Pathogen detector for water treatment receives funds for further development

Sustainable Development Technology Canada has announced a new group of “clean” demonstration projects that will receive grants for further development. The new projects relate to contaminated land cleanups and water quality.<br>
One project is called the “Biothreat Early Warning System” that uses a nanotechnology-based sensor to test for 100 pathogens in less than 30 minutes. <br>
The consortium developing the testing system is led by a Montreal company called Early Warning, and includes consulting engineers Conestoga-Rovers & Associates. NASA, and the University of Waterloo, CAP EnviroMicrobial and the State of Utah Center for Excellence for biomedical Microfluidics are also in the consortium. The work is to help measure for preventing waterborne outbreaks of pathogens such as E-coli.<br>
Other new green technologies that received development funding include a process called KB-1(r) for in-situ biodegradation of chlorinated solvents. The demonstration is intended to show that tetrachlorethene (PCE) and Trichloroethene, which are among the most commonly detected soil and groundwater contaminants, can be cleaned up cost effectively, particularly in Canada’s cold climate and in fractured bedrock. SiREM Canada of Guelph, Ontario is heading the team involved with that project.<br>
In total 19 teams received funding in this round of projects announced on July 5. The total amount of the funds given this round was $49 million.<br>
Sustainable Development Technology Canada is a foundation established by the Canadian government with a $550 million fund for green technology development. It will be calling for new statements of interest for funding on September 5. <br>
see www.sdtc.ca<br>