MicroAquaTech
This material has been produced by the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ)
under contract to the Ministry of Education. It has been written to assist teachers
and schools in their delivery of the technology/ hangarau curriculum statements.
The project is jointly coordinated by personnel from the Technology Education
New Zealand (TENZ)
and National Association of Māori Mathematicians, Scientists and Technologists
(NAMMSAT) networks. Monitoring and evaluation of the material is carried out
by a national project advisory group.
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Giardia
and Cryptosporidium are minute water-borne parasites which cause severe
gastro-intestinal upsets in humans. MicroAquaTech is a New Zealand enterprise
which is working to limit the potential health hazards caused by these
parasites. Using state of the art molecular biology and microscopic equipment,
it is able to provide fast, reliable, testing of water and water filtration
systems to comply with current water standards and proposed water quality
legislation.
The company evolved from the Ministry of Health funded Massey University
Protozoa Research Unit, with which it still retains a close link. It was
the idea of Professor Emeritus Tim Brown who, since its formation in 1998,
has worked as director alongside laboratory manager Anthony Pita and analytical
microbiologist Rebecca Cowie at the company's base within the Institute
of Molecular BioSciences at Massey University in Palmerston North.
Over the last three years the small team has built up an enviable reputation
for efficiency and customer service allowing the naturally ebullient Tim
Brown to confidently state that, "We may not be perfect, but we are the
best!"
When starting the company, Tim thought that its business would revolve
around the routine testing of water, but as he points out, "things are
always changing and, if I've learned one thing, its that when you're in
business you're never going to be sitting comfortable".
Tim explains that, to survive in the commercial area, MicroAquaTech has
had to work hard to develop the quality of service it can offer and to
expand its range of customer services.
While
at Massey University, Tim was able to work on a project to develop portable
testing kits which trampers and other outdoor enthusiasts could use to
quickly and conveniently test water to ensure it was safe for drinking.
Difficulties with the reliability of the testing procedure meant that
use of portable filters became the more common method of ensuring a supply
of safe drinking water in the outdoors. MicroAquaTech was contracted by
Consumer magazine to test the effectiveness of some of the more popular
brands of water filters on the market. The effectiveness of these portable
filters was found to be directly proportional to their cost. More recently
MicroAquaTech has been testing "point of use filters" for a number of
New Zealand and Australian companies to ensure that their products and
systems meet the appropriate standards. Very recently one Australian company
told them on an urgent long distance call, "We want you to do it because
we know you can!"
Accreditation with International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) is
essential for a company working in the specialist area of these testing
procedures. MicroAquaTech team has completed the stringent requirements
in order to achieve this. The IANZ accreditation will be formally ratified
for MicroAquaTech at an IANZ meeting early in 2002.
The company is keen to promote awareness of its activities and the importance
of the work it is doing in the health field. Its welcomes and appreciates
visits at any time and school groups or individual students working on
project work related to water quality and testing are welcome to make
contact by emailing MAT@massey.ac.nz
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