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The University of Manchester’s environmental and asset monitoring “spinout” Salamander

Summary of the impact

Spinout Salamander was created to exploit research in the UoA on environmental monitoring. Building on the research, the company has developed and marketed a suite of branded products: two for monitoring water-quality in distribution (Hydraclam® and Chloroclam®) and one for monitoring ground gas (Gasclam®). In each case the defining feature is the ability to provide secure, standalone, continuous monitoring. The products have been licensed to Siemens (Hydraclam® and Chloroclam®) and Ionscience (Gasclam®), and have had significant impact on "best practicable means" and, hence, major impacts on regulated industries. Since 2008, Salamander has received royalties of over £1.0m, commensurate with end-user sales of £7.0m.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Environmental Engineering

Computer Based Methods for Diagnosing and Predicting River Health

Summary of the impact

Good quality water is essential for life on earth. The `Centre for Intelligent Environmental Systems' (CIES) has developed computer-based solutions for the assessment of river water quality by environmental agencies, working to improve the quality. CIES research has informed discussions and decisions of the UK Technical Advisory Group for the Water Framework Directive (UKTAG WFD). UKTAG WFD have selected the WHPT (Walley, Hawkes, Paisley & Trigg) method, for assessing river water quality throughout the UK, in the context of river management to meet the targets set in the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC from the European Union), which the UK government signed up to in 2000 (Beneficiaries: UKTAG WFD; Environment agencies; The public). Indirect impacts can also be attributed to CIES research, as it enables improvements of river quality, which triggers positive impacts on the natural environment, public health and quality of life (Beneficiaries: The public). CIES software has also been released to environment agency biologists as second opinion tools, thereby resulting in improved delivery of the public service provided by these biologists, when they use the software (Beneficiaries: Environment agencies; Environment agency biologists; The public).

Submitting Institution

Staffordshire University

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Statistics
Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Biological Sciences: Ecology

Organic Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC)

Summary of the impact

The activities of the Organic Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC) at the University of Manchester generate impact from its research activities through knowledge transfer to industry. This is exemplified by:

  • Enabled UK SME ACAL Energy, through technology transfer and development, to create in excess of 20 jobs, raise £15m of venture capital investment to develop their FlowCath® fuel-cell technology.
  • Enabled UK SME Byotrol, through improved understanding to develop novel anti-microbial technology which has been licensed to global fast moving consumer goods companies with sales of £2.19m per annum.

Provision of research-based training in the field of printed electronics and sensors to over 250 people from 2008 onwards.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Chemistry

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

The Utopia Suite: realising semantic knowledge discovery and data linkage in the publishing and pharmaceutical industries

Summary of the impact

The need to manage, analyse and interpret the volumes of data and literature generated by modern high-throughput biology has become a major barrier to progress. Research at the University of Manchester on interoperability and advanced interfaces has resulted in innovative software (Utopia Documents) that links biomedical data with scientific literature. The software has been adopted by international publishing houses (Portland Press, Elsevier, Springer, etc.), allowing them to explore new business models, and by pharmaceutical companies (e.g. AstraZeneca, Roche), providing new opportunities to explore more efficient, cost-effective methods for exploiting and sharing in-house data and knowledge. The research also led to a spin-out company, Lost Island Labs, in 2012, which expects a profit [text removed for publication] in its first year.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Computation Theory and Mathematics, Information Systems

The development of Selectfluor® as a commercial electrophilic fluorinating agent

Summary of the impact

The development of the chemistry of Selectfluor® (F-TEDA-BF4) has resulted in this Manchester-discovered reagent becoming the world's most widely used commercial electrophilic fluorinating agent to introduce fluorine into a range of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Annual worldwide production is ca. 25 tonnes and sales estimated to be US$7.5m. Selectfluor is used in the synthesis of fluticasone, a fluorinated corticosteroid which is the active ingredient in GSK's Advair ($3.6bn sales in 2010) used in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms; top 25 selling drugs Flixonase, Flixotide, Flonase, Flovent HFA and Advair Diskus which had total sales of over $17bn between 2009-2012.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Chemistry

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

CPI – Centre for Process Integration

Summary of the impact

The field of conceptual chemical process design as practiced industrially has been influenced significantly by the outputs from the Centre for Process Integration (CPI) at Manchester. Process Integration Ltd (PIL) was spun-out from Manchester and currently employs over 50 staff globally, who have conducted projects that have resulted in annual cost savings of hundreds of millions of US dollars. The application of CPI technology has led to significant reductions in both energy costs and emissions of greenhouse gases. Since 2008 ca. US$350m of savings have been realized through the exploitation of CPI technology with US$1.4m generated from software sales.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Applied Mathematics
Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering

Improved access to urban water services for over a million people in Uganda and other developing countries

Summary of the impact

Over a million urban dwellers in several developing countries are accessing water services as a result of research undertaken at Loughborough University. National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Uganda's main urban water utility, applied the research findings to improve service quality, and extend piped water supply to the previously un-served. During 2008-2011, over 500,000 additional urban residents accessed piped water supply of improved bacteriological and physico-chemical quality — resulting in significant enhancement of health and quality of life (particularly of children). Furthermore, the research benefits were transferred to other countries, through the work of NWSC's External Services Department, extending the reach to other countries including Kenya, Tanzania, India and Zambia.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Civil and Construction Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

From source to tap: management of natural organic matter during drinking water production

Summary of the impact

New characterisation tools for natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water are now used as standard practice within water companies such as Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water. The tools inform decisions, and help develop strategic plans on catchment management, source selection, treatment optimisation, and disinfection practice. Water companies experienced difficulties in treating high levels of NOM. Cranfield created a novel characterisation toolkit to measure NOM for its electrical charge and hydrophobicity. Also, new techniques for measuring aggregate properties and emerging disinfection by-products have provided a comprehensive analysis. Two novel treatment technologies are currently marketed. These technologies have raised international interest, resulting in industrial development in Australia.

Submitting Institution

Cranfield University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Other Chemical Sciences
Engineering: Chemical Engineering

Best policy, scientific practice and engineering solutions for mining-polluted river systems

Summary of the impact

Research into the characteristics and remediation of mining pollution has had sustained and significant impacts (2008 - 2013) on environmental policy and practice at regional, national and international scales. Impacts, all with documentary evidence, include:

  • Defining locations for engineering interventions to manage pollution in the economically important River Tyne and its estuary (S1).
  • Triggering, and supporting delivery of, multi-million pound government investment in remediation of mining pollution nationally (S2, S3, S4).
  • Determining design of the first large-scale `passive' metal mine drainage treatment system ever built in the UK (S3, S5).
  • Ensuring European mining pollution issues are properly addressed in production of definitive international guidelines on mining pollution management (S6).
  • Shaping of public policy and practice for management of water in mining regions of Peru and Honduras via international advisory roles (S7, S8).

Submitting Institution

Newcastle University

Unit of Assessment

Civil and Construction Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Earth Sciences: Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Engineering: Environmental Engineering

Application of environmentally friendly and fire-safe transformer liquids

Summary of the impact

Research on ester liquids (ELs) has proved they can be used in high-voltage (HV) transformers, bringing economic and safety advantages to the power industry and environmental benefits to society. Impact includes revisions to National Grid's oil policy recommending ester-filled HV transformers for use in London and the design and operation of the first 132kV "green" transformer (valued between £1m and £2m). The research has led directly to the creation of two international standards for professionals in global power utilities specifying the use of ELs in transformers. These developments have contributed directly to Manchester SME M&I Materials increasing sales from £15m (2008) to £29m (2012).

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Materials Engineering

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