Microvi and Aquatech Break Ground on Large Demonstration System at Aerojet Site in Rancho Cordova, CA

HAYWARD, Calif., May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Microvi Biotechnologies, in partnering with Aquatech International, has been awarded a contract for a demonstration system for degradation of perchlorate at Aerojet General Corporation's site near Rancho Cordova, California.

The demonstration system, which was installed in April 2013, is designed to treat 175,000 gallons of groundwater per day containing perchlorate, a component of solid rocket fuel, using Microvi's MB-P™ Technology. Aerojet is currently using a biological Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) to degrade perchlorate and monitors the site to ensure compliance with discharge standards. Microvi's MB-P™ technology, based on the company's MicroNiche Engineering™ Technology Platform, is a solution that can naturally degrade perchlorate more effectively and efficiently compared to any available technology while also significantly reducing waste and energy costs.

"As part of Aerojet's ongoing efforts to identify more efficient processes to reduce cleanup times and create a more sustainable operation, Aerojet is excited for the opportunity to test Microvi's MB-P technology. If the demonstration proves successful, we believe that the technology has the potential to reduce energy consumption and waste disposal, and could ease operation of our treatment facility," said Peter Kvam at Aerojet.

The MB-P™ technology consists of a single pass, single step process that minimizes the production of a secondary waste stream, as is common with ion exchange resin or other biological processes. The technology degrades perchlorate in the feed water into harmless oxygen and chloride ions with no buildup of intermediates.

"The potential value of the MB-P technology for the perchlorate market is unmatched in the industry today," said Dr. Fatemeh Shirazi, Microvi's CEO. "We are looking forward to this demonstration as yet another confirmation of Microvi's paradigm-shifting approach."

The contract for the demonstration system was awarded to Microvi by Aerojet after the successful completion of a pilot conducted by Microvi and Aerojet at the site in 2012. That pilot proved that dissolved perchlorate could be degraded using Microvi's MB-P™ technology and that it has the potential to significantly reduce operating costs by retrofitting Aerojet's existing FBR system.

To build this one-of-a-kind demonstration system, Microvi has partnered with Aquatech International Corporation, a global leader in water purification technology for the industrial and infrastructure markets. Aquatech will be responsible for design, fabrication, construction and assisting in the installation of the demonstration unit.

"The MB-P™ technology is ideal for new installations as well as the retrofit of existing treatment systems such as ion exchange or any biological processes. We are excited to partner with Microvi on this pioneering technology," said Nitin Shinde, Director of Integrated Water Services of Aquatech.

About Microvi
Microvi is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes innovative biocatalytic technologies in water, energy and chemical industries. Microvi's pipeline of solutions, created using its proprietary MicroNiche Engineering™ platform, enables cost-effective economics; are energy efficient and waste free; and deliver higher performance than conventional methods. To learn more please visit www.microvi.com.

About Aerojet-General Corporation
Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile and armaments areas in support of domestic and international markets. GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real estate assets. Additional information about Aerojet and GenCorp can be obtained by visiting the companies' websites at www.Aerojet.com and at www.GenCorp.com.

About Aquatech
Aquatech (www.aquatech.com) is a global leader in water purification technology for industrial and infrastructure markets with a focus on desalination, water reuse, and zero liquid discharge. The company is headquartered in the United States, and has a significant presence worldwide through subsidiaries in India, Europe, the Middle East, and China. Aquatech strives to provide technology leadership and performance excellence to the global water industry, and aims to support its clients with cutting-edge sustainable solutions, minimizing their life cycle cost, as well as their carbon and water footprint.

Media Contacts:

Karin Kidder, Director of Marketing, Microvi Biotechnologies, 510-344-0668, Email 

Glen Mahone, VP of Communications, Aerojet-General Corporation, 202-302-9941, Email 

Karin Brightwell, Marketing Communications Manager, Aquatech, 724-746-5300, Email

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SOURCE Aquatech International and Microvi Biotechnologies