Seattle Company Licenses Auburn University Filter Technology for Development
Auburn University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mitch Emmons
844-5741
emmonmb@mail.auburn.edu

December 20, 2002
(Auburn, Washington) — Seattle-based HaloSource, a company formed in 1997 to develop and market a water purification technology developed by AUBURN UNIVERSITY, has signed a formal licensing agreement with the university.
Halosource president Clive Defty said the company has some ideas about developing and selling the technology to consumers.
"We've spent the past six months testing the technology," he said. "Our testing has been positive, and we believe we will have an immediate market in the area of water purification."
The technology — invented by AUBURN UNIVERSITY Chemistry Professor S.D. Worley— uses a polymer base to destroy harmful contaminants without introducing chemicals into the water source.
"This is a biocidal compound that is not soluble in water, which kills the organisms, but does not put anything toxic into the water," Worley said.
Iodine presently is the primary water treatment method used throughout the world, Defty says. And currently, there is no other satisfactory substitute.
"There are some 1.2 billion people in the world who do not have safe drinking water," Defty said. "We believe this technology provides a convenient and effective alternative to iodine and other chemical-based water treatment methods."
HaloSource expects to have a marketable product within the year, Defty said. It will take several months, he added, to obtain approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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