GUELPH, Ontario, Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Patent and Trade Office issued a patent, Microbial Reduction of Vinyl Chloride, to Stanford University on Nov. 22 that includes the use of specific gene sequences to detect and monitor microorganisms critical to the bioremediation of chlorinated solvents.

SiREM (www.siremlab.com), a global provider of advanced products and services to the bioremediation industry, holds an exclusive license agreement with Stanford to offer the now-patented process targeting the vcrA gene in microbes.  Having this gene allows microorganisms to produce the enzyme vinyl chloride (VC) reductase, which safely converts chlorinated solvents into non-toxic compounds. Independent research has indicated that vcrA is the most widely distributed VC-reductase gene in the environment, making it a critical target for effective monitoring of chlorinated solvent remediation.

Following the issue of the U.S. patent, No. 8,063,192, SiREM will continue to be the world's only licensed provider of vcrA gene testing, which is identified by the trade name Gene-Trac® VC.  Using this test, bioremediation practitioners and site managers can analyze soil and groundwater for the presence of microorganisms with the vcrA gene.  This allows them to characterize impacted sites and assess whether chlorinated solvents can be completely degraded with the use of bioremediation techniques.

Microorganisms that produce VC-reductase are critical to rendering toxic chlorinated solvents such as perchloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) into harmless end products.  PCE and TCE are common groundwater contaminants that once were widely used as dry cleaning solvents and degreasing agents. SiREM's KB-1® culture, which contains the vcrA gene, has been successfully applied at hundreds of bioremediation sites in North America, Europe, and Asia to enhance degradation of these compounds.

SiREM also maintains a treatability laboratory equipped to conduct studies that evaluate groundwater and soil treatment technologies. The company holds multiple licenses with leading academic institutions and industry partners that allow it to provide clients unique, science-based products and services to address remediation challenges.

SOURCE SiREM

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