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New Treatment Technology for Sediments Impacted By PCBs, Heavy Metals and Related Compounds Available From Adventus Americas; Remediation Biotechnology Firm the Exclusive Global Distributors Of Customized AquaBlok(R) Products

Posted on: Friday, 3 March 2006, 09:00 CST

Adventus Americas Inc., an international remediation biotechnology firm, announced its selection by AquaBlok Ltd. as the exclusive global distributor of customized AquaBlok(R) remediation products for environmental applications. In conjunction with AquaBlok Ltd., Adventus Americas Inc. is introducing AquaBlok+(TM) in situ horizontal reactive barrier (hPRB) technology as a means of mitigating both the diffusive and advective flux of various constituents from contaminated sediments to an overlying surface water column.

This exciting innovation of the proven AquaBlok in situ capping technology uniquely integrates into composite aggregate reactive amendments. Examples include reduced metals (zero-valent iron; ZVI) or in situ chemical reductants (ISCR) such as Adventus' EHC (TM) technology.

AquaBlok is a composite-aggregate technology comprised of a dense core surrounded by clay or clay-sized materials and polymers, which when hydrated forms a continuous and cohesive low-permeability layer. It has been used in several different environments such as rivers, bays and estuaries to cap contaminated sediments. To meet site-specific needs, a large variety of other minerals or materials can also be incorporated (such as ZVI, organics, seeds, fertilizer, etc.).

John Hull, president of AquaBlok Ltd., stated, "As AquaBlok is a very versatile technology platform, the selection of the best remediation approach from all off the possible formulations and combinations of application alternatives can be a somewhat daunting prospect. By teaming with Adventus, we believe our customers will be getting the best advice on the use of our technology, resulting in the identification of cost-effective solutions that address the often complex biological and geochemical concerns associated with contaminated sediments and groundwater."

Dr. Jim Mueller, president of Adventus Americas, offered that, "A wide variety of industries, such as industrial manufacturing, mining, and golf courses, as well as numerous waterway engineering firms are considering this proven option to permanently address sediment concerns. The advent of AquaBlok+ addresses significant scientific drivers such as body burden issues, and it helps mitigate the troubling phenomenon of sediment re-impact following dredging or source removal efforts. Further, this allows our clients to better manage their varied regulatory obligations, including The Clean Water Act, National Resources Damages, and others. We are extremely excited about the global applications this truly strategic partnership will produce."

The firm summarized the key benefits of using AquaBlok+ for safe, effective in situ management of sediments impacted by VOCs, PCBs, pesticides, heavy metals, etc., as:

-- Substantial savings over competing invasive approaches

-- Versatile technical platform as a vector delivery system

-- Proven flexibility in formulation and design

-- Diverse manufacturing, packaging & placement options

-- Varied strategic solutions and implementation options

This application builds on iron-clay liner research at the University of Waterloo (Major, 1999), and ZVI-clay DNAPL research at the University of Waterloo and Colorado State University (Wadley & Gillham, 2005, Schackleford et al 2005), which has shown that small percentages of iron mixed with clay can significantly reduce the mass flux of chlorinated organic contaminants (and presumably certain inorganic contaminants) through thin clay layers. AquaBlok+ may be deployed in two primary configurations:

(i) a continuous, low permeability AquaBlok+ cap that will degrade any solutes transported vertically through the horizontal barrier by molecular diffusion, and

(ii) a horizontal reactive gate for sites where the capped sediments are in hydraulic contact with discharging groundwater. In these situations, a relatively permeable iron/sand or AquaBlok+ gate surrounded by a lower permeability standard AquaBlok cap will act to relieve hydraulic head pressure and treat any dissolved contaminants as they migrate vertically through the permeable reactive zone, or gate.

Extensive laboratory testing in support of AquaBlok+ has been undertaken, and the first field applications of this technology are scheduled for summer 2006.

About Adventus Americas Inc.

Adventus Americas Inc. (AAI) is an environmental services company that provides various remediation biotechnologies including those exclusive to our affiliate company; EnviroMetal Technologies, Inc. (ETI). The groups' proprietary technologies include DARAMEND(R) and TERRAMEND(R) for treatment of soil and sediment, AQUAMEND(R) for wastewater, and EHC(TM) technologies and mGCW systems for in situ groundwater treatment. AAI is also the exclusive global distributor of customized AquaBlok(R) remediation products. ETI is the world leader in applications of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology for the remediation of contaminated groundwater, with experience at more than 125 sites in United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia.

The Adventus family of companies has offices in Canada, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey. For more information on Adventus, visit the company's Web sites at www.adventus.us or www.eti.ca

About AquaBlok Ltd.

AquaBlok, Ltd. is an Ohio-based company established for the purpose of developing and marketing AquaBlok(R). The product was originally developed as a remedial technology in the mid-1990s to provide a sediment capping method to address waterfowl mortality issues at a Superfund site where access constraints prohibited traditional solutions.

Since then, the AquaBlok technology has been incorporated in completed remedies for contaminated sediments in riverine, pond and wetland situations in both the United States and Canada. It has been the subject of several innovative pilot demonstrations, and has been considered as a viable alternative for numerous pending sediment remediation projects.

In addition to developing and marketing AquaBlok, AquaBlok, Ltd. has also developed a product called SubmerSeed(R). SubmerSeed is essentially a seed-amended version of AquaBlok whereby AquaBlok's vector concept is used to facilitate targeted delivery of wetland plant seeds across impacted or non-impacted inundated surfaces for the purpose of creating or restoring wetland plant communities.

For more information, visit www.aquablokinfo.com

Source: Business Wire

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