Products and Processes

     Precision Chemicals, a division of Atlantic Chemical and Equipment Company, an Atlanta based
water treatment chemicals manufacturer, will be introducing to the U.S. market a rapid method test kit to
detect and count Legionella. bacteria in re-circulating water systems, air conditioning humidifiers, etc., at
the ASHRAE Show in Chicago in January.

     Until recently, monitoring for the presence of Legionella pneumophila has been slow and laborious.
Conventional culture techniques are lengthy and require a well equipped microbiology laboratory plus an
experienced and skilful microbiologist.

     More recent detection methods such as immunofluorescence techniques (e.g. IFA) and DNA
hybridization are rapid but also require great skill and costly laboratory equipment. A fast, efficient and
cost effective method to detect and count legionella bacteria in water samples would facilitate the choice
of the correct treatment program to be implemented the same day samples are taken and would form part
of a routine water quality maintenance program.

     The L.R.A. enables analysis of water samples specifically for the virulent Pontiac strain (similar to
MAW) of Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 1. The method allows multi-testing to be carried out well
within a working day by a competent technician in a modestly equipped laboratory.

     Boots MicroCheck, a division of the Boots Company PLC, a publicly quoted health care company
listed on the London Stock Exchange with annual sales in excess of $4 billion, recently launched such a
method in Britain, the Legionella Rapid Assay (L.R.A.) - a system for the rapid detection of Legionella
pneumophiIa. Atlantic Chemical and Equipment Company has been appointed as a distributor for the
product in the U.S.

     The L.R.A. can detect as few as 1,000 organisms and is based on the enzyme immuno assay prinicple,
utilizing monoclonal antibodies in a filtration format. Legionella pneumophila Serogroup One (Pontiac)
organisms yield a colored response and the count is interpreted from a color comparator.

     The system has been tested in parallel with the Indirect immunofluorescence technique which is an
accepted method of detection based on similar technology. The tests on prototype kits confirmed the
performance of the L.R.A.

     In a 103-sample study carried out by Thames Water Services, an independent UIL Water Authority, a
concordance of 92% was obtained. These studies highlighted some problems with using the conventional
culture technique, with a much higher number of positive results using the L.RA and I.F.A. technique.

This can be explained by the culture technique's inability to detect:    1. viable but non culturable
organisms                                                       2. recently killed organisms - a problem often encountered in
outbreak situations where immediate chlorination of all suspect water is carried out.

     The Legionella Rapid Assay is the only means available to carry out reliable, cost effective diagnostic
testing of water systems for the Legionella organism outside specialist laboratories. The introduction of
this product will allow hospitals, convalescent homes, property management groups to provide routine
monitoring of the Pontiac strain of

     Legionella pneumophila Serogroup One in recirculating cooling water systems and/or any system
using biocide treatment, which has the potential to produce an aerosol.

     For further details and specific application information, please contact the Boots MicroCheck technical
engineer at the Atlantic Chemical and Equipment Company's booth 2019. All inquiries should be
forwarded to: Keith Macrae, Sales and Marketing Dept., Atlantic Chemical and Equipment Company,
P.O. Box 19793, Sta. N., Atlanta, GA 30303. Telephone 404/3555522