February 5, 2009

Purdue Research Park-based company receives regulatory approval for faster and cheaper soil testing method

The National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils approved the use of the company's IRIS Tubes to determine whether soils meet the federal standard to be classified as "hydric," which is part of the definition of a wetland.

"In the past, determining whether soil was hydric was a time-consuming and expensive process requiring expensive equipment and extensive field time," said Byron Jenkinson, co-founder and chief research officer for InMass Technologies. "In addition, the results were often inconclusive."

Jenkinson said the technology his company created gives a definitive result in the testing process.

"IRIS Tubes answer the question, 'Is this site hydric?'" he said. "The ability to cover large areas for relatively little cost, followed by easy-to-evaluate results in weeks instead of months, makes this an easier, faster and less expensive method than other processes to determine if soil is hydric."

Environmental engineers, soil scientists, mine and land reclamation experts, and land developers can use IRIS Tubes to determine the depth of soil saturation, analyze organic carbon in soil, locate water tables, and analyze and monitor contaminated soil and water.

The technology also can inform homeowners how their septic systems are functioning.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service lists several other applications for hydric soils on its Web site, including assessment of potential habitats for wildlife, conservation planning and land-use planning.

The National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils includes scientists from the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service and academic researchers.

About InMass Technologies Inc.

IRIS technology was developed by Byron Jenkinson during his doctoral work at Purdue University. IRIS Tubes are manufactured and distributed by InMass Technologies Inc. The company is operated by four brothers – Byron, Paul, John and David Jenkinson – who bring scientific, sales, construction, manufacturing and distribution, and electronic systems experience to the venture.

About Purdue Research Park

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park (https://www.purdueresearchpark.com) has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 158 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.

To the Purdue Research Park, https://www.purdueresearchpark.com

Purdue Research Park contact: Steve Martin, (765) 494-6872, sgmartin@prf.org

Source: Byron Jenkinson, (765) 413-4112, bjj@iristube.com