Carbon Reactivation Technology Receives U.S. Patent

Carlsbad, CA — U.S. Microbics, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has granted a new patent (#6,905,603 B2) based on its proprietary technology for the "Treatment of Contaminated Activated Charcoal." The new invention relates to the treatment of carbon filtration systems and the use of micro-organisms for removal of contaminating hydrocarbons from such systems. The patent follows from successful field trials using the Bio-GAC(TM) and BAC(TM) systems specifically designed to support a proprietary blend of hydrocarbon-eating bacteria to extend and regenerate spent carbon from water treatment systems used by industry and its service vendors to meet regulatory agency discharge requirements.

The Bio-GAC(TM) system was developed in response to industry demand for an economical alternative to periodic system shutdown and offsite regeneration of spent carbon elements estimated to cost carbon users $400MM per year. Not only is offsite regeneration expensive, it is time consuming, ties up cash resources in additional carbon inventory and loses up to 25% of the original carbon by volume in the conventional regeneration process. With the Bio-GAC(TM) system, not only is the process done on site, but costs for regeneration are typically 50% less than offsite regeneration, and nearly 100% of the carbon can be regenerated to near virgin carbon standards while simultaneously extending the useful life of in-service treatment systems, further reducing operation and maintenance costs.

Bio-GAC(TM) is a new breakthrough technology that can be used to eliminate MTBE, petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds in groundwater cleanup at retail service station sites nationwide. The typical industries with potential beneficial use include:

• Local Potable water treatment companies, boards and districts
• Oil and Gas production, transportation, pipeline, bulking, refining, distribution, retail and gas stations
• Commercial and industrial facilities with waste water production and/or NPDES permit requirements to treat facility discharges
• Chemical and petrochemical facilities
• Groundwater remediation sites

As a further product benefit, the company previously announced in May 2002 that it had received confirmation from the State of California that its bio-reactivation recycling technology for activated carbon filtration media, when used by a fully permitted facility, is exempt from permitting under California's Hazardous Waste Control Law. This exemption opens the door for use of the technology by the Petroleum, Chemical, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Cleanup Industries, who have been hesitant to incorporate new technology which could require extensive and expensive modifications to existing permit conditions.

The company would like to congratulate the inventors, who include Dominic Colasito, Behzad Mirzayi, MS, P.E., Vice President & Chief Engineer of Sub Surface Waste Management of Delaware, Inc., Mery Robinson and Alvin Smith.

U.S. Microbics intends to capitalize on its investment in the newly patented technology by licensing end users and service vendors who can utilize the process to benefit their operations, and by using the process in SSWM remediation projects to lower the cost of carbon filtration media, decrease the treatment time for in situ remediation projects and for pre-treatment filters attached to water purification machines. The company plans to increase its revenue from these activities with a combination of up-front, unit measure and on going royalty fees.

SOURCE: U.S. Microbics