AbTech Industries Smart Sponge® Achieves 99.99% Reduction of Hydrocarbons in Produced Water and Frac Water

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AbTech Holdings, Inc. ("AbTech") (OTCBB: ABHD) a manufacturer and developer of patented innovative technologies to clean water, today announced successful completion of field testing of its Smart Sponge® Mixed Media Contactor ("Contactor") to treat produced water at a Wyoming natural gas exploration and production site.  The AbTech Contactors were designed to remove the hydrocarbons present in the produced water in order to protect and thereby substantially increase the useful life of downstream treatment equipment and technologies including a reverse osmosis system.  The Smart Sponge Mixed Media Contactors removed 99.99% of the free oil and dissolved phase hydrocarbons (BTEX).  Field testing and data collection was done under rigorous conditions throughout the fall of 2011.  

AbTech's efforts included installing engineered pretreatment filter systems, operating at variable flow rates between 150 to 300 gallons per minute, reducing difficult contaminants, and achieving materially lower costs per barrel of produced water treated.  Smart Sponge Technology was shown to achieve these goals removing a range of hydrocarbon contaminants specific to produced water at the site.

AbTech Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Thatcher states, "Our proven field operation and positive results clearly demonstrate the benefits of the Smart Sponge Technology for on-site produced water treatment.  The results we achieved confirm that Smart Sponge Technology is a viable, cost effective technology for de-oiling produced water and protecting more expensive downstream treatment technologies.  Through this documented, substantive performance we look forward to a successful expansion into the oil and natural gas energy sector."

ABOUT ABTECH HOLDINGS, INC. (OTCBB: ABHD) AND ABTECH INDUSTRIES, INC.

AbTech Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of AbTech Holdings Inc.) is a full-service environmental technologies and engineering firm dedicated to providing innovative solutions to communities, industry and governments addressing issues of water pollution and contamination. Its products are based on polymer technologies capable of removing hydrocarbons, sediment and other foreign elements in storm water runoff (ponds, lakes and marinas), flowing water (curbside drains, pipe outflows, rivers and oceans), and industrial process and wastewater.  AbTech's offerings include the ground-breaking new antimicrobial technology called Smart Sponge® Plus. This technology is effective in reducing coliform bacteria found in stormwater, industrial wastewater, and municipal wastewater. Smart Sponge® Plus is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (Registration #86256-1). AbTech's teams of water treatment technology experts, civil and environmental engineers, and field operations specialists develop solutions to improve the quality of waterways for generations to come. AbTech's Smart Sponge technology is installed in more than 15,000 locations across America and in 8 countries worldwide. For more information please visit: www.abtechindustries.com.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

AbTech Company Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE AbTech Holdings, Inc.