliSens (Applikon) — for AppliSens-native labs running proven polarographic DO measurement across standard cell culture and fermentation workflows, with the durability of the titanium membrane architecture across long campaigns.
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AppliSens smart DO₂ — Polarographic measurement with smart electronics, AppliSens (Applikon) — for sensor-based data workflows in the AppliSens stack with on-board diagnostics layered onto the proven polarographic principle.
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AppliSens LumiSens — Optical DO₂ via RedFlash luminescence quenching, AppliSens (Applikon) — for native AppliSens labs that want optical DO measurement with annual-cycle calibration economics and non-consumable sensing element across long campaigns.
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Hamilton VisiFerm DO₂ — Optical DO via luminescence quenching with Arc Intelligence, Hamilton (third-party provider) — for multi-vendor sensor environments and labs already invested in the Hamilton Arc ecosystem for pH, biomass and dissolved CO₂.
