Modern Water completes toxicity-monitor purchase

UK-based Modern Water plc announced on 9 December 2011 completion of its acquisition of Strategic Diagnostics Inc’s (SDIX) Water Quality division, including its Microtox® toxicity testing technology.

This acquisition gives Modern Water a base for its business operations in the Americas through its newly created Modern Water Inc. It represents another strategic step for Modern Water’s existing MW Monitoring business, which includes the Cymtox continuous toxicity monitor and the Cogent portfolio of advanced trace metal analysers.

Modern Water is also developing its Manipulated Osmosis membrane desalination technology via projects in Oman and Gibraltar.

The SDIX Microtox® rapid-toxicity detection platform provides customers with rapid, cost-effective and accurate identification of the presence of hazardous chemicals, including those on the USEPA Priority Pollutants List, and other contaminants that can compromise human or environmental health and safety.

Simon Humphrey, chief executive of Modern Water, said, “There are clear synergies between our existing portfolios of water and environmental monitoring products, as Cymtox and Microtox use the same platform bioluminescent technology for water toxicity monitoring. Our combined expertise in bioluminescence provides a solid base for future product development.”