System for monitoring growth media

A system for monitoring growth media within a controlled environment, the system comprising:

• a well plate, wherein the well plate includes a well plate structure having a plate top and a plate side and defining at least one well cavity, wherein the plate top includes a top opening and the plate side includes a side opening and wherein the side opening is communicated with one of the at least one well cavity;
• a sensor assembly unit, wherein the sensor assembly unit includes a unit structure defining a reference material chamber containing a reference material, a sensor chamber having a chamber opening, and a base chamber;
• a reference material electrode communicated with the reference material and the base chamber;
• a media sensor, wherein the media sensor is located within the sensor chamber to be communicated with the chamber opening;
• and
• a media sensor electrode communicated with the media sensor and the base chamber, wherein the reference material electrode and media sensor electrode are communicated with a processing device,
• wherein the side opening is configured to receive and contain the sensor assembly unit, and wherein the side opening includes a side opening keyed portion and the unit structure includes a unit structure keyed portion, wherein the side opening keyed portion and the unit structure keyed portion are configured such that the sensor assembly unit is contained within the side opening in a predetermined orientation.