Electronic Sensor Technology signs deal with USDA

Published 18 September 2006

Company’s zNose chemical sensors to be deployed to fish ponds to detect algae overgrowth; deal the latest in a string of successs for the California company; recent deals also made with Saudi Arabia and China

There is nothing fishy about this deal. Newbury Park, California-based Electronic Sensor Technology (EST) (OTCBB: ESNR) announced this week it had received an order from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its zNose detection equipment. USDA intends to use the sensors to test fish ponds for chemicals associated with algae overgrowth. The deal is yet another example of the zNose’s utility across a range of industries. Recently the company detailed the technology’s ability to detect the explosive tri-cycloacetone peroxide (TATP) and its component parts. It also announced an initial order of four zNose detection units from the Chinese equivalent of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the result of a successful demonstration of zNose back in December 2005 to ascertain the water contamination effects of a chemical plant explosion near Songhua River in northeastern China.

Sales overall have been good. As we reported at the time, EST had received ten orders for zNose in the first two months of 2006 — already exceeding the 2005 first quarter total sales of six systems. More recently the comapny announced three new deals. With Cherokee Industries, a manufacturer and systems integrator of environmental products; with Omega Scientific, based in Singapore, for security applications; and with the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also for homeland security applications. These initial orders are considered precursors to additional follow on orders.
-read more in this news release; read more on the use of the zNose for monitoring polluting chemicals in water in this report; see company Web site