System and Method for Characterizing Bioreactor Fluids

An apparatus for identifying contents of effluent from at least one tissue bioreactor comprising:

• a rotatable magnet;
• at least one container including the effluent, the at least one container positioned in proximity to the rotatable magnet;
• a second magnet positioned in proximity to the at least one container, the second magnet positioned to form a magnetic field across the effluent, magnetizing the effluent;
• an adjustment means rotating the rotatable magnet to adjust the strength of the magnetic field;
• a transmitter periodically transmitting at least one non-ionizing signal across the magnetized effluent, the at least one non-ionizing signal energizing the magnetized effluent;
• a receiver receiving at least one echo signal from the magnetized energized effluent based on the at least one non-ionizing signal;
• and
• a controller controlling the transmitter, the receiver, and the adjustment means by means of commands, the controller characterizing the at least one echo signal, the controller identifying the contents of the effluent based on the characterized at least one echo signal.

A method for characterizing at least one sample from at least one bioreactor using a magnetic resonance apparatus, the magnetic resonance apparatus having a first magnet and a second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet positioned a pre-selected distance from one another to set up a magnetic field, the first magnet and the second magnet positioned within an enclosure forming a path for the magnetic field, the method comprising:

• positioning a first slug between the first magnet and the enclosure, the first slug including magnetic material;
• positioning a second slug between the second magnet and the enclosure, the second slug including magnetic material;
• shaping the uniformity of the magnetic field using variable reluctance, to create a uniform magnetic field, by adjusting the positions of the first slug and the second slug;
• circulating the at least one sample in the uniform magnetic field, the at least one sample being associated with at least one coil;
• periodically illuminating the at least one sample and the at least one coil with an electronic signal;
• sensing at least one echo signal between the illuminations;
• and
• characterizing the at least one sample based on the sensed least one echo signal.