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For Immediate Release
July 16, 2005
Scentczar hosts third annual symposium
to combat terrorism
RICHMOND, Va. – More than 100 scientists, industry
leaders and government officials attended the third annual
symposium on toxic industrial chemicals and materials held
on July 12 – 14 at the Greater Richmond Convention
Center.
Scentczar Corporation, headquartered at the Virginia BioTechnology
Research Park, organizes this annual meeting and according
to Joseph Roehl, Ph.D., president of Scentczar, this year’s
event was a great success.
“Determining what industrial chemicals could be used
in terrorist activities has become a critical issue in homeland
defense,” Roehl said. “The purpose of this event
was to bring together industry and government representatives
to evaluate the problem and begin discussions between various
government agencies, chemical industry representatives and
emergency equipment developers to implement solutions.”
Toxic industrial chemicals and materials are a particular
concern to national security because of their availability,
toxicity and the ease by which they can be incorporated into
terrorist activities. Many organizations have developed hazard
indices that list and rank industrial chemicals according
to their production, storage, toxicity and vapor pressure
as well as flammability and corrosiveness. Based on these
indices, the government can work cooperatively with private
industry to protect the public against terrorist attacks.
"The reality is that hazardous materials are being
transported though our communities on a day-to-day basis,” said
Roehl. “Companies must begin to develop more practical,
cost-effective equipment that focuses on what first responders
need, not only in an event involving weapons of mass destruction,
but also for the threats involving TICs and TIMs that are
around us every day.”
Scentzar, a small Virginia business, recently patented the
world’s first Residual Life Indicator, a device designed
to ensure that the carbon beds used in chemically protective
suits, gas-mask filters and collective protection filters
for buildings will operate properly during a chemical warfare
attack. Scentczar also develops low-power custom electronic
hardware, pattern-recognition software and chemical instruments
used in a wide range of areas, including weapon systems,
hydrocarbon fuel storage and spoilage, locomotive efficiency,
and de-icing technology.
Due to the success of the TICs and TIMs Symposium and the current
national concern regarding radiological and nuclear terrorism,
Scentczar will host the 1st Radiological Device and Nuclear
Event Symposium in March 2006.
“The biotechnology industry continues to play an integral role in national
defense, whether it is in assisting the development of vaccines for infectious
diseases, creating measures to ensure the safety of the nation’s food and
drug supply or protection of drinking water supplies,” said Robert Skunda,
president and CEO of the BioTech Park. “Inhibiting the use of toxic industrial
chemicals in terrorist activities has now become an important area for which
our biotechnology companies are creating innovative solutions.”
Contact:
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: http://www.vabiotech.com
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