QUESTIONS ABOUT EQUSAINS AIRLIFT CULTURE

In the recent BioMalaysia 2011, much attention has been given to the pictures of Prime Minister of Malaysia listening to the briefing and observing one of the exhibits which is the equsains airlift culture. The culture vessel is the product of University Sains Malaysia.
My curiosity is aroused leading me to learn more from the Pecipta exhibition conducted among the universities in Malaysia
The following is the description of the vessel as extracted direcly from the Pecipta:
Top Airlift Plant Propogation Culture Vessel was designed to provide proper contact and sufficient aeration between the culture and the liquid medium, all in a vesselto enhance better growth in an aseptic condition.
The aeration is provided via a 0.2 urn membrane through a glass tube at the lid and the cultures will be well aerated by the formation of fine air bubbles at the end of 4 funnel-shaped filters that are placed near the base of the culture vessel.
The excess air will be removed via a glass vent attached to the lid.
It is a very versatile system and can be used for the propagation of any plant species as long as the proliferation culture medium for that particular plant species is established. This portable culture vessel could be easily used and placed anywhere as long as there is a light source.
On reading in detail of the invention I was overwhelmed by the positive attributes associated with the use of the culture vessel such as the higher yield of plantlets obtained within a shorter period compared to normal plant culture
There seems to be no flaws or no reports with the problems and limitations of using the equisains culture vessel. This is indeed amazing! As through my years of doing fermentation technology, there are many problems associated with the use of bioreactors or fermentors
There was no elaboration on the problems of sterilization, microbial contamination of the broth or cultures and how the process of inoculation, monitoring of the fermentation or the media used to support the growth of the plant tissues
The points raised are:
1 is the culture vessel autoclaved and can it withstand the repeated autoclaving as the vessel is made of glass
2Will continuous exposure of the vessel result in microbial growth that is photosynthetic?
3 How are the aseptic transfers and inoculation of the vessel carried out?
4 What is the likelihood of contaminations in such vessels?
5 Is the aseptic condition stringent throughout the period of growth?


Type rest of the post here.