NECi Superior Enzymes’s battle cry is “Biotechnology Chemists can Use”.  We create reagent grade, recombinant enzymes as tools for analytical chemistry.  We believe our enzyme reagents are greener, safer, environmentally benign alternatives to the hazardous reagents and heavy metals that are the basis for many common analytical methods in use today.  

We also know that new methods need to be accurate, cost-effective, and reliable if they’re going to be useful – and worth the effort it takes to make any kind of change.  We show this by our focus on method validation.  Right now, April 2017, our core product is the plant enzyme Nitrate Reductase, or NaR.  NaR changes (reduces) nitrate to nitrite, the first step to formation of amino acids for proteins, and nucleic acids for DNA.  NaR is an exquisite tool for measurement of nitrate in anything aqueous.

NECi’s recombinant AtNaR has jumped through validation “hoops” at ASTM International (Method D7781) and the US Geological Survey (Methods I-2547-11 and I-2548-11).  Our multi-lab validation study is in Committee at standardmethods.org  

But our most serious efforts have been geared toward standard method status with the US EPA.  Multi-lab, multi-sample validation studies based in EPA-approved protocols were completed in 2014 for Clean Water Act applications, and 2016 for Safe Drinking Water Act use.  Both studies were successful in demonstrating that enzyme-based nitrate determination is equivalent to or better than standard Cadmium reduction.  At this time, enzymatic nitrate reduction has ATP status (Alternative Test Protocol) for CWA and SDWA usage.

Full USEPA method status under the Clean Water Act was signed by the EPA Administrator on 15 December 2016, in the current Methods Update Rule.  The MUR is awaiting publication in the Federal Register at this time, 13 April 2017.  We are in limbo until the MUR is signed again by the new EPA Administrator.  We have no information on when this might happen.  Check our website for updates!  

Feel free to call or email us – or the EPA – for more information.  Reach me at ellenr@nitrate.com, or call us at 888/NITRATE.