As a forward thinking engineering consultancy, Grontmij combines multidisciplinary approaches to deliver innovative, sustainable and cost-effective solutions to their clients in ballast water treatment design and validation.

Assure Controls will provide instrumentation and biological test kits for rapid toxicity assessments, essentially the marine environment in a box, which can be used to determine treatment systems effectiveness within four hours versus a more expensive and lengthy laboratory analysis.

For example, neutralization agents used in several ballast water treatment systems vary in their effectiveness. By using this rapid test method, the manufacturer’s specified biocide treatment process and specified neutralization agent can be assessed immediately (shipboard if desired) after the recommended neutralization time period. This allows a fast verification of “discharge ready” treated water. During the treatment system’s design phase, this testing can accelerate modifications. During vessel operations, the test indicates compliance that no toxic residuals have resulted from the treatment, ensuring environmentally sound practices.

Since over 50,000 vessels in the next few years will install ballast water treatment systems, the work between Assure Controls and Grontmij provides valuable information on the amount and type of neutralization agents, and the recommended neutralization times. These variables can be optimized, for the best dose-treatment-neutralization process to meet requirements. This provides a cost effective and easy to use test method.

More about Grontmij: http://www.grontmij.com/ABOUTGRONTMIJ/Pages/Mission.aspx

With the IMO Ballast Water treaty nearing ratification (BWC 2004), the Forum provided an open debate between some of the world’s largest maritime organizations involved in shipping, ship building and design, maritime R&D institutes, technology developers, environmental organizations and academia to discuss the cutting edge issues in ballast water management.  Representatives from dozens of countries attended, providing dialogue amongst all essential parties; perhaps the most concise and specific group ever assembled, at exactly the right time; to discuss ballast water treatment issues and how they will be addressed.

Assure Controls representatives attended to participate in this world class review of latest treatment techniques, testing methods, and port authority compliance strategies.

The Forum concluded that considerable progress has been achieved in terms of developing robust tools for indicative analysis of ballast water for compliance monitoring and enforcement purposes.  In addition, the summary statements encouraged acceleration of efforts to harmonize test procedures by test facilities, and share this with the international community.  It was reinforced that Type Testing certification is not the same as Port State Control compliance monitoring.  Ship owners were alerted to the impending requirements and urged to get actively engaged in preparations that will provide effective ballast water treatment, management, testing and compliant activities.

Vista, California, September 13, 2011 — In the summer of 2011, a research team of environmental experts conducted the largest of its kind sampling and testing program of 100 wells located on private land in areas near hydraulic fracturing operations. Assure Controls has co-sponsored the study, which utilized the field deployable QwikLite Biosensor System. For all wells sampled, rapid water quality assessments were conducted, and the relationship of toxicity and increasing levels of chemical constituents was examined. The evaluation used geospatial and statistical analysis to examine correlations between hydraulic fracturing and toxicity and chemical composition of private well water.

The testing is in collaboration with the University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; where rapid initial indications of the presence and the severity of potentially harmful contaminants (organic, inorganic or metals) are evaluated in the study. Further laboratory work includes toxicity identification evaluation (TIE), to establish the potential cause or specific compounds and their biological toxicity level over extended exposures. The laboratory work consists of analytical and discriminatory chemical analysis, on the selected non-native chemical compounds found in industrial fracking fluids, which have not previously been assessed in this manner.

The effects of hydraulic fracturing on the quality of groundwater remain largely unknown and have sparked considerable debate. Sampling took place from July to October 2011, in the geologic area known as the Barnett Shale. The researchers have significant expertise in federal, state regulations, ecotoxicology, and environmental sciences. The results on this largest scientific study to date on groundwater effects due to neighboring drilling and hydraulic fracturing will be analyzed and submitted for peer review publication in the Spring of 2012.

Contact Assure Controls                                Contact Texas Well Study

Christi Sodano                                                  txwellstudy@gmail.com
p: 760.505.3000 x201                                        Visit the Site               
f: 760.306.7872
csodano@assurecontrols.com

www.AssureControls.com

Scientists from the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida; continue their testing of hundreds of water samples aboard the research vessel, Weatherbird II.  Extensive Gulf Oil Spill sampling and testing cruises have continued throughout the year, with onboard toxicity testing using the QwikLite Biosensor System.

"A sensitive live species is valuable in determination of marine toxicity” stated David E. John, Ph.D. “The ability to perform shipboard toxicity testing is a major advantage over laboratory methods, which are more expensive and take several days to get results.” QwikLite uses sensitive marine plankton as a "biosensor" of harmful contaminants in water. In the presence of contaminants the natural bioluminescence is inhibited, and QwikLite measures this effect, essentially quantifying the toxicity to the marine environment. The biological cartridges from Assure Controls provide a standardized, easy to use, and rapid response necessary for biological toxicity testing.

The next sampling cruise will be in early May, adding to the understanding of the Gulf Oil Spill with several tests performed each day. The toxicity data will be used along with other types of tests also performed by the scientists.

The toxicity test method was developed by the US Navy, and licensed by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) to Assure Controls, which developed the QwikLite 200 Biosensor System.

Assure Controls is a product development and marketing company with assessment technologies that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of water quality testing. Assure is headquartered in Vista, California.

The NanoFlex, Ltd. sensors feature tiny platinum electrodes (the critical dimensions are 50 nm — about 1000th the thickness of a human hair) with the ability to measure constituents in water samples via electrical signals which are typically three orders of magnitude greater than those observed for conventional large instrument electrodes. This performance plus the great flexibility and precision in terms of electrode design attracted Assure Controls to pursue the arrangement. The nanosensors will add the ability to measure the presence of chemicals in water using products from Assure Controls. Under the arrangement, NanoFlex Ltd.will produce nanosensors for Assure Controls’ test kits, and Assure Controls will produce instrumentation, disposable supplies, and software applications for the use of the nanosensors in the global water industry.

Neville Freeman, President of NanoFlex Ltd. stated, "Our nanosensors are an innovative platform with superior performance capabilities and the potential to meet a wide range of electrochemical water quality measurement applications requiring a robust sensor. The opportunity to combine them with both the biosensor test kits and the instrumentation from Assure Controls is a novel approach that we hope lead to a complete series of discrete test kits."

"Our mission is to assure that water is safe for its intended use via assessment technologies that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of water quality testing," noted Bryan Bjorndal, President and CEO of Assure Controls. "When toxicity is detected by our sensitive cultures in the biosensor test cartridges, the next question we want to help the customer evaluate is the chemicals or bacteria responsible. This is a significant step in that direction. The key is to ascertain those facts quickly and affordably."

Assure Controls is a product development and marketing company with specialized measurement expertise for industrial biotechnology and environmental water applications. The company is headquartered in Vista, California.

The mission of NanoFlex, Ltd. is to provide high performance electrodes for use in a wide range of analytical applications in both the physical and life sciences.

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Contact Assure Controls Christi Sodano p: 760.505.3000 f: 760.306.7872 Christi@AssureControls.com www.AssureControls.com

NanoFlex Ltd. Daresbury Innovation Centre Keckwick Lane Daresbury, WA4 4FS United Kingdom p: 011.44.7802421901 www.nanoflex.us

Assure Controls is a product development and marketing company with specialized measurement expertise for environmental water applications. Assure is headquartered in Vista, California with manufacturing and distribution in the U.S. and Hong Kong.

The mission of The Maritime Alliance (http://www.themaritimealliance.org/index.html) is "Promoting the Maritime Community". The non-profit The Maritime Alliance is the cluster organizer for the San Diego maritime technology community and fosters maritime business and technology innovation through collaboration around the U.S. and the world.

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Contact Assure Controls Christi Sodano p: 760.505.3000 f: 760.306.7872 Christi@AssureControls.com www.AssureControls.com

Vista, California, November 23, 2010 — The Office of Patent Counsel, United States Navy, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific, San Diego; notified Assure Controls that the invention entitled " Apparatus and Method for Providing Live Dinoflagellates for Toxicity Tests" was issued as patent number #7838212 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Patent #7,838,212 provides protection on the cartridges used in the QwikLite® 200 Biosensor System (QwikLite). The design incorporates features that allow live cultures (microscope plankton called dinoflagellates) to be mixed with water samples and assessed for environmentally harmful levels of organic, inorganic or heavy metals. The cartridges are also part of the overall product platform for multiple water measurements to be conducted on the QwikLite using optical sensors. The circular cartridges are part of a "test kit" that includes a molded carousel that houses six optical grade acrylic cuvettes, a snap cover that allows air to be used as a non-contact mixing method, and other accessories for preparing a water sample through nearly automated testing on the QwikLite.

The new patent follows on the issuance of USPTO #7,704,731 (April 27, 2010) on the entire measurement system, multiple measurement capability, the process of the measurement, and on many separate components used in the system. The original and foundational technology patent #5,840,572 was exclusively licensed from the US Navy/SPAWAR in San Diego. Assure Controls designed and developed the QwikLite® 200 Biosensor System, in an integrated instrument with touch panel display and microprocessor controlled optical measurements. The proprietary packaged live organisms in an easy to use disposable test kit are the supplies used by the QwikLite System, the subject of the claims and protection of the newly issued patent #7,838,212.

Assure Controls is a product development and marketing company with specialized measurement expertise for environmental water applications. Assure is headquartered in Vista, California with manufacturing and distribution in the U.S. and Hong Kong.

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Contact Assure Controls
Christi Sodano
p: 760.505.3000
f: 760.306.7872
Christi@AssureControls.com
www.AssureControls.com

"This is an excellent opportunity to do a large number of water quality tests and gain information rapidly; essentially within 24 hours, on the status of sampled water," stated John H. Paul, Ph.D. Paul is on the sampling cruise which departed August 6th, and is conducting the tests.

QwikLite uses sensitive marine plankton as a "biosensor" of harmful contaminants in water. In the presence of contaminants the natural bioluminescence is inhibited, and QwikLite measures this effect. The biological cartridges from Assure Controls provide a standardized, easy to use, and rapid response solution to cultures necessary for biological toxicity testing.

The current sampling cruise will be extended for 10 days, with tests performed each day. The onboard methods, procedures and large scale approaches were developed with the assistance of David E. John, Ph.D., in the laboratory at the University of South Florida. "An affordable and sensitive toxicity test has been a gap in our testing regime, this approach fills that gap; and the data will be used along with other types of tests on this cruise," noted Dr. John.

The toxicity test method was developed by the US Navy, and licensed by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) to Assure Controls, which developed the QwikLite 200 Biosensor System.

Founded in 2005, Assure Controls is a product development and marketing company with specialized measurement and reporting expertise for environmental water applications. Assure is headquartered in Vista, California with manufacturing and distribution in the U.S. and Hong Kong.

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Contact Assure Controls
Mickele Bragg
p: 760.505.3000 x3
f: 760.306.7872
mickele@assurecontrols.com
www.AssureControls.com