Toxicology bioassay information sheet, undated

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testing protocol is simple and can be mastered by a technician with only a few hours of training.

• The Tetramitus Assay measures the toxicity of whole particles by flagellate ingestion via the gullet. Most other bioassays require the extraction of toxicants, frequently using solvents, before testing of a particle sample can begin. The efficacy of this extraction process, as well as any solvent’s impact on the accuracy of test results, are unclear. This aspect of the Tetramitus Assay, the ability to perform true and reproducible whole particle testing, is a significant competitive advantage over other systems.

• The Tetramitus Assay does not require the addition of an exogenous activation mixture (Rat Liver S9) necessary for many other toxicity screens, because Tetramitus has its own activating enzymes. Accordingly, the Tetramitus Assay does not require the use of laboratory animals. This aspect of the Tetramitus Assay gives it significant ethical advantages over those bioassays and test systems that still use animals and animal products.

• The Tetramitus Assay is sensitive to a broad range of toxicants. Many other test systems still require the use of multiple strains of the indicator organisms or the use of different test kits for the detection of different classes of compounds.

• The Tetramitus Assay is not affected by dyes or other coloration in water samples, unlike other test systems.

The market for this technology is expansive. The Tetramitus Assay makes toxicity screening quick and inexpensive for water utilities, state and federal regulatory agencies, watershed projects, environmental testing companies, individual homeowners and any industry required to monitor effluent discharge. This technology addresses many goals in new state and federal clean water legislation, as it provides an inexpensive means of self-regulation and monitoring for industry. Moreover, the EPA recently announced a policy shift in favor of in vitro toxicity testing, and away from in vivo toxicity testing. The market for environmental technology, which is expanding rapidly, is but one small area of the Tetramitus Assay’s application. The potential use of this technology in the pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetic and hazardous waste industries may well expand beyond its extensive environmental testing applications.

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http://www.envirolab.com/abouttetramitus.htm 2/12/02

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