Growth Curves Bioscreen C User manual

User's Manual
Bioscreen C
Oy Growth Curves Ab Ltd
2017
Version 2.1.12

Table of Contents
1. Inspection and Installation of the Bioscreen C System 2
2. System Description 3
2.1 Overview 4
2.2 Bioscreen C Reader 4
2.3 Software 5
3. Operation 6
3.1 Pre-Start Checklist 6
3.2 Planning an Experiment 6
3.3 Running an Experiment 7
3.4 Data Handling 10
4. Guide to Anaerobic Experiments 10
5. Guide to Manual Pipetting 11
6. Maintenance 12
6.1 Maintenance Steps & Frequency 12
6.2 Cleaning 12
6.3 Checking the Heat Transfer Fluid Level 13
6.4 Replacing the Fuses 13
6.5 Replacing the Lamp 14
7. Troubleshooting Guide 16
7.1 Optical Problems 16
7.2 Temperature Problems 17
7.3 Operational Problems 18
8. About Bioscreen 19
8.1 Product History 19
8.2 Unique Features of Bioscreen C 19
8.3 Applications 20
9. Technical Specifications 22
9.1 General Specifications 22
9.2 Safety Specifications 22
9.3 Photometric System 23
9.4 Incubator 23
9.5 Honeycomb 2 Microplates 23
9.6 PC Requirements 24
9.7 EU Directive on Waste (WEEE) 24
10. User Replaceable Parts 24
11. Appendix Warranty Statement
12. Appendix Bioscreen C Service Request
Bioscreen C Certificate of decontamination

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
1
Thank you for choosing the Bioscreen C system.
We hope this system fulfills your expectations.
If you should have any questions or problems, please don’t hesitate to contact your
local Bioscreen C distributor.
Have a nice time with your versatile Bioscreen C!
Figure 1 The components of the Bioscreen C instrument.
Measurement
compartment
Incubator compartment:
2 Honeycomb Microplates,
sample tray
Heat transfer
fluid window
Thermo module
Lamp and
filter wheel
compartment
Main cover
Bioscreen keyboard for
built-in service tests
Bioscreen display

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
2
1. INSPECTION AND INSTALLATION OF
THE BIOSCREEN C SYSTEM
It is very important to read these instructions carefully and to follow them in the presented order
(from 1 to 11). Wrong order might cause problems with the installation or the use of the Bioscreen C
system.
1. Check the parcel for visual damage
If there is damage on the parcel (holes, dents etc.), make a notification to the air waybill BEFORE accepting
the shipment. This will help with the insurance claim in case the content is damaged. Unless this notification
has been made, there is no possibility to claim insurance for a faulty Bioscreen C instrument!
2. Open the parcel, check for visual damage
One indication of possible damage is that the green measurement lid has jumped off from its place. This
indicates that the parcel has had some rough treatment on the way but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the
Bioscreen C is damaged.
3. Check the content of the package
The list of contents (Packing list) is placed on top of the instrument. Save the carton and the foam corners for
possible transportation or service of the Bioscreen C in the future.
4. Check the lamp (A & D in Figure 2)
Check that the lamp is intact and properly in its place.
5. Install the filter wheel
The filter wheel is in its own black container inside the Supplement pack. Avoid touching the filter lenses.
Fingerprints on the lenses diminish the amount of light passing through to the detector.
Install the wheel with the serial number on the wheel pointing towards the front of the Bioscreen C instrument.
The connection is magnetic, it will automatically pull the wheel into the right position (A in Figure 2).
6. Open the sample area cover (B & C in Figure 2)
Take the notification leaflet out from the sample area and make sure that all Bioscreen C users are informed
about the risk of a damaged detector lens with an improperly placed incubator cover.
Check that the incubator cover is placed properly on its hinges and that the cover is locked in its place. White
arrows on the incubator cover point to the hinges (see the notification leaflet for more information).
7. Install the driver for the USB-adapter
The USB-adapter and the CD are found in Accessory pack. Install the driver from the CD BEFORE
connecting the USB-adapter to the PC.
8. Connect the cables to the Bioscreen C and to the PC
Before turning the Bioscreen C on ALWAYS remember to check that the incubator cover is in its
right position. Improper placing of the cover can cause serious damage to the instrument which
is NOT covered by warranty!
Always close the lids before starting an experiment, as placing fingers etc. inside a running
instrument can cause serous physical injury.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
3
9. Turn on the Bioscreen C
10. Install the BioScreener software from the CD included
11. Run a short test measurement
Run a short test measurement with the BioScreener software to verify that your Bioscreen C system is
working properly. More details on how to run an experiment with BioScreener software can be found from
software’s internal help section. Details on how to insert the microplates etc. are found in section “3.3
Running an experiment” in this User’s Manual.
Figure 2 Positioning of the filter wheel, the halogen lamp and the incubator cover.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
4
2. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
2.1 Overview
The Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader is a fully automated system developed to perform a wide range of
microbiology experiments. The system consists of:
Bioscreen C reader
BioScreener software
Honeycomb microplates (consumables)
PC (not provided by Growth Curves Ltd.)
All microorganisms (bacteria, mold, yeast, etc.) increase the turbidity of liquid growth medium when growing
and multiplying in it. Bioscreen C monitors this growth by measuring the turbidity of the medium in the wells of
a microplate. These measurements are done kinetically, and recorded as optical density (OD)
measurements. All functions are controlled by BioScreener software according to the parameters entered by
the user. OD values are recorded automatically by the software.
Bioscreen C is an open system: the user can decide what is studied in the the wells. Any microorganism,
broth or chemical can be pipetted into the wells for monitoring growth kinetically and automatically. Most of
the conventional test tube tests where the turbidity or color change occurs can be run with the "mini-tubes" in
a Honeycomb microplate with Bioscreen C.
For vertical light photometry, all visible light wavelengths can be used. The eight standard filters provided in
the filter wheel of Bioscreen C are: 405, 420, 450, 492, 540, 580, 600 nm and a wide band (420-580 nm)
filter. Filters with special wavelengths are available by request.
2.2 Bioscreen C Reader
The reader includes three interrelated systems: mechanical transport, incubator and optical system (for the
elements, see Figure 1). These three systems work in a coordinated way to provide automated
heating/cooling, sample indexing and OD readings.
2.2.1 Mechanical transport
The incubator tray assembly holds the Honeycomb microplates. The assembly shuttles from the microplate
loading section into the measurement compartment, where light is passed through each well of the
microplate and the detector makes the OD readings.
2.2.2 Incubator
The incubator consists of the incubator tray (fixed, non-removable), the incubator cover (on hinges) and a
temperature control system. After filling the microplate with experimental materials, the incubator cover is
placed manually on top of the incubator tray and properly closed. During the incubation and measuring, the
incubator cover remains in place.
The temperature control system maintains the incubation temperature set by the program. Ethylene glycol
and water mixture (1:1) is used as a heat transfer liquid. The liquid circulates continuously in the incubator
tray to keep the temperature stable and at a selected value. The temperature is continuously monitored and
saved by the software.
2.2.3 Optical system
The changes in turbidity or color in the culture medium, due to the growth of microorganisms, is measured
kinetically with a vertical photometer.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
5
A halogen lamp produces light which then passes through the chopper wheel. The light path is turned 90
degrees by a mirror. Then the light passes through the filter wheel. The interference filters are selected with
the PC software. Filtered light moves through an optical fiber to the lens assembly in the measurement
compartment, below the Honeycomb microplates. The light passes through the bottom of each well and
results are collected by the detector. The detector is on a retractable arm which moves into the right places
above the plate.
The measuring device is moved along the Y-axis while the incubator tray with the microplate is moved along
the X-axis. This enables rapid measurement of all wells in the microplate.
Figure 3 The optical system.
2.3 Software
The BioScreener®software is designed to run Bioscreen C experiments. BioScreener SW is a combination of
the proven functions of the previous softwares used with Bioscreen C.
BioScreener stores all settings and results from the experiment in a .bsm file. Results can be exported to
common data files such as xls or csv for graph generation and analysis with another software of your choice.
Please remember to save the data on a local hard drive, do not use network disks. You can always
transfer the measurement files to a network disk after the experiment is completed. This way your experiment
won’t be interrupted by possible network errors.
2.4 Honeycomb®Microplates
Bioscreen C uses unique 10x10-well Honeycomb microplates with lids. These plates are especially designed
to give unmatched temperature distribution between the samples and also to minimize evaporation of the
Halogen lamp
Chopper wheel
UV-mirror
Filter wheel
Optical fiber
Lens
Detector
2 Honeycomb
microplates with
covers (200 samples)

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
6
sample liquids.
The instrument can handle one or two 100-well Honeycomb microplates at a time. Each well of the microplate
can be considered as an individual test vessel. Thus monitoring the microbiological growth in 200
experiments can be performed simultaneously in a single run.
Honeycomb microplates are sterilized by gamma radiation, packed in individual bags and sold in boxes of
100 microplates each.
Honeycomb multiwell microplate technology positions 100 wells in a similar footprint as a 96-well microplate.
The microplate was designed to assure the best temperature distribution across the microplate, as well as to
eliminate evaporation and condensation, common problems with conventional 96-well microplates.
The unique incubator of Bioscreen C has liquid circulation which is cabable of cooling the samples below the
ambient temperature and ensures constant temperature to all wells. This is essential for developing high
quality growth curves.
3. OPERATION
3.1 Pre-Start Checklist
Check that the filter wheel is clean.
Check that there are no spills inside the instrument.
Check that there is enough heat transfer fluid.
Check that the desired incubating temperature is not more than 6 C below ambient.
Check that the cables are connected properly.
3.2 Planning an Experiment
3.2.1 Sample number
The instrument can handle one or two Honeycomb microplates at a time. There are 100 wells per microplate,
hence the total amount of samples can be 1-200 in a single run.
3.2.2 Sample volume
Growth medium to be used in an experiment must be in a liquid form. The maximum sample + growth
medium volume per well is 400 µl. Excess filling can cause flooding during shaking. There is no
recommended minimum volume, but with very small volumes evaporation can cause problems to the
experiment.
When choosing the sample volume, consider also possible behaviour of the sample during its incubation and
the entire experiment. If the microorganisms in the sample are supposed to create gas, make sure that you
don’t fill the wells too much. Flooding of the wells can cause damage to the parts underneath the incubator
tray.
3.2.3 Incubating temperature
The incubation temperature selection ranges from 1 to 60 C in steps of 0.1 C. The maximum temperature
of 60 C is reached when the incubator cover is 60 C and the incubator tray holding the samples has
reached 59 C. Bioscreen C can reach 6 C below and 30 C above ambient temperature (see Figure 4). If
lower temperatures are desired, the whole Bioscreen C must be placed in a cooled room.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
7
Example 1. At ambient temperature 10 C the incubating temperature can be set at 4 - 40 C.
Example 2. At ambient temperature 20 C the incubating temperature can be set at 14 - 50 C.
Example 3. At ambient temperature 30 C the incubating temperature can be set at 24 - 60 C.
Figure 4 Range of incubating temperatures that can be selected at different ambient temperatures.
3.2.4 Filters
Up to 3 of the eight filters on the filter wheel can be chosen to be used in a single measurement. The
wavelengths of the standard filters are 405-600 nm. The wideband filter (420-580 nm) is less sensitive to
color changes than the other filters so the results are not affected so much by change of color of growth
medium.
3.2.5 Shaking
BioScreener software has various shaking protocols. It also includes parameters from previous Bioscreen C
softwares (eg. EZExperiment SW and BioLink SW), which can be used by selecting appropriate compatibility
mode from BioScreener’s Additional options menu.
60 °C
50 °C
40 °C
30 °C
20 °C
10 °C
0 °C
10 °C
0 °C
20 °C
30 °C
40 °C
50 °C
Ambient temperature
Range of available incubation temperatures
at ambient temperature of 25 C.
Temperature
70 °C
25 °C

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
8
3.3 Running an Experiment
Switch ON the Bioscreen C and your PC. Open the the cover of the incubator compartment (see. Figure 1).
Remove the black incubator cover by first pulling gently the spring catch (with the text “OPEN”) towards you.
Then lift the incubator cover by pushing it back and up.
3.3.1 Inserting the Honeycomb microplates
Insert the Honeycomb microplates into the incubator tray. Plate number one belongs to the left side and plate
number two to the right side of the tray. Make sure that the small cut-off corner of the plate is in the left front
of the tray. Put the incubator cover back carefully, making sure that the hinges fit through the slots in the back
of the cover. Close the lock on the front side: snap the front of the cover into the catch. See Figures 5 & 6.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
9
Figure 5 Inserting the incubator cover properly to the hinges.
Figure 6 Checking the seam of the parts.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
10
3.3.2 Starting the experiment
Start the BioScreener software by clicking on the BioScreener icon on your PC and enter the measurement
parameters of your choice. Please refer to the software’s internal instructions.
3.3.3 Opening the cover during the experiment
During the measurements all instrument covers must be closed. Open covers can interrupt the test, produce
wrong results or result in personal physical injury.
If necessary, the cover of the incubator compartment can be opened between the measurement cycles.
Press Pause in the BioScreener software’s Settings window. Make sure that the Bioscreen has come to a
full stop and it is safe to open the cover. New samples can be added or samples for other studies can be
taken. Continue the measurement by pressing the Continue button in the software.
When the incubator cover is opened, condensation may occur onto the microplate lid. If this occurs,
adjust the time between the measurements so that the heating of the incubator cover has time to
evaporate the condensation before the next measurement.
3.3.4 Cleaning the instrument
When the experiment is completed, remove the microplates. Clean the inside of the incubator tray and the
cover with ethanol-moistened tissues. A white powder-like substance can occur because of the movements
of the microplate in the incubator tray, especially if the shaking function is regularly used.
3.4 Data Handling
The BioScreener software handles the OD measurements and stores the data on a computer hard drive. OD
data and well details are stored and this data can be exported to another software of your choice.
This approach lets the user handle Bioscreen C data (curve drawing etc.) using any DOS, OS/2 or Windows
graphical, scientific or statistical software.
All use of BioScreener software is done entirely at the users own risk. Growth Curves Ltd.
assumes no liability for any problems the user of the software might encounter, including
but not limited to any loss of data, samples or any of the similar.
Growth Curves Ltd. assumes no liability for software developed by other companies.
Any and all claims relating to software shall be addressed to the licensor or developer.
4. Guide to Anaerobic Experiments
Experiments with anaerobic bacteria can be done with Bioscreen C by using different methods.
Strict anaerobes:
1. Samples are pipetted into wells of Honeycomb microplate in an anaerobic environment. The two
"ears" of the Honeycomb microplate are cut off and the microplate is hermetically sealed with
appropriate glue or tape.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
11
An indicator liquid or paper is placed into one well for confirming the existence of anaerobiosis. If O2
leaks, the colour of the indicator liquid or paper changes. The hermetically closed Honeycomb
microplate is put into the Bioscreen C and a normal experiment with shaking, incubating and
measurement is carried out.
2. The whole Bioscreen C can be placed in an anaerobic cabinet.
Facultative anaerobes (e.g. lactobacilli and bifidobacteria):
1. Oil layer technique can be used. The oil diminishes the dissolving of O2from air into the sample.
2. Redox medium (including chemicals which react with O2) can be used with previously described
techniques or separately.
5. Guide to Manual Pipetting
Instruction for use:
Keep this paper under the Honeycomb microplate during sample pipetting.
The well numbers are seen through the wells of the microplate.
Microplate number 1. Microplate number 2.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
6. MAINTENANCE
6.1 Maintenance Steps & Frequency
During normal operation we recommend you to perform the following maintenance procedures:
Clean the lenses Weekly / more often if necessary
Clean the filter wheel Weekly
Replace the fuses As needed

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
13
Replace the lamp As needed
Add the heat transfer fluid As needed / Check before each measurement
Decontamination Before service call
(Please see Appendix A)
6.2 Cleaning
Bioscreen C can be used with substances containing or producing hazardous compounds.
Remember to clean the contaminated parts properly after use to avoid health risks.
This is particularly important when Bioscreen C is sent out of the laboratory or if a service
visit is needed. Your service representative will ask you to provide a written certificate of
decontamination.
6.2.1 Cleaning the lenses
If lenses are dirty, clean them with diluted alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Avoid harsh treatment. There are two
lenses, one below and the other one above the incubator.
Figure 7 Position of the upper and the lower lens.
6.2.2 Cleaning the outer surface
All surfaces of the instrument can be cleaned with a moist, soft cloth and mild detergent. Make sure that
liquids don’t enter the instrument.
6.2.3 Cleaning the filter wheel
Check the filter wheel once a week and clean it if necessary:
Turn the power off.
Open the cover of the lamp cabinet.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
14
Lift the filter wheel up. Avoid touching the filter surfaces.
Clean the filter surfaces with a lens paper. If necessary, use diluted purified alcohol.
Put the filter wheel back so that the toothed edge is facing backwards. The magnets will draw the
wheel into the correct position. Do not force it to the right place, try to turn it around instead.
Close the cover.
6.2.4 Cleaning the incubator tray
Clean the incubator tray with a soft cloth and alcohol. Don’t immerse the incubator tray cover in cleaning
solution.
6.3 Checking the Heat Transfer Fluid Level
Check the level of the heat transfer fluid at the window of the incubator at the front of the instrument regularly.
With the Bioscreen C turned ON, the green lamp in the tank window lets you see the level of the heat transfer
fluid. The fluid level should be above the minimum level marked with . The heat transfer fluid tank is full
when you receive your Bioscreen C, but remember to check the fluid level on a regular basis. Don’t operate
the Bioscreen C if the fluid level is too low, this can seriously damage the instrument.
The heat transfer fluid bottle is located inside the Accessory pack included with your system. To add more
fluid, do the following:
Switch the Bioscreen C ON.
Unscrew the plug on the heat transfer fluid tank.
With a pipette, take up a few milliliters of heat transfer fluid and dispense it through the hole from which
you removed the plug. Keep dispensing until the level in the fluid window is well above the minimum.
Screw back the plug.
Press MODE - 21 - ENTER on your Bioscreen C instrument keypad. The heat transfer fluid pump
starts a continuous circulation of the heat transfer fluid. Let it run for 15-30 seconds. If there is a lot of
air in the tubes, unscrew the plug slightly to let the air out.
Press RESET on the keypad.
Check the fluid level. If it is still too low, repeat the previous procedure.
Press RESET on the keypad.
The heat transfer fluid contains ethylene glycol, which is harmful if swallowed. Keep the bottle clearly
labeled and wash your hands after the use of the fluid.
6.4 Replacing the Fuses
Switch the power off.
Disconnect the power cord from the mains.
The fuses are on the back of the Bioscreen C in the power cord block. The fuse holder can be

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
15
removed after the power cord is detached from the block. The fuse holder is attached with two small
clips which are released by pressing them towards each other.
Change the blown fuses to new ones and put the fuse holder back into the power cord block.
Connect the instrument to the mains and switch it on.
Replace the blown fuses only with fuses with the same rating shown on the serial plate of the
instrument. Failure to do this may cause instrument damage and/or personal injury.
6.5 Replacing the Lamp
CAUTION:
THE LAMP MAY BE VERY HOT! Do not touch it with bare hands or let it cool down before changing.
Switch the power off.
Open the cover of the lamp compartment (see Figure 1).
Loosen the two screws of the lamp connector with the screw driver included with your system. Lift the
lamp holder upwards and remove the lamp.
Make sure that your new lamp is sold and pre-tested by Growth Curves Ltd. (see Figure 10).
Install the new lamp so that the red dot points upwards. Do not bend the lamp pins. Do not touch the
reflective surface of the bulb.
Place the lamp connector to the lamp pins and tighten the screws. Check that the lamp is correctly
positioned.
Close the cover and switch the Bioscreen C on.
Figure 8 Replacing the lamp. Figure 9 Positioning the lamp.

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
16
Figure 10 Lamps tested, approved and marked by Growth Curves Ltd.
There are some brands of lamps that will not give enough light for the wavelength range that the
Bioscreen C operates. Only lamps that are sold and pre-tested by Growth Curves Ltd. are
guaranteed to operate properly.
Pre-tested lamps are marked with a red dot.
Use only these certified lamps in order to avoid the F1-b2 / “too little light” error!

Bioscreen C Microbiology Reader User's Manual
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
________
17
7. TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
7.1 Optical problems
Problem
Filter error (FE)
Cause
A filter is missing.
Solution
Be sure that the filter wheel is properly installed.
Problem
Blank error (F1 - B2)
Cause
Insufficient light to the amplifier:
1) The lamp is burned out, near the end of its lifespan or the lamp is of the wrong
model.
2) The detector lens is scratched.
3) The filters and / or lenses are dirty.
Solution
1) Change the lamp to a pre-tested and approved lamp marked with red dot.
2) Check the detector lens for scratches.
3) Clean the filters and lenses.
Note
Sometimes old lamps can cause problems. They are lit, but the amount of ultraviolet
light is not sufficient for the measurement. This can cause false assumption that the
lamp is OK when it is not.
Problem
Blank error (F1 - B3)
Cause
Too much light is reaching the detector:
1) The filter wheel is missing.
2) The cover is open.
Solution
1) Check that the filter wheel is properly installed.
2) Close the covers.
Problem
Abnormal growth curves
Cause
1) Sediment accumulates to the bottom of the sample wells and it moves randomly
when the carriage moves.
2) The cover has been opened during the measurement and this has elevated the
measurement values.
3) Ambient temperature is too high or too low to keep the programmed incubation
temperature.