EDMONTON, March 31 /CNW/ - Seair Inc. (SDS:TSX Venture Exchange) is pleased to announce the release of independent study results that confirm ozone diffused into oil sand process water eliminated more than 95% of the naphthenic acid present in the water samples. The study, done by researchers at Syncrude Canada Ltd. and the University of Alberta, is believed to be the first experimental evidence that ozone can react with naphthenic acids.
Oil sand process water ("OSPW") arises from the hot alkaline extraction process used at the oil sands deposits in northeastern Alberta. The extraction process water contains dissolved naphthenic acids that are acutely toxic to a range of organisms and, therefore, must be eliminated if the OSPW is to be released back into the environment. Biodegradation is generally used to mitigate OSPW toxicity but naphthenic acids are very resistant to biodegradation.
Using Seair's patented diffusion process, ozone concentrations of approximately 35 mg l-1 were achieved in OSPW from Fort McMurray, Alberta. After 130 minutes of reaction time the naphthenic acid presence in the OSPW reduced from 59 to 2 mg l-1, or more than a 95% reduction.
Harold Kinasewich, President and CEO of Seair, states "we are pleased to now have independent verification that Seair's micro-bubble ozone diffusion can be an effective means to treat one of the most challenging aspects of oil sands tailing pond remediation. Our work in other industries has shown that Seair's solutions not only get results, but do so in a very cost-effective manner. We are now prepared to work with government and the oil sands industry to eliminate naphthenic acids from oil sands process water on a commercial scale."
The study results by A.C. Scott, W. Zubot, M.D. MacKinnon, D.W. Smith and P.M. Fedorak were published in the international journal Chemosphere, Volume 71, Issue 1, March 2008, Pages 156-160. The full article, entitled "Ozonation of oil sands process water removes naphthenic acids and toxicity" can be obtained at www.sciencedirect.com.
About Seair
Seair is a leading developer of patent-protected diffusion and sterilization technologies, which allow for the efficient diffusion of gases into liquids, thereby facilitating numerous applications in a wide variety of industries, including wastewater treatment, pulp and paper production, food processing, aquaculture, agriculture/horticulture, sterilization, golf course irrigation and pond treatment, animal enhancement and oil and gas. Seair's primary focus is developing and selling equipment that diffuses gases, such as oxygen, ozone or carbon dioxide, into a liquid, resulting in a supersaturated solution. The major difference between Seair's and others' diffusion technologies is Seair's ability to achieve extremely small bubble size, which in turn allows for the mass transfer of gas to fluid. The result is a stable condition, where gases remain in solution for extended periods of time, leading to increased productivity and lower operating costs. Seair provides diffusion-enhanced portable wastewater treatment plants through its subsidiary, Seair Septic.
Parties interested in obtaining further information or receiving news releases and corporate documents from Seair may email such requests to seair@telus.net or visit the Seair website at www.seair.ca.
This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of Seair Inc. with respect to its performance, business or future events. Such statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results and events may vary.
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