901303 Cytometer Technologies for Autonomous Platforms : Comparisons between cytometers, comparison to other methods This page last changed on Sep 09, 2014 by oreilly. # # Comparison between existing oceanographic cytometers The below characteristic values are found in various sources, including peer-reviewed publications and manufacturers marketing literature (e.g. specification sheets)
| Imaging Flow CytoBot (Heidi Sosik, McLane Research) | SeaLabel (Jarred Swalwell, UW) | CytoSub (CytoBuoy BV) | FlowCam (Fluid Imaging) | LISST 100X | LISST Holo (Sequoia Scientific) | LOPC | Submersible holographic microscope (Resolution Optics)
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
type | imaging, pulse | pulse | imaging (optional), pulse | imaging (includes chl, phyco fluor channels) | nephelometer | holographic imaging | pulse | holographic imaging
cell size range | 1-100 micron | 0.5-20 micron (SeaFLow) 2-20 micron (SeaLabel) | 0.4-700 micron ("pico" option) | 10 - 600 micron |  | 25 micron-2.5 mm | 100 micron - 3.5 mm | 1 micron-2 mm (depends on particle opacity, optical setup)
cell concentration range |  |  | 10^3-10^9 cells/liter |  |  |  | < 10^3 particles/liter |
instrument dimensions | 26 x 102 cm | 17 x 23 x 28 cm | 37 x 75 cm | 46 x 38 x 66 cm |  | 76.7 x 13.3 cm |  | 30 x 10 cm
instrument mass (air/water) | 32 kg |  | 65 kg | 18 kg (without housing?) |  | 9.5/3.6 kg | 11.4/6.0 kg | 1.81/1.39 kg
power | 35 W | 35 W | sampling: 60 W (full options) idle: 20 W sleep: 2 W | 40-60 W continuous |  | 4.5 W sampling? | < 20 W | ~5 W (not incl. computer)
max depth | 40 meter | shipboard | 200 meter | 200 meter |  | 300 meter | 660, 3400, 6000 meter | 100, 6000 meter
Fluor/scatter excitation | 635 nm laser | 457 nm laser | various lasers | 532 nm laser | 670 nm laser | 670 nm laser |  | N.A.
flow rate thru measurement volume | 15 ml/hr | 900 ml/hr f(vcore) ~ 90 ml/hr f(OPP) ~ .9 ml/hr | 0.25-64.8 ml/hr | With 4X Objective and 300µm Flow Cell: Up to 180 ml/hour (50 mm^3/s) WIth 10X Objective and 80µm Flow Cell: Up to 45 ml/hour (12.5 mm^3/s) |  |  |  |
Detectors | 2 PMTs: CHL (680), SSC (635) | 5 PMTs: 2 position sensitive detect CHL1 CHL2 Phyco-erythrin | FSC Photodiode SSC PMT CHL PMT (up to 7 add. channels) |  |  |  |  | CCD
max throughput | ? pulse/sec 167 images/min | 24,000 pulse/sec | 5000 pulse/sec 1500 images/min | 10,000 images/min |  | 2 Hz (analysis post-sample) |  | 16 fps 2048x2048 50 fps 512x512
sheath fluid? | yes | no | yes | no |  | no | no | no
unattended duration | 6 months "routinely" | ? | ? | ? |  |  |  |
realtime data processing |  | yes |  |  |  | not implemented | yes | requires human operator, windows PC
cost |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes on measurement method | Olson and Sosik claim scatter/fluorescence is usually not sufficient for genus/species-level identification of nano- and micro-plankton. |  |  |  |  |  | Size histogram for particles 100-1500 micron; shape info for particles > 1.5 mm |
References | specification sheet Olson et al (2003) Olson and Sosik (2007) | CytoAUV 2013 proposal | Thyssen et al (2008) specification sheet | Web page specification sheet |  | specification sheet | Herman et al (2008) Web page specifications, integration guide | specification sheet
Event rate, time, energy to measure 1000 cells (100 cells/ml)* | 0.417 pulse/sec 2400 sec 84 kJoule | 2.5 pulse/sec (detected) 40000 sec (OPP) 1400 kJoule | f=64.8 ml/hr: 1.8 pulse/sec 555 sec 33 kJoule | 5 - 20 particles/sec 200 - 800 sec 12 - 48 kJoule (60 W) |  |  |  |
Event rate, time, energy to measure 1000 cells (10^5 cells/ml)* | 417 pulse/sec 2.4 sec 84 Joule | 2500 pulse/sec (detected) 40 sec (OPP) 1400 Joule | f=64.8 ml/hr: 1800 pulse/sec 0.55 sec 33.3 Joule | 5000-20000 pulse/sec 0.2 - 0.8 sec 12 - 48 Joule |  |  |  |
Notes |  |  |  |  |  | Has been integrated with Dorado | Has been integrated with Dorado AUV | Hobson investigating for possible AUV integration
* Time to measure N cells, where p is cell number density (i.e. concentration) and f is flow rate through measurement volume: If N = 1000, coefficient of variation = 3.1% and SNR = 32. (See Bellingham's notes on cytometer performance.) # Comparison to other autonomous methods
| ESP | Fluorometry | LISST 100x | Cytometer
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Advantages | Species ID | Fast sampling; bulk pigments |  | Species ID; straightforward data processing of pulse signals (image analysis more complex)
Drawbacks | Limited by onboard reagents; long sampling time | Doesn't discriminate species | Doesn't discriminate cells from other particles; complex data processing; must assume particle transmittance, shape; calibration problematic | Complex optics, hydraulics; precise optical alignment. Indirect cluster-based species ID for non-imaging cytometers
Sample rate | ~hourly? | ~1 Hz |  | KHz
Processing |  | simple | complex | Based on statistical clustering of light scatter/fluorescence correlation
Species ID? | yes | no | no | yes
Samples per deployment | 10's |  |  |
# # Cytometer performance Linear range (signal : number of photons) Detector efficiency (Qr) - determined by laser power, optical design, PMT sensitivity... photoelectrons detected per equivalent fluorochrome molecule Optical background (Br) Particle size range Signal processing speed (pulses/sec, images/sec) # Attachments: FlowCAM_Spec_Sheet_200ppi-1.pdf (application/x-octect-stream) LISST-HOLO.pdf (application/force-download) McLane-IFCB-Datasheet.pdf (application/force-download) J. Plankton Res.-2008-Thyssen-333-43.pdf (application/force-download) CytoAUV_proposal_2013-v3.pdf (application/force-download) CytosenseSpecifications.pdf (application/x-pdf) Submersible_Spec_Sheet_200ppi-3.pdf (application/x-pdf) BD-characterization-performance.pdf (application/x-pdf) FlowCytobot-Olson_et_al_DSR2003_8932.pdf (application/x-pdf) equation.jpg (image/jpeg) IM 230-Flow Cytometer Performance for AUV Operations.docx (application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document)

Document generated by Confluence on Feb 03, 2026 16:08