Pure-O-Tech, Inc., headquartered in San Diego County, Calif.–a provider of environmentally safe solutions in water and food security applications utilizing innovative ozone-based technologies–entered into a strategic alliance with San Diego State University Foundation. The alliance is for the purpose of research, development and commercialization of a patented technology for the removal of perchlorate, a highly oxidized form of chlorine that contaminates ground and surface waters that serve as drinking water resources for millions of Americans, and which is believed to contaminate a significant amount of the fresh and ground water available in the State of California.
Under the terms of the agreement, San Diego State University (SDSU) will grant Pure-O-Tech, Inc. an exclusive license option of SDSU's patented technology. In addition to providing Pure-O-Tech access to the technology for development and commercialization, the agreement provides for SDSU and Pure-O-Tech, Inc. to share in the economic benefits resulting from the business venture established by both parties. Based on the current perchlorate clean-up problems and the estimated market size, this could potentially be a multimillion dollar business opportunity. Ron Tesmer, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Pure-O-Tech, Inc. states, "This technology, identified and developed by SDSU, is an important breakthrough in eliminating a hazardous drinking water and food safety concern which is receiving national attention."
According to Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit research organization, perchlorate contaminates more than 500 drinking water sources in 20 states, serving in excess of 20 million people. EWG also reports that perchlorate affects public health by restricting the thyroid gland's ability to make essential hormones. For fetuses, infants and children, disruptions in thyroid hormone levels can cause lowered IQ, mental retardation, loss of hearing and speech, and motor skill deficits. Among perchlorate-contaminated sources is the Colorado River, which not only provides drinking water for many Americans, but is also is an important irrigation channel for the agricultural industry. Food is an important exposure pathway for perchlorate contamination as evidenced by a study commissioned by EWG at Texas Tech University that showed excessive levels of perchlorate in lettuce.
Commenting on the Pure-O-Tech and SDSU alliance, the inventor of the perchlorate elimination patent, Dr. Mirat Gurol, Blasker Chair, Department of Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, said, "This patented perchlorate elimination technology has advantages over existing perchlorate remediation technologies in all three critical success factors: destruction of perchlorate, lower health risk and cost effectiveness. The technology eliminates perchlorate from water through a chemical process that reduces perchlorate ion into chloride ion, which is a benign salt component. In addition, the technology offers the potential for eliminating other types of contaminants commonly found in groundwater including nitrate and NDMA (nitrosodimethylamine)."
Source: Pure-O-Tech
