Compiled by Steve Smith
Analytical accreditation
CORBEIL-ESSONNES, France-Air Liquide Balazs Analytical Services (www.airliquide.com) has received worldwide ISO/CEI 17025 accreditation for compliance with standards in more than 100 ultratrace analytical methods. Balazs’s U.S. labs are located in Fremont, Calif., Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and Dallas, Texas. Key technical standards of the accreditation include: well-defined test and calibration methods; method validation and uncertainty measurement; measurement transparency, reliability and repeatability; accommodation and environmental conditions; technical competence of personnel; and quality assurance of test and calibration results.
Monitoring microorganisms
SAN DIEGO, Calif.-JMAR Technologies (www.jmar.com) is testing beta models of its BioSentry waterborne microorganism monitoring system with the Olivenhain (Calif.) Municipal Water District (OMWD), which will use three of the units to continuously monitor the purity of water at various points in its treatment plant. BioSentry devices will be positioned to monitor raw influent water, treated effluent water, and distribution system water. Test results and operational evaluations will be shared with water producers and suppliers throughout the country. BioSentry is a laser-based, early warning system designed to provide continuous, automated quality monitoring of drinking water. It can detect and classify waterborne microorganisms in real time to ensure water purity.
Cancer-chasing cleanroom
SHEFFIELD, U.K.-Atomising Systems Ltd. (www.atomising.co.uk) has constructed a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility built to cGMP specifications for the manufacture of pSivida’s (Perth, Australia) BrachySil cancer therapy. The cleanroom environment at pSivida’s U.K. manufacturing partner will increase BrachySil production in support of both larger clinical trials for advanced liver cancer treatment and new trials in a second cancer treatment planned for later this year. For future commercialization, pSivida will use the Atomising Systems Ltd. manufacturing facility to produce ultrapure, nanostructured BioSilicon microparticles doped with phosphorus-created via a specially developed melting process and water atomization.The microparticles are then activated to become BrachySil. The company says its treatment has shown excellent results in clinical trials as a radiotherapy for the treatment of inoperable primary liver cancer. BrachySil is delivered directly into tumors without the need for surgery.
High-K handshake
AUSTIN, Texas-ATDF (www.atdf.com), a semiconductor research and development center, is partnering with VESTA Technology (San Jose, Calif.; www.vestatechnology.com) to establish an R&D and customer demonstration facility for its advanced work in film deposition, plasma nitridation and oxidation, and other semiconductor processes. VESTA will receive ISO Class 3 (Class 1) cleanroom space and support, plus access to ATDF’s 200-mm and 300-mm toolset. The agreement involves installation of three cluster tools with eleven separate process chambers mounted on three separate platforms. Processing capabilities will be used by VESTA and ATDF for their respective customers. ATDF will provide its customers with access to atomic-layer deposition of high-k dielectrics and metal gate materials that are expected to be the next advances in high-k and metal electrode structures.