A York biotech firm which makes a device which can detect pollution levels in waste water is on the brink of closing three major orders worth a total of £80,000 - with a potential to make millions.

The pioneering Terra Nova Systems Ltd, based at the Innovation Centre in York Science Park, is in the final stages of negotiations with major companies in Ontario through its Canadian office for purchase of the suitcase-size apparatus call Cellsense.

And, with new distribution agreements in the process of being established in Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, Greece, Italy and Spain, the firm is on target to reach a turnover of £750,000 by next July.

Managing director Allan Robinson, an affable 49-year-old Geordie biochemist, reports "an astonishing worldwide response" to the biosensor system which can be used by municipal water authorities as well as companies needing to monitor the toxicity of their own industrial waste.

Mr Robinson obtained a licence on a project linked with the Department of Trade and Industry to develop the Water Research Centre patent.

Mr Robinson says: "At that time the device was in effect made of plastic, chewing gum and a bit of string and we were given six weeks to produce a working model."

The result was seen at a formal launch at the Central Science Laboratories at Sand Hutton, near York, in January, when the full effects of design advice for the casing from Business Link North Yorkshire were seen.

Business Link was later also to give help to establish overseas agents and, though its technology adviser, Roger Benson, to give advice on receiving Government SMART awards for research.

Cellsense systems have already been ordered and delivered to the Water Research Centre plus two other members of the consortium which back the company, namely Zeneca, the pharmaceutical giant, and the University of Luton.

One system has been installed at Zenica's environmental laboratory in Brixham, Devon - the biggest in Europe - and another at its herbicide manufacturing plant in Grangemouth, Sterlingshire. The University of Luton's £16,000 system has just been installed at its research centre.

Mr Robinson says: "We always knew, through the development phase, that Cellsense was badly needed by industry but demand is exceeding our expectations. We are receiving overseas inquiries daily by e-mail and fax as more companies have to address the problems of toxic effluent."

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